Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 293, Section 291: Calling a Deer a Horse

The morning sunlight streamed through the thick bulletproof glass of the penthouse apartment, cutting sharp patches of light across the smooth marble floor of the bedroom.

Wang Sheng awoke to an ambiguous scent that blended high-end perfume with a woman's unique body fragrance.

In his arms, Kim Hee-sun curled up like a docile cat, her long hair cascading over his chest, fast asleep.

Her perfect profile looked like a finely sculpted work of art in the morning light, except for the faint dark circles under her eyes, which vaguely revealed the fatigue of the previous night.

Wang Sheng gently moved her arm away, got out of bed nimbly, and didn't disturb her.

I took a cold shower; the icy water stimulated my skin and quickly dispelled the last trace of lethargy.

He looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes clear, without the slightest trace of intoxication.

While beautiful women are a scarce resource, his career is the foundation of his livelihood and the source of his power and influence.

After changing into a low-key but well-tailored dark casual outfit, Wang Sheng glanced at Kim Hee-sun, who was still fast asleep, and left the apartment without saying a word.

The driver was already waiting downstairs. The black sedan silently merged into the morning rush hour traffic, heading to its destination—Nortel.

Today is the filming day for the campus scenes of "My Sassy Girl," and the location is set at the Beijing Film Academy.

As the car entered the Nortel Institute of Technology (NIT), the atmosphere was noticeably different.

Although the school had coordinated the clearing of the area, many students still gathered outside the cordon, excitedly looking in the direction of the film crew.

When Wang Sheng got out of the car, suppressed gasps and whispers of "Senior Brother Wang Sheng" could be faintly heard.

The morning's filming focused on the teaching building and tree-lined paths, depicting the male and female leads' first encounter and early interactions.

Fan Xiaopang's portrayal of the simplicity and naivety beneath the "wild" exterior has become increasingly skillful, creating a wonderful comedic chemistry with Deng Chao's "punching bag" sincerity.

By noon, the morning's filming was successfully completed.

The crew members began to eat and rest.

Wang Sheng had just sat down in his temporary rest room and taken a sip of water when there was a knock on the door.

The one who entered was the sect leader, Liu Guodian.

He was about fifty years old, with his hair neatly combed, wearing a Chinese-style stand-up collar jacket, and a kind yet dignified smile on his face.

“Wang Sheng, you’re going back to school to film a movie, why didn’t you tell me beforehand so I could make some arrangements?”

Wang Sheng stood up to greet him, shook hands, and said with appropriate respect, "Dean, you are very busy, how could we dare to bother you with such a small matter? The film crew is just using your space and will try our best not to disrupt the teaching order."

"What a bother! You are the pride of our Beijing Film Academy. Filming on campus is like coming home!" Liu Guodian pretended to be displeased, then patted Wang Sheng on the shoulder, gesturing for him to sit down on the sofa next to him. "How is it? Is filming going smoothly? If there's anything the school can help with, just let us know."

"Everything went smoothly. The students from Beijing Film Academy are of very high quality, and they are all very professional as extras," Wang Sheng said politely.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Liu Guodian changed the subject and got down to business.

"Wang Sheng, I'm here today to discuss two important matters with you."

"Dean, please speak." Wang Sheng adopted a listening posture, already having a general idea in mind.

"The first thing concerns your academic and personal development," Liu Guodian said sincerely. "You enrolled in 97, and it's almost 2001 now, your undergraduate studies are about to end. Have you considered pursuing further education? How about getting a master's degree?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Sheng appropriately showed a hint of "difficulty" on his face: "Dean Liu, to be honest, in the past few years... I've probably spent less than three months at the school in total. Most of the courses were taught with the teachers' leniency, and I passed the exams... by sheer luck. If I were to pursue a master's degree, it would probably cause controversy, with people saying that Beijing Film Academy is giving special treatment, which would be bad for the school's reputation."

"Hey! That's not right!" Liu Guodian immediately waved his hand, his tone resolute: "What do you mean by special treatment? This is a special case requiring special treatment! Your contributions to the school and to the Chinese film industry are evident to all!"

He counted on his fingers: "Look, not to mention anything else, nearly 90% of our school's graduates from the classes of '97, '98, and '99 have entered Shengying Media to work!"
How much employment pressure has this alleviated? What a great platform for practice and development it has provided for our Beijing Film Academy graduates! You are giving back to your alma mater and supporting Chinese film education with your actions!

Your classmates all call you 'Senior Brother' in private; they're too grateful and respectful to have anything to say about you.

Liu Guodian paused, lowered his voice even further, and said with a heartfelt tone, "As for your academic performance, don't worry. The school understands your situation; the focus is on practical creation!"

The relevant theoretical courses and papers will naturally be overseen by your advisors… Your excellent grades make your admission to this university's graduate program entirely reasonable and in accordance with procedure!

He looked into Wang Sheng's eyes and added meaningfully, "Besides, Wang Sheng, you're still young, and you have a long road ahead of you. Having the label of 'student' will make things much easier for you in some situations and on some platforms."

For example... the next National People's Congress, in 2003. The number of seats in each sector is limited, and the competition is fierce. But if you graduate with your bachelor's degree next year and lose your student status, it would be illegitimate for you to compete for the 'Youth Student Representative' seat.

You know that Beijing is a place where hidden talents abound. But as long as you are still a graduate student at the Beijing Film Academy, then as a 'representative of young students,' you are undoubtedly the best, and no one can find fault with you!" These words were already very straightforward.

Wang Sheng understood that this was the school, or rather, a force represented by Liu Guodian, extending an olive branch to him, attempting to establish a bond of shared interests and make future investments.

By using a graduate student spot and a potential, high-ranking special status, he was more closely bound to the Beijing Film Academy and the system.

He hesitated for a moment, then put on a reluctant expression: "Since Dean Liu and the school value it so much, it would seem pretentious for me to refuse again. However... I'm afraid I'll still have to take leave frequently in the future to be busy with company affairs."

"No problem! It's all about industry-academia collaboration! Your practical experience is the best learning experience!"

Seeing that Wang Sheng had relented, Liu Guodian's smile widened: "I will have the Graduate School and your advisor handle the specific procedures. You can focus on your career."

The first thing is settled.

Liu Guodian was in high spirits and continued with the second matter: "This second matter concerns a major event in the development of our school's disciplines. This year, with the approval of higher authorities, the Animation School of Beijing Film Academy was officially established!"

Speaking of this, Liu Guodian's tone was filled with pride and anticipation.

Wang Sheng's eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately realized the weight of this matter.

The establishment of the Animation School at Beijing Film Academy was far more than simply adding a new secondary school. At that time, in 2000, it signified a manifestation of national strategy:
This signifies that the cultivation of animation talent, as an important cultural and creative industry and art form, has been elevated to the formal planning level of the national higher education system. Behind this lies a deeper consideration: developing the local cultural industry, responding to potentially intensified cultural competition after China's accession to the WTO, and conveying values ​​to young people through animation.

This signifies the need for industrial upgrading. With the development of computer technology, digital animation and special effects are becoming increasingly prominent in the global film and television industry.

If Chinese films are to keep pace with the times, they must build their own talent and technological reserves. The establishment of the Animation Academy at Beijing Film Academy is precisely to fill this gap in the training of high-level talent.

This signifies the improvement of the education system, integrating animation teaching resources that were previously scattered across departments such as fine arts and directing, and providing systematic and professional training, with the aim of creating the "Whampoa Military Academy" of Chinese animation.

"This is a good thing."

Wang Sheng sincerely praised, "Animation and special effects are an indispensable part of the future film and television industry. Although our previous work, 'Rainbow Cat and Blue Rabbit 3000 Questions,' was just an educational animation, it still helped us accumulate some experience and cultivate a team."

I've currently sent this team to Hong Kong Island to work on the special effects for "Shaolin Soccer".

That film had very high requirements for special effects; it was a cutting-edge exploration.

Liu Guodian nodded slightly: "I've heard about it. Their ability to participate is itself a testament to their strength. This is also an excellent example of industry-academia-research collaboration!"

He then steered the conversation to a deeper level: "Wang Sheng, what are your thoughts on the future development of special effects in Chinese films? How should our newly established Animation School at Beijing Film Academy coordinate talent cultivation with industry integration?"

This is a topic that concerns the future landscape.

Wang Sheng sat up straight and pondered for a moment: "Dean Liu, I believe that the future of Chinese film special effects must not follow the path of closed-door development."

Wang Sheng spoke calmly and clearly, stating, "We must align with cutting-edge international technologies, but at the same time, we must be rooted in our own cultural soil and market demands."

He elaborated on this point:

"First, in terms of talent cultivation, animation schools should not only teach art, but also focus on technology. They should offer courses in advanced CG production, dynamics simulation, and rendering techniques."

Regarding faculty, we can bring in experts with overseas study or work experience, and also invite engineers and artists with rich practical experience from leading production companies like Shengying to serve as visiting professors, sharing the most relevant case studies and experiences.

"Secondly, in terms of scientific research cooperation, the college can establish joint laboratories."

For example, Shengying can provide some technical problems encountered in actual projects as research topics for the college, and even provide some research and development funding.

The research findings will be shared by both parties. This will not only solve practical problems in the industry but also enhance the research capabilities of the academy.

"Furthermore, on the practical platform, students from the Animation School of Beijing Film Academy can enter relevant project teams of Shengying through internships, project-based courses, and other means starting from their sophomore or junior year."

We currently have not only animation projects, but also live-action films like *Shaolin Soccer* that require extensive special effects. Students can learn and grow in real industrial processes, and are ready to work immediately upon graduation. Our company, in turn, gains a stable and high-quality talent pool.

Wang Sheng concluded by saying, "In short, my idea is to build a closed loop of 'Beijing Film Academy training (theory + foundation) - Sheng Ying practice (projects + technology) - feedback to teaching (experience + cases)'."

The goal is to make the animation academy not only an educational institution, but also a research and development center and a cradle of talent that grows alongside and even leads the development of China's film special effects industry.

It's all money...

Liu Guodian could only solemnly grasp Wang Sheng's hand and say, "Wang Sheng, we need your support for all of this."

Wang Sheng smiled and said, "It's my duty."

(End of this chapter)