The only sun in Huayu

Chapter 105 I want them all! A comprehensive approach to destroying their spirit and destroying their will!
Shen Shandeng said, "We used the most basic method: shooting frame by frame using a detachable resin model, and then creating the effect we wanted through stop-motion animation, miniature models, and optical compositing."

"We would like to thank our medical consultants for designing the human anatomy model, as well as the motor manufacturers for their help, which greatly reduced our costs."

"Even so, the peak battle only lasts for a little over two minutes, which is really too expensive."

Jingwei asked in surprise, "Then when the Hidden Scale Sword, Embroidered Spring Blade, Nine Yin Lotus Platform Gun, and Heavenly Punishment Thunderfire Spear were fired, after the internal energy was infused, their visual effects weren't computer-generated special effects?"

Shen Shandeng shook his head and said, "It's still the old-fashioned way. We make physical props, cooperate with willing manufacturers, and then we have prop masters and mechanical design staff stationed at the factory to make the props."

"The most expensive props in the movie are the Nine Yin Lotus Platform Gun and the Heavenly Punishment Thunderfire Gun, which are of the highest quality. In order to achieve the effect of gradually lighting up after the internal energy is poured in, we embedded optical fibers and lit them up electrically."

"It can't be mass-produced; a single finished product costs over 300,000 yuan. It can be said that it was all filmed on location; our film industry is still lagging behind."

Jingwei lowered his eyes, concealing the turbulent emotions within him.

These behind-the-scenes stories were things she had never heard of or even imagined when interviewing her domestic team.

The amount of money spent on film visual effects already falls into the category of what is considered a high level of appreciation for film visual effects.

Shen Shandeng's approach—using copper wire where possible instead of real gold, saving money for real visual effects—is unheard of.

It's not just a difference in how they do things, but also a difference in the level of their thinking.

Shen Shandeng concluded: "Only authenticity has power, and only power can generate real appeal. Martial arts films can only win over audiences if they possess high-energy visual effects."

"Without being immodest, we have explored the best special effects solution by combining Chinese core concepts with Chinese visual effects. I have also established my own martial arts special effects studio, 'Martial Arts Breaking the Universe,' which will bring even more spectacular visual effects to future films."

Shen Shandeng took the opportunity to advertise his special effects studio.

"Just like the scene in the movie where artillery bombards a grandmaster, whether it's the materialization of martial arts or firearms, they are all tools we use. We use whatever is useful. What we need now is to build our own industrial system and our own narrative language. We need to have the courage to innovate and break through the ceiling."

"So, you already have a very ambitious new plan?" Tu Jingwei asked the question that the audience was most concerned about.

"Can you give us a little hint? Everyone is really looking forward to it."

Her tone was relaxed, as if afraid of interrupting the thoughts of the director who was about to cleave through the era.

Shen Shandeng said confidently and with anticipation: "The Eunuch is a beginning. It proves that this path can be followed, and it also shows that the audience has discerning eyes and can see our efforts."

"So, going forward, we need to do well and give back to our audience even better!"

"We will explore and present our vast historical and cultural treasures in a more systematic way. The initial concept is a series of films based on the story of the eunuch, tentatively called the 'Eunuch Cinematic Universe'."

"More heroes and more passionate stories will be created in a more industrialized way and presented to the audience."

"A cinematic universe?" Jingwei tilted his head slightly.

Her rosy lips parted slightly again, and she exclaimed in surprise, "This sounds like a very ambitious plan! It means that a lot of talent and industrial support will be needed."

CCTV6 has digital films featuring these individual characters, but they are clearly not on the same level as the blueprint described by Shen Shandeng.

“Yes.” Shen Shandeng went straight to the point and explained the trilogy. That’s just the kind of guy he was: “The first one is a personal film about the Jiajing Emperor, the second one is about Lu Bing, and then there’s a sequel to ‘The Eunuch’.”

“I have another big project. ‘The Supervisor’ was actually a second-best option, but it was a success that surprised everyone.”

Upon hearing this, Jingwei's eyes, besides showing professional inquiry, also revealed an undisguised admiration.

It contains both the admiration of an ordinary woman for a man, and the respect and longing of a film enthusiast and an industry observer for a suddenly successful person.

Jingwei's gaze at Shen Shandeng was surprisingly bright.

"A bigger project?" Matrix Partners asked softly.

Shen Shandeng said, "I'll keep that a secret for now. Alright, I'll reveal some information anyway. We need to finish the Grand Eunuch universe first before the Ming Dynasty universe can be shown to the audience."

Shen Shandeng didn't reveal much, but the phrase "Ming Dynasty Universe" was enough to spark endless imagination.

"Brotherhood of Blades" cannot be rushed; it must be done step by step.

Producing "The Eunuch" helped Shen Shandeng grow a lot. Judging from the word-of-mouth feedback, the audience was more attracted by the film's exciting plot, its fight against darkness and corruption, its martial arts setting, and its special effects.

The history of the Ming Dynasty also exists, but it hasn't become a selling point.

Shen Shandeng plans to film a trilogy of "Brotherhood of Blades," starting from Zhu Yuanzhang's establishment of the Ming Dynasty and continuing until the Northern Expedition and the capture of Dadu (Beijing), aiming to make it a benchmark for historical action films.

Drawing inspiration from "The Lord of the Rings," the film constructs a grand and realistic depiction of the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties.

At the same time, "Brotherhood of Blades" also shoulders the mission of advancing into a dynastic universe. If "Brotherhood of Blades" is done well, the Ming Dynasty universe will be opened up.

Shen Shandeng said, "Our future efforts will focus on cultivating talent, improving systems, and enhancing industrial capabilities. I believe that China has never lacked good stories and outstanding talent; what it often lacks is a platform and opportunities to bring them together. I hope that the 'Du Gong' series and future plans can become one such platform."

"What's the most important thing when you're out in the game? It's getting out there! The audience's eyes are discerning, and we're ready to be scrutinized! We're also confident in presenting even better works!"

The interview is drawing to a close.

Tu Jingwei summarized: "Thank you to Director Shen Shandeng for sharing. From the groundbreaking success of 'The Eunuch' to the grand blueprint for the future, we have seen a new possibility and an unstoppable new force in Chinese cinema. Congratulations again to 'The Eunuch' on its brilliant achievements, and we look forward to Director Shen's 'cinematic universe' meeting the audience soon!"

"Thank you."

Shen Shandeng smiled and nodded in front of the camera.

Only he knew that this seemingly calm interview was his first assault on the barriers of the old order and on the Western narrative.

He was well aware that whether it was "The Hidden Dragon and the Hidden Tiger" or "The Creation of Evil," the most important thing was to make people feel that it was "innovative," forming a new grammar and creating a market cycle.

In "The Hidden Dragon and the Hidden Tiger" and "The Creation of Evil," the West only used market expectations plus the expectation of winning prizes, and did not even pay any real price to complete the cycle of industry-market-capital.

Following "The Hidden Dragon and the Hidden Tiger," many top domestic directors rushed to replicate the shortcut to Oscars by combining Eastern wonders with Western core themes. Films like "Hero" and "The Promise" were born from this kind of commercial story.

Although it underwent some localization, incorporating narratives of family, country, and court intrigue, the core remained the same. Following "The Sin," there were other films, including "City of Life and Death" and "The Flowers of War," which incorporated serious historical narratives with explicit content. "The Flowers of War" even continued the paradigm of "The Hidden Dragon and the Hidden Tiger."

It not only inserts serious history into a large-scale production, but also combines Eastern curiosity with pandering to Western saviors, attempting to take a shortcut to the Olympics.

In this life, Shen Shandeng scrapped "The Sinful Act," but he wasn't sure whether he could prevent "Nanjing Nanjing" or "The Flowers of War" from ever appearing.

Logically speaking, after "Wolf Warrior 2," there will definitely be a surge of military-themed action films, and similar online novels will be readily available, with no shortage of scripts and stories.

Then, from shoddy productions to high-quality ones, a work even stronger than "Wolf Warrior 2" will emerge.

But the result is that reality doesn't follow logic.

"Wolf Warrior 2" is a work that emerged after the theater industry and the internet entered the market, and film talents from all sides have sprung up, so it shouldn't be like this.

What is the most enduring aspect of Wolf Warrior 2?
It's actually a stigmatization of the work and the director!
Who would believe it if I told them? It's been almost ten years since "Wolf Warrior 2" was released, and the short video of the tank without a rearview mirror still went viral. Wolf Warrior and Wu Jing really make some people hate them to the core, and this hatred will never end.

If the goal is simply to shut down "The Creation of Sin" or even to disrupt its cultural influence, then Shen Shandeng has already succeeded.

If it were just for personal enjoyment, he should have joined the circle, but he didn't.

He wants more than just that.

Shen Shandeng wants them all!

We must also learn from the barbarians' superior techniques to control them, using methods like "The Hidden Dragon and the Hidden Tiger" or even later, "Creating Evil," to fight them in reverse.

Anticipate the enemy's moves with leniency, engage in continuous construction, and constantly advance the battlefront.

The West can use awards and market expectations to guide the market, and China can also use China Film Group to intervene and guide the market.

It would be better to use the money and administrative resources allocated to works like "The Warlords" and "Red Cliff" for Shen Shandeng's Chinese-style universe.

The success of "The Eunuch" is not isolated, but forms a capital cycle that combines Chinese core and Chinese visual effects.

He not only made empty promises to Lao Deng, but also used history as a foundation, leveraging the inherent popularity of Chinese history and the appeal of the successful "Du Gong" to build a domestic film system similar to the "Marvel Universe," and launched independent films featuring characters such as Jiajing and Lu Bing.

He also wants to create a new formula, using a Chinese core and Chinese visual spectacle, to completely replace the Western core and Eastern spectacle and Western value model of Paperclip!

That would be a comprehensive attack on the mind and spirit, encompassing public opinion, culture, industry, and market!
The interview is over.

The storm has only just begun.

Huayi.

Holding a project proposal, Wang Zhonglei excitedly said, "I received a document, and it seems promising."

Wang Zhongjun flipped through it; the title was "The Secret History of Eunuchs: Camel Bells of the Western Regions".

Wang Zhonglei said, "It tells the legendary adventure of a Han Dynasty eunuch on his mission to the Western Regions. The fact that eunuchs could also travel the Silk Road continues the gimmick and selling point of 'The Eunuch'."

"The protagonist is a eunuch who is sent to the Western Regions on a secret mission. He is a highly skilled martial artist but of lowly status, and his character is full of contradictions and drama."

"Closely adhering to the marginalized character of 'The Eunuch,' the story places the marginalized identity of eunuchs on the grand geographical stage of the Western Regions, adding a sense of curiosity to the marginalized. It focuses on the various predicaments and adventures brought about by his identity in diplomacy and adventure."

"A perfect blend of history, adventure, and action!"

Wang Zhongjun succinctly commented, "It sounds like a terrible movie."

Wang Zhonglei became anxious: "The Grand Eunuch is popular, and audiences like this kind of show."

Wang Zhongjun asked, "Then who should we find to direct? It's too obvious to be following the trend, and it's hard to find a director with a name and reputation to guide us."

As he spoke, Wang Zhongjun picked up the invitation card on the table and said indifferently, "Why go to such lengths when you can find something nearby?"

Wang Zhonglei asked in confusion, "Are you going to the celebration banquet for 'The Grand Eunuch'?"

"Let's see if there are any opportunities for cooperation," Wang Zhongjun said.

Wang Zhonglei curled his lip: "Yu Dong is like a grandson in front of Shen Shandeng, and he might not even get a share of 'The Grand Eunuch 2'. Who would let others share when it's obviously profitable?"

Wang Zhongjun shook his head and said, "Then you're mistaken. The latest news is that there will be three film projects after 'The Eunuch,' including a sequel to 'The Eunuch,' and a spin-off film about Jiajing and Lu Bing. The investment shares will be bundled together, and investors with film and television resources will be given priority."

Upon hearing that the three movies were being packaged together, Wang Zhonglei gritted his teeth, thinking he was making a killing off that bastard Shen Shandeng: "How many plates are there in total?"

“One hundred and fifty million,” Wang Zhongjun said.

Wang Zhonglei gasped: "The Grand Eunuch only cost ten million, but these three films are being bid up to fifteen hundred million! This bastard is robbing us!"

"Robbery?" Wang Zhongjun nodded first, then shook his head.

News just came from the movie channel, and considering Shen Shandeng's style of doing things, I feel that it's not that simple. I'm afraid this movie investment package will be snapped up if you're quick to act.

Moreover, those who are slow will fall behind in the industry.

"Director Shen."

Wang Zhonglei jogged a few steps to shake Shen Shandeng's hand.

2007 11 Month 22 Day.

Early winter in Beijing is getting chilly, but the Golden Hall of the Beijing Hotel is sweltering.

The celebration banquet for "The Eunuch" was held here!

(End of this chapter)