National Tide 1980.

In April 1993, spring arrived, the peach blossoms bloomed in Beijing, and the film production industry of the People's Republic of China was also full of vitality.

The eight major film studios across the country have changed their past approach of creating mainstream films, which mainly focused on rural, industrial, and military themes.

Martial arts films, urban romance films, business war films, urban love stories, and Hong Kong-style co-productions have taken their place and become the mainstream.

Nobody wants to make instructional videos that nobody watches anymore.

Moreover, from March to April, the eight major film studios approved at least dozens of films, far exceeding the number approved during the same period in previous years.

At the same time, a large number of directors, cinematographers, art directors, and actors from the eight major film studios went out to take on private jobs, and the institutional staffing system was loosened.

The film industry has also seen the emergence of nationwide film-trading merchants.

These people don't need to build factories or make films. They just need to take the films from the production studio and travel all over the country to negotiate distribution rights and revenue sharing. They can buy low and sell high regional distribution rights and easily earn hundreds of thousands of yuan by making a trip across the country.

But to be honest, this sudden boom in the industry wasn't because film studios suddenly had money; it was all thanks to external funding from the private sector.

Now, as long as you can get a factory logo by affiliating with a state-owned factory and obtain the qualification to start a filming project, external social capital and Hong Kong and Taiwan capital can join the production team to shoot films.

The reason for all these huge changes is entirely due to a document issued by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television before the Lunar New Year, entitled "Several Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Film Industry Mechanism".

This document is known in the industry as Document No. 3!
Its specific content mainly includes:

First, the centralized purchase and distribution system was abolished, and film studios were allowed to contact local distribution units independently.

Economic settlements can be made through methods such as selling regional distribution rights, single-film contracts, box office revenue sharing, and agency distribution.

However, negotiations must be initiated with the provincial-level company first; only if no agreement is reached with the provincial-level company can negotiations proceed with the lower-level company.

Second, the importation and distribution of films will still be the responsibility of China Film Group.

Third, ticket prices are liberalized in principle, with specific pricing determined by governments at all levels.

Fourth, 70% of documentaries, educational films, and animated films are still acquired and distributed by China Film Group Corporation…

The document also clarifies for the first time that films are both cultural and spiritual products and commercial products aimed at audiences and the market.

Therefore, it can be said that this industry-wide transformation is far more significant than the adjustment of industry mechanisms; it is a milestone in the transition of mainland Chinese cinema from a planned economy to a market economy.

It fundamentally broke the decades-long monopoly of China Film Group Corporation on the distribution of domestic films, abolished the rigid system of unified purchase and distribution, and redefined the rights, responsibilities, and interests of the three parties: production, distribution, and exhibition. It also officially recognized the commodity and market attributes of films and made them a reality in the industry.

This completely reversed the simplistic perception that only education was emphasized while neglecting the market.

This laid the crucial groundwork for subsequent reforms to the cinema chain system, the rise of commercial films, the boom of private film and television, and the normalization of Sino-foreign co-productions.

If we say that the market economy reforms of the early 1990s revitalized various industries such as the real economy, commerce, and finance.

Therefore, the No. 3 Document on Film in 1993 was the first starting gun for the marketization of the film and television industry.

It shattered the shackles of the system, liberated the industry's productivity, and allowed films produced in mainland China to step out of the greenhouse and face the market directly, completely shifting from "systemic tasks" to "mass industry," thus ushering in a new era of decades of market-oriented development and commercial prosperity.

Those social funds and external capital inflows all saw the business opportunities contained in the huge market in mainland China, which is why they poured in all at once.

But it was precisely because of this that Mi Xiaoran's investments finally began to venture into the film and television industry, and thus intersected with, and even clashed with, the related businesses of Ning Weimin's Dachuan Entertainment Company.

At the beginning of this matter, Mi Xiaoran, acting on the wishes of her American boss, approached Ning Weimin, hoping to persuade Teresa Teng and John Lone to come out of retirement and make a Hollywood movie.

Mi Xiaoran's asking price wasn't low; Teresa Teng was $850,000, and John Lone was $1 million.

Although it was a bit lower than the price the two men would have paid for their official roles, given that she was Ning Weimin's old neighbor, this "friendship price" was actually quite reasonable.

The problem is that the movie script she presented was really unreliable. Although it was based on the prestigious Hollywood MGM brand, the script, titled "Paper Angels," told a love story of Chinese immigrants from the perspective of Americans.

Their values ​​and beliefs are seriously at odds with Chinese culture, they are full of praise for the American Dream and also tend to belittle Chinese immigrants.

Moreover, aside from the actors' salaries, the film's budget was really low, only five million US dollars, a typical low-budget film.

Therefore, Ning Weimin was quite resistant to this matter.

Previously, he had even tried his best to dissuade John Lone from making "M. Butterfly".

Now that John Lone has officially joined Big Ship Entertainment and ended his management contract with the United States, how could he possibly allow such a script to damage the reputation of his two most valuable superstars?
Moreover, Teresa Teng had become obsessed with Peking Opera singing and was in a relationship with Shen Cun, so she had no heart for work.

Since the Spring Festival, she has spent her days either going to theaters with Jiang Nianyun and socializing with well-known Peking Opera actors in Beijing, or practicing the theme song "Puppet Show" from The Deer and the Cauldron.

John Lone's condition is similar.

He has already started rehearsing with the Fenglei Peking Opera Troupe in Beijing and is fully preparing to star in the movie "Red Silk," fighting a battle to defend his personal reputation.

It's fair to say that neither Teresa Teng nor John Lone had the inclination or time to make a film about Mi Xiaoran.

Therefore, whether as the biggest beneficiary of Document No. 3 or the boss of two big stars, Ning Weimin had no reason to agree to Mi Xiaoran's request.

He didn't try to hide it, afraid of delaying Mi Xiaoran's affairs, and refused her almost directly to her face.

The suggestion given was that Mi Xiaoran should revise the script first, and then consider replacing her with another actress.

Still mindful of their past relationship, he kindly pointed out many problems in Mi Xiaoran's script and offered to help introduce her to Brigitte Lin and Tony Leung Ka-fai.

But his frankness was nothing short of an insult to Mi Xiaoran.

Instead of understanding Ning Weimin's true intentions and considering things from his perspective, she became biased and thought that Ning Weimin looked down on her, which was why he rejected her in this way.

So she left filled with hatred and shame, and when she got home, she cursed Ning Weimin to her heart's content in front of her family.

Fortunately, Mi Xiaoran's family is reasonable.

Neither the elderly couple from the Mi family nor Mi Xiaohui believed that Ning Weimin would be an unfeeling person.

They always tried to advise Mi Xiaoran, and this time was no different. They told her not to get stuck in a rut and to think the worst of people.

The problem is that it's useless to reason with someone who already has prejudices in their mind.

The more the Mi family members sided with Ning Weimin, the more it provoked Mi Xiaoran's rebellious reaction, and the less they could agree on anything.

This meant that Mi Xiaoran had no one to confide in except when she was trading stocks and would talk to Zhang Shihui about it.

She had to suppress her anger, which only fueled her hatred for Ning Weimin, who she believed was deliberately going against her because he couldn't stand to see her doing well.

As luck would have it, it was at this time that she met some people in the arts and literature circles who harbored resentment towards Ning Weimin.

Not only did she find celebrity friends with whom she shared common interests, but she could also join her in vehemently criticizing Ning Weimin.

And unexpectedly, through these friends, he found more business opportunities, coincidentally succeeding in getting revenge on Ning Weimin and greatly venting his anger. How did this happen?
This matter will likely lead us back to the restaurants that Mi Xiaoran has invested in.

It's important to know that 1993 marked the beginning of the second wave of people going into business, and Beijing's catering industry experienced a golden age of explosive growth in private restaurants.

The reform and opening up broke the monopoly of state-owned restaurants, and a large number of private restaurants, joint venture restaurants, and characteristic folk restaurants opened in batches, making the catering industry in Beijing a vibrant and diverse landscape.

At that time, the film, drama, literature, rock and roll, and art circles were highly concentrated in Beijing.

In the absence of mobile phones and online social networking, dinner parties are the most important form of socializing in the arts and entertainment industry.

Film crew wraps up shooting, script discussions, film preparation, literary gatherings, band get-togethers—people involved in the arts and culture scene are always going out to eat.

Those with status will be invited to meals, while those without will freeload. In any case, whether you have money or not, you'll never lack for meals.

Conversely, restaurant owners are also actively embracing the arts and culture scene.

Firstly, writers and celebrities bring their own audience, which can elevate the restaurant's image and increase its reputation.

Secondly, most of the bosses are themselves amateur performers, children of high-ranking officials, or culture enthusiasts, sharing similar interests with those working in the arts.

Therefore, many restaurant owners love to make friends in the arts and culture circle, and most people also have a few friends in the arts and culture circle.

Reserved private rooms, bookkeeping and signing of bills, and leaving the door open late at night are all commonplace.

At this time, many restaurants in Beijing gradually transformed from places to eat into offline hubs for exchanging information, discussing projects, and networking within their circles, forming a unique local cultural phenomenon where "restaurants = literary salons."

Maxim's Restaurant goes without saying; it was the earliest and premier salon in Beijing.

General Manager Song Huagui is an artist with a background in fine arts. She has both cultural refinement and a prestigious family background. She runs the restaurant as a cultural club and hosts top-tier celebrities.

In addition, Xiangyangtun Food Village in Haidian became a frequent gathering place for Wang Shuo and his group, where they would often get together to eat and drink and chat about scripts.

Newly opened private restaurants in Sanlitun have become a gathering place for rock singers. They often go there to drink in the early hours of the morning, and it's common for them to spontaneously sing a song or belt out a few lines after drinking too much.

It is a well-known fact that the traditional Ma Kai Restaurant has become a favorite in the Peking Opera and drama circles.

Some restaurants are owned by people in the entertainment industry, and they cater to even more celebrities.

Wang Jieshi, who introduced the dish of pickled fish to Beijing, runs a restaurant called Pickled Fish Village, which is frequented by his colleagues from the film orchestra and actors from the Beijing Film Studio.

As the boss, he entertains at least two or three tables of acquaintances and friends from the arts and culture circle every day from morning till night.

Speaking of Alan Restaurant, which Mi Xiaoran invested in, although it has only been open for a short time, it is not yet a household name.

However, the first store was located in Dongsi, which was an advantage.

It's not far from Beijing Film Studio, the Television Drama Art Center, and Beijing People's Art Theatre.

The restaurant is open until late at night, and actors can drive there in about ten minutes after filming night scenes.

The environment and prices here are more down-to-earth than Maxim's and Da San Yuan, making it more suitable for private gatherings among people in the industry, without the formality of high-end restaurants.

In addition, the owner, Zhang Lan, has a generous personality, is adept at socializing, and is skilled at making friends with people in the arts and culture circles, and the private rooms offer a high degree of privacy.

This restaurant in Dongsi became increasingly popular among Beijing's film and television circles, becoming a popular spot for late-night dinners in the arts and culture scene, and gradually turning into a temporary salon for film and television professionals in Dongcheng District.

One day in early April, actress Wang Ji, who had just finished filming the TV series "People from Beijing in New York" and was visiting relatives in China, went to a restaurant with friends.

Before she went abroad, she was an actress at the Beijing People's Art Theatre. The people who brought her here were regulars at Alan Restaurant, so it was inevitable that they would ask the proprietress to come out and meet her.

Unexpectedly, upon meeting, everyone discovered that Wang Ji and the boss, Alan, looked remarkably alike, like sisters. Everyone was astonished.

As a result, the two naturally became very close, and from then on, Princess Wang became a regular visitor to Alan.

A few days later, she brought Jiang Wen and Liu Xiaoqin with her as well.

That wasn't all; Jiang Wen also brought Ge You and Feng Kuzi.

Soon, this place became a private event for Beijing celebrities every night.

Therefore, Alan not only reserved the private rooms on the second floor for acquaintances in the industry, but also allowed them to sign bills and keep records.

This group of people then began to treat Alan, the proprietress, as a friend.

Not only did he not shy away from talking nonsense when he was drunk, but he also discussed many serious matters in front of her.

Sometimes when discussing projects, I would even ask for her opinion, or tease her by asking if she would be willing to invest.

Coincidentally, Jiang Wen is currently busy preparing for the movie "Animal Ferocity" and is looking for funding everywhere, so he's a bit anxious.

Liu Xiaoqin led him to Ning Weimin, and the two only talked once.

However, Ning Weimin's attitude greatly angered Jiang Wen.

Ning Weimin did not refuse to invest in the film, but he required Jiang Wen to accept supervision in the use of funds.

Moreover, the investment amount was not much. Jiang Wen asked for ten million, but Ning Weimin was only willing to give six million.

This caused Jiang Wen, who was unwilling to be bound by rules but had high expectations, to burst into a tirade against Ning Weimin when he came to Alan Restaurant for dinner.

To say he's all show and no substance, just a mercenary businessman who doesn't understand art at all.

Moreover, the richer they are, the stingier they become, and they even want to supervise the finances; it's simply disrespectful.

He also said he couldn't understand how Keiko Matsuzaka could fall for such a vulgar guy, which was an insult to the word "movie".

After Liu Xiaoqin offered a few words of advice, Jiang Wen even started blaming Liu Xiaoqin.

They criticized her for trying to curry favor with Ning Weimin and even trying to introduce him to additional good business opportunities.

But in the end, they didn't take her seriously at all, didn't give her any face, and handled it completely in a businesslike manner, without any consideration for human feelings.

Liu Xiaoqin was so angry that she almost poured beer on Jiang Wen's head to sober him up.

Alan, who rushed into the house to mediate the fight, happened to be there and overheard the conversation, which is why he immediately thought of Mi Xiaoran.

She quickly stepped in to dissuade Jiang Wen and Liu Xiaoqin from their quarrel, and said that if there were any movies that needed investment, she could help them find funding.

And so, Mi Xiaoran unintentionally got involved, gaining a promising film investment project for free, and becoming a strong competitor to Ning Weimin.

Not only did she become Jiang Wen's potential investor through Alan's matchmaking, but she also found a partner who shared her hatred of the enemy. (End of Chapter)