The ship turned around.

Countless facts have proven this statement to be true.

But it's not that the helmsmen at the helm of the big ships can't see the situation clearly.

In many cases, they may see better than anyone else, but they are bound by all kinds of resistance, and they can't make the big ship turn.

From this point of view, Lianya Entertainment is lucky.

From the beginning of the promotion of "Toy Story", the first 3D animated film in film history, the senior management of this media giant, which started with animated films, has maintained its attention -

"That thing is the trend of the future, but whether the technology and market are mature or not, let's wait and see!"

And soon, one by one, realistic characters jumped on the screen, every action was unprecedentedly smooth and coherent, coupled with the imaginative story, which not only made waves in the hearts of fans around the world, but also set off huge waves in the hearts of the executives of Lianya Entertainment.

August is coming, the summer file is still hot, and Xiong Yi, the general manager of Lianya Entertainment Pictures, almost broke out in a cold sweat in front of Zhou Dongshan, chairman of the group.

"How much did this movie gross?" Zhou Dongshan's face was indifferent, as if he asked casually.

Xiong Yi didn't dare to relax in the slightest, bowed his head slightly and said: "The domestic box office just exceeded 500 million, but the growth rate has slowed down greatly, and it can only be accumulated by time; The overseas box office is even more eye-catching, and it has been confirmed to exceed 600 million, and the final global box office is probably between 1.3 billion and 1.5 billion yuan. ”

Zhou Dongshan sighed slightly: "1.5 billion!" The first 3D animated film was a real hit! ”

Xiong Yi was silent.

It's not just an instant hit, it's a perfect debut!

The box office is nothing - because of the high production cost + publicity and distribution cost, Dunhuang's profits at the box office are not as exaggerated as the previous movies.

However, Lianya Entertainment knows very well what the biggest advantage of animation is-

Sell merchandise!

You must know that after entering the 90s, the proportion of movie box office revenue in the overall revenue of movies is decreasing more and more.

The peripheral income began to become the main source of income in the later stage of the film.

Lianya Entertainment and Disney, which are known for their animated films and focus on the youth market, would have been the biggest beneficiaries of this change.

Because children's enthusiasm for toys is much higher than that of adults.

And in this world, in addition to women's money, is there any better money to make than children's money?

Well, there is still one, and that is girls' money!

So the colleague on the other side of the Pacific has been holding on to his princess series of animated movies, isn't that because of this!

Similarly, although Lianya Entertainment has increased its investment in live-action films, animated films will always be its basic disk; In many cases, it is better to lose money at the box office than to launch a big animation production.

- After all, even if they lose money at the box office, the royalties of the toy company are enough to make them regain their blood.

No one understands the market around animated films better than they do.

Therefore, although Dunhuang did not release detailed data to the public, Lianya Entertainment's own channels learned that -

"The popularity of toys around this movie is better than all our animated films last year, and the current sales have exceeded the domestic box office, and the sales commission of Dunhuang is about 30%."

"In addition, including household items, clothing and bags, stationery, etc., a series of licensing agreements have also been reached, and it has obtained 80 million licensing income in the domestic market alone."

"And its discs, videotapes and TV rights haven't been sold yet, and I think it's profitable, well, short-term peripheral earnings in a year, probably more than double the box office profits!"

Xiong Yi analyzed with a somewhat complicated expression.

And all this, they can only watch......

That's what they can't bear the most.

If Dunhuang is just a pure content provider, it has no experience and no strength in peripheral development, so it is necessary to find a collaborator after all.

But Dunhuang is not.

This time, they even engaged in their own distribution overseas, and got involved in the "turf" of the five major ones.

However, the other four companies saw that it was expected to shake the monopoly of Lianya Entertainment in animated films, and they planned to enter 3D animated films one by one, but they couldn't take care of Dunhuang, which greatly reduced the pressure on the latter.

Zhou Dongshan and Xiong Yi have both seen it - the impact of 3D animation on 2D animation is irreversible, and the times are changing!

Even the peer across the Pacific felt the chill and began to reduce its investment in 2D animation and accelerated its entry into new territory by acquiring the North American leader in 3D animation.

"It's a pity that we couldn't buy the animation studio in Dunhuang." Xiong Yi couldn't help but sigh.

Zhou Dongshan laughed, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, looking a little sharp,

"Since you can't buy it, let's dig people!"

Xiong Yi was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously said: "Digging people? There is no need, we have the top animation production talents in the industry, and there is no shortage of talents in the domestic software and animation industry......"

Before he finished speaking, Zhou Dongshan had already waved his hand, "I heard that the person in charge of Dunhuang Animation Studio left our company?" ”

Xiong Yi paused, and said with a hint of self-reproach: "This matter is my mistake!" He submitted a plan for the development of a 3D animated film, but I didn't pay enough attention to it and gave up on such a talent......"

Zhou Dongshan waved his hand again and said, "I don't blame you, but since he was trained by us, let's recruit him back and tell him that we can make him the creative director of Lianya Animation." ”

Xiong Yi opened his mouth, but finally closed it.

A creative director is parachuted into a movie? I'm afraid none of the veterans of Lianya Animation obeyed him.

But since the chairman has said so, they have to accept it if they are not convinced.

Zhou Dongshan seemed to be able to see through his thoughts, and said calmly: "At the same time, we will gradually reduce the investment in 2D animation, so that there is no need to raise so many traditional animators." It just so happens that our team of animators is too bloated, let's cut some people. ”

"Layoffs?" Xiong Yi was taken aback.

Although he knew that the traditional animation department, which had brought great glory to the company, would be in turmoil, he ...... Outright layoffs?

This is too unavoidable to kill the donkey.

"This is the decision of the group board of directors."

This sentence made Xiong Yi dare not speak.

Let's cut it, it's not cut on him anyway.

In addition, the elimination of a number of old stubborn understandings of animated films that only stop at hand-drawn 2D will also help the company promote the development of 3D animation.

As for the fate of the laid off animators, the two didn't think about it at all.

- They have been eliminated by the times, what does it have to do with us?

……

"Times are changing, but 2D animation isn't going to be obsolete right away! So we have the opportunity to get a full-fledged traditional animation team that we must not give up! ”

At the emergency discussion meeting in Dunhuang, Wang Wei got straight to the point.

Dunhuang's animation production team was poached, and Lianya Entertainment disbanded some of its traditional painting teams — as soon as the two news came, everyone else in Dunhuang focused on the first news, but Wang Wei only focused on the second.

Lao Wang, they naturally don't understand this.

They have clearly opened the door to the era of 3D animation, why should they go back to the 2D era?

In this regard, Wang Wei said very firmly: "Because animation is a work of art, 2D animation has its own artistic value; The generation that grew up with 2D animation will not all defect because of the arrival of the 3D era. ”

Of course, the premise is that 2D animation can produce good works.

"Just because Lianya doesn't use people well doesn't mean that I don't use them well; I have the story, but it's hard to get a good animator, so it's a great opportunity to pick up the gaps. ”

When Wang Wei said this, he only felt that the Japanese animation masters in his life were standing behind him.

The people of Dunhuang inexplicably felt a pressure.

Well, no one doubts that he has a good story, but the latter......

"What can you do if you will be laid off first?" Lao Wang was skeptical.

Wang Wei smiled: "You don't understand this, right?" ”

"When layoffs occur, the first to be dismissed is often not the least capable employee, but the elderly or capable person, but the 'disobedient' person, or the best talker, always the honest person who always takes the blame every day."

……

~~~

(End of chapter)