Ethan didn’t go home right away. He was on his way when Frank called, telling him Isabella’s short drama was doing pretty well. It wasn’t a runaway hit, but it was making money.
“How much do you think she’ll make?” Ethan asked.
Frank sounded thoughtful. “Too soon to tell. We need to see how things go over the next few days, especially with the final payment numbers. The marketing costs were high, so if I had to guess, Isabella’s studio might pull in a million or two. Maybe more. But she only owns twenty-five percent, and whatever comes in gets split between her and her partners.”
“So after all that work, she’ll just get a few hundred thousand?” Ethan pressed.
“That’s about right,” Frank replied. “That’s based on what I’m seeing in the industry. These short dramas are fast money, like takeout. Isabella’s studio has already shot a few series, all kinds of genres. If they can keep releasing new shows every month and each one turns a profit, they could easily make over ten million a year. That’s more than what a lot of companies make. But if the series tanks, the losses pile up just as fast.”
Frank paused, then added, “Honestly, I think this industry is worth a try in the short term.”
Ethan shrugged, not really interested. “I don’t care about that world. But if you want to give it a shot, go ahead. It’s your call.”
Frank laughed. “I was worried you’d tell me to back off, maybe think I’d steal Isabella’s thunder.”
“In business, it’s all about skill,” Ethan said, calm as ever. “If she can fight her way through, that’s her talent. If not, she gets swallowed up. That’s just how it goes.”
Frank chuckled. “Hearing you say that makes me feel better.” He still didn’t have much faith in the long-term future of these dramas, but it was easy money for now. He wasn’t the only one who could smell opportunity. Once everyone jumped in, competition would get fierce and profits would shrink.
“Where’s Isabella?” Ethan asked.


VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: After I Stopped Loving Him