Return to 1958 and build a century-old giant

Chapter 817 A New Layout for the Film Industry
April arrived quickly, and the temperature in Hong Kong at this time of year was quite comfortable.

The long-planned Jeet Kune Do martial arts tournament officially began in Hong Kong, marking the first Jeet Kune Do martial arts tournament in the world.

This competition was not promoted globally beforehand, so its popularity was too low, making it difficult to attract overseas people to Hong Kong. At most, only a small number of Chinese from Southeast Asia or Jeet Kune Do enthusiasts came after hearing the news.
The main participants are still from Hong Kong, whether they are competing or watching.
Yang Wendong also came to the scene, not because the competition would bring high economic benefits, but purely for entertainment. The competition between many martial arts masters is quite interesting.

Li Xiaolong, along with Wang Yuanfeng, the person in charge of the competition, accompanied Yang Wendong.

Yang Wendong asked, "How are the security preparations going?"

For such large-scale events, safety is the most important issue. When too many people gather together, there is a risk of danger. There are too many precedents in history. In severe cases, if panic and stampedes are triggered, the consequences can be unimaginable.

Wang Yuanfeng replied, "Don't worry, Mr. Yang. I have borrowed hundreds of security guards from several other sister companies. In addition, I have communicated with the police station, and they have also sent a large number of police officers to the scene to be responsible for traffic and order."

"Okay, make sure to control all the emergency exits." Yang Wendong nodded.

Li Xiaolong said, "Mr. Yang, the venue in Hong Kong is much smaller than the one in the United States, so there shouldn't be any problems. Although Jeet Kune Do has some reputation, it's still far behind football and the like, so the audience shouldn't be that crazy."

"Haha, that's hardly a strength," Yang Wendong chuckled.
In terms of popularity, martial arts competitions certainly can't compare to ball games. In my previous life, it was difficult for any martial arts competition to become a huge hit, but basketball, football, and even volleyball were much more popular.

Soon, they arrived at the VIP area on the second floor, where there were private rooms. Although not completely soundproof, these rooms significantly reduced outside noise.
"When the time is right, I will also build a large stadium in Hong Kong, just like those in Europe and America, so that we can hold large-scale competitions in the future," Yang Wendong continued.

This stadium in Hong Kong can only hold a few thousand people, which is much smaller than those overseas that can hold tens of thousands of people.

However, due to unfavorable timing in the early years, Hong Kong did not need such a stadium, so building it would have been meaningless; but in the future, with the development of Hong Kong's economy and the booming entertainment industry, the sports industry will also develop better, creating demand in this area.

Li Xiaolong laughed and said, "That would be even better."

Yang Wendong said, "However, my main purpose in building a large stadium is for the entertainment and music industry. It will take a long time for you to develop to the level of fame that karate has. It is unlikely to be achieved overnight. Therefore, in the future, you will need to put some of your energy into this business, not just movies."

“I understand that there is no perfect choice. To promote Jeet Kune Do, I need to sacrifice some of my time in the film industry. I am prepared for that.” Bruce Lee nodded and said, “I made movies to promote my martial arts, and I will never do it the other way around.”

If he had continued making movies, Bruce Lee would definitely have become one of the most famous and richest stars in Hollywood history. But not many people would remember Jeet Kune Do. The reason why there are still many martial arts schools around the world is because of the strong promotion by the capitalist Yang Wendong.

However, without sufficient motivation, once the capital reaches a certain level, it becomes difficult to continue investing, because the number of people learning martial arts is limited, and it is necessary to attract more customers through programs such as television competitions.

Yang Wendong said, "Okay, I'm glad you understand. TVB will film the entire competition. I will arrange to send the finished videotapes to some small TV stations in the United States to see the effect. As for the specific results, I can't say for sure. We can only take it one step at a time."

Unlike other prophetic business ventures, which Yang Wendong is generally confident about, he wasn't entirely certain about this unprecedented business activity.

But he was still willing to promote it. On the one hand, the promotion of Chinese martial arts can improve physical health and may even help the future of the billion-plus Chinese community; on the other hand, one should also find something challenging to do in life.

He already has enough wealth; he could never spend it all in ten lifetimes. So he needs to find something more challenging and meaningful.

Few of the super-rich in human history retired after achieving financial freedom, and this is precisely why.

Li Xiaolong smiled and said, "Thank you very much for your help, Mr. Yang."

Yang Wendong shook his head and said, "It's not really helping. We're just cooperating. Let's not talk about the future for now and see how this match goes."

He also hopes that the project will be successful, so that Hong Kong can hold an annual Jeet Kune Do martial arts tournament, which will greatly help tourism and Hong Kong's reputation. As the largest landowner in Hong Kong, he will naturally benefit indirectly.

Wang Yuanfeng said, "Yang Sheng, Li Sheng, it will begin soon."

"Well, what are the rewards for the champion and runner-up?" Yang Wendong asked.

Wang Yuanfeng said: "The champion is a thousand-square-foot mansion on Hong Kong Island, the runner-up is a thousand-square-foot mansion in Tsim Sha Tsui, and the third place is a thousand-square-foot mansion in Kwun Tong."
From fourth to tenth place, the houses are in different locations, approximately 600-800 square feet.

Furthermore, the top ten will have the opportunity to undergo training at TVB before entering the film and television industry. However, this is just an opportunity; their success depends on themselves. If they have the ability, they might become martial arts stars in the future.

"Haha, the rewards are pretty good, all houses." Yang Wendong laughed and said, "However, using a martial arts competition to select male actors is a good method. There's Miss Hong Kong for women, but it's not suitable to hold a male beauty pageant. Holding a martial arts competition to select them is more appropriate."

In the film industry, women are required to be beautiful. For men, the requirements are also there, but they are lower. They need to have acting skills, and it's okay if they are not good-looking. In fact, many scripts already have male characters who are not handsome.
Martial arts skills are now a mainstream form of entertainment in Hong Kong, and even if one doesn't participate in martial arts films, having this foundation at least increases future potential. Strong stamina is also suitable for filming. Wang Yuanfeng said, "Yes, TVB also thinks this is a good idea, and Changxing Film and Television also has this intention."

"Alright, you can discuss this internally from now on." Yang Wendong nodded.
He basically doesn't concern himself with these minor matters, including bonuses and housing. He doesn't even need to send them to headquarters. The company below is quite large, and headquarters delegates authority to a certain extent for many things, as long as they are not too outrageous. In addition, headquarters still conducts an annual financial audit.

The competition below has officially begun. Prior to this competition, the top 32 had already been selected. This competition aims to identify the strongest few and provide them with intensive training, including not only film and television opportunities but also Jeet Kune Do training and physical conditioning, in order to cultivate them into future successors of Jeet Kune Do.
This will continue every year, but may be adjusted as needed.

"Hooray~~~ Go for it~~ Kill him~~"

During the competition, many spectators cheered enthusiastically until the competition ended three hours later, when the top three winners were selected.
The three of them went up to the main stage together, and while receiving the trophy, they also received three bright red property certificates in front of thousands of people and cameras: luxury homes of thousands of square feet in prime locations in Hong Kong.
Although a thousand square feet is only 90 square meters in mainland China, it is considered very large in Hong Kong. Such a house would be worth at least tens of millions of dollars in a few decades.

"Clap clap clap clap clap clap~" Countless rounds of applause rang out from the audience.

Inside the VIP room, Yang Wendong asked, "Xiaolong, what do you think of the skill level of these people?"

"Not bad, but they still need more training. I plan to give them some special instruction when I have the chance," Li Xiaolong said.

Yang Wendong smiled and said, "That's good. I also hope that there are enough Chinese martial arts talents, whether in Hong Kong or overseas. Both the martial arts school industry and the film and television industry need such talents."

In another ten years or so, Hollywood blockbusters will begin to appear, and at that time, Hong Kong films and films from other places will be completely outclassed.

As the head of the Hong Kong film industry and a controller of the Asian market, Yang Wendong also needs to prepare in advance.
On the technical and capital front, Yang Wendong can leverage his early-mover advantage to gain a foothold in the Hollywood market, but this is his own private matter. He cannot use his own money to subsidize the market when Hong Kong cinema declines in the future.

Therefore, the only chance is to take a completely different route, including martial arts, comedy, romance, etc. If these routes are followed well, there is still a chance to carve out a small market of their own amidst Hollywood blockbusters.
Of course, the most crucial issue for Hong Kong cinema is the market. As long as there is a sustained market, there will be enough talent to emerge, preventing a generational gap like in the past, where there would be no more opportunities.

Over the years, he has invested heavily in the film industry in Southeast Asia and Japan, partly in cinemas and real estate, as the returns on real estate in the Asian market will be very high in the coming decades. On the other hand, he also aims to stabilize the Hong Kong film market in the future.

The film industry can provide a large number of jobs. Although many extras live poorly, it's at least a job that can support a person. In reality, those who end up as extras would likely not fare well elsewhere.
Li Xiaolong nodded solemnly and said, "I understand. In fact, for ancient martial arts masters, at my age, the most important thing is no longer how good they are at fighting, but to think about passing on their skills."

"Haha, yes, that's the point. Our company is the same." Yang Wendong smiled and said, "After we hold a few large-scale competitions in the future, the champions and runners-up will hone their skills. If you think they are suitable, you can select some young people to be your apprentices. Whether it's Jeet Kune Do itself or the film industry, we need successors."

When you're young, you have to work hard, but when you're middle-aged, you have to think about what to pass on. This has been true for emperors in ancient times and ordinary people alike, and it's the same in modern times.
For example, if we wait a few more years until my son graduates from university, he will inevitably need to undergo training to take over the business. In the future, this will be much more important than how much profit the company makes from a certain investment.

Many senior executives from the Cheung Hing Group also came to watch the Jeet Kune Do competition, including many celebrities, senior executives from TVB, and senior executives from Cheung Hing Film Company.

In the evening, Yang Wendong took Li Xiaolong, Zou Wenhuai, Qi Ruifan and others to a roadside food stall near Hung Hom. They chose a private room and ate ordinary hot pot and various other dishes.

After some casual conversation, Yang Wendong asked, "Old Zou, how's your high blood pressure?"

“It’s gone down now, and I’ve started taking my medication and exercising.” Zou Wenhuai said quickly, “When I was in the hospital, I saw someone next to me who had suffered a brain hemorrhage and was paralyzed. I was terrified by what happened. I’ll have to be more careful from now on.”

"Haha, don't worry too much. As long as you control it well, the probability of this problem occurring is very low." Yang Wendong comforted him. "However, don't overwork yourself. Learn from me, delegate appropriately, relax a bit, and your subordinates will be more comfortable working. Most importantly, it's best for your health."

The senior executives who have followed him have been with him for at least ten years. Their relationship is not just that of superiors and subordinates, but also includes friendship. Therefore, he does not want his elderly relatives to be in poor health.

Similarly, from a public perspective, he also needs these people to delegate authority appropriately to their subordinates, so that after a certain number of years, he will need to consider gradually replacing the management team.

"Understood, thank you for your concern, Mr. Yang," Zou Wenhuai said with a smile.

Yang Wendong said, "I won't get involved in film production matters. Everyone has their own expertise, and I don't know much about it. But how's the theater expansion going lately?"

Zou Wenhuai said, "Currently, we are mainly expanding in second-tier cities in Southeast Asia, cooperating with local government capital to ensure safety. As for Japan, it's a bit difficult. The Japanese government does not approve new cinema chains, so we can only take acquisition measures. However, Japan's economy is developing rapidly now, and there are not many companies willing to sell."

"Yes, we'll continue with Southeast Asia. As for Japan, we'll try to acquire it at a higher price again. That's fine; I'm also optimistic about the Japanese real estate market," Yang Wendong said.
Originally, he planned to invest heavily in real estate in Japan in two or three years. He believed that the appreciation of Japanese real estate would exceed that of Hong Kong, so he naturally wouldn't care about the current price increase for acquisition.

“Okay, then I’ll talk to my colleagues in Japan again,” Zou Wenhuai nodded.

Yang Wendong then asked, "What do you think about us building cinema chains in mainland China?"

PS: Please give me a monthly ticket
(End of this chapter)