Ever since Ma Qianyou also prepared to invest and join Linghui Studio, Xiao He had begun considering using this opportunity to transform their studio into a company.
Although the initial studio operation model was relatively casual and offered more freedom, the small workshop-style management ultimately had many drawbacks. Moreover, as the studio's scale expanded, personnel management became more complex. A standardized organizational structure and management model had become imperative.
Most importantly, the studio would have more business expansion later, participating in more projects like the current "Imperial Decree." The risks the studio would face in the future would also increase. After all, not every work could be one hundred percent profitable and make money. If they still maintained the studio form, the personal risk would increase infinitely. Among them, the person bearing the greatest risk was undoubtedly Xiao He as the boss.
Although everyone was now partners advancing and retreating together, with close relationships and mutual trust, money can move people's hearts. Xiao He needed to provide a safeguard for himself and everyone.
Therefore, transforming the studio into a company was an inevitable trend in Linghui's growth.
When Xiao He brought this matter up with Liu Rulan, Liu Rulan also agreed very readily and began preparing for it.
So during this period, everyone had been busy with company matters...
In the afternoon, Xiao He and Liu Rulan interviewed two professional managers together.
Professional managers generally refer to professionals with enterprise management and industry experience. They are responsible for the company's daily operations and management, managing the company on behalf of Xiao He, the actual boss.
The two who came for the interview this time were both professional managers with rich industry experience and outstanding management abilities. They had both worked in large enterprises for many years, possessing very extensive relevant experience.
The one who caught Xiao He's attention was a man named Lin Cheng.
Lin Cheng wore a somewhat bulky pair of black-framed glasses. Although his attire was very appropriate, the badly worn watch strap on his wrist inadvertently exposed his financial straits.
Nevertheless, during the interview, he still displayed the confidence and composure expected of a professional manager.
In contrast, his other competitor's attire was more luxurious. The watch on his wrist was the kind that started at over a hundred thousand. During the conversation, he also carried a somewhat difficult-to-conceal sense of superiority and arrogance, a kind of condescending arrogance from a big company coming to a small company.
Xiao He wasn't judging based on whether someone had money or not. He just instinctively disliked this feeling.
"So, what were the reasons for your departure from your previous companies?"
Liu Rulan sat in the middle seat, responsible for asking questions.
Lin Cheng adjusted his glasses, his eyes flickering slightly, and gave his reason: "The previous work pace didn't quite match my personal state at the time, so I chose to resign to adjust and re-plan my career direction."
The reason given by the other person was: "Professional philosophy clashed with the company's, so I chose to resign voluntarily."
—As everyone knows, the lies people tell during interviews are of the highest grade, aiming to cater to the current company and conceal their own problems and flaws.
So what were the real reasons?
Xiao He lazily leaned back in his seat, his fingers nimbly tapping on the keyboard—
This Lin Cheng indeed had considerable talent. Unfortunately, he hadn't worked in an entertainment company before, but in a tech company. During his tenure as president, he had always managed the company in an orderly manner. Sadly, internal strife later erupted in the company, and he was forced to become a casualty of the power struggle, kicked out of the company.
And coincidentally, his spouse fell seriously ill last year, and there was a nursing infant at home waiting to be cared for. Lin Cheng, unable to be in two places at once, simply chose to return to the family to take care of his spouse and child.
However, treating illness is a gold-devouring beast. After persisting for a year, the family burden made him choose to return to the workplace.
Choosing an entertainment company was also because he had been blacklisted in his previous industry's circles.
As for the other one—
Xiao He raised an eyebrow and nudged Liu Rulan with his elbow.
Liu Rulan took the opportunity to glance at the computer screen in front of Xiao He, and her expression also underwent a subtle change.
This other interviewee had actually been fired from his last company for having sticky fingers.
What "clash of professional philosophy"? The fact that the company didn't call the police on him was already considered benevolent.
"Mhm, I understand."
Liu Rulan gave Xiao He a look.
Soon, the two interviewees left one after another.
"So, Lin Cheng then?" Liu Rulan sought Xiao He's opinion. "He has no issues?"
"Mhm, him."
Xiao He didn't say much more, simply nodding.
"Alright."
And so, Lin Cheng was decided just like that.
In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the month...
Having weathered the remaining period of public opinion storms, "Imperial Decree" swept through the entire summer season like a dark horse, becoming the undisputed breakout hit drama of this summer season, bringing huge profits to all parties involved in one go.
"Low cost," "big hit" became its defining terms.
At the same time, this "low cost" wasn't the kind of web drama with rough production that looked fake and cheap in every aspect. It was because most of the cast members were newcomers with extremely low performance fees, and more funds were spent on sets, makeup, and styling, striving for perfection.
Moreover, under the deep scrutiny of "microscope" viewers, they discovered that there really were "talented individuals" in "Imperial Decree's" production team.
The Empress Dowager's ancient bed looked exquisite, but in reality, all its parts were the same as those found on budget shopping apps. The production team members bought the tools and wooden bed themselves and assembled them. Only the front was presentable; the wooden boards from other angles didn't even have paint.
And Consort Qiao in "Imperial Decree" appeared incredibly glamorous every time she was on screen, with complete headdresses and jewelry. But upon closer inspection, sharp-eyed netizens discovered that the large gold hairpin on her head was made by spray-painting nails, stringing them together with gold beads, and wrapping them with gold wire.
To be honest, when Xiao He saw this hot search topic, he was also stunned.
He even went to look at the "Consort Qiao" who showed no sense of incongruity in the plot, then looked at the screenshot singled out by netizens, and rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Seriously, did the production team's prop master have such imagination?
As for the fact that the thumb ring the Empress Dowager toyed with in the background was actually a dyed emerald green nut... that was truly beyond reason.
Xiao He didn't understand. To what extent could the production team economize that they didn't even have a fake thumb ring as a substitute?
—Don't misunderstand, they didn't spend money separately on this nut either. It was leftover material from when the production team was building the sets, and they reused it all.
But if you say they didn't spend money, that's not true either. The major sets and costumes that needed to be arranged were indeed not skimped on.
One can only say...
"They're all talents."
Willing to help save money—they were practically the ideal workers for capitalists.
Xiao He immediately asked Lin Cheng, who had just taken over the company: "Have we signed contracts with the people from this team?"
This was their company's first batch of personnel who could independently create projects.
Once the company stabilized, they could start new projects again.
"Mhm, we've signed contracts with most of them. However, the director had some contractual disagreements with us and ended up taking away a portion of the people."
Lin Cheng had just taken over when this matter came up, and he didn't handle it too well, so when mentioning this, he was a bit cautious.
Xiao He frowned: "What about the screenwriter and that prop master?"
"They're still here. The director mainly took away the cinematographers and the post-production team..."
"That's fine then."
Xiao He breathed a sigh of relief.
Looking at the entire "Imperial Decree" project, those who left weren't the most critical success factors.
As long as the core personnel didn't leave, he was relieved.
"However, I think there's something you, boss, might need to know more about." Lin Cheng continued, "The one who poached the director and the others was someone from Xingchen Entertainment."
On one side was Xingchen Entertainment, backed by a large conglomerate. On the other side was a newly formed small company. This group of fresh graduates who achieved huge success right after graduation would inevitably have restless minds and choose the better prospect.
Xiao He felt this was human nature.
But still, it was actually Xingchen Entertainment...
Xiao He clicked his tongue a few times: "What timing. Then they're in for some bad luck."