The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

The top author will join the platform with his new work, "The Shura Field of Chinese Entertainment: All the Young Actresses Want to Rise to the Top," depending on his mood!

The war between Shen Mo and Huayi gradually transcended personal grudges and corporate competition, evolving into a rehearsal for the future direction of the industry, the rules of resource allocation, and the struggle for discourse power.

This clash between old and new forces has drawn in more and more stakeholders, intensified the debate in the public sphere, and even begun to attract attention at a higher level.

Just as tensions were rising and escalating further, an invitation from China Film Group was delivered to Shen Mo and Wang Zhonglei's desks.

The letter was carefully worded and neutral, citing the reasons of "promoting the healthy and orderly development of the film and television industry and exploring healthy competition and cooperation within the industry".

Invite the heads of both parties to a “formal internal communication”.

China Film Group's involvement was unexpected, yet entirely logical.

As an industry leader and a true behemoth, China Film Group Corporation (CFGC) controls crucial resources related to film imports, mainstream cinema chains, and policy guidance.

The fierce battle between Huayi and Mohen has already affected the stability of the industry to some extent, and excessive internal friction is not in the interest of the overall development of the industry.

More importantly, China Film Group itself is also one of the producers of "Aftershock". Although it may not agree with some of Huayi Brothers' methods, the interests of "Aftershock" are deeply tied to those of Huayi Brothers.

At the same time, they also keenly perceived the emerging force represented by Mohen and the enormous potential of the internet capital behind it.

They did not want to see this new player killed off prematurely.

The coordination meeting was held in a discreet meeting room at China Film Group.

Shen Mo arrived on time with Zhou Wanqing, and Wang Zhonglei also appeared accompanied by his assistant.

When the two protagonists met, there was no tense confrontation as expected; they simply nodded slightly and their eyes met briefly before looking away.

However, the invisible pressure permeating the air made the atmosphere in the entire conference room exceptionally heavy.

Han Sanping, the current chairman of China Film Group, was the one who came forward on behalf of China Film Group.

He didn't waste time with pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"President Wang, President Shen, there's no other reason for inviting you two here today."

"You two are probably well aware of the recent turmoil in the industry."

"As one of the participants in the industry, I also hope to create a healthier and more orderly development environment for the industry."

Han Sanping spoke in a calm tone, yet his words carried weight.

"Unfair competition, especially certain tactics that go beyond the scope of business, benefits no one."

"Ultimately, it will damage the image and foundation of the entire film and television industry."

He first looked at Wang Zhonglei.

"Huayi is a leading company in the industry and has made great contributions to the development of the industry over the years. It should set an example and maintain a healthy ecosystem for the industry."

Wang Zhonglei's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said...

"Mr. Han is right. Huayi has always been committed to promoting the healthy development of the industry."

"Sometimes, however, some new entrants are not familiar with the rules of the industry, and their actions are inevitably aggressive, so we are forced to react accordingly."

He emphasized the word "rules" slightly, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Shen Mo.

Han Sanping remained noncommittal, then turned to look at Shen Mo, his tone still calm.

"Mr. Shen is young and promising, and the innovative model of Mohen Capital has brought new vitality and insights to the industry."

"However, in the process of rapid development, we must also pay attention to the methods and approaches, and maintain the overall unity of the industry."

Shen Mo smiled slightly, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Han and senior colleagues."

"Inkmark has always respected market rules and laws and regulations, and is willing to cooperate with all peers who are committed to creating high-quality content."

"We firmly believe that the market's choice and the audience's recognition are the ultimate criteria for judgment."

"We welcome any fair competition based on the work and the market."

His words not only stated his stance but also implied that Huayi's previous methods were not "fair competition".

President Han nodded, clearly understanding the subtext between the two sides.

He pondered for a moment and then offered substantive suggestions.

"There's no point in dwelling on past conflicts and who was right or wrong. I think we should all look forward."

"Regarding the selection of the Hundred Flowers Awards, there is a professional judging committee that makes fair judgments based on the quality of the works. All parties should respect the results and avoid unnecessary interference from external factors."

He paused, then continued.

"As for future market competition, I hope both sides can reach a basic understanding."

"You can compete on content, creativity, and operational efficiency, but don't resort to unconventional methods."

"Especially those involving personal attacks, tax rumors, and even the use of administrative resources for non-market-based suppression."

"This is a personal request of mine, and also for the long-term consideration of the industry."

These words, while seemingly blaming both sides equally, actually impose more constraints on Huayi, since they were the ones who first resorted to "unconventional methods."

This also gave the ink marks a clear signal.

You are allowed to develop, but within certain frameworks.

Wang Zhonglei's eyes flickered; he knew this was the clearest statement China Film Group could give.

He took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

"Of course I'll give Mr. Han face."

"As long as Mohen abides by the rules of the game, Huayi is naturally willing to compete in a fair environment."

Shen Mo knew when to stop, as he knew it wasn't time to completely overturn the table yet.

China Film Group's involvement provided him with an opportunity to consolidate his gains and buy time for development.

"Our consistent attitude at Mohen has always been to focus on ourselves and create high-quality content. As long as the competitive environment is fair, we are not afraid of any challenges."

With Han Sanping as witness, the two temporarily shook hands and made peace.

There were no winners or losers in this coordination meeting; it was merely a brief and precarious balancing act.

Shen Mo knew that his actions at this stage were at best a trial balloon for internet capital to get involved.

Two years from now, when internet capital such as BAT (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent) really gets involved, the fate of the traditional giants in the industry will be either to become dependent or to collapse.

This coordination meeting brought a pause to the heated "war," forcibly pulling the competition back to the relatively controllable commercial and content level.

Huayi has temporarily put aside its underhanded tactics, but the open and covert struggles between the two sides over resources, channels, talent, and content will inevitably intensify.

Shen Mo was also aware that China Film Group's "care" was a double-edged sword, meaning that his future development would be subject to more scrutiny under the spotlight and traditional rules.

The form of war has changed, but it has never ended.

As they walked out of the conference room, Shen Mo and Wang Zhonglei exchanged a glance, both understanding that this was just a break.

The next round of competition will be a real battle in terms of projects, box office, awards, and market share.

Upon returning to their respective companies, Shen Mo and Wang Zhonglei held internal debriefing meetings behind closed doors at almost the same time.

The atmosphere in Mohen's conference room was serious, but not oppressive.

Shen Mo sat in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

"The war is over," Shen Mo said, his voice calm and even. "The result is temporary peace, but we all know that we just haven't lost, not that we've won."

"Now, let's talk about where we won and where we lost."

Yang Tianzhen spoke first, "The cause of this Mo Hua battle is the Hundred Flowers Award competition between 'Love is Not Blind' and 'Aftershock'."

"The other party chose to start with Mr. Shen's reputation scandal, catching us completely off guard."

"Although we responded in time, it was still a bit rushed. When deciding to compete for the award, we should have prepared contingency plans for the relevant competitors in advance. We still lack experience in this regard."

Zhou Wanqing adjusted her glasses and took over the conversation.

"Although China Film Group stopped Huayi's subsequent resource blockade, its industry control demonstrated was overwhelming."

Then she took out a list.

"Actors changed their minds at the last minute, magazine shoots were interrupted, collaborations with GG were suspended, and TV stations began to observe... all of this happened within just a few days."

"In the traditional sectors of the entertainment industry, Huayi still holds the lifeline of the industry ecosystem."

"This is something we cannot achieve at present."

Lin Wei picked up the conversation, "Yes, from a public relations perspective, we have the upper hand in public opinion."

"However, public opinion can help us clear our name, but it cannot directly award us prizes, force theaters to increase screenings, or get those artists and directors who are controlled by Huayi Brothers to cooperate with us."

"Hmm," Shen Mo nodded and smiled slightly, "I've covered the disadvantages, let's talk about the gains."

Yang Tianzhen glanced at the group and said, "Then I'll start by throwing out an idea."

"We have won the first step in the public opinion battle."

"We can say that we have won a complete victory in this battle of public opinion."

She pointed to the data stream on the big screen: "It started with the viral spread of the full video, explaining what happened, and clearing up the name."

"From defining the nature of this matter at the legal level, to exposing its financial chain through financial media, and even leveraging the channel advantages of allies such as ByteDance, Xiaomi, and Meituan to cover the information..."

"Compared to Huayi's traditional online marketing tactics of buying trending topics and publishing smear articles, our propaganda war is more systematic."

Zhou Wanqing added, "Our sensitivity and responsiveness in the capital market are also superior to theirs."

"The ability to quickly locate Qinan Culture and link it to Huayi's core figures was the key turning point in turning the tide of the battle."

"I have a little extra gain here." Zhao Feng raised his hand with a wicked grin. "We believe in Mohen. At worst, Mohen won't lose, and Huayi will lose face. This will likely translate into a drop in their stock price."

"So, on Mr. Shen's reminder, we quietly entered the market, shorted Huayi, and made a small profit of 30 million."

After listening quietly to everyone's analysis, Shen Mo leaned forward slightly and a smile appeared on his face.

"As it turns out, we didn't lose. I'm very satisfied with this result given the rushed engagement."

"A veteran entertainment giant can't even take down a new company that's only been established for a year. Tell me, who's the one who's embarrassed, us or Huayi?"

"Furthermore, we should thank Huayi for helping us gain such a huge reputation and attention. Now, who in the industry doesn't know that Mohen is a company that even Huayi can't control!"

"However, in general..."

Shen Mo changed the subject, his tone gradually becoming low.

"This conflict has proven that our approach of building an internet ecosystem and developing the cultural and entertainment sector in tandem is correct, which will make us invincible in the online public opinion battlefield."

"But it also completely exposed how weak the structure of our entertainment industry is, making it vulnerable in a head-on collision with the traditional entertainment market."

"Winning the information war only gives us the right to sit at the table; it doesn't mean we have the ability to set the rules."

He paused for a moment, then gave clear instructions.

"Going forward, we need to strengthen our planning in these areas."

"First, consolidate the foundation of the Internet."

"We need to deepen our relationships with strategic partners such as ByteDance and Xiaomi, and transform the advantages of this collaboration into long-term alliances."

"Second, we need to accelerate the construction of structural defenses for the cultural and entertainment sector."

"The 'Small Series' must succeed. We need to prove that even if Huayi blocks us, we still have the ability to produce hit content."

"The Moying Alliance needs to accelerate its integration process, investing in or absorbing more small and medium-sized players. We want to form our own ecosystem that can compete with those traditional giants."

"Third, quietly infiltrate traditional areas of the entertainment industry."

"Through capital cooperation, project partnerships, and talent development, we will gradually break through Huayi's blockade and embed our network of relationships into the resource network of the traditional entertainment industry."

"In this regard, we can start with the private equity fund that Zhao Feng is preparing, and use high returns to attract some people in the industry. Interests are the best form of connections."

"Remember," Shen Mo said, looking around at everyone. His voice was not loud, but it carried immense power.

"Stopping the war is not the end."

"Hua Yi will not let us go, and we will not let him go either."

"The next stage of competition will be a war between ecosystems and resource barriers."

"What we need to do is make any opponent think twice before trying to overturn the table, considering whether they can afford the consequences."

Compared to the atmosphere in the Ink-Stained Meeting Room, the atmosphere in the Huayi Meeting Room was much more somber.

The room was filled with smoke. Wang Zhonglei sat at the head of the table with a gloomy expression, while several core executives remained silent with their heads down.

"A utter disgrace!"

Wang Zhonglei slammed his hand on the table, making the ashtray jump.

"A prestigious company like Huayi has been forced into a corner by a small, one-year-old company, requiring China Film Group to intervene and smooth things over!"

"Mr. Wang, we...seriously underestimated Shen Mo."

Vice President Yang Lei forced himself to speak.

"We overlooked his identity as an investor, in addition to being an actor."

"Moreover, as rumored, he is indeed very good at public opinion control and marketing planning."

"Our attacks on him were like children fighting in the face of his counterattack."

"Qinan was the biggest mistake!"

Wang Zhonglei gritted his teeth, "The connection was uncovered so quickly! This is a fatal mistake! Why didn't you discover it earlier?"

After a moment of silence, Li Cheng, the director in charge of artist management, cautiously took over the conversation.

"Although we lost the information war, our resource blockade was effective."

"If it weren't for China Film Group's intervention, we were confident that we could make it impossible for Mohen to make any progress in the industry within three months."

"Effective?" Wang Zhonglei sneered.

"What's the use if it's effective? Han Sanping has already given his word, do you still dare to use it recklessly?!"

"We can subtly sabotage them in many inconspicuous places, which will be enough to give them a hard time." Li Cheng's voice trailed off under Wang Zhonglei's gaze.

He took a deep drag on his cigar, forcing himself to calm down.

"Listen," Wang Zhonglei said, his eyes flashing with a sinister light as he surveyed the crowd.

"We must pay attention to and redefine the concepts of ink marks and ink sedimentation."

"This troublemaker is no simple character."

"In terms of public opinion, we will strengthen our control within the industry. If we can't do anything about it on the internet, then let them see that experience still matters in traditional fields."

"In addition, make things less comfortable for him in terms of theatrical scheduling, TV station purchasing, award judging, and artist resources. Don't target him completely, but also occasionally trip him up."

"Also, use your brains and don't leave any more leverage like Qi Nan's."

"By the way," Wang Zhonglei stubbed out his cigar, his tone chilling, "he can investigate our financial channels, so you all need to keep a close eye on him too."

"I refuse to believe he doesn't have a weakness we can exploit!"