Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 442, Question 440: How did it become so popular?
a few days later.

In Los Angeles, at the end of July, the setting sun bathed the Hollywood Hills in gold, and the city lights began to twinkle, filling the air with the unique glitz and hustle and bustle of DreamWorks.

A celebratory banquet hosted by New Line Cinema was held at the Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.

A red carpet, not particularly grand but eye-catching enough, was laid out at the hotel entrance, with invited entertainment media reporters gathered on both sides, flashing lights one after another, illuminating the guests who arrived one after another.

Unlike a purely celebratory party, this event had a clear commercial and media focus, and was more like a meticulously planned "declaration of victory" to showcase success to the industry and the public.

At 6:30 p.m. Los Angeles time, a black Lincoln Navigator slowly pulled up at the end of the red carpet.

The car door opened, and the first person to step out was Wang Sheng, president of Shengying Media.

He wore a custom-made dark blue patterned suit, without a tie, and his shirt collar was casually unbuttoned, making him look both formal and youthful.

With a calm expression and a smile on his lips, he waved to the flashing camera lights, then turned around and gentlemanly extended his hand into the car.

Immediately afterwards, Zhou Xingxing and Li Xiaoran got out of the car one after the other.

Stephen Chow was wearing a slightly casual suit, with his signature smile that was both shy and insightful.

Li Xiaoran chose a light pink one-shoulder long dress, which was simple and elegant, perfectly highlighting her gentle and graceful temperament as an Eastern woman.

Her appearance also drew a lot of camera shutter clicks—as the female lead of "Shaolin Soccer," she herself is quite a topic of discussion.

"Stephen! Look here!"

"Mr. Wang! Over here!"

“Li Xiaoran! Over here!”

The media shouted their names, trying to capture the best angle.

Wang Sheng gently supported Li Xiaoran's waist with one hand, while Zhou Xingxing took a half-step back. The three of them paused briefly on the red carpet to allow the media to take photos.

Upon entering the banquet hall, the interior layout confirmed Wang Sheng's judgment.

This wasn't an extravagant party, but rather a refined cocktail reception.

Soft lighting, live jazz music, and waiters moving about serving champagne and various snacks.

The guests numbered around one hundred, including senior and middle management personnel from New Line Cinema, key members of the distribution and marketing teams, as well as journalists and film critics from mainstream entertainment media such as The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and Entertainment Weekly, and some independent producers and agents closely associated with New Line Cinema.

The air was filled with the scents of champagne, cologne, and an intangible sense of "circle."

As Wang Sheng predicted, New Line Cinema attached great importance to this celebration banquet, with many core executives in attendance:
The presence of Robert Shea, founder and CEO of New Line Cinema, a Hollywood legend, is undoubtedly the highest affirmation of the success of "Shaolin Soccer" and his collaboration with Wang Sheng.

He was over sixty years old but in good spirits, chatting and laughing with several veteran figures.

Michael Lynn, co-CEO and chairman of New Line Cinema, runs the company with Shea, primarily responsible for business and legal matters.

He was more composed and was speaking in hushed tones with the head of the distribution department.

Kevin Brown, Senior Vice President of International at New Line Cinema, was the key driver and executor of this collaboration.

Upon seeing Wang Sheng and his group, he immediately greeted them with a broad smile.

Toby Emmerich was in charge of project development and production.

He is a key figure, holding the green light for many important projects on the new line in the future.

In addition, key personnel responsible for North American market distribution, such as the vice president and chief marketing officer, were also present.

"Wang! Zhou! Ms. Li! Welcome to Los Angeles!" Kevin Brown warmly opened his arms, embracing Wang Sheng and Zhou Xingxing respectively, and shaking hands with Li Xiaoran. "We must celebrate this historic moment tonight!"

“Kevin, thank you for your kind invitation.” Wang Sheng shook hands with him, his grip firm and steady. “The success of ‘Shaolin Soccer’ in North America is a testament to the outstanding capabilities of the New Line Cinema team.” Stephen Chow also smiled and said in English with a Cantonese accent, “Thank you, Mr. Brown. It was a pleasure working with you all.”

Brown introduced them to Robert Shea and Michael Lynn, who were walking over.

“Mr. Wang, I’ve heard so much about you.” Shea extended his hand, his sharp gaze scrutinizing Wang Sheng with a hint of curiosity and admiration. “Shaolin Soccer is a wonderfully surprising film. You and Zhou created a miracle.”

“Mr. Shea, you flatter me.” Wang Sheng shook hands with him, responding with ease. “It is Newline’s vision and boldness that made this miracle possible in North America. It is our honor to cooperate with a partner like Newline.”

Michael Lynn's handshake was more pragmatic: "Mr. Wang, $9237 million, that's a figure worthy of being written into textbooks. It proves the viability of our cooperation model."

“This is just the beginning, Mr. Lynn,” Wang Sheng responded confidently. “I believe that, based on mutual trust and a shared vision, we can create even greater market value.”

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the media interview session officially began.

Wang Sheng, Zhou Xingxing, Kevin Brown, and Newline's Chief Marketing Officer stood together in front of the backdrop to answer questions from the media.

The reporters focused primarily on several aspects:

Secrets to Success: Why did "Shaolin Soccer" break the curse of foreign films?
Cultural differences: How to overcome the barriers to understanding humor in Eastern and Western cultures?
Future Cooperation: Do Newline and Shengying Media have any further plans?
Kevin Brown, as the host, spoke first, praising the creativity and quality of "Shaolin Soccer" and emphasizing New Line Cinema's expertise in identifying international market potential and conducting precise localized marketing.

“Success is not accidental,” Brown said into the microphone in a loud voice. “It stems from the ability to judge excellent content and to execute the ability to present that content to the target audience in the right way.”

The success of "Kung Fu Soccer" is a perfect example of New Line's internationalization strategy, and it deserves our celebration and praise!

When it was Wang Sheng's turn, he did not claim all the credit, but attributed the success to the combined efforts of many parties:
"The core of 'Shaolin Soccer' is Stephen Chow's boundless imagination and sincere portrayal of the dreams of ordinary people."

This sentiment transcends culture and national borders. New Line Cinema's team, with their professional market insight and distribution strategies, gave this film wings to soar across North America.

Shengying Media's role, perhaps, is to build a bridge of understanding between Eastern and Western cultures. We understand the essence of our own culture and strive to explore ways to engage in dialogue with the world.

He paused, glanced at the media present, and continued, "Some people believe that commercial success will dilute cultural characteristics, but I believe that true cultural confidence lies precisely in daring to let more people see, understand, and love your story."

"Shaolin Soccer" achieved this through laughter and passion. This is not only a box office victory, but also a victory for cultural exchange.

Stephen Chow's speech maintained his usual style, humble yet slightly humorous: "Thank you New Line Cinema, thank you Mr. Wong. I'm just a moviemaker who wants to tell good stories and make everyone happy. I didn't expect American audiences to like it so much, I'm so happy. I hope I'll have the opportunity to bring more funny and interesting movies to everyone in the future."

His simple words drew good-natured laughter and applause from the audience.

The Q&A session with the media concluded in a lively atmosphere.

Then came a more relaxed time for conversation. Wang Sheng and Zhou Xingxing instantly became the focus of the banquet, with people constantly approaching them to chat and exchange business cards.

Toby Emmerich showed great interest in Wang Sheng's "Night at the Museum," which is currently in post-production, and inquired about the project's progress and Jackie Chan's involvement.

Some independent producers are also trying to explore the possibility of collaborating with Shengying.

Li Xiaoran quietly followed beside Wang Sheng.

I can't understand it at all, I can't understand what they're saying...

Li Xiaoran never expected that a movie she casually acted in would achieve such remarkable success worldwide.

Looks like I'll have to study English more seriously from now on...

Wang Sheng moved among the crowds, socializing with people from all walks of life, yet his mind remained as clear as a mirror.

Behind the laughter and joy of this celebration banquet lies a real business logic and a contest for future opportunities.

New Line hopes to demonstrate its ability to discover international projects and solidify its relationship with Sheng Ying, a "potential stock," by celebrating the success of "Shaolin Soccer."

For him, this was not only a moment of receiving praise, but also a key moment to further expand his Hollywood connections and pave the way for Shengying Media's future international expansion.

(End of this chapter)