Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 421, page 419: Bill's Spell
The Boeing 747 flew smoothly in the stratosphere, with the boundless Pacific Ocean below and dazzling sunlight and pure blue sky outside the window.

The constant low growl of the aircraft engines became the background noise. The first-class cabin was relatively quiet, with passengers resting, reading, or talking in hushed tones.

"Xiao Wang, speaking of co-productions, have you heard about that project that Xi'an Film Group made such a fuss about a while ago? It's called 'Bill's Curse'."

Wang Sheng frowned slightly and searched his memory, but he really didn't remember anything.

Sheng Ying Media's business is complex, and he focuses more on the progress of his own projects and the general trend of the industry. Unless something particularly noteworthy happens, he doesn't care about the activities of other film studios, especially those from other regions.

"Xi'an Film Studio's project? Bill? Is it former President Clinton?" Wang Sheng became interested. After all, involving a person of this caliber would be big news in any country.

“Yes, it’s Bill Clinton,” Zhu Yongde confirmed, a mixture of amusement and emotion on his face. “This matter was even featured in a China News Service report a while ago, which sparked a lot of discussion in the industry.”

He picked up an English newspaper, turned to the entertainment section, and pointed to a picture accompanying a report—a file photo of Clinton smiling and waving at the ancient-style entrance ceremony at the South Gate of Xi'an during his visit in 98.

"You see, the inspiration came from this. The story is that there was a curse on Qin Shi Huang's sword that would be triggered by the first foreign head of state to visit Xi'an, causing a disaster. Then, China and the United States cooperated to break the curse."

Zhu Yongde briefly summarized the plot: "The investment is said to be ten million US dollars, with Xi'an Film Studio contributing two and a half million, and an American organization called 'American Cultural Communication Company' responsible for the remaining seven and a half million. They also intend to invite Jet Li and Zhang Ziyi to star in the film."

Wang Sheng listened silently until the end.

This kind of fantasy adventure that combines historical legends with modern political figures is not new in Hollywood, but it was indeed a bold idea in China at this time.

"The idea is quite... imaginative."

Wang Sheng's assessment was rather understated: "The key lies in execution and the solidity of the script, but can this project really come to fruition?"

"The letter of intent has been signed." Zhu Yongde shook his head and lowered his voice. "It's mainly the American producer, Ms. Yang Huasha, who is actively pushing for it."

"Yang Huasha?"

Wang Sheng was unfamiliar with this name.

"A Chinese-American producer, quite enthusiastic."

Zhu Yongde explained, "She is said to be from Baisha New Village, Huayin County, Shaanxi Province, and went to the United States a long time ago. She is very dedicated to this project, believing that it can introduce Xi'an's culture and history to the world in a positive way."

I agree with one of her points: in her report, she explicitly stated that she dislikes films that specifically showcase backward symbols like "bound feet" and "long braids" in front of foreigners, considering them despicable.

Wang Sheng nodded upon hearing this.

This view coincides with his.

The films he has made, whether they are youth romance, urban comedy or action fantasy, have always focused on showcasing the spirit and emotional world of contemporary Chinese people, especially young people. They are positive, confident, and even somewhat "avant-garde".

He knew that cultural export could not rely solely on selling novelty and backwardness, but rather on good stories with universal appeal and modern industrial production.

“This is a very good point,” Wang Sheng affirmed. “If we can really follow this line of thinking and make a decent commercial film that showcases the charm of Chinese culture rather than just sensationalism, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.”

“Yes,” Zhu Yongde echoed, “so I was thinking that if we can manage our itinerary during our trip to Los Angeles, we might be able to visit Ms. Yang Huasha.”

After all, we're both Chinese filmmakers, and we're both promoting Sino-US cooperation. It would be good for us to get to know each other and exchange experiences. She's been operating in the US for many years, so perhaps she has some resources we can learn from.

Wang Sheng pondered for a moment. He had reservations about the "Bill's Curse" project itself, feeling that there were too many uncertainties, from Clinton's involvement to the final presentation of the script, all of which were full of variables.

However, Zhu Yongde's suggestion also makes sense. There is no harm in getting to know this colleague with a clear cultural stance, and it can also provide insight into the real ecology of the Chinese film industry in the United States in this era.

“Sure, Mr. Zhu, if you have their contact information, you might want to reach out first and see if it's convenient for them. We'll act according to the situation,” Wang Sheng offered a flexible response.

“Okay, I’ll take care of it.” Zhu Yongde readily agreed and noted it down in his memo.

During the rest of the voyage, the two chatted about interesting anecdotes and trends in the domestic and international film markets. Zhu Yongde also took the opportunity to ask Wang Sheng some questions about film special effects and modern film production management.

Wang Sheng shared some experiences and insights regarding the post-production of "Night at the Museum," which is currently underway at Shengying Media, making Zhu Yongde feel that the trip was worthwhile.

……

The long transoceanic flight is finally coming to an end.

As the plane began its descent, the lights of the Los Angeles metropolitan area could be seen spreading out through the windows, resembling a giant circuit board laid out in the approaching twilight.

The plane landed smoothly at Los Angeles International Airport.

The group walked across the jet bridge into the brightly lit terminal building.

As soon as they entered the international arrivals hall, Wang Sheng and Zhu Yongde saw the crowd of people who had come to pick them up.

The opposing team had clearly made thorough preparations, and their lineup was quite impressive.

Leading the group were two middle-aged white men with professional smiles and capable demeanors.

After being introduced by Disney representatives, one was Mr. Robert Iger, Senior Vice President of International Affairs at The Walt Disney Company; the other was the Director of the California Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, clearly representing the local government's emphasis on this cultural exchange.

It is worth noting that standing next to Vice President Iger was a Chinese woman in her forties, wearing glasses and with a focused expression.

She was introduced as the head of market development for Disney China, primarily responsible for analyzing and addressing the unique needs of the Chinese market. She will also participate in the delegation's reception and some of the talks throughout the trip.

Next to the government officials stood a tall, smiling white man, the deputy director of the Los Angeles Convention and Tourism Bureau, responsible for promoting Los Angeles as a global film and television tourism destination.

In addition, a team of about ten people, including several Disney staff members and the cultural consul from the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, were also present to greet them at the airport.

They held up a welcome banner that read "Warmly welcome the Chinese film delegation to Los Angeles" in both Chinese and English.

Vice President Iger first delivered a warm welcome speech on behalf of The Walt Disney Company, emphasizing Disney's expectation for deepening cultural exchanges with China and expressing high hopes for the remake of the "China Glimpses" project.

Officials from California and Los Angeles expressed California's openness to cultural and tourism cooperation with China and praised Los Angeles' unique charm as the "world's film capital."

Wang Sheng and Zhu Yongde, as core members of the delegation, each gave a brief courtesy response, thanking the US side for their warm reception and expressing their anticipation for the visit in the coming days.

During the greetings and introductions, Wang Sheng keenly noticed that the female head of Disney China lingered on him for an unusually long time, her eyes filled with scrutiny and inquiry, clearly showing her curiosity about this young "consultant" who had single-handedly created the North American box office miracle of "Shaolin Soccer".

After a brief welcoming ceremony, the delegation members, guided by their American counterparts, boarded luxury limousines arranged by Disney. The convoy departed the airport, merging into the busy evening traffic of Los Angeles, and headed towards their hotel—a top-tier hotel near Disney's headquarters in Burbank.

(End of this chapter)