A Genius Director Who Dominates OTT Platforms - Chapter 94

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Director Who Dominates OTT

Episode 94

* * *

So far, I’ve never had experience working with an experienced writer.

While Yeom Jae-mun had a long career as a writer, he wasn’t a professional who had written multiple works.

In that sense, working with writer Hong Hee-yeong was both comfortable and uncomfortable.

The comfortable part was that she understood exactly what I was saying.

No additional explanation was needed.

She understood immediately even if I just threw out the beginning.

The uncomfortable part was that she still needed reasons.

Even when trying to change something minor, I had to convince the other party.

Thinking about it, this was natural, but Go Yeongtae, Gil Sanghun, and writer Yeom Jae-mun were the type to fix first and see later.

Still, it wasn’t a big problem.

There was even a feeling that progress was moving smoothly, perhaps because writer Hong Hee-yeong was using the script she already had as a reference.

She was just a writer too accustomed to 60-minute (or 70-minute) episodes who needed time to adapt to 20-minute episodes.

Perhaps instead of twelve 20-minute episodes, we could go with eight 30-minute episodes.

While I was focusing on script work with writer Hong Hee-yeong, CE Kwon Cheol brought the first draft.

An undercover story about police infiltrating the gangster world.

It’s a frequently used subject matter, but it doesn’t really divide opinions and has surprisingly wide variation.

The appearance of being stained by violence in the gangster world, the friendship and trust felt within it, the thriller aspect of not having one’s identity discovered.

It can encompass all of this.

However…

“What’s the main narrative among the three? The content is interesting, but there’s fatigue because the protagonist keeps worrying.”

“Hmm…”

“How about loosening the strength on one of the three?”

Should I say it’s too much because everything is packed tightly?

“And in the script, the moments when the protagonist is satisfied are scattered.”

“Satisfaction?”

“Yes. Satisfaction as a police officer, satisfaction as a gangster. This keeps going back and forth, doesn’t it?”

“Is that a problem?”

“It is. Viewers don’t know which emotional line to prioritize. I don’t know how the ending will turn out, but if you’re going to end with a gangster identity, the satisfaction as a police officer should be concentrated in the beginning. It should become fainter toward the latter half and then pop out sharply at the moment of choice. You know what I mean?”

Kwon Cheol, who had been listening to my story, fell into deep thought and then smacked his forehead.

Didn’t you hit too hard?

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt at all. It’s refreshing. So that’s why the script’s emotional line kept getting blurred. That’s also why there was no tension in Part 3, Scene 22?”

“Yes. The moment in Scene 20 when he saves a young child and feels a police officer’s sense of mission, the gangster persona gets stripped away.”

“Wow, shit. You can see that?”

“Because I’m seeing it for the first time. I can usually see scripts well when I’m reading them for the first time.”

“No, no. That’s not the issue. This was the clearest feedback I’ve received among all the feedback I’ve gotten while working at the company.”

“That’s fortunate.”

“Let me make a call!”

While CE Kwon Cheol rushed off to call the writer, Noh Jae-uk approached with drooping shoulders, rolling his chair.

“I got dropped.”

“When?”

“Two days ago. The Manager said that really wasn’t it. Ah, the writer was such a good person.”

“CE Noh Jae-uk can succeed first and then pull others up.”

Actually, I heard about it from the Manager beforehand.

Honestly, Noh Jae-uk not being able to hold onto a project isn’t a bad thing from Team 4’s perspective.

If four CEs enter production around the same time, the entire team would be overloaded.

Originally, CL Teams 1, 2, and 3 also produce while adjusting production personnel and backup personnel.

Still, he seemed too dejected, so I opened my drawer.

There were three scripts I had set aside in advance.

“Want to take a look at this?”

“What is this?”

“These are scripts I found interesting. If you like one, try grabbing it.”

These were the three most interesting among the 34 works I had reviewed last time.

Considering that two of these hadn’t been touched by a planner at all, they have considerable potential.

If it had been before doing Handtip Crawl, I might have tried one myself.

“Ghost possession boxing…? The subject matter is crazy.”

“I really agonized before including that one. It’s absurd, but strangely interesting.”

There’s a high probability that only Parts 1 and 2 will be interesting, but if the fun continues, I think the viewership ratings will turn out quite well.

Would it be like a premium absurd B-grade drama?

KBX is a specialty restaurant for that kind of thing.

After finishing the consultation with Noh Jae-uk, I looked at Chae Seo-hui and her eyes were sparkling.

“No, please stop showing off now.”

“I don’t want to. I’m going to try doing it with my own hands as far as I can.”

“Then why are your eyes shining?”

“That’s my goal. For Hyeon-u to shout ‘Eureka!’ saying there’s nothing to fix the moment he looks at the script.”

“Geez, stubborn.”

“I learned from someone. You’ve never lost when it comes to stubbornness since picking those 8 unknown actors.”

“Seo-hui, you’re my mentor. Who learned from whom?”

“Ah, right. That’s how it was.”

Geez.

It was another peaceful day for Team 4.

* * *

Whatever plans I had regarding the 【Push and Pull】 Season 2 web drama, there was one thing I had to prioritize.

Namely, securing the rights.

The place holding those rights was SBX.

Actually, the place with exclusive SVOD (subscription service rights) is Netflix.

It wasn’t anything special.

Not nowadays, but in the past, broadcasting stations used to hand over SVOD of old works to OTT with lump-sum contracts while only securing rerun rights.

There’s no particular profit in holding onto a 10-year-old drama, but you can get a lump sum by selling 10 or 20 bundled together to OTT.

Of course, they don’t hand over the original rights themselves, only the subscription service rights.

So SBX, which holds the IP, is the target I need to persuade.

It’s not particularly difficult.

I’m saying I’ll pay money to buy the rights to a work that has absolutely no additional revenue.

The rights fee will be set around 50-70 million won, so there’s nothing bad for SBX either.

Should I try to negotiate it down a bit?

With such thoughts, I hung the visitor pass issued at the information desk and got on the elevator.

Avoiding the gazes of employees who seemed to recognize me, I arrived at the 8th floor where SBX’s CP Nam Yeong-su was waiting.

“CP Nam. Were you coming out?”

“I was about to go in when the elevator came up. I had a feeling Director Do would be there.”

“Have you been well? How long has it been?”

“I think it’s been a few months? Let’s go first. Let’s not do this in the corridor.”

I’m acquainted with CP Nam.

President Han Seong-hun had sorted things out with the SBX Manager regarding the Youngpal-Accomplice issue, and we met at a drinking session he arranged for working-level staff to communicate.

Actually, CP Nam didn’t view me favorably at that time.

It was when I was clinging to Youngpal’s coattails.

Still, the excuse that “I ended up like this trying to survive Director Jang’s attacks” did work.

Should I say it became a neutral state of neither favorable nor unfavorable?

I saw him a few more times after that, and his attitude changed after Handtip Crawl became a hit.

He seemed to have decided that becoming friends with me wouldn’t be a loss.

I also had nothing to lose by becoming close with a terrestrial CP.

“Wait, why doesn’t Director Do age? How old are you this year?”

“I’m thirty-five this year.”

“Wow, so you were thirty-three when you filmed Accomplice? You were really young.”

That’s right. Time really flies.

I joined the company at 32 in October, and now it’s November when I’m 35.

We had a conversation in such a good atmosphere.

Connections really are the best.

“Now, tell me. If you suddenly wanted to meet, there must be a reason.”

“I really just came to say hello though?”

“Come on, who would believe that? Let’s get down to business.”

“Actually… I want to make a season 2 web drama with one of SBX’s works.”

CP Nam’s eyes widened.

“A web drama? Really a web drama?”

“Yes. I’m thinking of a modest production budget of about 1 billion won.”

The reason I quoted a lower production cost was because the licensing fee is customarily about 5% of the production budget.

Of course, the probability of it being fixed with just a few words is almost zero, but if it’s a web drama, they might give an okay without being too picky.

After all, it’s not exactly competition, right?

“Why would you do something like that? When Handtip Crawl hit big and your influence is good, you should do something bigger. If you just keep making cheap stuff, your filmography might get crossed out.”

“It’s all because SBX makes dramas too well.”

“Oh, the things you say. So what’s the work?”

“Push and Pull.”

“Push and Pull? Writer Hong Hee-yeong?”

“Yes.”

“In principle, we just need our permission for the rights, but… Writer Hong might give you the evil eye?”

CP Nam lowered his voice in the empty office.

“Oxygen Warning got destroyed because of whom. Do you think she’ll just sit back and watch?”

“I actually met with the writer once, and her reaction wasn’t very good. But she did show some curiosity?”

“Really? Maybe she got expectations because Director Do makes works too well?”

CP Nam, who had been tilting his head repeatedly, broke into a bright smile.

“It’s a web drama based on a 10-year-old drama, so what could be difficult? How much are you thinking for the amount?”

“I’m thinking the standard 5%.”

“That would be roughly 50 million. I’ll need to get the manager’s permission, but he’ll probably okay it? I’ll put in a good word for you.”

CP Nam Yeong-su gave a subtle smile.

Don’t forget this debt, he was saying.

What I had to say was already decided.

“I’ll never forget that you helped me.”

* * *

“No.”

“What? You said no?”

CP Nam Yeong-su looked bewildered at the SBX manager’s words.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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