Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 532, Section 530: Salt
As the lights gradually brightened, the ceremony officially came to an end.

The guests stood up one after another, greeting, hugging and congratulating each other.

The air was filled with the ecstasy of victory, the slight bitterness of loss, and, more importantly, the complex emotions of the annual extravaganza coming to an end.

Wang Sheng calmly stood up. The atmosphere in the area where he was in the "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "Spy House" sections was somewhat quiet.

Jamie Foxx rubbed his face vigorously, then gave Wang Sheng a hearty smile and hugged him tightly: "Wang, you're right, we made a great movie!"

There were still some lingering tears in Tyler James Williams' eyes, but his gaze was firm. He followed closely behind Wang Sheng, like a small animal seeking refuge.

Wang Sheng patted Jamie on the back and ruffled Taylor's hair, his tone steady: "Remember how you felt tonight, remember this 'almost' moment. It will be the best fuel for your future journey."

He straightened his perfectly wrinkle-free suit, his gaze sweeping over the Lord of the Rings film crew, who were surrounded by the media not far away, his expression calm.

The two technical awards have been carefully put away by his assistant. Eighteen nominations, two awards in the end. To outsiders, this result may seem like a disappointment of "much ado about nothing," but in his heart, the strategic significance of those eighteen nominations far outweighs the number of trophies he ultimately won.

"Director Wang Sheng! Over here!"

"Chairman Wang, would you like to be interviewed?"

"Director Stephen Chow, please wait!"

As Wang Sheng, Zhou Xingxing, and two other key members of the crew walked toward the theater exit with the crowd, the media, who had been waiting in the mixed zone, swarmed around them like sharks smelling blood.

Long lenses and short microphones were practically shoved in my face, and questions in various languages ​​mingled into a noisy mess.

CCTV Movie Channel, Phoenix TV, Hunan TV Entertainment Frontline and other Chinese-language media outlets were at the forefront, their eyes filled with concern and inquiry.

Wang Sheng stopped in his tracks, and Zhou Xingxing subconsciously shrank back, giving him the main seat.

Fan Xiaopang also appeared at the right time beside Wang Sheng. She had touched up her makeup, and her dark green dress shimmered under the lights. She maintained an impeccable professional smile on her face.

"Director Wang Sheng, first of all, congratulations to 'Spy Kids' for winning the Best Art Direction and Costume Design awards!"

The CCTV reporter spoke first, speaking cautiously, "However, we have all seen that tonight Shengying Media and director Wang Sheng received a record-breaking eighteen nominations, but ultimately only won two technical awards, missing out on core awards such as Best Director and Best Film. How do you feel right now? Do you feel very disappointed?"

The questions were sharp and direct, and all the cameras were focused on Wang Sheng's face, capturing the most subtle changes in his expression.

Wang Sheng showed no disappointment or resentment. He answered the CCTV microphone in clear and steady Chinese:
“Regret?” He repeated the word, as if savoring its meaning. “There must be some.”

His candid admission surprised the reporters present.

"After all, we've put in a tremendous amount of effort, and our team has also made the ultimate effort. Nobody wants their work to not receive the highest honors."

He then changed the subject, his tone becoming more open-minded and forceful, “But that’s life, isn’t it? What life is without regrets? The Oscars have their own rules, traditions, and the circumstances of the year. ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ is a great epic, and its success is well-deserved. We sincerely congratulate director Peter Jackson and his team.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the reporters who were listening intently, and continued, "But in my opinion, these eighteen nominations are no less significant than any Oscar."

These represent a concentrated and widespread recognition from the Oscar judges of "Wang Sheng Productions," the production standards of Shengying Media, and even the progress of the Chinese film industry.

This proves that we are on the right path, and that the stories we tell and the technology we present are now capable of standing at the center of the world film stage, competing with the best of our peers. This in itself is a remarkable victory.

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable confidence and power, instantly soothing the lingering sense of unease among many Chinese-language media professionals. "Moreover," Wang Sheng's lips curled into a more ambitious smile, "our focus shouldn't be solely on tonight's gains and losses. For me, the Oscars are an important milestone, but certainly not the end. We should be focusing more on the future."

He skillfully seized the opportunity to change the topic.

"For example, just a few days later, on March 5th, Stephen Chow's 'Kung Fu Hustle' will be released in North American theaters on a large scale." He turned to the side, letting Stephen Chow stand in front of the camera. "I believe that North American audiences will give this film a more enthusiastic and direct response than an Oscar trophy—that is, box office success and critical acclaim."

Stephen Chow smiled shyly and added in accented Mandarin, "Yes, the most important thing when a movie is made is that the audience likes it."

Wang Sheng picked up the thread and continued listing examples: "For instance, this summer, the Twilight series, in which our Shengying Media has a deep involvement and which stars Ms. Fan Xiaopang, will be released simultaneously worldwide. It will be another brand new story, a romantic adventure that transcends cultures and species."

The camera immediately focused on Fan Xiaopang, who nodded and smiled elegantly, saying in her well-practiced English, "It's an amazing journey, I can't wait to share it with you all."
"In the future," Wang Sheng concluded with unwavering conviction, "Shengying Media will continue to produce a wide variety of works. There will be realistic films rooted in China, blockbuster films that blend Eastern and Western elements, animation, TV series... We will continue to cultivate our content, break through in technology, and expand in the market. We will come back to the Oscars. But our stage will not be limited to the Kodak Theatre."

His visionary outlook, brimming with confidence, instantly shifted the tone of the interview from "reflecting on regrets" to "looking to the future."

"Director Wang Sheng, do you mean that Sheng Ying will not be discouraged by tonight's result, but will instead be more motivated?" a reporter asked.

"Discouraged?" Wang Sheng chuckled and shook his head. "That word doesn't exist in my dictionary. Tonight's result isn't the end for us, but a higher starting point."

It tells us how far we've come, and reminds us that there's still a long way to go.

We will carry this 'regret' with us and turn it into motivation to make our next work even better.

Regret is like salt; without it, even a successful soup will lack flavor.

The apt metaphor "regret is salt" was instantly conveyed to the entire audience through the microphone and camera.

……

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, in China, it was a bright and sunny morning.

Countless Chinese movie fans, media professionals, and ordinary viewers who watched the CCTV movie channel's live broadcasts overnight or got up early to watch the news replays have just experienced a rollercoaster of emotions.

When the news of the eighteen nominations broke, major online forums (such as Tianya, Mop, and the newly emerging Tieba) were already in an uproar, with posts like "Wang Sheng is awesome" and "The pride of the Chinese people" flooding the screen. Countless people stayed in front of their televisions, filled with the excitement of "perhaps witnessing history."

However, as the awards were presented one by one, especially with the Best Director and Best Film going to other winners, the wave of excitement on the internet was gradually replaced by a complex emotion.

"Sigh, it's still not quite there..."

"The Lord of the Rings is just too powerful, there's nothing we can do about it."

"Two technology awards are pretty good! We used to struggle to even get nominated!"

"Wang Sheng is right, being nominated is a victory! Eighteen nominations! Think back to the past!"

"It's such a shame, we were so close..."

This sense of "regret" is especially real in university campuses, internet cafes, and many family living rooms.

(End of this chapter)