Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 515, Section 513: My rules are the rules.

September 2004, 2, Beijing.

With the afterglow of the Spring Festival still lingering, a highly anticipated conference is being held inside the General Administration building on Fuxingmenwai Street.

The building stands solemnly, a stark contrast to the bustling traffic on Chang'an Avenue not far away. Every sound emanating from here could potentially determine the future direction of China's film industry.

The full name of this meeting is "Several Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Film Industry and Symposium on Film Industry Work".

The reason for the emergency meeting held more than a month after the release of the "Several Opinions" (commonly known in the industry as the "Ten Articles on Film") was, on the surface, to thoroughly study the spirit of the document and discuss implementation measures. However, those in the industry knew that the deeper reason was the astonishing listing of Shengying Media Group and Wang Sheng's coronation as the richest man in China.

This behemoth, born from capital and the market, and its excessively young and incredibly lucky leader, have completely transformed the ecosystem and power structure of the Chinese film industry.

The State Administration of Taxation needs to take this opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of private capital while also clarifying the rules, building consensus, and guiding this newly launched industrial behemoth in the right direction.

Those invited to the meeting were all leading figures from domestic private film companies.

Although the title of "China's first listed film company" belongs exclusively to Shengying, the market is large enough to accommodate more trendsetters.

The meeting was held in a medium-sized conference room of the General Administration.

The oval-shaped conference table and the seating arrangement subtly hint at a hidden meaning.

Wang Sheng naturally took a prominent seat near the head of the table, directly facing the projection screen.

Today he was wearing a well-tailored dark suit, without a tie, and a light gray shirt underneath.

He was seated in order to his left, right, and below him:

Wang Zhongjun, the owner of Huayi.

At this time, Huayi Brothers, with its New Year's films by Feng Xiaogang and its astute artist management business, had already made a name for itself among private film and television companies and was a strong competitor second only to Shengying.

Wang Zhongjun smiled and nodded to those he knew, but when his gaze swept over Wang Sheng, who was in the main seat, a complex emotion inevitably flashed in the depths of his eyes.

Zhang Weiping, the owner of New Pictures.

After the massive losses from "Hero," Zhang Weiping's expression wasn't good; he looked somewhat gloomy. His feud with Wang Sheng was well-known in the industry, and although they were sitting in the same room, they barely exchanged a word. New Pictures, relying on Zhang Yimou, had initially experienced rapid growth, but now, under the overwhelming influence of Sheng Ying, it had paled in comparison.

Qin Hong, the owner of Stellar Cinemas. Stellar Cinemas' business spans cinema investment, film production and distribution, and its strength should not be underestimated. Qin Hong is relatively low-key and focuses more on channel development, but the pressure he faces from Wang Sheng and his "China Film Prosperity Cinema Line" is self-evident.

Dong Ping, the owner of Huayi, is no longer the same as before. Huayi has been acquired by Poly Group and, backed by Poly Group, has strong capital and is actively expanding in the cultural and media field.

In addition, there are representatives from Jin Yingma Film and Television, which has made a name for itself in the film and television industry with TV series such as "Pink Lady", as well as some private company leaders who are quite powerful in their local areas and are trying to enter the national market, such as Hengdian Group in Zhejiang Province and Superstar Film and Television in Guangdong Province.

They looked at Wang Sheng with a mixture of awe, envy, and a hint of unspeakable bitterness in their eyes.

In their private little circle, Wang Sheng had already been given a nickname – "Overlord".

This "Overlord" does not refer to the brave but reckless Xiang Yu of Western Chu, but rather describes his domineering behavior, his control over capital, channels, and content, his setting of rules, his command of the world, and his absolute obedience.

Shengying Group, with a market value of 40 billion, is his invincible overlord spear.

At the beginning of the meeting, the deputy director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television in charge of film affairs presided over the meeting and delivered an introductory speech.

He reiterated the importance of the "Several Opinions," pointing out that the current period is a critical opportunity for the development of China's film industry. He affirmed the enormous contributions made by private capital to the prosperity of the film market and specifically commended Shengying Media for its exemplary role.

"...We hope that all entrepreneurs will speak freely and offer suggestions based on their own experiences to implement the 'Several Opinions' and promote the healthy, sustainable and rapid development of China's film industry."

The deputy director concluded by looking at Wang Sheng, "Now, let's first invite Mr. Wang Sheng, Chairman of Shengying Media Group, to share his views and experiences."

The use of the terms "firstly" and "comrade," along with the separate speaking session, already speaks volumes.

Of all those present, only Wang Sheng enjoyed this "privilege." The others could only speak when called upon or asked questions later.

This is the power to speak that comes with strength.

Wang Sheng nodded slightly and adjusted the microphone in front of him.

He didn't prepare a thick speech, only a simple outline.

But when he spoke, the entire conference room fell silent instantly, and everyone's eyes were on him, including those jealous rivals.

"Thank you for the trust of the leaders of the State Administration of Radio and Television, and thank you for the attention of all my colleagues." Wang Sheng's voice was steady and powerful, and it carried throughout the conference room through the microphone: "The release of the 'Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Film Industry' is timely, giving all of us filmmakers a strong boost and pointing out the direction for our future."

The successful listing of Shengying Media is inseparable from the favorable environment created by the national cultural system reform and the support and guidance of policies.

He first set the tone and stated his position.

Then, the conversation shifted to the main point.

"Regarding how to implement the 'Several Opinions' and promote industrial development, I'm sure my colleagues have many insightful opinions. Here, I would like to focus on my personal, albeit immature, thoughts on the principles of film creation, drawing on Shengying's exploration over the years."

He deliberately slowed down his speech to ensure that every word could be clearly heard.

"I believe that in a market economy, while embracing capital and pursuing box office success, we content producers must have a sense of justice, adhere to certain bottom lines, and establish certain rules. This is not only being responsible to investors and audiences, but also being responsible for the future of Chinese cinema."

"First, cultural confidence is the foundation, not just a slogan."

Wang Sheng held up one finger: "Our films must first and foremost serve the Chinese people, and tell stories that resonate with them. This does not mean rejecting foreign cultures or creating films in isolation."

On the contrary, true cultural confidence means daring to use universally accepted cinematic language to tell the story of our unique cultural connotations and values.

"Night at the Museum" uses a Hollywood narrative shell, but its core is Chinese historical artifacts and the concept of harmony between heaven and man; "Kung Fu Hustle" incorporates Hong Kong-style slapstick comedy, but its roots are in Chinese martial arts culture.

The practice of trying to cater to the tastes of Western film festival judges and deliberately showcasing backwardness, darkness, and spectacles in order to gain international recognition is a manifestation of cultural inferiority. This path is becoming increasingly narrow and runs counter to the spirit of "promoting the excellent national culture" in the "Several Opinions".

Our creative work should be rooted in local contexts while maintaining a global perspective, participating in cultural exchange with confidence.

Although he didn't name names, his words were aimed at the creative tendencies of some "award-winning films" in recent years. Zhang Weiping's face turned even uglier, because "Hero" also had this kind of influence to some extent.

Wang Zhongjun and the others seemed to be deep in thought.

"Secondly, genre exploration and industrial standards are the way out," Wang Sheng continued, raising his second finger. "Film is an art, but also an industry. We can't always rely on flashes of genius. To build a sustainable and replicable industry, we must promote genre exploration and establish industrial standards."

Over the years, Shengying has experimented with various genres including fantasy, comedy, action, and realistic themes, and has developed a set of standardized processes from development and production to distribution.

This is not about stifling artistic individuality, but rather about providing fertile ground and guarantees for the realization of creativity.

We need more genre film experts, more specialized division of labor and collaboration, and a system like Hollywood's, where even if a director temporarily leaves, the project can continue thanks to a mature industrial system. This is the only way to expand the scale of the industry.

Many company owners present, who had built their businesses on the back of one or two directors and one or two films, frowned secretly upon hearing this, as it implied a higher level of entry barriers and competition standards.

"Third, social benefits and economic benefits must be unified."

Wang Sheng raised his voice slightly, “The ‘Several Opinions’ clearly requires that ‘social benefits be given top priority, and social and economic benefits be unified.’ This is not just empty talk.”

I believe that in contemporary China, a successful commercial film must contain positive values, convey truth, goodness, and beauty, and inspire people's yearning for a better life.

The heartwarming stories of ordinary people in "Lost in Thailand," the fighting spirit in "The Pursuit of Happyness," and even the unwavering commitment to kindness in "Kung Fu Hustle" are all indispensable elements of its commercial success.

Conversely, works that solely pursue sensory stimulation, glorify violence and pornography, or have confused values ​​may gain temporary profits, but they will never become classics and will inevitably be abandoned by the market and audiences.

Since we control the channels for making our voices heard, we must shoulder the corresponding social responsibility.

He surveyed the room with a sharp gaze: "Therefore, in my company, the first rule for project approval is value orientation. No matter how high the profit is, I won't do scripts that don't conform to mainstream values ​​or can't bring positive influence to the audience. This is the rule I, Wang Sheng, have established."

You could hear a pin drop in the conference room.

Wang Sheng's words were less about sharing his experiences and more about setting rules and standards for the entire industry.

Leveraging Shengying's unparalleled commercial success and market position, he strongly associated himself with concepts such as "cultural confidence," "industrialization," and "social benefits," elevating them to the level of industry standards.

You may not agree with his domineering ways, but you cannot ignore the rules of the game he sets.

Because he is currently the only winner, his model has been proven successful by the market and has also been recognized by the higher-ups.

In the subsequent speeches, whether the other entrepreneurs genuinely agreed or were forced to express their views, they all discussed or supplemented the principles proposed by Wang Sheng to varying degrees.

The atmosphere of the meeting was firmly controlled by that young "tyrant".

Everyone understands that a new era for Chinese cinema has truly arrived.

(End of this chapter)