NOVEL NEXT Chapter 819 - 815: Who Can't Draw a Big Pie
Chapter 819: Chapter 815: Who Can’t Draw a Big Pie
William Bailes exchanged glances with his two assistants before saying.
“No, even if the deal doesn’t work out, we still need to have a meal. Let’s just think of it as a friendly gathering and a chance to connect.”
Upon hearing this, Fenny Watts was taken aback.
She had initially thought that when her best friend proposed such an outrageous price, Mr. Bailes might just walk away from the table.
Yet, the outcome was completely beyond her expectations.
From William Bailes’ words, it seemed like he still wanted to negotiate.
In other words, although Richelle’s proposed price was a surprise, it was still within the range they were willing to discuss.
She silently admired Richelle’s sharpness and tactics.
Thus, Fenny said nothing and let Richelle take control of the situation.
“That’s right, it’s okay if we don’t reach a deal. We’ll just think of this as an opportunity to make more friends. Maybe our next story will work out better for both sides.”
Richelle carried the conversation effortlessly and with grace, as if their previous disagreement over price had never happened.
Even if the collaboration fell through, the conversation still revolved around the development trends of the animation industry that both parties were interested in.
Just a few days ago, Richelle’s knowledge in this area was virtually blank.
After a few days of intensive study and relying on her incredible memory and analytical skills, she was actually able to engage in a lively conversation with William Bailes and his team.
Fenny thought that the dinner might not end well, but as the conversation went on, William Bailes seemed to be getting more and more friendly with Richelle.
When they had almost finished eating and the atmosphere became more intimate and familiar, William Bailes poured himself a drink, stood up, and raised a toast to Richelle.
“Ms. Dunn, this drink is for you and Ms. Watts! Give me a straight answer, how much do you want for the copyright?”
Fenny had been drinking tea at the time, and when she heard his unexpected question, she couldn’t help but spray out her tea.
Richelle quickly handed her a napkin while picking up her teacup and clinking it with Mr. Bailes’ glass.
“Mr. Bailes, I’m a straightforward person. The price I mentioned earlier is already very fair. Based on my understanding of your production company, your film and television works in the past five years have been quite profitable. It would be an honor for us, and a delight for our readers, if we could collaborate with your esteemed company.”
“But as you know, Mr. Bailes, creating content requires a lot of time and energy. The value of our work can only be directly linked to its revenue-generating potential, which incentivizes the authors to continue creating.”
Richelle clearly wasn’t budging on her side.
But William Bailes still wanted to haggle.
“Ms. Dunn, your points are valid, but as I said earlier, we don’t expect this work to generate high profits.”
Richelle shook her head with a smile.
“No, Mr. Bailes, you were just being cautious and holding back. You also overlooked the fact that the original fanbase is a huge group in and of itself. The US$ 136,700 copyright fee isn’t simply an arbitrary figure – our authors will be directly involved in the scriptwriting process, ensuring that the core essence of the work remains intact while retaining the original fans. Just take a look at the readership figures for this story, and you’ll understand that the revenue potential of this group is incalculable.”
Richelle’s words might sound like pie-in-the-sky promises to others.
However, as a seasoned industry veteran, William Bailes knew that what she said was indeed the truth.
As for the profit potential of the original fanbase, they hadn’t overlooked it – they had deliberately concealed that part.
Only by doing that could they better bargain the price.
Initially, Fenny, with her background as a technophile, had been tempted by the US$ 82,000 offer.
However, her current negotiator was far from a technophile. Instead, she was an experienced businesswoman.
Up until this point, William Bailes finally acknowledged that he had met a formidable opponent.
“Ms. Dunn, while we truly do love this story, with these terms, we simply cannot manage it.”
Richelle smiled and nodded, “I understand. It just means that our story still isn’t attractive and appealing enough.”
She then turned to Fenny and continued.
“We should go back and have a good chat with the author. When creating content, we should try to make it as appealing to as wide an audience as possible, so that it can cater to a larger market.”
Although her words seemed to be directed at Fenny, in reality, they were meant for William Bailes to hear.
Finally, the dinner ended, and William Bailes picked up the tab.
After paying the bill, they all chatted and laughed together until they reached the parking lot.
They then waved goodbye and went to their respective cars.
Once inside the car, Fenny asked Richelle nervously,
“Was that price really too high?”
Richelle put her arm around her shoulder, “Don’t worry. If he doesn’t renegotiate the price, I’ll just buy the copyright at that price and then invest in turning it into a blockbuster and a TV series.”
Fenny blinked, “So you mean that if Mr. Bailes is willing to pay that price, you won’t invest?”
Richelle nodded.
“That Mr. Bailes has plenty of capital at his disposal. The main purpose of my coming here was to show you that your work is worth a good price. Even if I don’t buy it, someone else surely will.”