"Hello, I’m the principal of Mist City Arts and Science University, also the copyright holder of the food documentary ’A Bite of Xia Country’ your channel is interested in."
After connecting the call, Ding Yue introduced himself.
The person at the other end of the line, upon hearing this, quickly and politely responded, "Principal Ding, I wonder if your university has any plans to sell the exclusive broadcast rights to ’A Bite of Xia Country’ to us?"
"Sure, is Vice Director Liu in charge of this matter? Can I speak directly with Vice Director Liu?"
The Vice Director of the first channel of NTS. This is a relatively high position, but after all, Ding Yue is the Principal of Mist City Arts and Science University, the copyright holder of the film ’A Bite of Xia Country’.
If they truly want to purchase exclusive broadcasting rights.
Then Ding Yue conjectured that Vice Director Liu should wish to communicate with him, right?
Meanwhile, at the Yancheng CXTV Building.
In the office of the Vice Director of the first channel.
"Vice Director Liu, Principal Ding from Mist City Arts and Science University wishes to personally negotiate with you about the exclusive broadcasting rights for ’A Bite of Xia Country’. He says the copyright to this film is in his hands."
The middle-aged woman who was just on the phone with Ding Yue came up and reported to Vice Director Liu Mei.
"Alright, give me the phone."
Upon hearing this, Liu Mei pondered briefly and agreed to the phone call with the Principal of Mist City Arts and Science University.
The call was connected.
"Hello, this is Liu Hongmei, the Vice Director of the first channel at NTS."
As soon as the call was connected, each party introduced themselves again.
"Director Liu, your interest in our documentary from Mist City Arts and Science University did take me by surprise," said Ding Yue with modesty in his tone.
"Principal Ding, your food documentary is indeed very well done. Both shooting and post-production are very professional. Our channel is currently in dire need of a film, so we approached you," Vice Director Liu Mei stated quite straightforwardly all that should be clarified.
"I see. So Director Liu, if you want our film, what requirements do you have?" Ding Yue asked.
This was a critical question. If Mist City Arts and Science University could not meet the requirements of the first channel of NTS, then there was basically no need for further discussion.
Particularly regarding the ’urgent need’ as mentioned by Vice Director Liu Mei.
Just how urgent is it?
"I don’t believe there will be any problems with the quality. Can you guarantee that the quality of each upcoming episode will be on par with the first one?"
"Secondly, has the shooting of your film been completed? It isn’t just the first episode, is it?" Liu Mei asked urgently.
This was very important for Liu Mei. If there was only one episode available, it wouldn’t be worth negotiating further.
Certainly, NTS could not air a food documentary consisting of only one episode. At the very least, there needed to be five episodes or more.
This was because the air time was intended to fill a summer time slot.
"Vice Director Liu, as of now, there is certainly more than one episode of our food documentary ’A Bite of Xia Country’. The second, third, and fourth episodes are already done and completed. The fifth episode is under final post-production and will soon be released. The filming of the sixth episode is almost finished, making a total of six episodes."
Upon hearing this, Liu Mei felt reassured.
With the first four completed episodes, and the fifth episode soon to be released—additionally, with the sixth episode’s filming almost finished—
It seemed there shouldn’t be any major problems.
While the first episodes were being aired, the yet-to-be-filmed final episode could be finished and aired smoothly.
This was already quite satisfactory.
What Liu Mei truly feared was running into a situation that would leave her in limbo, where only one or two episodes were ready and the subsequent episodes would still take time to be produced. Then Liu Mei wouldn’t choose it finally.
Both in terms of progress and quality, Liu Mei was satisfied with this food documentary, ’A Bite of Xia Country’, produced by Mist City Arts and Science University.
"Director Liu, do you have any other requirements?" Ding Yue continued to ask.
"Not really. Your film is very good and fits perfectly into the timeslot on our channel," Liu Mei satisfactorily replied.
One reason Liu Mei favored the food documentary ’A Bite of Xia Country’, produced by the Film and Television Academy of Mist City Arts and Science University, was that this film was to be aired at midnight.
Considering the fit with the timing, one could either choose a documentary of the mysterious scientific genre or a food documentary like ’A Bite of Xia Country’.
Because late at night, what is most likely to evoke audience responses is either the eerie, terrifying effects of midnight or the tempting effect of late-night food porn.
Since the former was hard to find, Liu Mei chose the latter.
"Principal Ding, we want to purchase the exclusive broadcasting rights to ’A Bite of Xia Country’, a food documentary produced by Mist City Arts and Science University. Under normal circumstances, we will be airing it for a year. Our standard price at NTS for acquiring a single episode is two million yuan, for no more than ten episodes. If you have six episodes, that would sum up to twelve million yuan."