Starting from a Fake University
Chapter 1107 - 599: Bilibili Being Inconsistent? (Please Subscribe)_2

Chapter 1107: Chapter 599: Bilibili Being Inconsistent? (Please Subscribe)_2

Upon learning of the situation, Su Jinyin from Bilibili naturally was very willing to discuss a potential collaboration with the renowned Principal Ding of Mist City Arts and Science University.

About five minutes later.

Ding Yue received an unfamiliar phone call.

The only possibility for someone to reach Ding Yue’s mobile, other than the people he knew, would be that the call was from President Su of Bilibili following his recent request to Xu Jiuge to have President Su give him a call.

So, the call was certainly from Bilibili’s President Su.

Prior to this, Ding Yue had never directly contacted anyone from Bilibili, only having dealt with people from NTS for things like the last food documentary and for "Super Combat Team" to be streamed online after its run in cinemas; other people were responsible for these communications.

As a university principal, Ding Yue certainly wouldn’t handle these trivial matters himself.

However, Ding Yue got involved this time since it coincided with his availability, and since he wasn’t busy with anything else at the moment, he thought he might as well have a chat with Bilibili.

Who knew, there might be a chance for a long-term partnership in the future.

Originally.

Ding Yue had planned to start preparing for a meeting with Governor Li of the Mist City Government after returning from the Mist City Central Hospital. After all, meeting with Governor Li was the most pressing matter for both Mist City Arts and Science University and Feiyue Group, as they needed Governor Li’s approval for numerous significant matters.

However, securing an appointment with Governor Li was no simple task.

For the next three days, Governor Li’s schedule was packed, and Ding Yue certainly didn’t have the clout to make Governor Li cancel his other appointments to meet with him.

Thus, Ding Yue could only wait.

Wait until Governor Li was available and then schedule a meeting to discuss important matters.

According to Governor Li’s secretary, there might be some time available in about five days, which Ding Yue then reserved for himself.

"Hello, this is Ding Yue speaking."

"Hello, Principal Ding, this is Su Jinyin from Bilibili’s animation department."

"Yes, I’m Principal Ding. Are you President Su from Bilibili’s animation department?"

After Ding Yue picked up the phone, he quickly started chatting with President Su, Su Jinyin.

"Principal Ding, I’ve heard that Feiyue Animation Studio has produced a new work. This time it’s not an animated movie but a series, right?" Su Jinyin inquired on the phone.

Ding Yue was quite surprised after answering the call, not expecting the manager of Bilibili’s animation department to be a girl—and from the sound of her voice, quite a pleasant one at that.

He had initially thought it would be a middle-aged man.

"Ah yes, the project we’ve worked on this year is an animated series," Ding Yue replied. "I thought about it and among the various video streaming platforms domestically, I quite like Bilibili, so I had Feiyue Animation get in touch with you to prepare for streaming on Bilibili."

"Thank you for your trust in us, Principal Ding. We are certainly keen on collaborating with your animation studio," Su Jinyin said seriously. "Let me explain our partnership arrangements at Bilibili first. Apart from revenue calculation based on viewing numbers, we also have advertising income among other things. However, when it comes to copyrights fees, we might offer a bit lower than other platforms, somewhere between ten to twenty percent less. I wonder if that’s acceptable to you?"

Ding Yue was somewhat familiar with the situation described by Su Jinyin.

Being a rising video streaming and original content platform, Bilibili was still not at its peak and was somewhat different from veteran platforms like Penguin Video and AiYi Video.

Platforms like Penguin Video need to pay for movie rights from the producers, and naturally, these copyright fees won’t be very high. Generally, Penguin Video can recoup the costs through membership fees and pay-per-view options, managing to make a good profit.

For example.

Suppose a blockbuster movie concludes its two-month run in cinemas and then begins streaming on a video platform.

Typically, only platform members can watch initially, and often when it first arrives on the platform, it’s in a pay-to-view state.

Usually, viewers can purchase access for six yuan.

If members choose to pay, they must wait a while longer before it becomes available for free to VIP members.

In short, on video streaming platforms like Penguin Video and AiYi Video, VIP membership has long lost its charm, especially since there are now VIP-exclusive ads. It’s downright trashy, treating users as if they’re not human!

Bilibili is a bit better in this regard. First off, there are far fewer ads on the page, there used to be none, but now Bilibili has also started showing ads. However, they’re not placed at the beginning or end of videos. Instead, related ads might pop up at the bottom of the video playback page.

"This is no problem, as long as the broadcast can be arranged as soon as possible."

Ding Yue replied.

As for licensing fees, Ding Yue didn’t expect to make much from selling to video websites. Earning a few hundred thousand more or less didn’t make much of a difference.

And so, Ding Yue had a very good chat with President Su Jinyin of Bilibili, and the two sides roughly settled on an intention to cooperate.

That is, Bilibili would pay to purchase the electronic broadcasting rights for "Love, Death & Robots", and Ding Yue’s demands were not high—only that the broadcast is arranged promptly after the contract was signed.

Because it was already October.

If it wasn’t broadcast soon, it would be the year’s end. Feiyue Animation Studio needed to get this work on air to solidify its status.

After hanging up the phone with President Su Jinyin, Ding Yue looked forward to the airing of "Love, Death & Robots" from his Feiyue Animation Studio.

However.

What Ding Yue hadn’t expected was that right after Su Jinyin ended the call with him, she received another call.

And it was from her boss.

"What?"

Upon hearing the news, Su Jinyin looked incredulous: "Boss, how could this happen?"

"Xiao Su, don’t ask too much about the matters from up above," the boss said over the phone.

"The matters from up above? You mean, the board?"

Su Jinyin seemed to realize something.

Although Bilibili’s boss managed the site, given Bilibili’s expansion over the years, it had already been financed by large corporations.

And Penguin Group was the most significant financier stakeholder of Bilibili at the moment!

In the phone call just now, the boss was telling Su Jinyin to stick to the original screening plan and not to independently allocate any slots for Feiyue Animation Studio!

President Su had planned to schedule a slot for Feiyue Animation Studio’s animated series in November.

This was something she thought she could decide on her own. However, to her complete surprise, her superior interfered and insisted that she must comply.

If they followed the original schedule, then Feiyue Animation Studio’s animated series would have to wait in line, and it looked like it wouldn’t be able to air until next March.

And when the boss mentioned it was "the matters from up above," there was only one possibility—it was Penguin Group, the most significant shareholder in Bilibili, targeting Feiyue Animation Studio.

"But boss, Feiyue Animation Studio has produced the hit animated movie ’Super Combat Team’. Arranging their slot promptly would benefit us, right?"

Su Jinyin expressed her incomprehension.

However, her boss didn’t offer any leniency and made it clear that Su Jinyin needed to follow this directive from above. Otherwise, she would be responsible for any consequences.

Even though Su Jinyin couldn’t understand all the intricacies of the situation, she had no choice but to obey the order from above.

And so.

Su Jinyin made another call to Ding Yue.

"What? Can’t arrange an online release date soonest, not until next March?"

Upon hearing this, Ding Yue instantly became furious.

Just a moment ago, President Su, that wasn’t what you said!