Chapter 6 is a question worth pondering

He could only wait for Murakami Iori to make a decision, yet Murakami Iori still had not returned the script to him, merely tapping it lightly, feeling an immense inner turmoil.

Certainly, it is foolish to place one's hopes on others, yet he must seek out a producer like Murakami Iori, because production teams are categorized into various types. For instance, there are director-led production teams, which are commonly found in film shooting and animation production. In such teams, the director (supervisor) has the final say and is also responsible for the success of the work

Concerning one's career prospects, it is indeed a matter worthy of deep contemplation

Murakami Iori glanced at him twice and unexpectedly felt a sense of goodwill. She took the papers and began to read them more seriously—Is the setting a nighttime drama? Is this feasible or not?

Murakami Iori listened attentively. Before the information explosion, acquiring relatively specialized knowledge required either finding a teacher or specifically going to a library or bookstore. Satisfying the thirst for knowledge was quite difficult, and one would not easily miss any opportunity that arose.

Rinto Chihara finally began to persuade: "Miss Murakami intends to become a producer, especially considering the lack of sufficient qualifications, she will face quite a bit of competition, won't she?"

Under the system of the Production Bureau of Japan Broadcasting Corporation, a producer-centered responsibility system is adopted. The producer is responsible for submitting proposals, assembling the production team, and overseeing almost everything except for the creative aspects, while also being accountable for the final results. In this model, the producer represents the investors and serves as the financial supervisor and executive producer of the production team, making them the most critical figure in driving the production of a program

The teacher is likely to give a high score, which indicates that Qian Yuan Lin Ren is a very promising talent. Although Murakami Iori does not intend to use his script, he has developed an appreciation for talent and is preparing to recommend him for a position as a script assistant. Helping him today does not require much effort, and perhaps ten or twenty years from now, this could turn into a valuable connection, which feels quite worthwhile

"There is currently no content worth watching in the late-night dramas, which fails to retain the audience. As long as we can produce a good drama, we can create miracles!" The words of Chihara Rinto are powerful and resonant, filled with allure: "This is a great opportunity, Miss Murakami. I have confidence in the planning and the script!"

Indeed, the Great Depression will lead to a more prosperous television industry; the longer it lasts, the more pronounced the lipstick effect will be, resulting in an increasing number of viewers staying in front of their televisions. Miss Murakami works at a television station, so she should have this feeling, right? I guess the average viewership ratings for prime time segments are rising year by year, am I wrong?

Japanese dramas are generally divided into four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, with each season lasting three months and consisting of approximately twelve episodes, which translates to one episode per week. They are filmed and aired simultaneously. However, no matter how much the script provided by Rinto Chihara is expanded, it is unlikely to fill up to 700 minutes of content. If it were actually produced, it could only be regarded as a student project

He simply copied the original "Tales of the Unusual" from the world, not even changing the title, which can be considered a final respect for intellectual property. However, he took many of the classic short stories from various seasons, as it is better to make the first shot as loud as possible.

Murakami Iori pondered: "Watching television at home?"

However, he could not tell Murakami Iori about this; he could only see if she was willing to take a gamble. After all, whether or not she believed that this script could be turned into a good production depended on her own judgment, and the extravagant assurances of others were of no use.

In summary, this man possesses a very unique temperament, to exaggerate, he embodies the legendary gentlemanly demeanor—gentle and warm like jade, yet concealing a sword in its sheath

She had not yet figured out how to phrase her advice, but Chihara Rinto had already pulled out several stacks of paper from his briefcase: "This is a series, each episode consists of two or three short plays like this, it is a multi-element anthology, and I plan to call it 'Tales of the Unusual World'. This is the overall project proposal, and here are two similar short stories..."

Qian Yuan Rinto understood her concerns and said seriously: "I understand Miss Murakami's point, but the times are changing—have you heard of the lipstick effect?"

For example, the system of having a single writer or screenwriter in charge is commonly used in South Korean television dramas, and this model is also employed in the Qiong Yao series in China

Is it difficult to obtain prime time?

Oh? Murakami Iori looked at Chihara Rinto with some surprise, the plan is quite comprehensive, I didn't expect that

Currently, television stations indeed do not pay much attention to this time slot, typically filling it with low-budget horror films or simply airing infomercials. After all, during poor performance, the viewership can drop to as low as 0.04%, which is hardly worth mentioning. In this era without the internet stealing the spotlight, the passing mark for prime time television dramas is 15%, while popular national dramas can reach around 40%, highlighting a significant disparity.

"This script is very ... ... " Murakami Iori read it carefully twice. Not to mention the originality and the novelty of the story, just from the perspective of writing standards, it is also professional, clearly showing a great deal of effort. She truly could not find any issues and could only honestly say: "It is very interesting, quite good, but unfortunately too short"

Children's cartoons are typically aired between 4 PM and 6 PM, which coincides with the time when children return home from school. In contrast, evening dramas and popular variety shows are generally broadcast from 8 PM to 10 PM, a period when most adults have finished work, making it an ideal time for relaxation and leisure.

She was silent for a moment, closed the script but did not return it to Chihara Rinto, and hesitated as she pressed it in her hand, saying: "But the viewership during the nighttime slot..."

Murakami Iori slowly shook her head; she had not been baptized by the internet, nor had she been influenced by the era of information explosion, and her understanding of obscure knowledge was limited

The application is easy to apply for, but what use is it if there is no audience after it is granted? It becomes a quagmire, easy to enter but difficult to exit

The argument is reasonable, the theory seems correct, the prospects are enticing, and it is also a good plan with feasibility. More importantly, it feels tailor-made for a new producer like myself—low investment, less competition, easy to pass, easy to shoot, and the script quality is indeed good. However, should I take the risk or stick to my original plan for stability?

The "lipstick effect" refers to an interesting economic phenomenon where lipstick sales surge during economic downturns, also known as the preference for low-priced luxury goods. In the United States, whenever the economy is in a recession, the sales of lipstick tend to experience explosive growth, as people perceive lipstick to be a low-cost luxury item. During economic hardships, individuals have limited funds available for consumption, yet their desire to consume does not diminish; thus, they resort to purchasing such inexpensive luxuries to satisfy their psychological needs and provide self-comfort

He is certainly confident. "The World of Strange Stories" was originally called "The World of Strange Nights" and was initially intended to be a single season to fill the late-night time slot. However, it unexpectedly received widespread acclaim, achieving a viewership rating of over 20% during the late-night slot, which drew the television station's attention to the late-night programming, prompting them to take it more seriously rather than treating it as a mere formality. As the show's reception continued to improve, it was eventually moved to prime time, leading to the production of two to three seasons each year, with a peak effective viewership rating of 37.4%. This is also why Chihara Rinto chose this show.

Qian Yuan Rinto saw Murakami Iori nodding in agreement, and his voice became more sincere, "Therefore, I believe this project proposal is suitable for Miss Murakami and can also assist her—currently, the late-night time slot is not given much attention. If Miss Murakami applies for such a time slot, the programming committee will likely not care much and will probably allow you to give it a try, right?"

At the television station, ratings are the only capital that allows producers to speak loudly, and they also serve as the sword of Damocles hanging over the producers' heads. She fears that if she fails in her first attempt as a producer and does not achieve good results, the higher-ups will lose confidence in her and no longer give her opportunities, leaving her to become a lifelong assistant.

Murakami Iori was somewhat impressed; this is indeed a fact, but no one has explained it as innovatively as Chihara Rinto. She nodded slightly: "Yes, but only a few key prime time slots have shown significant growth, while late-night dramas still..."

Moreover, the young man's eyes are very captivating. It is often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and through this man's eyes, one can see the words "focus". When he looks at someone, it seems that all his attention is on you, creating a slight sense of pressure, yet his expression remains calm, as if he does not have any particular intention directed at anyone.

With short black hair that appears somewhat disheveled, a pale complexion, and a delicate appearance, he overall exudes a slightly despondent aura. However, as he sits there with his back straight, it seems he has not changed at all from the very beginning, as if he could remain in that position until the end of time. This gives the impression of considerable willpower; if a blonde-haired thug were to sit like this, he would last at most five minutes before slumping down.

Without finding a producer like Murakami Iori, Chihara Rinto cannot advance the script filming within the production bureau system; even the best script would be rendered useless.

Yes. There is a good opportunity, and she wants to give it a try. Naturally, others also want to give it a try. It is evident that many people will join the competition, even if one thinks about it with their heels.

Different television stations define the nighttime period differently, generally referring to the time between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM. During this time, most normal people are asleep, and there are not many viewers watching television, as staying up late was not popular in the 1990s

Murakami Iori nodded silently while watching, acknowledging the truth of the matter. There is no doubt about it—television stations also schedule their programs by time slots. For instance, morning dramas targeting housewives are typically aired between 7:00 and 9:00 AM, a time when housewives have just sent their husbands and children off and have some free time.

Stand like a pine, sit like a bell; it is not as simple as it sounds. Without good self-awareness and a resilient nature, most people tend to yield to their desires, often bending and tilting in various ways

These time slots generally have better viewership ratings, and the quality of the programs is also related to the reputation of the television station, making it indeed unlikely to be entrusted to newcomers for practice

Murakami Iori has roughly finished reading it and found the project proposal quite appealing. The other two short stories provided by Chihara Rinto are equally interesting. If they can be filmed and done well, they should be quite captivating, and his points are also very reasonable.

Only then did she truly begin to take notice, examining the person of Chihara Rinto for the first time with seriousness

Qian Yuan Rinto continued, "Japan has now entered a period of great depression, with people's incomes and expectations for the future significantly reduced. At this time, the first expenditures to be cut are those that are non-essential for living, and entertainment-related expenses are the first to be affected. However, people still have a demand for entertainment. If they cannot travel abroad or frequently visit bars and nightclubs, what is the cheapest form of entertainment for these individuals?"