Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 439, Section 437: Which Way the Wind Blows

Wang Sheng's televised debate in the Hunan TV studio in Changsha, where he faced three opponents single-handedly, was like a powerful spiritual atomic bomb dropped into the cultural and public opinion arena of China.

The shockwaves did not diminish in the following days; instead, they continued to grow, fueled by in-depth reports in major newspapers, special discussions on portal websites, and word-of-mouth on the streets, forming an unprecedented media tsunami.

The interview article "Wang Sheng: The Underlying Character of Cultural Confidence is Pragmatism and Responsibility" by Zhang Jianwei, a senior reporter of China Youth Daily, was published at the right time. With his consistent objectivity and depth, the article further elaborates on the core points raised by Wang Sheng in the debate, and sorts out his concepts of "market-oriented reform", "industrial ecology" and "cultural output" in a more systematic and clear way.

The article was reprinted by many newspapers across the country, and it resonated widely in academic and industrial circles.

At the same time, the online sentiment was almost unanimously negative.

Young netizens edited Wang Sheng's brilliant moments in the debate into video clips or photos, added rousing music and subtitles, and spread them wildly in forums and chat rooms.

Phrases like "One person, Mr. Wang, is enough," "You don't understand Kung Fu Football at all," and "This is true cultural confidence" quickly became popular online.

Wang Sheng's calm, composed, logical, and commanding image has been deeply imprinted in the minds of a generation through television screens and online media, pushing his personal reputation and the brand reputation of "Shengying Group" to unprecedented heights.

Amid this media frenzy, a striking phenomenon emerged – voices from the Hong Kong entertainment industry.

The dissatisfaction and estrangement that had been building up due to Wang Sheng's "bombardment of the Hong Kong Film Awards" and "cooperation principles" seemed to have been breached by this torrent that demonstrated the power of the strong.

Some visionary Hong Kong celebrities, or those who already had close ties with Sheng Ying Group, began to keenly grasp the trend and publicly express their opinions.

Stephen Chow, who is closely associated with Wang Sheng, stated in a transoceanic telephone interview with Hong Kong media: "Mr. Wang Sheng is a visionary and decisive filmmaker. The success of 'Shaolin Soccer' is not accidental."

We need more of this kind of exchange and cooperation, not stagnation.

Despite using cautious language, the message of support was clear.

Tsui Hark also told the media during a break in filming "Brotherhood of Blades": "Director Wang Sheng's judgment on the film market is very accurate."

The questions he raised are worth considering for every filmmaker.

Cooperation is a two-way street; I have high hopes for the mainland market.

Jackie Chan, who has a good personal relationship with Wang Sheng, also smiled and smoothed things over when asked about it at an international event: "Wang Sheng is a young man, and he has a bit more temper, but he is very serious about his work and has a lot of ideas."

I had a great time working with him, and I'm sure "Night at the Museum" will surprise everyone!

Filmmakers from Hong Kong and the mainland are one family (they are family), and should support each other.

"..."

The successive statements from these heavyweight celebrities were like toppling the first domino.

They expressed their understanding of Wang Sheng's philosophy, their expectations for cooperation, and their recognition of "Chinese-language films as one family" through social media (early blogs and forums) or by giving interviews to small media outlets.

In a short time, the narrative that "Wang Sheng was boycotted by the Hong Kong film industry" was disproven, and instead transformed into a positive narrative of "Hong Kong filmmakers strongly support Wang Sheng and work together to create a new chapter for Chinese-language films".

Various media outlets have dubbed this phenomenon "the great surrender of Hong Kong's entertainment circle"!
……

the other side.

Sheng Ying Media's theatrical film distribution division astutely seized the golden window of opportunity presented by the boss's resounding victory and unprecedentedly favorable public opinion, launching a full-scale publicity campaign for the upcoming "wholesale film" "I Can See Ghosts with My Left Eye," scheduled for release on July 15.

The core strategy of the publicity department was to portray this film as "ironclad proof of Sheng Ying Media's unity with Hong Kong filmmakers." Press releases and advertorials were intensively distributed across major entertainment pages and online communities, with a clear and compelling core argument: "Just when some people are attempting to sow discord between mainland and Hong Kong filmmakers, Sheng Ying Media has demonstrated through its actions what 'exchange' and 'win-win' truly mean."

"I Can See Ghosts with My Left Eye" is a sincere production by China Star Entertainment Group in Hong Kong and was introduced to China by Sheng Ying Media.

In order to meet the viewing habits and censorship requirements of mainland audiences, both parties communicated closely and carefully modified the ending of the film to make it more heartwarming and healing.

This fully demonstrates Shengying Media's respect for the artistic creation of Hong Kong films and its determination to promote the integrated development of the Chinese-language film market!

On the promotional poster, the words "Proudly introduced by Shengying Media" and "A sincere work by Hong Kong Island China Star" are particularly eye-catching, and the slogan "Working together for a shared future in film" is also displayed next to it.

The trailers and promotional materials also emphasized Cecilia Cheung's acting skills and the film's deeply moving emotional core, while downplaying the supernatural elements of the original version.

This wave of publicity cleverly borrowed the banners of "open exchange" and "cultural confidence" from Wang Sheng's debate, packaging an ordinary commercial film import into a symbolic cultural event.

This not only refuted the previous accusations of "suppressing Hong Kong films," but also demonstrated Shengying's vision and responsibility as an industry leader, achieving multiple benefits in one fell swoop.

……

Monday, August 2002, 7.

Despite it being a weekday, the summer nights in Beijing were still sweltering.

After the hype surrounding "Shaolin Soccer" and the lingering effects of the World Cup gradually faded, the film market entered a relatively quiet period.

The power of Hollywood blockbusters has not yet fully materialized, giving some distinctive films a chance to breathe.

College student Lin Xiaoyue and her boyfriend Zhang Heng specially chose this evening to visit the newly opened "China Film Grand Cinema" near Haidian Theater.

Both of them are fans of Wang Sheng. After experiencing the passion of the televised debate and seeing the overwhelming publicity for "My Left Eye Can See Ghosts", they decided to come and support him in person.

After picking up the tickets and entering the theater, the occupancy rate was about 60%, which wasn't packed, but it was quite good for a weekday evening.

Clearly, Sheng Ying's publicity and Wang Sheng's personal influence played a role.

The lights dimmed, and the screen lit up.

The film's story unfolds gradually. Cecilia Cheung plays Ah Xin, the female protagonist who gains the ability to see ghosts in her left eye after a car accident, and she becomes acquainted with a kind male ghost (played by Lau Ching-wan).

The first half of the film has the lighthearted humor and a touch of horror typical of Hong Kong ghost movies, but as the plot progresses, the sincere emotion between Ah Xin and the male ghost that transcends life and death gradually becomes the main storyline.

Lin Xiaoyue and Zhang Heng were quickly drawn into the plot.

Cecilia Cheung's performance was delicate and moving, vividly portraying the female protagonist's emotional transformation from fear and confusion to acceptance and courage. Liu Qingyun's portrayal of the male ghost, though somewhat down-on-his-luck, revealed a warm and kind nature. The untouchable yet profoundly intertwined bond between him and Ah Xin evoked subtle sobs throughout the theater.

"How touching..." Lin Xiaoyue leaned on Zhang Heng's shoulder and whispered, her hand tightly gripping his arm.

Zhang Heng was also engrossed in watching and nodded.

He was originally somewhat averse to "ghost movies," but this film clearly wasn't focused on scaring people, but rather on portraying emotions.

(End of this chapter)