Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 99, Section 98: Old Wine in New Bottles
Sunday, November 3, 1996.

In late autumn, the roads of the Beijing Film Studio are covered with fallen leaves, adding to the solemn atmosphere.

Inside the factory's main conference room, however, the air was thick with heat, a stark contrast to the chill outside the window.

The deputy directors or representatives from the thirty film studios in the alliance, who were in charge of publicity and distribution, gathered together, filling the originally spacious conference room to capacity.

The air was filled with the smell of smoke and tea, as well as a complex atmosphere that mixed anticipation, curiosity, and a touch of scrutiny.

Han Sanping sat in the first seat, with Wang Sheng to his left.

On either side of the conference table were familiar or unfamiliar faces; they were all powerful figures in their respective factories who could speak on local television and manage relationships.

Today's screening and distribution mobilization meeting will determine whether "Family Harmony Brings Prosperity," the first film in the alliance, can be a success.

"Brothers, you must be tired from your journey." Han Sanping's opening remarks were concise and powerful: "Without further ado, let's get straight to the film. This film, 'Harmony Brings Prosperity,' is the first product of our alliance since its establishment. As for its quality, you can see for yourselves."

The lights dimmed, and the projection screen lit up.

After the familiar Beijing Film Studio intro, comes the intro from Shengying Media.

In the deep black digital space, countless blue and gold specks of light streaked across from all directions.

These points of light, attracted by the central gravitational force, begin to converge toward the center of the screen in complex trajectories.

They first quickly outlined the lettering of "Shengying Media," with lines composed of light dots, exuding a sense of technology.

Then, the light spots fill the outline and explode outwards, forming a suspended, futuristic cube or sphere.

Immediately following, the title of the film, "Harmony Brings Prosperity," appeared accompanied by light and cheerful music.

For the next 127 minutes, laughter and exclamations filled the conference room.

Zhao Benshan's portrayal of the "grandfather" was clumsy yet sincere, embodying the love of an elder. The precise performances of actors such as Guo Da, Fan Wei, and Song Dandan, the down-to-earth plot, and the numerous yet heartwarming moments of humor captivated the attention of everyone present.

After the film finished playing, the lights came back on.

Many of the deputy factory directors still had smiles on their faces, exchanging glances and nodding frequently.

They are all industry veterans; they can roughly estimate the market potential of a show just by watching the beginning.

The quality of "Harmony Brings Prosperity" has clearly exceeded many people's expectations. It is a TV series produced with the resources and technology of filmmaking, but at a significantly lower level. The visual quality, acting, and pacing are all far superior to ordinary TV series.

"Everyone has seen the film, what did you think?" Han Sanping asked with a smile, his tone full of confidence.

"Great! It's really great!"

The deputy director of Zhujiang Film Studio spoke first: "It's lively, funny, and touching. It's perfect for broadcasting during the Chinese New Year!"

"With Zhao Benshan and Guo Da in the cast, the people will definitely approve!" The deputy director of Xi'an Film Studio chimed in, "This film has market potential!"

Guo Da wields considerable influence in Qin Province.

"Director Han, General Manager Wang, this film is undoubtedly top-notch, a real gem," the deputy director of Changchun Film Studio concluded. "Now the key question is, how do we market it, and what kind of narrative do we use to sell it?"

All eyes turned to Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng calmly got up, walked to the whiteboard, and picked up a pen.

"Thank you for your recognition, leaders. A good film is fundamental, but even the best wine needs advertising."

Wang Sheng cut to the chase: "How do we get TV stations to willingly pay for it, and at a high price? We need to give it a completely new, high-value positioning."

He wrote four big characters on the blackboard: Television and Movies.

A slight commotion and whispers arose from the audience.

This term is quite unfamiliar to most people.

"TV movies?"

The deputy director of Jinling Film Studio repeated in confusion, "President Wang, what do you mean by that? Isn't this a three-episode TV series?" "Good question."

Wang Sheng smiled slightly and began to explain: "Television movies, as the name suggests, are programs produced specifically for television broadcast and possessing cinematic quality. This concept originated in the United States in the 1960s."

At the time, the American television industry was booming, and television stations needed a program format that was longer and more narratively complete than single-episode dramas, but cheaper and faster to produce than traditional films to fill prime time.

He briefly introduced the development of television movies in Europe and America, especially their standard length, usually 90-120 minutes, including commercial breaks, cinematic production standards, and social impact.

"Think about it, everyone,"

Wang Sheng guided everyone's thinking: "Our show, 'Harmony Brings Prosperity,' consists of three episodes broadcast consecutively, with a total runtime of 127 minutes. Doesn't that meet the standard perfectly?"

We used a film crew, film equipment, and film production processes to make it far superior to ordinary TV dramas.

But it wasn't designed for theatrical release; it was born to be shown on television for every household.

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, before stating his core argument: "Therefore, we shouldn't simply sell it as a 'three-episode TV series.' We should package it as a more sophisticated program format—a 'TV movie.'"

"Why call it a TV movie?" Wang Sheng asked himself, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "Because... it has a high-class feel to it!"

The word has a slightly slang flavor, but combined with Wang Sheng's context and gestures, the seasoned veterans present instantly understood its meaning—high-class, sophisticated, and sounds valuable!

Or, to put it another way, it's like 'old wine in new bottles'; if the bottle is high-end, then the price of the wine can naturally go up as well.

"When we promote it, we can use the slogan 'The first New Year's TV movie in the country!'"

Wang Sheng emphasized, “'The first in the country'—that’s its scarcity; 'New Year’s film'—that’s its timeliness and festive nature; 'TV movie'—that’s a guarantee of quality and format. Doesn’t the appeal of combining these three words immediately change?”

He continued to analyze the publicity strategy:
Highlighting "cinematic quality," the film is produced by a professional film team from Beijing Film Studio and stars "cinematic" comedians such as Zhao Benshan and Guo Da. The visuals, sound effects, and performances are all on par with those of a movie.

Positioned as a "family-friendly" show, it caters to the viewing needs of families during the Spring Festival, emphasizing that it is suitable for three generations to watch together, filled with laughter and warmth.

By leveraging the concept of "first" to generate buzz and through media pre-release promotion, the novel term "TV movie" itself can pique curiosity.

When suggesting programming for television stations, it is advisable to present the series as a "special program" during prime time on New Year's Eve or the Spring Festival, rather than as a regular drama, to enhance its broadcast value.

Wang Sheng's clear, logical, and persuasive explanation captivated the eyes of the deputy factory directors in the audience.

They originally thought they were just coming to get a decent TV series to promote, but Wang Sheng elevated it to a completely new level.

This move not only enhanced the appeal of the work but also gave them a powerful argument that could convince the station's purchasing department.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" The deputy director of Emei Film Studio couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Television movie! This is a great concept! It immediately distinguishes it from those sentimental, melodramatic TV dramas!"

"How did Mr. Wang's brain work?"

The representative from the Tianjin factory shook his head and sighed, "With this kind of packaging, I feel the price can be negotiated up by at least 30%!"

“More than 30%! If the station recognizes this concept of ‘first’ and ‘movie-level’, it could even double!” The deputy director of Pearl River Film Studio rubbed his hands excitedly.

The way everyone looked at Wang Sheng was no longer just admiration, but also a kind of amazement as if they were looking at a "monster".

This kid is not only creative and market-savvy, but he's also incredibly skilled at marketing and packaging. He's practically born for this industry!
Han Sanping sat on the stage, watching Wang Sheng speak eloquently and command the audience. A smile of undisguised satisfaction and pride appeared on his face, as if to say, "Look, this is the handsome young man from our Beijing Film Studio!"

He nodded slightly with pride, feeling even more confident about the future of the alliance.

The film screening and marketing planning meeting concluded successfully.

Han Sanping gave a brief summary, reiterating the importance of collaborative operations, and demanding that representatives from each factory take immediate action upon returning to finalize broadcast arrangements before the end of the year.

After the meeting, representatives from each factory received Betacam SP videotapes from the organizing committee for television review. This was the standard professional tape format for television broadcasting and program exchange in the mid-to-late 1990s, with picture quality far superior to VHS.

Each tape was accompanied by a carefully prepared promotional script, highlighting its new positioning as "the first New Year's TV movie in the country".

Clutching the videotapes and brimming with confidence, the deputy factory directors shook hands with Han Sanping and Wang Sheng to say goodbye, eager to return to their respective posts...

(End of this chapter)