Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 485, Section 483: Teacher-Student Relationship
2 PM, Jingxin Building.

Shengying Media Group, Chairman's Office.

Wang Sheng had just finished processing a few urgent documents when the internal phone rang. Li Tingting's voice came through: "Chairman Wang, Chairman Han has arrived."

"Please come directly to my office, teacher." Wang Sheng put down the phone and got up to walk towards the tea table.

The office door was pushed open, and Han Sanping strode in with a familiar, cheerful smile on his face, but his brows now held a deeper and more serious expression than they had six months ago.

The turbulent first half of the year was also a huge test for this one of the "leaders" of Chinese cinema.

"Teacher, you're really well-informed. I've only been here for less than 24 hours. I was just thinking of having Tingting arrange a time to visit you." Wang Sheng greeted him with a smile, leading Han Sanping to a seat on the sofa. He skillfully scalded the cups, rinsed the tea, and brewed the tea, his movements fluid and graceful.

The aroma of the finest Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao tea quickly filled the room.

"You're a real pillar of strength now. I can only feel truly at ease now that you're back."

Han Sanping took the small teacup from Wang Sheng, blew on it to warm it, took a sip, and praised, "Good tea! Yours is the most authentic."

He put down his teacup, his gaze sweeping over Wang Sheng with scrutiny. "You've had a very fruitful trip to Hollywood! 'The Museum' swept the globe, and 'Saw' became a dark horse. Now, both domestic and international media are practically calling you an 'Oriental miracle.'"

"It's just luck, plus a bit of forward-thinking judgment." Wang Sheng poured himself a glass, his tone calm. "Ultimately, it's all about the foundation we've built domestically and the potential of our market."

Han Sanping nodded, quite pleased with this humble and unassuming attitude.

He dropped his pleasantries and got down to business: "Enough with the small talk. Your return comes at a crucial juncture. Let me first discuss my assessment of the market in the second half of the year, and see if it aligns with what you've observed outside."

Wang Sheng sat up straight, adopting a listening posture.

"What happened in the first half of the year had a significant impact on the industry."

Han Sanping sighed, "The cinemas were closed for almost half a year, production was halted, and people were filled with anxiety. However, there is always an opportunity hidden in the crisis. After everything returned to normal at the end of June, there were obvious signs of a retaliatory rebound in the audience's desire to watch movies. The occupancy rates of the films released in early July were unexpectedly good."

He paused, then continued, "Therefore, we are very optimistic about the market in the second half of the year. In particular, the Lunar New Year film season at the end of the year will be the key to testing the strength of the market recovery and a battleground for all strategists."

Zhang Weiping's film, Hero, although it was pulled from release once, has been polished for more than half a year and its promotion has never stopped. They are determined to compete with us in this year's Lunar New Year film season.

Your film *Kung Fu Hustle* is scheduled for December, a perfect match. This battle isn't just about box office revenue, but also about morale, and whether Chinese films can recover from this crisis.

Wang Sheng nodded slightly; these circumstances were basically consistent with the information he had.

He added, "I'm also keeping an eye on things back home while I'm in the US. There's definitely a need to release pent-up demand. And after this experience, I think audiences will be more receptive to films that bring warmth, hope, and simple joy."

The nonsensical comedic style and the underdog's triumphant core of *Kung Fu Hustle* perfectly resonate with this sentiment. As for *Hero*, while its visual aesthetics are unparalleled, the controversial nature of its story may not be an advantage in today's climate of seeking resonance and emotional comfort.

Han Sanping's eyes flashed with approval: "You've got a good eye. That's the second point I wanted to discuss with you: the strategy of 'going global' and 'bringing in' films."

He leaned forward slightly. "Your success in Hollywood this time is of great significance. The higher-ups have taken notice and believe that this is a viable path to achieve cultural export through commercial rules."

Wang Sheng's heart stirred; he knew this was one of the core reasons for Han Sanping's visit today.

"Regarding going global," Han Sanping continued, "your 'Shengying Model' provides a template. It's not about forcefully promoting our values, but about using internationally accepted genre film language to package our strengths in story elements and aesthetics, achieving commercial success first, and then subtly conveying our culture."

Your upcoming Sino-Korean co-production, *If Love Has a Destiny*, and your insistence on including Chinese actors in *Twilight*, are both excellent attempts. The higher-ups hope that Sheng Ying can continue to explore these avenues and forge a wider path.

“That’s natural,” Wang Sheng affirmed. “The ceiling of a single market is visible. Future competition will inevitably be global.”

I will leverage the channels and reputation I've built in Hollywood to continue promoting our high-quality content, such as upcoming TV movies and co-productions, overseas.

On the other hand, we will also participate in more international projects through investment and co-production, but not simply as co-investors. We aim to secure creative leadership and profit sharing, just like the model I discussed with New Line Cinema.

"Good! That's the spirit we need!" Han Sanping clapped his hands. "So, what about 'bringing in'? What are your thoughts?"

“CEPA is a major positive development,” Wang Sheng analyzed. “Hong Kong’s film industry is mature and has rich experience in genre films, which can effectively supplement our content supply. However, we cannot import content blindly.”

My strategy is to prioritize importing commercial films with clear genres, high production values, and appeal to mainland audiences, such as the films I invested in, like "New Police Story" and "The Twins Effect".

At the same time, we should also leverage the collaboration to adapt their industrial processes and genre film creation experience to our own team.

As for South Korean films, the core objective is still to gain control over selection and distribution, serving our own market strategy and cultural exchange needs.

Han Sanping pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Let's talk about your own Shengying."

Han Sanping then changed the subject, "The IPO is just around the corner. After becoming the 'first listed film company in China,' how do you plan to utilize this platform?"

Old Han came with a mission.

Wang Sheng understood.

He combined his memories from his past life with the foundation he had built in this life to offer his own insights:
"Going public first and foremost means upgrading our capital platform. We can raise funds at a lower cost to support larger-scale content production and industry chain integration. But I have a few core ideas for development after going public."

"First, content is fundamental; we focus on high-quality, serialized, and IP-based projects. Content will always be the foundation of Shengying. After listing, we will adhere to the principle of 'reducing quantity and improving quality,' concentrating resources on creating top-tier projects."

For successful IPs like "Shaolin Soccer" and "Night at the Museum," we need to continue developing series.

Simultaneously, we will discover and cultivate new original IPs, such as the TV series adaptation of "The Four Great Constables" that we are preparing, as well as stories with unique Chinese cultural heritage, and serialize and brand them. Artist management will also more closely revolve around the core content, creating a positive interaction between stars and their works.

"Second, vertical integration of the industry chain. We have already laid out plans for production, distribution, cinema chains (through China Film Group Corporation), and even future film and television bases. After listing, we will further strengthen the synergy of each link."

For example, leveraging its own cinema chains to provide stable screenings for films produced by Shengying, maximizing content value through its distribution network, and reducing production costs and exploring cultural tourism integration through its film and television base.

"Third, technology-driven and globalization. This is also the fourth point I want to discuss with you, regarding the future of digital cinema." Wang Sheng's tone carried an undeniable sense of foresight.

"Digital cinema?" Han Sanping's gaze sharpened. This topic was still at the forefront of discussion in the current Chinese film industry.

“That’s right,” Wang Sheng affirmed. “The era of film is coming to an end, and digitalization is an irreversible trend. This is not just a change in the shooting medium, but a revolution in the entire industry chain from production and distribution to screening.”

He elaborated: "On the production side, digital cameras are becoming more and more widespread, with lower costs and higher efficiency. Post-production (special effects, color grading) is also entirely based on digital workflows."

We at Shengying have already extensively applied digital special effects in films like "Night at the Museum" and "Kung Fu Hustle," and this will become a standard feature of blockbusters in the future.

The visual effects company, established in collaboration with Nortel, combines industry, academia, and research to master core technologies.

"On the distribution side, the benefits of digitization are even more disruptive. Currently, our film prints are bulky and expensive film."

If digital distribution is realized, movies can be transmitted via satellite or sent directly to theaters via high-speed hard drives, saving the huge costs and time of printing and transporting copies, and the image quality will never deteriorate.

This is extremely advantageous for markets that require rapid response and multiple screenings.

"On the projection side, digital cinema (DCI standard) is the future. Although there are still very few digital screens in China, I predict that there will be a surge in the construction of digital cinemas in the next five to ten years."

It boasts stable screening quality, low operating costs, and the potential to expand into non-box office businesses, such as live streaming of major sporting events and performances. After listing, I plan to accelerate the digital transformation of 'China Film Grand Cinema Circuit' to seize the initiative.

Looking at Han Sanping, who was deep in thought, Wang Sheng concluded, "Teacher, the future of film will inevitably be a trinity of 'content + technology + capital'."

Shengying's IPO is not just about raising funds, but also about building a modern corporate platform that can adapt to and even lead this transformation.

We must leverage the power of capital to accelerate content innovation and technological upgrades, ultimately achieving a dual success of global cultural influence and commercial value.

The office quieted down, with only the aroma of tea wafting through the air.

Han Sanping remained silent for a long time.

This is not just a company's development plan, but also a profound insight and bold vision for the future path of the Chinese film industry.

After a long while, he let out a long sigh of relief, looking at Wang Sheng with a complex expression that included admiration, emotion, and a sense of entrusting him with an important task.

"A single conversation with you is worth more than ten years of study," Han Sanping said sincerely. "You're always a few steps ahead of us in terms of what you think. The higher-ups sent me here to hear your ideas, and they were right."

He stood up, patted Wang Sheng on the shoulder, and said, "Just follow your line of thinking! I'll help you clear the obstacles to domestic market recovery, policy coordination, and the final push for listing. Just go ahead and be bold, make your plans. Chinese cinema needs 'vanguards' like you, and even more so, 'lookouts' and 'game-changers' like you."

Wang Sheng also stood up and shook hands firmly with Han Sanping: "Our foundation is in China, but our vision is global. Teacher, let's work together."

After discussing work-related matters...

Han Sanping chatted casually with Wang Sheng for a while before leaving, as he had to rush to report.

(End of this chapter)