RNP Chapter 207 The Cinema Renovation is Complete
Chapter 207 The Cinema Renovation is Complete
As November drew to a close, the heat in Hong Kong finally subsided, with a cool sea breeze blowing in the mornings and evenings.
Construction of the Luohu Industrial Park in mainland China is in full swing, and the design plan for the Huayun Museum in Beijing has been finalized. Construction is just waiting for the spring of next year.
The entire Zhonghua Group is like a giant, precisely meshed machine, with every gear spinning at high speed, steadily advancing in the direction set by Lin Zhou.
It was afternoon that day. Lin Zhou had just finished a call with Liu Yaolong from Beijing and hung up the phone when Chen Man knocked on the door and came in, holding a folder in her hand, her face showing barely suppressed excitement.
"Mr. Lin, all the cinema property renovation projects you previously instructed have been completed."
Chen Man spread the documents out on the table, pointed to the acceptance form on it, and said to Lin Zhou:
"This is the final acceptance report. The decoration, fire protection, viewing equipment, and power supply system have all been debugged according to your requirements and are ready for use at any time."
Lin Zhou put down his pen, leaned back slightly, tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, and looked at the stack of documents.
If Chen Man hadn't mentioned it, he would have almost forgotten about the establishment of Zhonghua Cinemas.
Back in the summer of this year, he quietly acquired twelve properties in more than a dozen prime locations and densely populated areas in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories, all under the name of Zhonghua Group.
These properties include renovated old buildings, ground-floor shops, and brand-new buildings, and are evenly distributed, covering most of Hong Kong's densely populated areas.
At the time, many industry insiders were privately discussing that Lin Zhou had become addicted to real estate and was hoarding properties everywhere.
No one knew that from the very beginning, Lin Zhou's goal was not to collect rent, but to open a movie theater chain.
Hong Kong in the 1980s was on the eve of a golden age for the film industry.
With Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest standing as two giants, and Cinema City emerging as a dark horse, countless classic films are about to be born.
At that time, Hong Kong's cinemas were almost entirely controlled by a few major film studios. Independent cinemas either had to rely on large companies or their survival space was constantly being squeezed. Ordinary production companies had to be mindful of the whims of the cinemas if they wanted to release films, and were subject to restrictions on screening schedules and box office revenue sharing.
What Lin Zhou needs to do is to start from the source and create a cinema chain that is entirely owned by Zhonghua Group.
With cinema chains, Zhonghua will have real say in the film, brokerage, culture, and entertainment industries, and will no longer have to depend on anyone else.
More importantly, the cinema chain can collaborate with the group's electronics, real estate, GG, and channel resources to form a business ecosystem that others cannot replicate.
"All twelve cinemas passed the inspection?" Lin Zhou asked, raising his eyes.
"Yes." Chen Man nodded vigorously, her tone full of joy.
"As per your request, all the most advanced projection equipment at the time was used, and the sound system, seats, and screen were all custom-made from overseas."
"Three of them are large flagship cinemas with two or even three screens, while the remaining twelve are boutique community cinemas, which are of moderate size and in prime locations, and can reach different groups of people, whether it is a blockbuster or a regular screening."
"Our cinema equipment is absolutely the most advanced in Hong Kong right now, far superior to those small theaters and cinemas!"
She paused, then continued her report:
"The cinema's name has been changed to 'Zhonghua Cinema Line' as you previously decided. The signboard, light boxes, and poster spaces have all been installed. Now, all we need to do is hang up the signboard, and we can officially open for business."
Lin Zhou picked up a few of the renderings.
In the video, the Zhonghua Cinemas sign is eye-catching and grand, the interior decoration is simple and modern, and the seats are comfortable and spacious, making it far superior to many of the older cinemas in Hong Kong.
"Well done," Lin Zhou said with a light compliment.
"Let's set the opening date for New Year's Day in 1982!" Lin Zhou said calmly, but with an undeniable determination. "There's still more than a month until New Year's Day, which is just enough time to prepare."
Chen Man was slightly taken aback: "New Year's Day? President Lin, isn't that too rushed?"
"No rush." Lin Zhou shook his head. "New Year's Day is the first day of the new year, which has a good meaning and attracts a lot of attention. Moreover, the New Year's Day holiday is a peak season for moviegoers, so we can directly welcome a peak in customer traffic on the first day of opening."
More importantly, 1982 was the year that Hong Kong's golden age of cinema truly began.
He entered the game at this crucial juncture, aiming to shake up the entire Hong Kong film and television industry from the moment he appeared.
"Go do a few things right now." Lin Zhou sat up straight, his tone crisp, and began to issue instructions one by one.
"First, in the name of Zhonghua Group, we will send out invitations to all film and television companies in Hong Kong for their opening ceremonies."
"Shaw Brothers, Golden Harvest, Cinema City, Golden Princess, D&B Films... we invited every production company, distribution company, director, actor, and industry veteran that you could name, without missing a single one."
Chen Man quickly picked up a pen and wrote down: "Yes, invite them all."
"Secondly, the ceremony will be held at 10:00 AM on New Year's Day, starting with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at our flagship cinema in Causeway Bay. After the ribbon-cutting, all guests will be given a tour of the live-action footage and exhibits at our twelve cinemas. A banquet will be held at a nearby hotel at noon for all guests to enjoy together."
"Thirdly, in terms of publicity, we will contact all major newspapers and television stations in Hong Kong to release news about the establishment of Zhonghua Cinemas starting the day after tomorrow. We will not mention our previous property acquisitions, but only emphasize that Zhonghua Group is officially entering the film and television industry, with fifteen cinemas opening simultaneously."
Lin Zhou lightly tapped the desktop with his fingertip:
"In addition, on the opening day, all twelve cinemas will offer free screenings for the entire day. All citizens can enter directly without tickets. We have communicated with major film companies in advance to secure several films that have recently received good reviews and performed well at the box office for their first run."
Chen Man paused, then looked up, unable to resist saying, "President Lin, one day free? That would be a huge loss for us..."
Fifteen cinemas in prime locations with state-of-the-art equipment will lose a fortune in box office revenue and rental fees if they are offered free for one day.
Lin Zhou smiled faintly: "This little bit of money is not a loss, it's just a 'GG fee'."
"What we want is not the box office on the first day, but for all the citizens of Hong Kong to know that Zhonghua Cinemas has arrived. We want them to come in and sit down, to experience our environment, facilities, and services. Once they experience it, they will naturally choose us in the future."
He had a far-sighted perspective: "In business, it's not about short-term gains or losses, but about long-term relationships and reputation."
Chen Man instantly understood Lin Zhou's intention, and her admiration for him grew even stronger. She quickly nodded, "I understand, Mr. Lin! I'll arrange it right away!"
"Wait," Lin Zhou called out to her, "There's one more very important thing."
Chen Man stopped in her tracks: "Please speak."
"Contact all the invited film and television companies and tell them that after the establishment of Zhonghua Cinema Line, it will not be affiliated with any film studio, and will not monopolize or exclude any film studio."
Lin Zhou's voice was calm, yet carried a confident air of magnanimity:
"As long as the content is up to standard and the copyright is legitimate, we welcome films from any company to be screened. Revenue sharing methods and screening rules will all be open and transparent, and we can sit down and discuss them directly on the spot."
Upon hearing this, Chen Man was completely stunned.
In Hong Kong today, which cinema chain isn't backed by a large company, engaging in mutual suppression, film grabbing, and blacklisting?
Lin Zhou's announcement was actually about opening up the entire cinema industry to the public?
This isn't just opening a movie theater; it's building a brand new platform for the entire Hong Kong film industry!
"President Lin, you..." Chen Man didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Pass on what I say." Lin Zhou said firmly. "Remember, what Zhonghua needs to do is not to steal other people's cake, but to make the whole cake bigger."
"Yes!" Chen Man didn't ask any more questions, turned around and quickly left the office.
In the 1980s, Hong Kong was not only a financial and trade center, but also a cultural and entertainment hub for the entire Asian region.
Films, music, and television series have been exported throughout Southeast Asia, influencing generations.
Lin Zhou was very clear from the beginning that focusing solely on electronics, real estate, and factories would ultimately only be an expansion at the level of real industry.
What truly influences a generation and deeply resonates with people is culture.
His decision to establish a cinema chain wasn't just about making money.
Furthermore, in the future, we aim to promote more outstanding Chinese-language films to mainland China, Southeast Asia, and the world through Zhonghua Cinemas.
Industry is the backbone, culture is the soul.
He wants Zhonghua Group to become not only a business giant, but also a window for the export of Chinese culture.
……