Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 403 401: Making the Most of Resources

The office door was gently pushed open, and Xu Ke walked in.

Compared to usual, he appeared more humble today, even with a hint of barely perceptible eagerness.

His face was beaming with smiles, and he laughed before even speaking: "Mr. Wang, congratulations! The success of 'Shaolin Soccer' in North America is simply phenomenal! It's a huge boost for Chinese filmmakers!"

Wang Sheng smiled slightly, stood up and shook hands with him, gesturing for him to sit down on the guest sofa: "Director Xu, you're too kind. It was just luck, and it was also a matter of favorable timing, location, and people."

"This is not luck, it is clearly due to your unique vision and far-sighted planning, Mr. Wang."

Xu Ke sincerely praised, then changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of genuine regret, "Speaking of which, seeing how successful the promotion of 'Shaolin Soccer' was in North America, I really... sigh, I can't help but think that if 'The Legend of Zu' had been handled by Sheng Ying in North America, the outcome might have been very different."

Upon hearing this, Wang Sheng gently shook his head, his smile revealing a clear understanding of the market: "Director Xu, the situation is different. The success of 'Kung Fu Soccer' was due to too many special factors."

Stephen Chow's unique "mo lei tau" (nonsensical) comedic style, while possessing cultural specificity, shares a universal core of "grassroots underdog success" and "dreams coming true." This is further enhanced by the integration of "kung fu" and "football," two elements with high recognition in the West, along with the ingenious use of stand-up comedy for reverse marketing. More importantly, it capitalized on the global football fever preceding the World Cup.

He paused, then continued his analysis, his tone calm yet undeniable: "As for 'The Legend of Shushan,' it is rooted in Eastern fantasy culture, with a vast system and complex concepts. For ordinary Western audiences who lack relevant cultural background, the threshold for understanding it is too high."

The ethereal aesthetics and the core ideas of Taoism and Buddhism have a relatively small and fixed audience in the United States and overseas who are willing to calm down and appreciate them.

Even with substantial promotional resources, it's unlikely to replicate the mainstream success of *Shaolin Soccer*. This isn't a problem of film quality, but rather a matter of cultural discount.

Xu Ke listened attentively, feeling regretful but knowing that Wang Sheng's analysis hit the nail on the head.

He sighed and nodded: "Mr. Wang hit the nail on the head. I was being a bit presumptuous. The beauty of the artistic conception of Eastern fantasy is indeed difficult for overseas audiences to resonate with quickly."

"but,"

Wang Sheng then changed the subject, painting a more enticing picture for Xu Ke: "The fantasy genre is not without international potential, but it needs to wait for the right opportunity, and more importantly, the mainland market itself needs to be large enough to support the costs and returns of such large-scale productions."

"By then, we can develop a series of fantasy epic films, building a complete world-building framework. That project can then be entrusted to you, Director Xu."

Xu Ke's eyes lit up instantly.

A series of epic fantasy films!

This is the stage he has always dreamed of.

The disastrous failure of "The Legend of Zu" not only caused huge losses for the investor, China Star Entertainment Limited, but also caused Tsui Hark to fall out of the ranks of top directors in Hong Kong.

His current situation is so dire that he's practically a pariah; even Hong Kong investors dare not use him anymore.

Even if "The Legend of Shushan" sells well in mainland China, that's thanks to the Grand Master who turned the impossible into the possible, and has nothing to do with Xu Ke.

Historically, after the major failure of "The Legend of Zu Mountain", Xu Ke took on projects such as "Initial D", but none of them were successful.

It wasn't until the co-production policy changed that he seized the opportunity to enter the mainland market. Later, he was supported by mainland capital and returned to the ranks of top directors, where he was treated as an honored guest by Bona Film Group and other prominent figures.

Xu Ke doesn't have that qualification now. He knows his status in Wang Sheng's eyes, probably a little better than a dog, since "The Legend of Shushan" made some money for President Wang.

He leaned forward slightly, excited: "Is what you said, Mr. Wang, true?"

"of course."

Wang Sheng affirmed, but his tone also carried a hint of warning, "However, the premise is that Director Xu, you must be able to maintain your creative state, keep up with market changes, and understand your target audience."

The resources of the Sheng Ying Group will only be allocated to partners who are best able to achieve its strategic goals.

"I understand! I understand!" Xu Ke nodded repeatedly, his expression solemn. "Please rest assured, Mr. Wang, I may not be able to say anything else, but my passion and dedication to film have never slackened. I will definitely maintain my form and be ready to meet any challenge!"

The two chatted for a while about the future film market, especially the development and application of special effects technology, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

After their conversation had nearly ended, Xu Ke took out a thick document from his briefcase and handed it to Wang Sheng with both hands, his posture respectful: "Mr. Wang, this is our 'homework.' Based on the story outline and core settings you provided earlier, our team has completed the initial draft of the script for 'Brotherhood of Blades.' Please take a look."

Wang Sheng took the script; the three characters "绣春刀" (Xiuchun Dao, meaning Embroidered Spring Blade) on the cover were written in a powerful and vigorous style.

He said no more and lowered his head to focus on reading.

The only sound in the office for a moment was the rustling of papers turning over.

Xu Ke observed Wang Sheng's expression with some nervousness. He saw Wang Sheng sometimes nod slightly, sometimes frown and ponder, and occasionally tap his fingers lightly on a page.

Time ticked by. Wang Sheng watched very carefully, not only focusing on the main plot, but also paying attention to the quality of the characters' dialogue, the rhythm of scene transitions, and the creation of the "realistic martial arts" atmosphere that Wang Sheng particularly emphasized.

Finally, after about an hour, Wang Sheng closed the last section of the script.

He raised his head and looked at Xu Ke, who was holding his breath.

"The overall framework is good; it captures the core themes of 'the struggle of ants, brotherhood, and the torrent of the times,'" Wang Shengxian affirmed, which relieved Xu Ke slightly.

But then, Wang Sheng began to offer specific comments and suggestions for revision, speaking at a steady pace and with clear logic:

"The inner struggles and transformations of the protagonist, Shen Lian, need more nuanced development. His feelings for Bei Zhai cannot be merely lust or simple pity; they must be connected to his own desire to escape the fate of being a tool and to seek a trace of 'human' warmth."

"The character development of the two brothers, Lu Jianxing and Jin Yichuan, could be further deepened."

Lu Jianxing's loyalty and helplessness, Jin Yichuan's chivalrous spirit and ultimate tragedy, are more nuanced. The key to their moving appeal lies in the mutual support among the three brothers within the confines of the Imperial Guard and the choices they ultimately had to face.

"I agree with your idea of ​​action design. It should lean towards realism and sharpness, highlighting the characteristics of the Embroidered Spring Blade as a weapon, pursuing the ruthlessness and efficiency of 'killing techniques,' and minimizing exaggerated scenes of flying around and defying gravity. What we want is a kind of brutal violent aesthetic that is close to history."

"In addition, the tension in several key scenes could be further enhanced. For example, the suffocating feeling of the three brothers gradually discovering they are being drawn into a larger conspiracy during their mission; the despair and tragedy of the final battle in the rainy night or amidst the ruins..."

Wang Sheng spoke eloquently, and every point he made pointed out the script's potential weaknesses and areas for improvement at this stage.

He not only pointed out the problems, but sometimes also offered one or two specific directions for modification for Xu Ke's reference.

As Xu Ke listened attentively, he quickly took notes in his notebook, his forehead even beaded with sweat.

He discovered that the script, which he thought was already well-polished, still revealed many areas that could be further refined under Wang Sheng's sharp scrutiny.

However, he also deeply admired Wang Sheng's opinions, which were not those of an outsider instructing an expert, but rather based on a profound understanding of narrative patterns, character psychology, and the target audience.

"Mr. Wang's guidance is spot on!" Xu Ke noted down the last point and nodded in agreement. "We'll revise these parts immediately when we get back, making the script more solid and the characters more believable."

"Hmm." Wang Sheng nodded in satisfaction. "The script has basically met expectations, and we can now officially launch the project and enter the preparation stage."

Xu Ke's face immediately lit up with joy.

"Regarding the actors," Wang Sheng emphasized, "we will prioritize selecting actors from within our Shengying Group and those with whom we have good working relationships."

The actor/actress needs to fit the character's temperament, have excellent acting skills, and be reasonably priced. You and the casting director should come up with a preliminary plan and submit it to me.

“Understood, Mr. Wang,” Xu Ke replied immediately. “I will definitely keep a strict eye on the process and ensure that the most suitable actors are used.”

“Alright, I’m officially handing over the ‘Brotherhood of Blades’ project to you.” Wang Sheng stood up, making a gesture of seeing him off. “I look forward to you and your team creating a unique martial arts film.”

Xu Ke also quickly stood up, tightly grasped Wang Sheng's outstretched hand, and said firmly, "I will certainly live up to Mr. Wang's expectations!"

With his notes filled with notes and anticipation for the new project, Xu Ke left Wang Sheng's office.

Wang Sheng sat down again and thought for a moment.

He adhered to the principle of making the best use of resources when dealing with these Hong Kong directors.

Unfortunately, there are very few commercially successful directors in mainland China.

Although Sheng Ying Group has cultivated some talent, they can only produce genre films, and a single film can only generate tens of millions in box office revenue at most.

If we want to break through, we still need the veteran directors from Hong Kong.

But some of them are completely off-target.

Xu Ke, while having his own ideas, values ​​the client's requirements more.

Especially those clients who are willing to give him a chance during the most difficult time of his life.

Therefore, Wang Sheng signed a contract with him for ten films.

For Xu Ke, he is not afraid of having too much, but he is afraid of not having the opportunity.

(End of this chapter)