Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 386, Section 384: The Tide of the Times
In December, the capital city was bitterly cold.

Filming of "Night at the Museum" in Huairou proceeded smoothly, with Wang Sheng acting like a master of a fine clock, coordinating every gear of the massive crew.

Jackie Chan's dedication and professionalism allowed the filming to proceed faster than expected. The meticulously crafted antique props, under specific lighting effects and camera language, gradually came to life with the "magical realism" required in the script.

Inside the film set, a spectacle of light and shadow is being created; outside the film set, the torrent of the times is sweeping across this land with even greater force.

……

the other side.

After receiving Wang Sheng's clear answer that she would "be born," and especially after confirming that she was the "first," Gao Yuanyuan's mindset underwent a subtle but firm shift.

The initial panic was replaced by a sense of mission, a touch of pride, and a deep-seated maternal tranquility.

She reduced her public appearances and stayed comfortably in her apartment.

Wang Sheng always keeps his word. Li Tingting quickly arranged a very private and comprehensive examination to confirm the pregnancy. She also arranged for a professional nutritionist and a medical team that would visit regularly. Everything was done discreetly and meticulously.

Gao Yuanyuan seems to have temporarily found an anchor in this complicated relationship, focusing all her attention on the new life quietly growing in her womb.

……

Here.

The promotional campaign for "Lost in Thailand" reached its peak as the release date approached.

The song "Whether you have money or not, go home for the New Year" has become an almost ubiquitous and catchy tune, precisely striking the softest spot in the hearts of countless wanderers at the end of the year.

The contrasting pairing of Fan Wei and newcomer Wang Baoqiang, representing "elite and grassroots," has successfully piqued public curiosity and anticipation through clever trailers and posters.

……

On December 11, 2001, the fifth day after the release of "Lost in Thailand".

On this day, China officially became the 143rd member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The news drew nationwide attention.

Newspapers on the front page, television news, radio stations—almost all media outlets were reporting on this historic event.

It is not just an economic symbol, but also a symbol that China will integrate into the global system with a more open attitude, and all sectors are facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges.

On this historic day, the box office performance of "Lost on Journey" has been steadily rising.

It taps into the enduring national sentiment of "going home for the Spring Festival," offering warm and relatable emotional comfort against the backdrop of the grand narrative brought about by the WTO.

The marketing team at Shengying Media cleverly linked the film's theme of "returning home" with the complex mentality of Chinese people facing the world after China's accession to the WTO, yet still rooted in their hometown, further stimulating audience enthusiasm.

……

December 18, 2001, the twelfth day since the release of "Lost on Journey".

First came the box office good news: "Lost in Thailand" grossed approximately 2314 million yuan in its opening weekend. In the early stages of the Lunar New Year film season, lacking strong competitors, this figure is undoubtedly a shot in the arm, reaffirming the market appeal of "Shengying productions are always high-quality" and continuing Shengying Media's "golden brand" during the Lunar New Year season.

Fan Wei's comedic talent and Wang Baoqiang's lifelike performance were well-received by the audience, and the song "Whether You're Rich or Poor, Go Home for the New Year" became a powerful force in conveying the film's emotional message.

However, on the same day, a document titled "Implementation Rules (Trial) on Reforming the Film Distribution and Screening Mechanism," jointly issued by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and the Ministry of Culture, quietly circulated within the industry and quickly caused a far more profound shock than the box office figures.

The core impact of the "Implementation Rules"—

The document explicitly requires that, within a short period of time (usually by 2002), the hierarchical distribution model based on administrative regions be broken, and film distribution and screening units be forced to establish cinema chains.

This means that each cinema must join a certain cinema chain, otherwise it will not be able to obtain the screening rights for first-run revenue-sharing films.

This move aims to reduce intermediate links and form a modern cinema chain system with unified branding, unified film scheduling, unified operation, and unified management.

Breaking regional monopolies: The traditional regional distribution monopoly relying on film companies at all levels has been broken, and the establishment of inter-provincial cinema chains is encouraged.

This provides a policy basis for players with capital and first-mover advantage to expand nationwide.

Promoting market competition and efficiency: To attract franchisees and audiences, cinema chains will have to improve service quality, optimize the cinema environment, and differentiate their operations. The promotion of computerized online ticketing systems is also emphasized to achieve real-time monitoring and transparent management of box office revenue, curbing the previously widespread phenomenon of underreporting and concealing box office figures.

Impact on Shengying Media and Wang Sheng

The "China Film Prosperity Joint Cinema Circuit," jointly promoted by Wang Sheng and Han Sanping, is a prime example of cross-provincial cinema circuits encouraged by this policy.

They had already made advance plans, integrating resources from multiple film studios to build nearly eighty modern multiplex cinemas (ten more were added in the second half of the year) in core cities across the country.

The promulgation of the "Implementation Rules" undoubtedly provides the most authoritative "legitimacy endorsement" and strong policy impetus for their already established network.

Local cinemas that are still observing or constrained by the old system will be more motivated to join established cinema chains like "China Film Grand Cinema" in order to survive and develop.

The cinema chain system has led to a greater concentration of power over film scheduling.

Wang Sheng, through his position as the second-largest shareholder of "China Film Shengshi Cinema Circuit" and his close relationship with Han Sanping, wields significant influence over the film scheduling of his cinemas.

This means that in the future, films produced by Shengying Media will have an unquestionable advantage in screen time within its own cinema chains.

At the same time, he has more leverage in negotiations with Hollywood studios (such as New Line Cinema) or other domestic production companies.

With favorable policies in place, the expansion speed of "China Film Grand Cinema Circuit" will inevitably accelerate further.

Wang Sheng's previously proposed strategy of "penetrating" into second-tier cities can be promoted on a large scale with the help of this wave of policy dividends.

More cinema construction and faster network coverage will enable Shengying Media to occupy an absolute dominant position in the downstream of the industry chain, thereby supporting the upstream film production business and forming a virtuous cycle.

……

Just as the industry was still digesting the impact of the "Implementation Rules", another shoe dropped a week later.

December 25, 2001, marked the nineteenth day since the release of "Lost in Thailand".

The State Council officially issued the new "Film Administration Regulations" (effective February 1, 2002).

The core impact of the Film Administration Regulations—

Relaxing production access requirements: The new "Regulations" explicitly allow private capital to independently engage in film production (subject to obtaining a "Film Production License") for the first time, instead of having to be affiliated with a state-owned film studio as in the past.

This fundamentally acknowledges the legal status of private film and television companies, opening the door for the influx of private capital.

Standardizing distribution and screening: Echoing the "Implementation Rules", the "Regulations" establish the legal status of the cinema chain system at a higher legal level, and provide more detailed regulations for film distribution and screening activities, emphasizing the protection of intellectual property rights.

Improve the review system: Although the review system still exists, the Regulations make its procedures more standardized and transparent.

Impact on Shengying Media and Wang Sheng

For Wang Sheng and Shengying Media, this is undoubtedly another "rectification".

Although he had already circumvented the old restrictions in practice through various means (such as in-depth cooperation with Beijing Film Studio and the establishment of alliances), the promulgation of the "Regulations" made Shengying Media's status as a private production entity completely legal, and it no longer needed to be attached to any state-owned studio.

This reduces institutional risks and clears some obstacles for more independent capital operations in the future (such as financing and listing).

The lowering of the entry barrier means that more private capital will flow into the film production industry in the future, and competition will inevitably intensify.

But for Shengying Media, which has already established a strong brand, channel and resource network, this is more of an opportunity.

Wang Sheng can plan projects more flexibly, allocate resources more freely, and even leverage his first-mover advantage to integrate small companies or teams that are new to the market but have innovative ideas.

These two important documents are practically "official certifications" tailor-made for Wang Sheng's industrial layout over the past few years.

His advantages across the entire industry chain, including production (Shengying Media), distribution (which has obtained pilot qualifications), screening (China Film Shengshi Cinema Line), and future technology layout (special effects talent training and introduction), have been unprecedentedly consolidated and strengthened after the policy shift.

He is no longer just a successful businessman, but also a pioneer and beneficiary at the forefront of the wave of industrialization reform in China's film industry.

Wang Shengxin is described by both industry insiders and outsiders as the first private figure in China's film industry.

(End of this chapter)