Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 388, Section 386: The Official Stance
December 31, 2001, afternoon.

The "Chinese Civilization Museum" photography studio is located inside the "Jackie Chan Happy Park" construction site in Huairou, a suburb of Beijing.

Despite the howling wind and the deep chill of winter outside, the inside of the shed felt somewhat stuffy due to the dense lights and bustling activity.

Under the enormous Qin and Han dynasty-style dome, the filming of a comical confrontation scene between Jackie Chan and the "resurrected" terracotta army had just ended. The crew took a short break during the transition between scenes, and the air was filled with a special atmosphere unique to the end of the year, a mixture of fatigue and anticipation.

Jackie Chan took the warm water handed to him by his assistant, drank a few sips, and wiped the fine beads of sweat from his forehead with a towel.

He was still wearing the slightly bulky uniform of the security guard Chen Dabao he was playing, and his face still carried the tension and helplessness of a small-time character that hadn't completely faded.

His gaze swept across the set and finally landed on Wang Sheng, who was whispering with the cinematographer and special effects director.

Wang Sheng took off his heavy coat, wearing only a dark sweater, and stood tall and straight next to the monitor.

Pointing to the playback footage he had just filmed, he offered several suggestions for minor adjustments to the lighting and the rhythm of the puppets' movements in a steady voice. His expression was focused and calm, as if the clamor surrounding the capital market was completely irrelevant to this meticulously constructed world of light and shadow.

A complex mix of admiration and curiosity flashed in Jackie Chan's eyes.

He put down his water glass, his signature, very friendly smile returning to his face, and walked towards Wang Sheng.

"Director Wang, are you done with work? Want to take a break?"

Jackie Chan's loud voice, filled with just the right amount of enthusiasm, broke the focused atmosphere around Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng looked up, saw Jackie Chan, and a faint smile appeared on his face. He nodded to the cinematographer and special effects director, who then understood and left temporarily.

"Mr. Cheng, thank you for your hard work. Your performance was very emotionally resonant." Wang Sheng casually praised him, picking up his thermos from the side.

"Of course, I can't slack off while filming your movie."

Jackie Chan smiled and leaned closer. "Director Wang, you can just call me Ah Long. Calling me Mr. Chan all the time feels too distant."

He lowered his voice slightly, as if he were just chatting casually, "Speaking of which, Director Wang, things have been quite lively outside lately."

Wang Sheng unscrewed the lid, blew on the steam, took a sip of warm water, and calmly looked at Jackie Chan, waiting for him to continue.

“I heard,” Jackie Chan said mysteriously, glancing around, though there were no other people around, “that many big international banks and funds, as well as some old friends from Hong Kong, have been calling your company so much that they’ve practically worn out your doorstep.”
Everyone's asking when your "Shengying Media" ship, which you, Director Wang, have built from scratch, is ready to set sail and venture into the capital market.

He paused, observing Wang Sheng's reaction. Seeing that the other party remained unmoved, he continued in a half-joking, half-serious tone, "This is 'China's No. 1 entertainment stock'! This cake smells delicious!"
I wonder if Director Wang has any specific plans? If there's anything I, Mr. Cheng, can do to help, or... if there's any opportunity to make money, don't forget to give this old friend a boost.

Jackie Chan's words seemed casual, but how could Wang Sheng not hear the probing meaning in them?
Hong Kong capital, and even international capital closely linked to Hong Kong capital, has long coveted the mainland's burgeoning cultural consumption market.

Shengying Media, as the most complete private film and television giant in terms of business scope, outstanding performance, and strong momentum, is undoubtedly the most ideal bridge and investment target for them to enter this market.

Jackie Chan has extensive connections in the international capital circle. His inquiry at this moment is not just a reflection of his personal curiosity, but more like a "testing the waters" on behalf of certain forces behind the scenes.

Wang Sheng understood perfectly, but his face remained calm and composed.

He slowly screwed the lid of the thermos onto the cup, his movements unhurried and deliberate.

"Mr. Cheng is really well-informed."

Wang Sheng's tone was flat, revealing no emotion. "The secretary has indeed compiled quite a few letters of intent for cooperation and requests for meetings. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, CICC... all very well-known names."

He looked up at Jackie Chan, his gaze deep, as if he could see through the other's smile to his true intentions: "Going public... such a big thing, there must have been some consideration."

Jackie Chan's eyes lit up slightly, and he was about to reply when Wang Sheng changed the subject: "However, the most important thing right now is to make 'Night at the Museum' a success."

This film is not just a commercial film, but also a key step in our industrialization efforts, which is related to many future plans.

Internally, while the business lines are clearly defined, facing the rigorous scrutiny of the capital market, the integration and standardization of all aspects still require considerable effort.

He gently patted Jackie Chan's arm, his tone carrying an undeniable sense of control: "Once we're done with this busy period and the film is successfully released, we can then carefully consider the listing process. One must eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time."

Wang Sheng's answer was watertight.

They neither completely closed the door to the IPO, keeping everyone in suspense, nor revealed any substantive information, nor made any concrete promises to Jackie Chan.

He attributed everything to "prioritizing filming at present" and "the need for internal integration," reasons that sounded plausible and impossible to fault. Jackie Chan, being a shrewd man, immediately understood Wang Sheng's attitude—now was not the time to discuss this, at least not the time to delve into it with him, Jackie Chan.

He laughed and patted Wang Sheng on the shoulder, defusing the awkward moment.
"Yes, yes, Director Wang is right! I was too impatient, Mr. Cheng. Of course, making a good movie is the most important thing now! 'Night at the Museum' is definitely a blockbuster that will shock the world. We're all waiting to see it sweep the box office! When that happens, your Shengying Media brand will be even more valuable!"

He skillfully changed the subject, starting to discuss the amusing reaction of a prop terracotta figure during the filming, as if the previous probing had never happened.

Wang Sheng also steered the conversation back to filmmaking, and the two exchanged a few more words about the upcoming filming arrangements. Jackie Chan then smiled and walked away to prepare for the next scene.

Watching Jackie Chan's departing figure, Wang Sheng's gaze calmed down slightly.

Jackie Chan's probing was exactly what he expected.

Capital is like a shark with the keenest sense of smell; it will swarm in when it smells blood.

The mountain of letters of intent on his desk is proof of this.

He was not just "considering" going public; he was absolutely determined to do so.

Going public means being able to raise huge sums of money for more aggressive expansion—building more cinemas, investing in bigger productions, acquiring better companies, and developing more cutting-edge technologies, which also helps in entering overseas markets.

This will greatly accelerate his pace in building his entertainment empire.

More importantly, once Shengying Media successfully goes public and becomes the "first listed film company in China," Wang Sheng's personal reputation and industry status will be elevated to an unparalleled height.

He will no longer be just a successful producer, director, or businessman, but a landmark figure in the capitalization of China's cultural industry, whose influence will penetrate deeper into capital, policy, and even social trends.

So, do the authorities, especially the regulatory bodies, really support Shengying Media, which he leads, going public?

I would say I fully support it.

Wang Sheng has received clear signals from the General Administration and even higher levels.

China has just joined the WTO and has pledged to further open its markets, including in the cultural sector.

The new "Film Management Regulations" promulgated on December 25 explicitly encourage non-public capital to enter the fields of film production and cinema construction.

This indicates that the top leadership hopes to break free from the constraints of the old system, introduce market vitality and competition mechanisms, and promote the industrialization and marketization reform of the film industry.

As a pioneer and successful example of market-oriented reform, Shengying Media's listing is in full line with this policy direction and can be regarded as a demonstration of the reform's achievements.

In the context of China's accession to the WTO, there is an urgent need to cultivate domestic cultural enterprises with international competitiveness.

With its successful business model, complete industry chain layout, and attempts to align with international standards (such as cooperation with New Line Cinema), Sheng Ying Media is undoubtedly seen as an ideal "model project" by the authorities.

Supporting its listing will not only strengthen the company itself, but also set a benchmark for market-oriented and capital-driven operations for the entire industry, encouraging more social capital and talent to enter the cultural industry.

As a representative of the "national team", China Film Group is an important shareholder of "China Film Grand Cinema Circuit" and has a deep capital and business bond with Shengying Media.

Han Sanping and other senior officials of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television had a close relationship with Wang Sheng and repeatedly affirmed Wang Sheng's model and contributions in public occasions and internal meetings.

This mixed ownership structure of "national progress" allows the government to exert influence and supervision over Shengying Media through China Film Group, ensuring that its development is within a "controllable" range and in line with the general direction of the national cultural strategy.

After listing, this guidance and supervision through capital ties will become more convenient and standardized.

In addition, whether it is a state-owned film studio, China Film Group, or other local forces, they all generally face problems of funding shortages and rigid mechanisms.

Supporting successful private enterprises like Shengying Media to go public and raise funds enables them to undertake more film and television projects, and even to reverse-integrate and drive the resources of state-owned factories (such as the previous film studio alliance). This can alleviate the country's financial burden to some extent, while introducing advanced management experience and market acumen to promote the vitality of the entire industry.

Most importantly, the top leadership has a long-term vision and has realized that as economic strength grows, enhancing cultural soft power and promoting Chinese culture "going global" will inevitably become a national strategy.

Sheng Ying Media's productions, such as "Night at the Museum," which are aimed at the global market, and its collaborations with international companies, align with its cultural export strategy.

Supporting its listing and growth will help create a Chinese cultural brand with international influence.

Of course, the premise of support is that Wang Sheng and Shengying Media can continuously produce works that conform to mainstream values, take into account both social and economic benefits, and maintain relative stability in capital operations, without triggering major financial risks or loss of control of public opinion.

(End of this chapter)