Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 422, Section 420: Contact

The following morning, Burbank, Los Angeles.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the heavy curtains of the hotel room, casting a narrow strip of light onto the carpet.

Wang Sheng's biological clock is precise; he had already woken up and was standing by the window, overlooking the "world's entertainment capital" slowly awakening in the morning light.

The outline of Mount Saint-Gabriel is faintly visible in the distance, and the traffic on the city streets is gradually increasing, foreshadowing a busy new day.

He changed into a well-fitting business casual outfit, which was both formal and more relaxed than yesterday's trip.

After going downstairs to the hotel restaurant's private area, most of the delegation members had already arrived.

After a night's rest, the fatigue on everyone's faces had faded considerably, replaced by a focus and anticipation as they prepared to begin their work.

Breakfast is served buffet style, with American-style fried eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, fresh fruit, yogurt and cereal side by side, catering to both Eastern and Western tastes.

Wang Sheng grabbed some food and sat down next to Zhu Yongde.

"How did you sleep, Mr. Wang?" Zhu Yongde asked, looking quite energetic as he spread butter on a knife.

"It's alright, I just need to adjust to the time difference." Wang Sheng took a sip of orange juice. "Mr. Zhu, you've adapted quite quickly."

"I'm used to traveling for work all the time."

Zhu Yongde smiled and lowered his voice, "Today is the official opening. Let's see how Disney serves up this first 'appetizer'."

As soon as he finished speaking, Vice President Robert Iger and Ms. Li, the female head of Disney China, appeared on time, both with just the right amount of warm smiles on their faces.

Good morning, distinguished guests!

Iger began in his polished, easy-to-understand English, “I hope you all had a good night’s rest and have already felt the California sunshine and warmth.”

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the group moved to a smaller, more private meeting room next to the restaurant, where waiters quickly served coffee and tea.

Without much pleasantries, Egger got straight to the point.

The projection screen behind him lit up, displaying an aerial view of the EPCOT theme park, as well as the layout of the "World Exhibition Area," with a replica of the dome of the Temple of Heaven's Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the iconic building of the China Pavilion, clearly visible.

"As you all know, one of the important topics of our exchange today is the update of the films shown in the EPCOT China Pavilion's circular giant screen theater."

Aiger operated the remote control, and clips from the original "Chinese Wonders" began playing on the screen.

The film was shot in the early 80s, and the picture quality is rough by today's standards. The content focuses on traditional landmarks such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Guilin landscape. The narrative pace is slow and has the documentary style unique to that era.

“This work, ‘Chinese Wonders,’ directed by Qu Jiazhen, has been one of the core experiences of the China Pavilion since the opening of EPCOT in 1982, showcasing China’s ancient civilization and magnificent landscapes to millions of visitors from around the world.”

Qu Jiazhen was a renowned cinematographer and director at the Shanghai Film Studio, and this panoramic film was a key foreign propaganda project at the time.

The new version of "Glimpses of China" is still produced by the Shanghai Film Group, and the director is Wang Yiqun, a famous director from the Shanghai Film Group, who is good at shooting large-scale documentaries and landscape films.

Iger spoke with great respect, but then changed the subject, "However, twenty years have passed. The world has changed, and China has undergone earth-shattering changes."

We realized that while the China presented in this film remains beautiful and breathtaking, it no longer fully reflects the country, especially its new face in the 21st century.

Ms. Li chimed in at the opportune moment, her fluent Chinese carrying the distinctive accent of an overseas Chinese: "Robert is right. Since the beginning of the new millennium, especially after China joined the WTO, global attention to China has soared to unprecedented levels."

Tourists are no longer satisfied with just seeing ancient historical sites; they are eager to understand contemporary China, modern China, and the lives of ordinary Chinese people.

We've received a lot of feedback from tourists who want to know, "Beyond the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, what is China like today?"

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the members of the Chinese delegation present, finally lingering for a moment on Wang Sheng's face, as if observing his reaction.

"At the same time, film projection technology itself is also developing rapidly."

While the original film projection system and circular screen are classic, they have fallen behind the new generation of digital giant screen experience in terms of picture quality, sound effects, and immersive viewing experience.

We hope that through this remake, we can not only update the content but also upgrade the technology, bringing tourists a truly 21st-century audiovisual feast about China.

Wang Sheng listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of his coffee cup.

Disney's reasons are quite compelling. On the one hand, there is an urgent need for content updates, as China's image needs to evolve from "ancient and mysterious" to "ancient yet modern"; on the other hand, there are commercial considerations for technological upgrades to maintain EPCOT's competitiveness.

Behind this lies Disney's deeper desire for the huge potential market of China—by updating the China Pavilion, a symbolic cultural window, it is trying to curry favor with the Chinese government and people and pave the way for deeper cooperation in the future (especially the long-awaited establishment of Disney parks in China).

This is a shrewd cultural and business investment.

"therefore,"

Iger concluded, "We are very honored to work with the Chinese side to create a brand new film that showcases the charm of the fusion of ancient and modern China."

This is not only an update to EPCOT, but also a fantastic opportunity to present a comprehensive, authentic, and developing China to the world.

He then outlined the preliminary itinerary for the next few days:
This morning: We visited the Walt Disney Animation Studios to learn about Disney's core animation production process and technological innovations.

This afternoon: Visit Walt Disney Studios' Burbank studio to learn about live-action film production and post-production processes, and watch some of Disney's latest visual effects demonstration clips.

The following day and thereafter: Multiple rounds of thematic discussions will be held regarding the remake of "Chinese Wonders," covering topics such as creative direction, technical standards, filming schedule, and the depth of Chinese involvement. Simultaneously, exchanges will be arranged with other Disney business units, such as Touchstone Pictures, to explore potential film co-production possibilities.

The itinerary was compact and targeted, reflecting the core mission of cultural exchange while also leaving room for exploring business cooperation.

After breakfast, the delegation members rested briefly before traveling by car, accompanied by Iger and Ms. Li, to the Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank.

The convoy drove into a beautiful park. Unlike the hustle and bustle of Hollywood Hills, the park was shaded by trees and had a quiet and focused atmosphere.

Upon entering the main building, one is immediately struck by the rich atmosphere of art and technology blending together.

The walls are adorned with hand-drawn sketches and character designs from classic Disney animations, from Snow White to The Lion King to the recent Lilo & Stitch, creating a condensed history of animation.

Disney arranged for senior animators and technical directors to give explanations.

They showcased the evolution from traditional hand-drawn animation to the emerging CGI (computer-generated imagery) technology, introducing the advanced production processes currently being used in projects such as Treasure Planet.

Wang Sheng pays particular attention to Disney's character development, storyboarding, and industrial system that closely integrates art and technology, which are similar to some of the challenges faced by the special effects team he is building for "Night at the Museum".

Zhu Yongde and others showed great interest in the global influence of Disney animation and its derivative product development and brand management, frequently asking questions about marketing and IP operation.

During the visit, Ms. Li from the China region seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally following Wang Sheng around, occasionally exchanging views with him on some technical or market issues, revealing her deep understanding of Shengying Media's achievements in recent years.

"Mr. Wang, I heard that your 'Night at the Museum' makes extensive use of physical special effects combined with digital technology?" Ms. Li asked casually in front of an area showcasing motion capture technology.

“Yes, trying to combine Eastern fantasy with modern industrial production standards is an important learning and practice for us,” Wang Sheng replied cautiously and tactfully.

"Disney has a lot of experience in creating 'immersive experiences,' whether it's theme parks or movies."

Ms. Li pointedly said, "EPCOT's China Pavilion project is essentially an ultimate immersive experience."

Perhaps in the future, we will not only have room for film collaborations, but also find common ground in the broader field of 'experience'.

After all, Mr. Wang, isn't your "Jackie Chan Happy Garden" in Huairou also striving in this direction?

Wang Sheng glanced at her, a slight stirring in his heart.

Disney did a very good job of gathering information.

He smiled slightly, not delving deeper into the conversation: "Ms. Li is very knowledgeable about the domestic situation. Immersive experiences are indeed one of the future directions."

The morning visit concluded in a friendly and professional atmosphere.

After having a light lunch at the animation studio's restaurant, the delegation traveled by car to the next stop on their trip—the adjacent Walt Disney Studios.

After a day of wandering around.

Had dinner.

Wang Sheng and the rest of the delegation held a small meeting.

Wang Sheng listened quietly, only answering questions or offering suggestions on co-production projects when asked.

(End of this chapter)