Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 173, Section 171: The Vision of Shanghai Filmmakers (Revised)

On February 20, 1998, in Shanghai, a cold drizzle enveloped the Bund, and the chill seeped into the bone.

However, the atmosphere in the conference room of the Shanghai Film and Television Company was not only dull because of the weather, but also mixed with an indescribable confusion and bewilderment.

Around the oval mahogany conference table sat several core executives of the company and the head of Oriental Publishing Company.

Oriental Distribution Company is a distribution company jointly established by Shanghai Film and Television Company and Shanghai Film Distribution Company, along with other companies. It is the second company in Shanghai with film distribution qualifications. Although it is said to have broken the monopoly of Shanghai Film Distribution Company in distribution, it is actually still operating within the same circle.

This time, the distribution of "30 Days" in Shanghai was handled by Oriental Distribution Company, which coordinated with Shanghai Film Distribution and Screening Company and cinemas under Yongle Company.

Outside the window was a hazy view of the Huangpu River, while inside, the air was filled with the aroma of cigarettes and green tea. But the one in charge of all this was Zhu Yongde, who sat upright in the main seat with a calm expression as still as an ancient well.

The dominant power of Oriental Distribution Company is in the hands of him (Shanghai Film and Television Company). In order to form a pattern of "two companies in one city" and competition, the dominant power certainly cannot belong to Shanghai Film Distribution and Exhibition Company.

Several copies of the news report, delivered today to the mainstream local media in Shanghai, were spread out in front of Zhu Yongde. The front page or entertainment section headlines all used astonishing or even exaggerated headlines to report the same news: "30 Days," produced by Beijing Film Studio and directed by Wang Sheng, has accumulated a total box office of 91.96 million yuan nationwide, approaching the 100 million yuan mark, and has been hailed as a "box office miracle of domestic films" and "the king of New Year's films."

"General Manager Zhu."

Finally, the head of the Oriental Publishing Company couldn't help but speak up, breaking the silence. Pointing to the striking figure in the Wenhui Daily, he said with a tone full of confusion and a hint of heartache, "I still can't understand it. Isn't eight million reported separately by Shanghai... too high?"

Even if the actual box office is this much, if we do some 'technical manipulation' and reduce it to six or seven million, or even five million, who can say anything?
"Now look what we've done! We've given them such a huge publicity stunt, boosting their morale to the heavens! Isn't this just helping them bolster their own image while diminishing our own?"

His words resonated with many people present.

The crowd whispered amongst themselves, all feeling that this was a bad deal.

The Beijing Film Studio Alliance is currently enjoying immense popularity and has already created strong competitive pressure on Shanghai. To "aid the enemy" at this time is truly frustrating.

Zhu Yongde slowly picked up the purple clay teacup in front of him, blew away the foam, took a sip of mellow Pu'er tea, and then looked up from the newspaper and slowly scanned the people present.

His eyes remained sharp, but without much anger; instead, they carried a calmness born from a thorough understanding of the situation.

“Competition is competition.” Zhu Yongde’s voice was not loud, but it clearly drowned out the noise in the room, his tone so calm that it revealed no emotion: “But in the end, Han Sanping and Wang Sheng are also mainland filmmakers. I’ve seen the film ‘30 Days,’ and its quality is indeed excellent. Stephen Chow’s transformation, Li Xiaoran’s performance, and the localization of the story are all well done. More importantly,”

He paused, then tapped lightly on the number "91.96 million" in the newspaper: "This step of theirs was not easy."

The meeting room fell silent as everyone looked at Zhu Yongde, waiting for him to continue.

"Do you think that this box office of over 90 million can be achieved simply by having a good movie?" Zhu Yongde's lips curled into a slightly mocking smile: "They caught the wave, and they caught almost every wave they could."

He began to analyze the matter with great familiarity and clarity, clearly having given it considerable thought:
"First, the opportunity presented by the revenue-sharing reform. They wielded the authority of the ministry's approval in principle, and with a successful film, they managed to carve out a niche for the revenue-sharing system in most parts of the country."

Previously, production companies had to beg and plead for 30% of the revenue and wait for payment. Now, they dare to ask for 40% and demand payment within three months.

This is the initial release of the institutional dividends; they seized it, and the box office results proved this path is viable.

"Secondly, there's the opportunity for TV movies to support cinemas. The 'Weekend Cinema' project, organized by the Beijing Film Studio Alliance, uses low-cost, short-cycle TV movies to cultivate audiences, train teams, and accumulate capital. Finally, with a mature team and sufficient funds, they can create blockbuster films like '30 Days'."

This "rural-to-urban" strategy allowed them to avoid the high risks of directly producing blockbuster films, while accumulating experience and a keen market sense.

"Third, the trend of Hong Kong stars going north and combining with localization. Stephen Chow's box office appeal is beyond doubt, but they did not use pure Hong Kong-style slapstick. Instead, they made solid localization adaptations and told a heartwarming story that mainland audiences could deeply resonate with."

This approach leverages the fame of Hong Kong stars while avoiding any issues of cultural incompatibility.

Wang Sheng's signing of Cecilia Cheung and her participation in "Love in Beijing and Hong Kong" are both ways of paving the way for this connection.

Fourth, the opportunity presented by the synergy between media and emerging platforms. From the early hype surrounding the "sky-high wedding" to the later heated debate about the film distribution system, and then to using emerging talent shows like "Super Girl" to promote their artists, and deeply integrating with rising satellite platforms like Hunan TV...

They manipulated public opinion, turning media outlets and emerging television platforms into their propaganda battlegrounds and monetization channels. Especially with "Super Girl," how much buzz and viewership did Cecilia Cheung generate? The ripple effect behind this is not to be underestimated.

Zhu Yongde's analysis made many people in the audience fall into deep thought.

They had seen these factors to varying degrees, but it was still impressive that they were summarized so clearly.

The Beijing Film Studio alliance, or rather Wang Sheng, truly made the most of every opportunity presented by the times.

"so,"

Zhu Yongde summarized: "They had the right timing, the right place, and the right people, plus a bit of daring and enterprising spirit, which led to this box office of nearly 100 million yuan. I estimate that this achievement will be a peak that mainland filmmakers will find hard to reach in the next few years. It is a product of taking full advantage of this wave of reforms and the market window period. In the future, the competition will be more intense, the model will be imitated, and it will be difficult to replicate such success."

He put down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, and his gaze became profound: "In that case, what's wrong with giving this person a helping hand and making this number more substantial and higher?"

Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, he slowly revealed his true intention:
"First, let's build a bond. We're all in the same boat, seeing each other all the time. Here in Shanghai, the Shanghai Film Studio still has its foundation and strong production capabilities. In the future, whether we want to release our films in their core market—those nine regions for the first run—or in other markets influenced by their alliance, with this 'proactive support' in place, how can they still have the nerve to treat us like thieves?"

How dare you set higher barriers for us than for those rigid and conservative provincial companies? It's much better for us to work together to expand the market than to go it alone, or to waste our brains and words arguing with those provincial companies still clinging to the idea of ​​centralized purchasing and sales.

He paused, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Secondly, and most importantly, take back those seven markets belonging to the rebel king!"

"Those seven cities in Jiangsu Province were originally the natural hinterland of our Shanghai market! But what happened? Last time, Wang Sheng and that guy Xiang Qianjin set up a 'movie viewing express' and lured away our audience right under our noses, and even made the newspapers to embarrass us! Can we just let this go like this?"

Zhu Yongde's tone finally took on a sharp edge: "They can use good films and new channels to steal our market share, so why can't we? This year, our Shanghai Film and Television Company will also make a big splash!"

His gaze swept across the room intently: "We're going to make a Lunar New Year film too! Not only will we make one, but we'll make one that generates more buzz and caters to the tastes of audiences in Shanghai and across the country! The script, director, and actors will all be top-notch! The company will provide full support in terms of funding and resources! Our goal is to compete head-on with this film next Lunar New Year!"

"and,"

He uttered a term that was somewhat unfamiliar to some in the audience: "We're going to make another movie targeting the summer blockbuster season!"

"Summer season?" A seasoned department manager repeated unconsciously, with a hint of doubt.

"That's right, the summer movie season."

Zhu Yongde nodded affirmatively and patiently explained, "This concept is already very mature in Hollywood. It mainly refers to high-concept, big-budget, and highly entertaining commercial blockbusters launched for teenagers and families from the end of June to the end of August each year, taking advantage of the long school holidays. Films like 'Jurassic Park' and 'Independence Day' are regulars in the summer blockbuster season and have achieved huge box office success worldwide."

He further elaborated on its feasibility: "Although the concept of 'summer movie season' has not yet been clearly formed in China, the market demand objectively exists!"
During the long summer vacation, children and young people have a lot of free time and need to spend money on entertainment. Movie theaters are a great option.

Previously, we hadn't systematically developed this market, but the Beijing Film Studio Alliance had cultivated viewers' viewing habits through television films. Now is the perfect opportunity for us to seize this window of opportunity and take the lead in establishing the concept of the 'summer movie season'!

Zhu Yongde's eyes gleamed with the brilliance of a strategist: "Our summer blockbuster is expected to be released at the end of July or the beginning of August. The subject matter should be light and lively, with strong visual impact, or plenty of comedic elements, to attract young people. This will not only open up a new golden box office cycle, but also give us two important growth points in a year, so that we no longer rely solely on the Spring Festival period."

He finally surveyed the room, his tone regaining its calmness, yet carrying an undeniable determination: "Competition isn't about locking yourself away and sulking. It's about understanding your opponent's strategies, learning from their strengths, and then, on a higher level, fighting back with even greater power."

Beijing Film Studio and Wang Sheng taught us a lesson and pointed us in the right direction.

Now it's our turn to make our move. This year, during the Lunar New Year and summer movie seasons, our Shanghai-based film and television company must produce critically acclaimed and commercially successful films to reclaim our lost market share and make our voices heard throughout the country!

The meeting room fell silent. Then, the initial confusion and bewilderment in everyone's eyes gradually turned into brightness and determination.

They understood Zhu Yongde's deeper meaning—this was not a simple concession or appeasement, but a precise strike based on long-term strategic considerations, a calculated move that combined human relationships with market ambitions.

Actually, there's one more thing Zhu Yongde didn't mention.

He admired Wang Sheng so much that if this kid came to Shanghai to ask for his cooperation, he would definitely help him as long as he asked!

(End of this chapter)