Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 222: Business Potential]

"Of course, the year-end bonus for the development department is riding on your show this year," Gaye said casually.

Ryan caught off guard with her blunt honesty.

"To be honest, I don't know much about the CW network; the executives I've spoken to there have all been women." Ryan replied.

"That's related to the CW's current positioning. We aim to attract a young female audience, which naturally requires a management team composed of women," Gaye added.

Looking closely at some of CW's popular shows, like America's Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, the reboot of 90210, and this year's new hit The Vampire Diaries, it was clear that their primary audience was female.

The only show with a larger male audience, Smallville, was a holdover from a previous era before the merger.

CW wanted to attract male viewers but struggled to produce compelling programming -- until the emergence of 2 Broke Girls.

"According to Nielsen data, this show's primary audience is young male college students, and the 18-49 demographic is also substantial, which indicates excellent commercial development potential," Gaye explained.

An important metric in American television is "viewership ratings," which measures the percentage of the audience aged 18-49. For advertisers, only viewers within that age range hold promotional value.

"So you mean we can make money through product placement?" Ryan quickly caught on to what Gaye implied.

"That's not typically a territory for someone in a program development role at the CW," Gaye noted.

"But you have connections in this area, right?" Ryan chuckled.

She reminded Ryan of this because she was looking to do business.

"One of my friends happens to be involved with a marketing company and could introduce you to several similar opportunities."

This friend she referred to was clearly herself.

"Sure, if the price is right, we could collaborate on scripts, product placements, and costume props."

"It depends on the advertisers' requirements. Industry standards dictate a 15% commission fee."

"I can only give you 10%. You're just a middleman."

"The gap between middlemen can sometimes be vast. You've got to know that every product placement means an additional income stream. That's way more than a 5% cut."

"Okay, you've convinced me. 13%."

"Deal."

Ryan was surprised that this program development executive also had a side hustle.

"I didn't think you had a side business," Ryan remarked.

"Simple reason; the CW network is a failing alliance. The talent has long been lured away to the Big Four networks. We really lack competitive edge. Our premiere slots are only from Monday to Friday, while our competition's weekend programming lineup is terrifying. The network is even considering outsourcing prime time slots on Saturdays and Sundays," Gaye explained.

Ryan sensed a business opportunity. After all, the CW was a national network; the trouble was, he currently only had one show.

Finishing his conversation with Gaye, Ryan took a glance at America's Next Top Model, found it boring, and turned off the TV.

Ryan typically only watched late-night programs, like various talk shows.

American television divided time slots into three categories: daytime, primetime, and late night. The Emmys also had three categories to correspond with these time slots.

...

Checking the time, Ryan thought he didn't have to go on stage tonight and considered whether he should visit Taylor when she called.

"Did the show wrap up?" Ryan answered the phone.

"It just ended. During intermission, I played your show, and the results were fantastic. Everyone loved it except for a few offensive jokes about Daddario, but everything else was great."

"But her jokes are the perfect creative material, aren't they?" Ryan chuckled.

"You're not wrong there." Taylor laughed on the other end.

Ryan shared the viewer data with Taylor.

"19.7 million? That's an outrageous number -- it must belong to a national hit!"

"Yes, based on the first episode alone, it's definitely a national hit."

The two lead actors clearly benefited significantly besides Ryan, but that didn't mean they were guaranteed bright futures.

Many actors who became famous through sitcoms faded into obscurity after the show ended. Aside from money being a reason, transitioning careers was a significant barrier for many actors. A role often became too ingrained in public memory, making it hard to pivot. Jennifer Aniston was one of the rare examples of successful career transitions.

"By the way, there's something I want to discuss with you."

"Is it about the guest appearance? Of course, we can arrange that; a restaurant has to have customers," Ryan immediately said.

"More than just that. There's something even more important... I want to invest -- in a movie!" Taylor said, nervous on the line.

"Uh... we need to sort this out carefully." Ryan's smile stiffened instantly.

In his eyes, Taylor investing in a movie was like burning money.

The industry was too murky.

"First, tell me who got you thinking about this." Ryan continued.

When necessary, he'd take action to prevent anyone from poisoning Taylor's mind.

"Who else could it be? Emma Stone! Last time, she and a few friends came to my concert, and afterward, we hung out for a day. Emma mentioned her new film project -- a coming-of-age campus comedy called Easy A."

"Sounds like a movie about exams?" Ryan replied, perplexed.

"No, it's about slut-shaming. A goody-goody girl's bragging accidentally spreads around school, and she gets labeled as 'promiscuous,' while boys seek her out, hoping she'll admit to their relationships. You know how people love to boast their sexual exploits and how many people they've bedded. It ends up causing her a lot of trouble, but ultimately, she comes clean and finds true love. I think the film has a fresh perspective, but the production company is a small one, and there's still a $3 million funding gap. What do you think?"

"I think the narrative is good; however, this industry is treacherous. Do you know Harry Potter? There are a million ways for film companies to hide their accounting, and you'll never be able to reap what's truly yours. The production company has likely already noticed you, not just getting you to invest, but also involving you in promotional activities -- potentially using you," Ryan warned.

"The budget's limited; it's just a small-scale campus film, and Emma's already confirmed to star," Taylor replied slowly, sounding a bit dejected.

Clearly, she thought this was a good opportunity, but Ryan disagreed with her.

"There's only one solution: we need to approach the production company directly. I'll have to dig into their background. If there are issues, we'll pull out. If everything checks out, then you invest," Ryan proposed.

"Let's decide on that! We're heading to LA next month to guest star in a film, so we can wrap this up at the same time," Taylor said excitedly.

The two of them chatted for a while longer. So far, they had plenty to discuss since they were both ambitious in their careers, and Ryan had heaps of management issues to share.

"The two female artists you introduced me to... to be honest. They have lots of ideas but lack commercial value. They live in their own world," Taylor objectively assessed.

"Compared to others, I realize how lucky I am. I'm the one favored by the heavens," Taylor admitted, reflecting on how her career had been remarkably smooth. However, her greatest advantage was encountering Ryan, the very system bug.

"We should encourage them more..." Ryan mentioned his two budding artists (Ellie Goulding and Calvin Harris), noting that they had received radio play and opportunities to showcase themselves, yet none of it bore fruit. Ultimately, it still came down to the material.

Songs that aren't solid are useless, no matter how many resources you provide. As for the two new DJs, Ryan felt they weren't bad at all.

"If things don't work out, we'll just have to blame ourselves for not doing our jobs properly," Taylor seemed to predict the outcome.

"If worse comes to worst, let's have the two of them stay with me for a while." Ryan thinking there might be some effect of "borrowing power."

"Transforming them into DJs?" Taylor was puzzled.

"Not impossible; at least they can earn some money," Ryan shrugged.

"Speaking of which, I can't have them follow me everywhere. Staying with you could be a solution," Taylor said.

"I'll be renting another apartment soon, specifically for housing female artists and DJs, like a dormitory," Ryan declared.

"Perfect, let's settle on that." Taylor nodded in agreement.

They exchanged goodnights, each urging the other to rest.

...

Ryan hung up the phone, decided to head straight home while also stopping by the dorm where the two DJs were living. To his satisfaction, they were thrilled and surprised by his visit.

Ryan reminded the two that a third DJ would soon join them. Joel had good news: Avicii had boarded a flight to Florida, and this time, Ryan was not let down.

...

The following day, Ryan finally met Avicii, who had already appeared in his visions more than once.

Joel opened the door and welcomed him inside; Avicii looked quite inexperienced, wearing a baseball cap backward and resembling a low-budget version of Leonardo DiCaprio. Beside him stood a middle-aged woman, presumably his mother.

But just like Hardwell, one should not judge a book by its cover. Ryan got up and approached Avicii.

"Welcome to Bad Room," Ryan shook his hand.

Avicii appeared somewhat dazed, finding everything before him surreal.

Next, Ryan shook hands with Avicii's mom, who immediately peppered him with questions. Clearly, she wasn't at ease letting her son work in an American nightclub.

"Mrs. Bergling, you could inquire about Bad Room around here. It has some unique rules, particularly concerning the prohibition of contraband. Each guest is subjected to strict checks before entering, and only those who pass can come in."

"As for your son's job, he'll be DJing here, producing music, and releasing tracks. If he takes off, he'll make quite a bit of money. I've heard your son's music online, and I can feel his talent. I can't guarantee he'll achieve what I have, but I can assure you this industry has a vast future ahead." Ryan displayed his trophies to Avicii and his mother.

"Living arrangements are also something you needn't worry about. My colleague will show you around; it's only a few minutes' walk away. Two young people arrived just yesterday, and they're currently downstairs. Would you both like to join them?" Ryan asked, looking at Avicii and his mother.

The two exchanged looks and nodded.

...

The group headed to Bad Room's main hall. Although the opening hours hadn't arrived yet, many surrounded the DJ booth, where Diplo and Deadmau5 were interviewing DJs. Ryan took the opportunity to step over and check things out.

On stage stood a girl with vibrant hair, who looked at least youthful. She had fair skin, a petite frame, and her movements were very lively. Her hair was bleached and dyed in various colors -- yellow, green, blue, purple, red, pink, and orange gradients -- making her appear vibrant under the lights.

She wore pink cat-eared headphones and swayed in rhythm, her hair dancing along with every movement.

Under the bright light, she looked like a music sprite. She was dressed in overalls but only wore one strap.

As for the music she was playing, Ryan wasn't fond of it as it was overly experimental and avant-garde.

"We've discussed this; she wants to showcase her music. During her performance, she'll agree to play some more mainstream electronic music," Diplo walked over to Ryan explaining.

"At least she has a striking look and infectious movements," Ryan remarked.

This tech-inspired, electronic-style girl was exactly what the nightclub needed.

Her performance quickly wrapped up, and she walked over to shake Ryan's hand.

"Finally meeting a real one," she said.

"You might be seeing more of me in the future. Where are you from?"

"Canada. I'm a student but applied for a gap year to work for a bit."

"You're studying art?" Ryan assessed her style, noticing she did resemble an art student.

"No," she shook her head. "I'm majoring in neuroscience with a minor in philosophy."

"Studying?"

"Yeah, I'm in grad school."

"How old are you?"

"21."

"Graduating early?"

"Yeah, I actually skipped a few grades when I was little," she nodded.

"You know what the deal is here, right?"

"Pretty much," she nodded. "So did I pass? You can call me Claire, and you'll remember this name."

...

"Next!" Deadmau5 called over to another girl DJ at a distance.

A taller woman in an all-black outfit stepped up to the DJ booth; she wore a black T-shirt and black pants with black straight hair. She looked incredibly thin -- like a model.

"This one is currently a model for H&M, DJing on the side," Diplo whispered to Ryan.

At this time, she had already commenced her performance. Her movements were sharp and swift, and once she donned her headphones, her focus was intense. Her outfit combined with her expressions gave off an effortlessly cool vibe.

She performed a techno remix by Armin, which emphasized rhythm and beat without intricate melodies, giving off an industrial feel; this style fit her persona.

"Not bad," Ryan nodded, noticing many around him bobbing their heads to the "thump, thump, thump" of the beat.

When she finished her set and came to Ryan, he noted that her appearance was also quite impressive.

"Amelie Lens, from Belgium," she introduced herself, extending her hand.

"How tall are you?"

"5'11."

"You passed." Ryan nodded, skipping excessive conversation.

"Thanks." Her expression remained unchanged, showing she likely had a cool, reserved demeanor.

Ryan turned to find Claire chatting with R3HAB and Hardwell, while Avicii stood nearby, seeming to want to join in.

With Amelie now in the mix, five new DJs were enough to fill the current gap.

...

"New events can start getting promotions," Ryan called over Sean, giving him orders.

"Sure thing! The cheerleaders from the Jaguars are lined up for this Friday; I assure you the quality will be top-notch, and their dance skills are exceptional," Sean grinned.

"What day is it today?" Ryan suddenly asked.

"Weekend."

"New Billboard announcement day," Ryan pulled out his phone.

Taylor's song Mean had indeed burst into the Top 10, but only debuted at number nine, while Ryan had initially expected it to land around fifth place.

The reason for this was mainly due to incredibly fierce competition. The previous champion Right Round had already dropped to third, while Lady Gaga's Poker Face stood in second place.

At the top was a debut single by The Black Eyed Peas titled Boom Boom Pow. 

The Black Eyed Peas made a bold full-circle turn to electronic music in their new album!

If Lady Gaga had previously wowed audiences, then the Black Eyed Peas' debut represented a signal that electronic music was officially entering the mainstream.

Ryan guessed the beginning but hadn't anticipated the ending. At that moment, he likely hadn't realized that the entire 2009 Billboard Hot 100 would be dominated by the Black Eyed Peas!

*****

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