Chapter 1156: Hiring a bodyguard for the studio?
Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
Owning a studio was a sure sign of being an A-list celebrity. Some of the top B-list celebrities would also set up their own personal studios as long as they could afford to maintain one. This was equivalent to a small talent agency that would handle artist related affairs like promotions and PR work. For those slightly larger celebrity studios, they would even incorporate production and distribution functions. The only difference was that an agency was responsible for multiple artists, whereas a celebrity studio usually serviced a single celebrity. This was the main difference between the two.
Zhang Ye asked Rao Aimin, "Big Sis Rao, what do you think?"
Rao Aimin spoke like a layman, "What's the use of opening a studio?"
It would be of great use," Zhang Ye quickly replied.
Rao Aimin asked, "What sort of great use?"
"The great use is of course…" Zhang Ye paused and turned to Ha Qiqi. "Uh, what sort of great use?" He was unable to explain what it was good for.
Ha Qiqi, Zhang Zuo, and the others were floored. How could you not know when you were the one who suggested it?
You're an Asian celebrity, but why are you still so ignorant?!
Little Wang was perceptive of the situation and immediately explained, "Big Sis Rao, the idea of opening a studio is so that everyone would be working around Director Zhang to support him. We would all be working towards the same goal. As for the kind of work it handles, it may include things like being the contact point for people who are interested in having Director Zhang make a commercial appearance, or having specialized personnel discuss and come up with solutions in the event of emergency PR. There would also be people handling requests for media interviews and other similar activities, so you wouldn't be required to take on such tasks in the future. Since you're Director Zhang's agent, you'd only be required to handle the important issues at hand. All the other minor details and work can be delegated to us to handle. As for who would handle which areas of work, we'll discuss that at a later time."
Zhang Ye repeatedly agreed, "That's right, that's right. In any case, you won't have to do much in the future. There won't be anyone chasing or calling you up every other day."
Rao Aimin sneered. "Why should I believe you?"
Zhang Ye said helplessly, "That's really how it is! Why would I lie to you!"
"I'm already been tricked into it by you once," Rao Aimin said.
Zhang Zuo also persuaded, "Sister Rao, with us sharing the workload, our efficiency will be much higher."
Tong Fu said, "Actually, Director Zhang should have already set up a studio long ago. In all of show business, he's the only A-list celebrity who does not have an agency or studio!"
Wu Yi nodded and said, "Yeah! Once he has a team to support him, Director Zhang would no longer need to personally handle any emergency PR or issue any public statements himself! He is an Asian celebrity now, so if he still doesn't have a studio to deal with his affairs, he won't be able to cope once the workload gets heavier! If some foreign projects come along or the foreign media approaches him, he wouldn't be able to handle them with that English of his. It would be for the best if we could have a dedicated translator to handle all of this. Of course, it would take some time for the team to slowly improve."
Zhang Ye said to Yang Shu, "Little Yang, what about you?"
Yang Shu said without thinking, "Wherever Senior Bro goes, I go."
"Good." Zhang Ye nodded. "Then that's that!"
An agent.
A bodyguard.
A chauffeur.
An assistant.
A videographer.
A secretary.
A director.
A technical director.
Business operations.
Counting all that, a team had practically been fully assembled!
His old group of team members were all very skilled and were basically a complete team that transferred straight over from the television station. They were not missing any roles that a complete program team would have. After they transferred over to the studio, there shouldn't be any drastic changes to their roles. At the very least, their job functions in the team would still be unique. Since this was the same team that produced, promoted, and did the public relations for The Voice and A Bite of China, they did not need to waste any time to get to know each other. They were already quite familiar with one another!
Since everything clicked, the matter was settled!
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Since we've decided to establish a new studio, I'm not sure about how we should get things rolling. If anyone has any suggestions, please bring it up."
Ha Qiqi asked, "Where will the studio be located?"
"Yeah, we have to rent a place for the office and get the business registration done as soon as possible." Zhang Zuo said, "But the rental prices for office space these days are not cheap."
Zhang Ye's eyes fell upon Rao Aimin.
Rao Aimin gave him a look. "What are you looking at me for!"
Zhang Ye asked, "Old Rao, do you have any spare apartments?"
Rao Aimin pursed her lips and said, "No."
"That can't be." Zhang Ye pointed out knowingly, "Isn't that duplex not rented out yet? The one on the top floor with over 200 square meters of floor space."
Little Wang exclaimed, "There's such a big place?"
Wu Yi said in surprise, "Sister Rao owns another apartment?"
Zhang Ye laughed and said, "All the units in this apartment building belong to her. This is quite a good place as the units are dual-purpose apartments that we can use to register as our company's address."
Rao Aimin immediately said, "Dream on, kid. How much are you going to pay me?"
Zhang Ye said, "Don't mention money. That could hurt our friendship!"
Rao Aimin rebutted, "Don't mention friendship. That would hurt my money!"
Zhang Ye was left with no choice. Seeing that she was not willing to give in, he could only say, "Alright then, will it do if I rent it from you at the market rate? I've never come across someone as stingy as you!"
"You should have said so earlier." Rao Aimin looked around and found a key. She threw it to him. "Take proper care of the place. Don't damage my apartment!"
Zhang Ye and the others headed upstairs to view the unit.
When they opened the door, they astonished by what they saw!
Although the unit was not considered big, there were two floors of around a hundred square meters each. It was renovated very well and had a little bit of European style furnishing in it. All of the furniture was also new. Once the beds and cabinets in the bedrooms were cleared and replaced with desks, the office would almost be fully equipped without needing any further renovations. Since their studio would only be operating with about a dozen employees for the time being, they did not require too big an office, like those housed in an office building.
Little Wang praised, "This place is good, this place is good!"
Ha Qiqi also liked it a lot. "There's more than enough space!"
Zhang Zuo smiled and said, "Then let's go ahead with the plan. Starting from today, our company's name will be known as 'Zhang Ye's Studio'?"
Zhang Ye said, "Yes!"
Ha Qiqi asked, "Do we still need to hire any more staff?"
"What roles do we need?" Zhang Ye asked.
Tong Fu coughed. "We still require bodyguards, don't we?"
Yang Shu said, "Aren't I the bodyguard?"
Tong Fu said, "Uh, I'm afraid that one bodyguard is not be enough for Director Zhang. He has offended too many people, after all. Now that he has gotten this popular, if he were to meet with any trouble while participating in public activities, or if the fans get too passionate, or if he gets surrounded by too many reporters, something could easily happen to him."
Ha Qiqi nodded. "Right, so should we hire another two bodyguards?"
Yang Shu didn't like the sound of that. She frowned and said, "With me around, who could get near my Senior Bro?"
Little Wang blinked. "Sister Yang, don't tell me you know kung fu?"
Yang Shu gave a slight smile. "I know a bit of Taiji Fist."
Little Wang said in amazement, "Really? Like the one in the movies?"
Yang Shu scoffed. "The Taiji Fist that you see in the movies are all fake. If you want to learn it, I can teach you. I'm giving lessons daily in the neighborhood below our apartment. Do you want to come? It's free to join. Taiji Fist is a superior type of martial arts. Not only can it strengthen the body, it also can…" She rattled on and on. She launched into a sales pitch on Taiji Fist like what she had been saying to the elderly in the neighborhood every day.
Little Wang said, "You're that awesome?"
Yang Shu smiled and said, "My senior bro is even more awesome."
It was obvious no one understood what she meant.
Wu Yi asked curiously, "Senior Bro? This form of address…"
Zhang Zuo guessed, "You graduated from Media College too? Are you Director Zhang's junior at school? Eh, when did Media College start giving martial arts lessons? I've never heard about that!"
Yang Shu said, "Huh? What junior at school?"
Zhang Ye interrupted, "Alright, there's no need to recruit any more bodyguards. She's enough."
Everyone gave Yang Shu a skeptical look but did not say anything more.
What could such a small woman possibly do?
None of them knew how strong Yang Shu was at this point in time!
Unbeknownst to them, now that Zhang Ye's Studio had been established, the role of bodyguards was going to be the least of their concerns!
With Zhang Ye, Yang Shu, and Rao Aimin around, would there be any in this world who would dare barge in? Even if a martial arts grandmaster were to come attacking, they would arrive standing but leave the place on a stretcher. Zhang Ye's Studio was a much safer place than the Huashan Sect, Shaolin Monastery, and all other large sects. Be it the name of Rao Aimin or Zhang Ye, they were both fearsome existences in the martial arts world who would send anyone running!