sinovels Chapter 35: Signing the copyright for the "Lilac" ringtone.
Chapter 35: Signing the copyright for the "Lilac" ringtone.
Two days later, the rain stopped and the sun shone brightly in Shenzhen.
Lin Feng went to Luohu alone and knocked on the door of Tang Lei's rented apartment.
Tang Lei quickly opened the door and was very happy to see Lin Feng arrive.
"Sit down." Tang Lei poured him a glass of water, and the two sat down on the sofa to chat.
Lin Feng looked around the room.
The second time I came, the house was tidier than the last time, and there was a potted plant on the windowsill. Sunlight slanted in through the window, making the house warm and cozy.
"Brother Lei, you've cleaned it up quite well."
Tang Lei smiled, a smile that was much more relaxed than before.
"Zhao Xiaohu is in jail, and I'm free now. I've been sleeping well these past few days, so I've tidied up the house."
Lin Feng nodded, picked up his water glass, and took a sip.
"Brother Lei, what are your plans for the future?"
He's been thinking about this issue for the past few days.
"I don't want to sing in bars anymore. I've sung in bars for two years, and I've had enough. I want to write my own songs, produce records, and record albums. But that's difficult."
In 2003, the record industry was shrinking. Piracy was rampant, sales were declining, and it was incredibly difficult for new artists to release an album.
Tang Lei smiled wryly: "Record companies... I sent them demos before, but they disappeared without a trace. Nobody wants to sign a bar singer."
Lin Feng looked into his eyes: "Brother Lei, have you ever thought about who your fan base is?"
Tang Lei was taken aback; he hadn't really thought about this question seriously.
"The song 'Lilac Flower' expresses a deep longing for a departed lover and for love itself. Am I right?"
Tang Lei nodded: "The inspiration for the song comes from the true story of my college friend, whose girlfriend tragically died in a car accident."
Lin Feng continued, "In society, the people who yearn for love the most and believe in pure love the most are young people, especially college students."
"That makes sense!" Tang Lei suddenly understood. "How can I attract university students?"
Lin Feng had already thought of a plan for him: "Go back to campus to sing. Take the opportunity of attending our university's digital music festival at Christmas to promote the song 'Lilac Flower' on campus, so that more college students will know about and fall in love with this song."
Tang Lei suddenly understood, but another problem arose. Singing on campus didn't guarantee income; the earnings from campus performances were far less than those from bar performances or commercial shows.
After all, one needs to support oneself.
Lin Feng advised him to play the long game: "Brother Lei, first increase your visibility on campus. Once you have visibility, there are many ways to make money. For example, you can make money through ringtones."
"A ringback tone? The one on your phone? The one where you can listen to music when you make a call?"
"That's right," Lin Feng explained. "The mobile company just launched the ringback tone service last month, and not many people are using it yet. But I believe it won't be long before ringback tones become popular. As long as users download the song 'Lilac Flower' as their ringback tone, you can get a share of the profits."
Tang Lei was unfamiliar with the ringback tone service: "Who do I collect the money from?"
Lin Feng further explained: "The charge for the ringback tone service is that the mobile company and service provider charge mobile phone users, while the singers and content providers charge the service provider."
"Service provider? I don't know any of them." Tang Lei scratched his head awkwardly.
Lin Feng presented his well-prepared plan: "My Fengchi Digital Studio mainly focuses on campus and digital music. If you're willing, we can collaborate to promote 'Lilac Flower' on campuses and as a ringtone."
"Brother Lei, you're in charge of singing and recording the song well. I'll handle turning it into a ringtone, and I'll manage the distribution channels, connect with SP service providers, and do the promotion. How about we split the profits 50/50?"
Lin Feng had also considered buying out the copyright to "Lilac Flower" for a sum of money. However, profits should be shared, not kept to oneself. If "Lilac Flower" became popular in the future, Tang Lei would not get a share of the money, which would inevitably lead to a falling out and a host of troubles such as breach of contract and lawsuits.
Moreover, after getting to know Tang Lei over this period of time, I found him to be a nice person, and we got along very well. Why not maintain this friendship and cooperate for mutual benefit?
On Tang Lei's side, someone had offered money to buy out the copyright to "Lilac Flower," but "Lilac Flower" is his life's work and his only song with some fame. He was reluctant to sell the copyright.
The 50/50 profit-sharing model offered by Lin Feng was exactly what he wanted.
"Okay! Let's do it this way!" The two agreed immediately!
"Brother Lei, I'd like to ask you to re-record a version of 'Lilac Flower.' A proper one, recorded in a recording studio."
Lin Feng said earnestly, "The songs we make into ringtones in the future must be professionally recorded and sung to their best effect. This is our tool for making money in the future."
"You're right! It's absolutely necessary."
A few days later, Lin Feng asked someone to find a professional recording studio and took Tang Lei there to record for an afternoon.
Tang Lei was very focused in the recording studio, performing even better than when he sang at a bar. After finishing the recording, he felt relaxed and in a good mood.
Three versions of "Lilac Flower" were recorded, and the one with the most emotional content and the cleanest sound quality was selected.
Lin Feng carefully put away the CD containing the audio files. Then, he took out a printed cooperation agreement and went through it clause by clause with Tang Lei in the recording studio.
The agreement stipulates that Fengchi Digital Studio obtains the exclusive agency authorization for "Lilac Flower" in telecommunications value-added services (ringtones) for a period of five years.
During the authorization period, Tang Lei shall not authorize any third party to use the song for the same business, but retains the right to perform it himself and release a physical record.
The studio will pay 5,000 yuan as an upfront authorization fee. All subsequent revenue generated from this business, after deducting channel costs, will be split 50/50 between the two parties.
"Five thousand upfront, split 50/50 afterwards, five years." Lin Feng pointed to the key terms. "Brother Lei, take a look. If there's anything you don't understand or feel is inappropriate, let us know now."
Tang Lei looked at it very carefully. After he finished reading, he picked up a pen, signed his name on the last page, and pressed his fingerprint on it.
After Lin Feng signed and stamped the document, he handed Tang Lei an envelope containing 5000 yuan in cash.
"5000 yuan, count it!"
"I believe you." Tang Lei took the envelope and shoved it into his pocket.
"The studio will book your round-trip airfare for Christmas and your accommodation during the music festival in advance. I will let you know the specific dates." Lin Feng put away his contract.
"Okay." The two held hands tightly.
Before parting, Lin Feng suddenly remembered something he wanted to tell him.
"By the way, Brother Lei. Regarding the female lead of 'Lilac Flower' who passed away, if fans or the media ask you about it in the future, just say that the deceased was your ex-girlfriend. If they ask for more details, just say that you respect the deceased and it is inconvenient to disclose."
Tang Lei was puzzled as to why he had to make up a story.
Lin Feng further explained, "The purpose of saying it this way is to make the story more touching and to make the audience feel more immersed in the song. It also gives you the persona of a deeply affectionate man, which will attract more female fans who will like you and the song."
After listening, Tang Lei suddenly understood!
The senior student in front of me is clearly younger than me and shouldn't have really entered society yet, but he seems to know more than me.
Lin Feng smiled. Having secured the ringtone contract for "Lilac Flower," he felt he had accomplished another major task.