| Chapter 1. It is unnecessary to rush to shoot the
first mobile phone digital film.
One or two years later, all the mobile phones will have strong
video functions, which will naturally result in the combination
of mobile phones and films.
In the future, Huayi Brother may make wonderful short passages
specially (thirty seconds or two minutes) to sell to these SP.
The media may report that some company has shot the first mobile
phone film, but this is completely unreasonable. If you shot a
film, how did you deal with it? As long as you have a strong film-making
capacity and an easy access to channels, the products can be brought
out immediately. It is not difficult for us to shoot films now,
but in view of the immature market, we don¡¯t think we should rash
to shoot the first mobile phone digital film.
You Got An E-mail is the first film relating to E-mail, while
Mobile Phone is the first film about mobile phones in the world.
Wang Weijia, the CEO of Mtone Wireless and Wang Zhongjun, the
chairman of Huayi Brother visit Linmu Special Interview.
Host: Hello! Every one! Today we invite Mr. Wang Weijia, the
CEO of Mtone Wireless and Mr. Wang Zhongjun, the chairman of Huayi
Brother as our honored guests.
Last time, I met Mr. Wang Zhongjun at Alibaba ¡°Tianxia¡± Internet
Summit Meeting. This time, you come to accept this interview at
Soho¡¯s IT channel rather than entertainment channel. Does this
mean that the connections between internet and entertainment industry
are even closer?
Wang Zhongjun: I have many friends who have been engaged in IT
business, and I have learned things relating to business from
them. Although we are in different industrial circles, we maintain
friendly relations all the time.
Wang Weijia: We have an association called Digital China in which
Zhongjun serves as a regular director. He is the only one who
is from entertainment industry and becomes a member by accident.
In spite of the fact that he seldom goes online and never sends
e-mails.
Wang Zhongjun: I usually search for information relating to art
on the internet or receive some oil printings sent to me by some
collectors. Recently, the price for one of Xu Beihong¡¯s character
oil paintings has increased to twenty-two million Yuan by auction,
which will be increased further.
Wang Zhongjun: I usually search for information relating to art
on the internet or receive some oil printings sent to me by some
collectors. Recently, the price for one of Xu Beihong¡¯s character
oil paintings has increased to twenty-two million Yuan by auction,
which will be increased further.
Host: You see, Huayi is in the artistic circle, while Mtone is
engaged in wireless business. We invite you two to this interview
due to the fact that after mobile phone music, the mobile phone
films will be next focus of public expectation. What¡¯s your opinion,
Mr Wang?
Wang Weijia: From the former black-and-white screen to the color
screen (with which the pictures can be produced), and from the
former single ring to today¡¯s MP3 ring, the functions of the mobile
phones have been enriched dramatically. This year, there are large
quantities of mobile phones with MP3 functions. Nowadays, even
a mobile phone at the price of more than one thousand Yuan can
have video functions, and one or two years later, all the mobile
phones will have very strong video functions, which will naturally
result in the combination of mobile phones and films.
However, we don¡¯t know if we can see films on mobile phones completely
just like listening to music, because there are differences between
music and films. When listing to music, we can use MP3, and one
song or one piece of music just takes several minutes. As for
films, we have to spend two hours. Personally, I think that in
the future, Huayi Brother may make wonderful short passages specially
(thirty seconds or two minutes) to sell to these SP.
Wang Zhongjun: This should be analyzed according the practical
situation at that time. Now, the media may report that some company
has shot the first mobile phone film, but this is completely unreasonable.
If you shot a film, how did you deal with it? As long as you have
a strong film-making capacity (the capacity of telling a story
in five minutes, two minutes or three hours) and an easy access
to channels, the products can be brought out immediately. It is
not difficult for us to shoot films now, but in view of the immature
market, we don¡¯t think we should rash to shoot the first mobile
phone digital film.
Just as Weijia said, nowadays, nobody can look at mobile phones
for long hours. However, some SP can help to make some movie announcements,
which can be regarded as a kind of interactivities. Generally
speaking, the announcements are wonderful passages cut from films
which usually take thirty seconds or forty-five seconds.
Wang Weijia: Two years ago when Mobile Phone was on show, our
consumers could download passages from the internet. At that time,
there were few phones which can show video. Nowadays, there are
large quantities of mobile phones with video functions.
Host: How did you think of the idea of combining this film with
the mobile phones? Are there any other forms besides movie announcements
and fragments.
Wang Weijia: The name and contents of the film Mobile Phone fitted
into that age perfectly. At that time, there was an American film
called You Got An E-mail, which is the first film relating to
E-mail, while Mobile Phone is the first film about mobile phone
in the world. What¡¯s more, China is such a country with so many
mobile phone users.
Wang Zhongjun: In fact, there are many coincidences in the film.
The first should be the concept of the film. We all know that
each year, Feng Xiaogang produces a New Year film. At that time
we discussed about this every day. In fact, the film A World without
Thieves should be produced earlier than Mobile Phone, but at that
time, the film A World without Thieves failed to pass the examination.
Later, so we tried to think of another story, and finally Xiaogang
obtained a sudden inspiration from the expressions of the surrounding
people when they answering phones. In order to prevent others
from listening to the phones, some people would go out to answer
their phones, while some people would answer phones in a loud
voice just before you, as if they were doing a great deal of business.
Later, we found these phenomena were very interesting and decided
to make a film based on them.
Host: There are many famous manufactures and SP engaging in the
industry of mobile phones. What¡¯s more, China Mobile is such a large-scale
group.
Wang Zhongjun: Yes, you are right, but I don¡¯t think that we
should canvass for sponsors as soon as the film is released. In
fact, it is the film Mobile Phone that arouses the enthusiasm
of these advertising agents.
How did I talk about this with Weijia? It can be regarded as
a business secret or a kind of coincidence. In view of the fact
that Motorola is our long-term and contractual supplier, we first
offered a proposal to Motorola. They immediately suggested us
not to discuss this with others, and they would cooperate with
us regardless of cost. At that time, I felt they were very sensitive.
Secondly, I didn¡¯t know well about IT and mobile operator at
that time. Later, Weijia told me that there were only two large
operators in China, one is Unicom, and the other is Mobile. At
that time, I had made an appointment with Unicom with the help
of Zhang Xingsheng. On the other hand, Weijia helped me make an
appointment with Xuda, the minister of Mobile market department.
It was the first time for me to meet Mr. Xu, and we only talked
about business for more than ten minutes. I offered a price, and
Xu didn¡¯t drive a bargain, so this thing was decided as a result.
Next is the problem of technologies. At that time I had poor
knowledge on value-added service, either. Personally, I feel that
many deals are a series of coincidences. Weijia suggested me to
sell the authorization of mobile value-added service to him, because
he is very interested in this deal. Since it was the first time,
we didn¡¯t negotiate about the price meticulously, and nobody could
tell if the price is reasonable or not. Weijia offered a price,
which is not important for me as compared to the profits gained
from the film. However, I think this cooperation has very important
meanings.
Host: Is it the first time for you to make promotions through
mobile phones?
Wang Zhongjun: At that time, I was mainly convinced by Wang Weijia
for the reason that the most important thing lies in the large
numbers of users who will send the movie announcements through
mobile phones by volleys rather than the amount of money received.
I was really moved by this.
¡¡Host: This is because you can¡¯t leave mobile phones.
Wang Zhongjun: He persuaded me from the aspect of technologies.
He said that he had made an appointment for this matter with the
directors (Feng Xiaogang and Liu Zhenyun). At that time, our film
hadn¡¯t started shooting, which was still at the stage of creation.
I felt that Weijia really wanted to help us in technology, so
we talked about this, and we were all satisfied with the results.
At that time, we obtained a box-office value of a total of fifty
thousand Yuan for this film, which is the best achievement.
In terms of the profit-making capability, the recent years¡¯ development
of film industry is out of my imagination. Previously, at the
time when one film could generate profits of several millions
Yuan, I felt the amount is rather large. Later, it increased to
ten millions and then increased in times. In view of the film
Mobile Phone with the box-office value of fifty million Yuan and
the film A World without Thieves with the box-office value of
seventy million Yuan, I believe that this years¡¯ film The Banquet
may generate profits of one hundred million Yuan.
In terms of the by-products of the films, Weijia and I established
the mode of Film+SP, and afterwards, my films were mainly sold
to Weijia. There is a reason for the deals. Since this was first
started by Wang Weijia, I regarded it as the contributions made
by Wang Weijia to the film industry. Whatever proportion does
SP account for in the total income of the films, I believe it
will surely develop rapidly in spite of its present small scale.
Previously, the film industry got income mainly by selling tickets,
later the authorization to show films on TV, then VCD. At present,
from one film, we can get income from many more channels
¡¡¡¡
Host: The connections between mobile phones and film industry
become even closer.
Wang Zhongjun: In fact, in every industry, there are also some
enterprises making contributions, and there is almost no restriction
on profit-making modes. You can, others can. The key factor lies
in the confidence on your products, which decides the profitability
of your mode.
Host: At the time when you saw the film Mobile Phone, there was
no mode of combination of mobile phones and films. What did you
think about the income brought by the combination?
Wang Weijia: I think the theme of the film is related to mobile
phone very much. First, we developed a game with the same name.
This often happens in Hollywood. When the film was first launched,
we launched the game.
For film, it is a great sponsor for China Mobile to act as operator.
Our business is business of China Mobile. Why China Mobile will
provide sponsor? Because Feng Xiaogang¡¯s films are very welcomed,
and China Mobile intended to take advantage of this to build up
brand and made people feel that mobile phone is China Mobile while
China Mobile is mobile phone. This is the greatest benefit for
China Mobile. Thus, it produced much influence on China Mobile
after the film was shown. What appear in people¡¯s mind are just
China Mobile, but not other operators.
We also have a very good design besides the mobile phone game.
Send a message automatically, and you might win a film ticket.
In December 2003, our activities were held vigorously in over
ten provinces in China, while China Mobile also carried out a
large amount of propaganda. It booked 200 movie shows at the time.
These activities promoted the film dramatically, and we also
made good profit. Therefore, I consider that the cooperation is
definitely a win to all three parties. Zhongjun, China Mobile
and I were very satisfied. Since this was introduced by me, I
paid much attention to it, and I hoped China Mobile would make
good profit from it. In the end, it was.
So our businesses at the time were mainly lottery by message
and game, because there were not many mobile phones which could
download film sidelights. On the contrary, film sidelights failed
to become a outstanding product. Later JAVA appeared. People found
it very good, and began to produce film sidelights for mobile
phone. I really did something for that.
Wang Zhongjun: But I didn¡¯t make much profit from selling it
to Wang Weijia.
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