Chapter 120: The Ace Producer

He wanted to recruit people as well, but those men were all bound by long-term contracts with TVB. The penalties for breaking their contracts alone would be exorbitant, and some of them would require years of training after being brought over. It would hardly be worth the cost. Besides, his newly established film company could not afford to antagonize a giant like TVB. Although he had earned a certain reputation in the industry and it was no longer possible for them to blacklist him outright, TVB would only need to obstruct him in a few places to make it impossible for his fledgling company to survive.

As soon as filming ended, Wong Jing took Yan Xu to see his father.

Although Wong Tin-lam was the production supervisor on the picture, he had begun his career as a director and would occasionally indulge in directing whenever the opportunity arose.

“Uncle Tin-lam.”

Yan Xu treated Wong Jing’s father with great respect. He was not only an elder, but also a figure of enormous standing in the industry. The projects he had supervised, including The Rogue Emperor, Love Knows No Bounds, and the 1983 trilogy of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, were regarded as classics. He had also personally nurtured such stars as Adam Cheng, Liza Wang, Chow Yun-fat, Barbara Yung, Andy Lau, Tony Leung, and Felix Wong. Great directors such as Johnnie To and Ringo Lam had likewise been his apprentices.

“I’ve heard your name mentioned more than a few times. They say you’re a great talent in the industry. Truly, you’re young and promising.”

Standing before Yan Xu, Wong Tin-lam tilted his head slightly to look up at him. His bulk was no less imposing than his son’s—in fact, he was even shorter than Wong Jing, standing at barely five feet three.

He was not yet sixty, so he still differed considerably from the plump, stooped little old man Yan Xu remembered, the one who would later walk with a cane.

“You flatter me, Uncle Tin-lam. Compared with you, I’m still far behind. You became a director at twenty-two. That makes you even more of a prodigy than I am.”

“Hahaha!” Wong Tin-lam threw back his head and laughed. “Young people certainly know how to talk.”

“It’s true that I became a director at twenty-two, but I entered the industry much earlier than that. I worked my way up from odd jobs to assistant, then to scriptwriter and director. It took many years of hard work.”

“Wong Jing just told me that the two of you are planning to start a company. It’s not a bad thing for young people to venture out and build careers of their own. But Shaw Brothers is in this state now—ah…”

Wong Tin-lam sighed. He had deep feelings for Shaw Brothers as well, and as a mid-level executive at TVB, he naturally hoped his son would remain there. But as a father, he could not help considering his son’s future. The decline of Shaw Brothers was already inevitable. His son was still young and at the rising stage of his career, and Wong Tin-lam did not want him to sink with the great ship.

“But as for my son, you can let him come up with strange and clever ideas, and he’s perfectly capable of making connections and cultivating relationships. But if you ask him to manage the operations of a company, he’s still rather inexperienced. His personality is also too carefree. If you put him in charge of anything requiring precision, there’s a nine-in-ten chance he’ll make a mess of it.”

“Uncle Tin-lam, you’re underestimating Wong Jing. I have great faith in him. His carefree nature is also his strength. The most important asset of a film company is its network. As long as he can keep hold of the overall direction and coordinate its internal and external relationships, that will be enough. As for the finer details, we won’t be handling everything personally. I imagine there’s no shortage of capable people at Shaw Brothers.”

Yan Xu smiled.

“You…”

Wong Tin-lam knew perfectly well that Yan Xu was preparing to poach people from Shaw Brothers. In its present condition, Shaw Brothers could transfer some of its personnel to TVB, but only a limited number. Many others would have to find their own way forward. If Yan Xu and Wong Jing took some of them away, it would at least give those colleagues another way to make a living.

“Since we’re speaking of talent, I do know someone suitable. He’s my apprentice and is quite familiar with Wong Jing as well. I just don’t know whether he’ll be interested in joining your company.”

Wong Tin-lam looked at Yan Xu. As a middle-level executive at TVB, he naturally hoped Wong Jing would remain there. But as a father whose son was about to establish a film company, he could not simply stand by and do nothing.

“Dad, you mean Ade? You’re willing to let him go?”

Wong Jing immediately realized who his father was referring to.

“It’s not a question of whether I’m willing to let him go. The question is whether you can keep him. In the end, the decision will be his.”

Wong Tin-lam glanced at his excited son. Ade was a disciple he had cultivated with great care. Although things had not gone particularly well for him at TVB, his ability meant that, given enough time, he would certainly become a major talent. If it were not for his own son, Wong Tin-lam would never have been willing to release him.

“Dad, Ade listens to you more than anyone. As long as you say the word, it’s bound to work.”

Wong Jing grinned.

“Ade can be considered one of TVB’s old hands. He joined the TVB Acting Training Class in 1974, so he’s been there for ten years now. He’s also one of my dad’s principal disciples, and he’s known for his meticulous mind. Unfortunately, his luck hasn’t been very good. Although he’s taken part in the production of several television dramas over the past few years, he’s never been given the chance to take charge on his own. If he joins our company, he’ll raise the strength of our production team by a considerable margin.”

Wong Jing introduced him to Yan Xu, already referring to the company as “our company” despite the fact that it had not yet been established.

Watching him, Yan Xu murmured the name “Ade” a few times under his breath. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. The name quickly connected with a person in his memory. He had once read an article about the disciples who paid tribute after Wong Tin-lam’s death, and he seemed to remember seeing this man among them.

Pan Jiade was an unfamiliar name to most people. A man who worked behind the scenes was naturally unlikely to be known by the public. Yet there were few people who had not heard of the productions he later supervised. The Detective Investigation Files series, Forensic Heroes, Triumph in the Skies, and Hotel Babylon were all hugely popular dramas. He had even been hailed as a master of suspense and investigative television. When Detective Investigation Files aired, it repeatedly drove the ratings of TVB’s rival, ATV, to new lows.

As a devoted fan of TVB’s crime dramas, Yan Xu had always loved Detective Investigation Files. In his eyes, Cheung Tai-yung and Ko Kit were the finest on-screen couple in the entire genre. It was precisely because of his affection for the series that Pan Jiade’s name had gradually become etched in his memory.

Yan Xu met Pan Jiade at a Shaw Brothers studio. At a word from Wong Tin-lam, Pan Jiade hurried over. Although he already carried the title of director and scriptwriter, it was preceded by the word “assistant.” In plain terms, he was little more than a gofer for the production team; any credit for his work went to the actual director and scriptwriter.

Their first meeting left Yan Xu slightly startled. Pan Jiade wore jeans and a tight black vest. His exposed arms showed clearly defined muscles, while his long, flowing hair fell over his shoulders. No matter how one looked at him, he resembled anything but a director and scriptwriter. He looked more like a street tough—or rather, a gangster in his thirties who had failed to rise through the ranks and was not doing particularly well.

“Surprised, aren’t you? That’s just how this fellow is. He’s used to doing whatever he pleases and never seems to realize that he ought to improve his appearance. My dad has told him about it countless times. The reason he’s never advanced is largely because of that image of his—and his attitude.”

While Wong Tin-lam spoke with Pan Jiade, Wong Jing explained matters to Yan Xu in a low voice.

“Xu, this is my dad’s prized disciple, Pan Jiade. He also came out of the Acting Training Class and has been working behind the scenes ever since.”

“Ade, this is Yan Xu. You can call him Young Master Yan.”

Wong Jing pulled Pan Jiade over and introduced the two men.

“Hello, I’m Yan Xu.”

Yan Xu took the initiative and extended his hand. This was precisely the kind of talent his company needed.

“Hello, Young Master Yan. I’ve long admired your reputation.”

Pan Jiade clasped Yan Xu’s hand with both of his own. Although he was several years older than Yan Xu, Yan Xu’s standing and fame in the industry were far beyond anything he could hope to reach.

“Uncle Tin-lam may already have told you, but Wong Jing and I are preparing to establish a film company. The registered capital will be more than ten million dollars, and I hope you’ll join us.”

Yan Xu did not beat around the bush. He asked directly.

“This…”

Pan Jiade had not expected Yan Xu to be so straightforward, and he hesitated for a moment.

He had considered leaving TVB before. Things had not gone particularly well for him there over the years, and he had even begun to believe that his situation would continue indefinitely. Yet no matter how poorly he was doing, he was still an assistant director and scriptwriter at TVB, with a fairly generous salary. Though it could not compare with the earnings of the actual directors and scriptwriters, it was still better than that of the average white-collar worker outside the industry. With such an opportunity suddenly placed before him, he had to consider it carefully.

Leaving TVB would mean abandoning more than a decade of struggle. And he had no idea what kind of road lay ahead. Success or failure would determine the course of the rest of his life.

Naturally, he was quite optimistic about the new company established by Yan Xu and Wong Jing. Yan Xu’s achievements over the past year alone were enough to command anyone’s respect. If he continued at that pace, the company would certainly have tremendous potential. As for Wong Jing, although the box-office receipts of his films could not compare with Yan Xu’s, he was equally skilled at achieving great returns from modest investments. None of his films had required particularly large budgets, and each possessed a style with strong commercial appeal.

“Brother De, since Uncle Tin-lam was willing to recommend you, I trust your abilities completely. Although our company has not yet been formally established, I can guarantee that we will treat you well. Things aren’t going particularly well for you at TVB. Why not take advantage of your youth and come fight alongside us?”

Seeing Pan Jiade’s hesitation, Yan Xu hurried to persuade him.

“Exactly, Ade. There’s no point staying on at TVB like this. You might as well take a chance with us. With our abilities, we’re absolutely capable of turning the company into something substantial.”

Wong Jing chimed in from the side.

“I know you need time to think it over, but we can’t afford to wait forever. There’s a great deal of complicated preparation to be done in the early stages, and we need people to handle it. I hope you can give me an answer as soon as possible. As for compensation, we’re offering an initial annual salary of three hundred thousand dollars, with appropriate increases in the future.”