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

Sun Zhonghuai has been very busy lately.

When he first took over Tencent Video, it felt like he was sitting on a volcano.

On the one hand, we need to maintain the normal operation of this behemoth, and on the other hand, we need to quickly achieve outstanding results in order to secure our position.

Facing a complex array of business lines and the strategic layout left by his predecessor every day, he also needs to reorganize and find the most suitable breakthrough for Tencent Video, which also best reflects his personal style.

Just when he was at his wit's end, news reached his ears—Mohen Pictures was about to separate from Mohen Capital and operate independently.

This news cheered him up.

As a top trader in the industry, Sun Zhonghuai is all too aware of the value of ink marks.

From the low-budget hit "Love is Not Blind" to the nationwide drama "My Love from the Star," the box office miracle "Lost in Thailand," and the recent socially discussed "A Little Reunion"...

Almost every project produced by Mohen has accurately grasped the pulse of the market, achieving both critical acclaim and commercial success.

This is by no means luck, but the result of a combination of accurate vision, a mature production system, and strong marketing capabilities.

More importantly, he also learned that Mohen holds the copyrights to nearly a hundred popular IPs with a large fan base.

This is a treasure trove of content that any platform would covet.

Recently, Chen Zhixi has been frequently visiting Tencent Video in order to discuss the broadcast of "A Little Reunion".

According to the subordinates who worked with her, they were deeply impressed by this female executive who had a clear mind and a capable style, which also indirectly confirmed the professionalism of the Mohen team.

An idea gradually surfaced in Sun Zhonghuai's mind.

He wanted more than just to buy a single episode of Inkstone.

That would be too passive, and too easy for other platforms to poach your business through bidding.

What he wanted was a deeper, more solid bond.

He wanted Tencent Video to invest in Mohen Pictures.

If Mohen can become "one of our own," then its strong content production capabilities, keen market sense, and valuable IP library will build an insurmountable content moat for Tencent Video.

Thinking of this, Sun Zhonghuai picked up the internal phone.

"Please compile a detailed analysis report on all of Mohen Media's publicly disclosed projects and IP rights. The more detailed, the better."

"Also, schedule an appointment with Mohen Shenmo and tell him... about our in-depth collaboration after 'A Little Reunion'. I'd like to talk to him in person."

A few days later, Shen Mo took time out of the filming of "The Journey of Flower" to meet with Sun Zhonghuai at a club in Pengcheng.

"Mr. Shen is young and promising, and his Mohen brand has created one hit product after another. He is truly admirable."

Sun Zhonghuai spoke first, his smile warm and his words filled with sincere praise.

"The enthusiastic social response to 'A Little Reunion' is enough to prove Mohen's control over the content and his market insight."

"Mr. Sun, you flatter me," Shen Mo smiled modestly and picked up his teacup.

"As the leading streaming media platform in China, Tencent Video's previous collaborations with 'My Love from the Star' and 'A Little Reunion' were inseparable from your strong support."

Mutual flattery is a necessary opening line in business.

The conversation quickly turned to the main topic, focusing on the upcoming drama "A Little Reunion." The two had a brief discussion on details such as the price of the exclusive online broadcasting rights, the investment methods for joint marketing, and the degree of resource allocation.

Shen Mo also guessed that Sun Zhonghuai's real intention was not what it seemed; otherwise, he could have talked to Chen Zhixi directly instead of inviting him over.

Shen Mo's accurate judgment of market prices and unique insights into marketing strategies further solidified Sun Zhonghuai's resolve.

Seeing that the groundwork had been laid, Sun Zhonghuai leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming more solemn.

"Mr. Shen, let's not beat around the bush."

"Penguin greatly admires Inkmark's team and capabilities."

"What we hope for is not just a collaboration on a single series, but a deeper and longer-term partnership."

He paused briefly before revealing his core intention.

Tencent Video is interested in acquiring a 20% stake in Mohen Pictures.

A brief silence fell over the private room.

Shen Mo did not answer immediately. He lowered his eyes to look at the tea leaves floating in the cup, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.

He had considered Sun Zhonghuai's intention, which was exactly the same as that of the institutions that had previously wanted to invest in Mohen Capital.

If it were an investment in Mohen Capital, Shen Mo would probably refuse decisively.

However, if it's Mohen Pictures, then it's certainly possible.

Sun Zhonghuai waited patiently, knowing that this decision was crucial for Mohen.

A moment later, Shen Mo slowly raised his head, his gaze calm yet sharp, and he presented a plan that was completely unexpected by Sun Zhonghuai.

"First of all, thank you, Mr. Sun, for your high regard for Mohen. I appreciate it. A 20% stake is not out of the question."

"But I have a perhaps bolder idea for Mr. Sun's consideration."

"Oh?" Sun Zhonghuai became interested. "I'd like to hear more details."

"Tencent Video, with its huge traffic and platform advantages, has always focused on channel distribution."

"But Mr. Sun must also know that top-quality content is always a scarce resource and the core competitiveness of a platform."

"But Mr. Sun must also know that top-quality content is always a scarce resource and the core competitiveness of a platform."

Shen Mo spoke at a steady pace, yet with an undeniable persuasiveness.

"Instead of simply investing in Inkmark, why not take this opportunity to allow Tencent to truly delve into the heart of content creation?"

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze intense.

"My suggestion is that Tencent Video should also establish a 'Tencent Pictures'."

"Then, we conducted a share swap."

"Inkhen Pictures will transfer 20% of its shares to Tencent Pictures, and at the same time, the newly established Tencent Pictures will transfer 20% of its shares to Inkhen."

Sun Zhonghuai instantly understood Shen Mo's intention, but there was one thing he couldn't understand.

"If we were to establish a Penguin Pictures now and exchange 20% of it with Inkstone Pictures."

"What's the point of exchanging ink stains for a shell company?"

Shen Mo smiled slightly, his expression meaningful.

"If Tencent Pictures can be an empty shell, then Mohen Pictures can be an empty shell too."

"Moreover, I believe that since Tencent wants to vigorously develop its video platform, it is impossible for it to give up its self-produced content."

"Instead of passively entering this field later, why not consider working with Mohen now? Maybe we can even help you train a strong production team."

"Mohen Pictures has ample IP rights, rich production experience, and strong marketing planning capabilities."

"However, our shortcomings are also obvious. We have too many copyrights, which makes it difficult to film the whole thing."

"For us, rather than letting it take root and sprout, it's better to co-produce with Penguin and monetize it as soon as possible."

"If Tencent thinks that Mohen's stake is worthwhile, it can increase its investment in Penguin Pictures. If it doesn't think it's worthwhile, it can simply establish a second Penguin Pictures."

Sun Zhonghuai was amused by Shen Mo's words and rolled his eyes at him speechlessly.

"I'm afraid outsiders will laugh at my penguin-eating habits."

However, he then nodded in relief, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

"This collaboration is no simple matter, but given this approach, why would I choose your company instead of Huayi or even Huace?"

Shen Mo also picked up his teacup and blew out a puff of steam.

"They are reluctant, or rather, they cannot afford to give up such a large share."

"Besides, I believe Mr. Sun wouldn't want to get involved in the problems they've accumulated over the years."

"Otherwise, why would they come asking me for shares in Mohen?"

Sun Zhonghuai shook his head. "The reason isn't enough!"

"We're family!" Shen Mo smiled meaningfully.

"Inkmark Capital holds 1% of Tencent's stock."

Sun Zhonghuai jumped to his feet. "How could this be?"

"Mr. Sun, what do you think happened to the profits from Mohen's 'My Love from the Star' and the revenue sharing from 'Lost in Thailand'?"

It's worth noting that the hugely popular drama "My Love from the Star" earned $300 million from Netflix alone, then $180 million per episode for its first run on satellite TV and two online streaming platforms, $150 million per episode for its second run on three channels, and nearly $2 million per episode for various in-show commercials. With a total of 30 episodes, this one drama alone brought in nearly 200 million yuan in revenue for Mohen.

Not to mention the 13 billion yuan box office of "Lost in Thailand" after the New Year. After deducting the funds for theaters and publicity, the 33% that can be shared with the production company, and then deducting the 20% that goes to Xu Zheng from that profit, Mohen received 3.5 million yuan.

Moreover, InkSign has been acquiring stocks at low prices in the market since last year, including not only Tencent, but also Tesla, Moutai, BYD, Nvidia, and Amazon, though the percentages are mostly only a few tenths of a percent.

The reason why Tencent's holdings have reached 1% is because of the recent influx of funds, which made Shen Mo want to promote in-depth cooperation with Tencent in the film and television sector, so he increased his holdings.

Moreover, in Shen Mo's opinion, the current price of Penguin is practically free. If he weren't worried about buying more and driving up the stock price too much, he would have liked to buy more.

"Mr. Shen, aren't you worried that such a large investment in the secondary market will affect the company's daily operations?"

"How does Mr. Sun know I didn't set aside any funds?"

"Besides, our film 'A Little Reunion' has just been released, and I'm sure Mr. Sun knows how well it's doing."

"Besides that, we also have 'A Little Reunion' and 'The Journey of Flower,' so I think I don't need to worry about funding."

Sun Zhonghuai adjusted his mindset after being provoked by Shen Mo and teased him again.

"Isn't Mr. Shen worried that these two films will be a liability?"

"It seems we've signed an online streaming rights deal with Tencent. You guys should be more worried about losing the rights than we are."

Sun Zhonghuai pointed a finger at Shen Mo, then shook his head with a smile, "President Shen, you're quite the schemer!"

"Of course I know about the quality, otherwise I wouldn't have come to you."

"Moreover, I also know how terrifying the recent data of the 'Ink Trace No. 1 Fund' is."

"The resources that President Shen controls are becoming increasingly powerful."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't be the one coming to you. If it were just about wanting to invest, anyone else could come, but not me."

"However, Mr. Shen's idea is indeed very good."

"Inkprint provides Tencent with experience guidance and IP copyrights for co-production, while Tencent provides Inkprint with channel promotion and platform background."

"I'm thinking of collaborating, but since it involves cross-shareholding, I need to go back and discuss it with Pony."

Most importantly, you need to tell him about the 1% of shares that Mohen currently holds. After all, judging from Shen Mo's appearance, it's not just a simple short-term financial investment; it seems like they might really need to deepen their cooperation in the future.

However, considering only cross-shareholding...

By acquiring partial ownership of Mohen, a "cash cow," Tencent Video can leverage Mohen's mature production experience and industry resources to quickly propel Tencent Pictures forward and truly enter the upstream of content production.

By holding shares in Tencent Pictures, Mohen has become deeply integrated with this potential giant, sharing its platform resources and huge future development dividends.

Shared risks, shared benefits, and strategic collaboration!

Sun Zhonghuai had to admit that Shen Mo's idea was bigger in scope and more ambitious.

This goes far beyond his initial intention to "invest in a good company".

No wonder Liu Chiping (Chief Strategic Investment Officer of Tencent) speaks highly of him, saying that he is a rare strategic planner.

-----------------

On February 17th, the lingering festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival had not yet dissipated. On the second day after work resumed, the air in the capital was still filled with a faint festive spirit.

To rush the filming of "The Journey of Flower", Shen Mo and Li Yitong even spent New Year's Eve on set. Finally, after wrapping up filming, they returned to the capital hand in hand.

I returned to attend the founding ceremony of Mohen Pictures, a company that had been carefully selected and had a promising future.

Inside the signing hall, the lights were dazzling.

The newly established Mohen Pictures is 41% owned by Mohen Capital, 20% each by Li Yitong and Tencent Pictures, 10% by Chen Zhixi, and the remaining 9% is used for equity incentives.

For Chen Zhixi, this is not only a great recognition of her past contributions and abilities, but also a deep integration of her personal career with the company's future, truly making her one of the company's "masters".

At the same time, Mohen Pictures also holds a 20% stake in Tencent Pictures.

This also signifies that Mohen and Tencent Video have officially become strategic allies with a shared bloodline, moving beyond project cooperation.

After the signing was completed, Shen Mo returned to the podium and glanced at the audience.

"Today, Inkstone Pictures officially sets sail."

Shen Mo's voice, steady and powerful, resonated throughout the venue through the microphone.

"We don't stop at being a successful production company."

"Our goal is to become content creators who define industry standards."

Also announced was a schedule of major IP works that Inkmark and Tencent will collaborate on over the next five years.

After the ceremony, a group photo of Shen Mo, Li Yitong, Chen Zhixi, and Sun Zhonghuai captured this moment, causing a huge stir in the entertainment industry.

This doesn't just represent the independence of Mohen Pictures. In the industry, Mohen Pictures has existed for a long time; it's just that it's only now becoming independent.

What's truly alarming is the establishment of Tencent Pictures and its cross-shareholding with Mohen Pictures.

This signifies the official entry of internet companies into the market; they are no longer content to be just platforms, but are truly extending their reach into content creation.

With the cross-shareholding arrangement of Mohen Pictures, it's become impossible for anyone in the industry to fool this "rich guy".

"The wolf is really here!"

When a veteran producer shared the news on his WeChat Moments, he expressed the sentiments of countless traditional film and television professionals.

Previously, internet capital involvement in content was mostly limited to investment or simply purchasing copyrights, with a "Party A and Party B" relationship always separating the platform from the producer.

Traditional production companies can leverage information asymmetry and experience barriers to maneuver against platforms in certain aspects.

But now, everything is different.

The establishment of Tencent Pictures signifies that internet giants are no longer satisfied with channels and terminals; they want to get involved themselves and control the source of content.

What's even more alarming to those in the industry is that its chosen partner is Mohen Pictures, a company that has already proven itself with a series of blockbuster hits and has a deep understanding of content creation principles and market trends.

The internet companies of the previous life officially entered the market in 2014. In that year, Tencent Pictures was established; in that year, Alibaba invested in Damai and Youku, completing the layout of Alibaba Pictures; and in that year, iQiyi launched its self-produced drama "Soul Ferry".

In this life, Shen Mo voluntarily moved this timeline forward by one year.

"How are we supposed to play like this?"

The owner of a small film and television company couldn't help but lament during an internal meeting.

"Tencent has money and traffic, and now it has Inkhen's mature production system. They can complete the entire closed loop from IP incubation, production, promotion to broadcasting on their own!"

"We small and medium-sized companies are barely making ends meet!"

"Most importantly," the vice president in charge of distribution next to him added with a serious expression.

"Cross-shareholding means that they are a true community of interests, a 'family'."

"Who will receive the best recommendation slots and the biggest marketing resources from Tencent Video in the future? The answer is self-evident."

"The days when we could use PowerPoint presentations and concepts to fool platforms and get large upfront payments are probably gone forever."

The atmosphere at Huayi Brothers' headquarters was even more somber.

Wang Zhonglei stared at the group photo, his face ashen. This time he didn't smash the cup, but his clenched fists were white at the knuckles.

He felt an unprecedented sense of oppression. Shen Mo's behavior was tantamount to inviting a tiger down the mountain or a wolf into the house. This new model of "platform + self-produced content" brought about a devastating blow.

Wang Zhongjun, on the other hand, appeared more somber. "See? This is what I said last time: times have changed."

"Shen Mo truly deserves to be called a talent in investment strategy; every step he takes is beyond our expectations."

"This is no small matter; he wants to redefine the rules of the game in the industry."

"In terms of funding, we might be on par with Shen Mo's Inkmark Capital, but we are definitely no match for Tencent Pictures. In terms of distribution channels and platforms, needless to say, we are far behind."

"If we cling to our old ways of thinking and territory, we will be eliminated sooner or later."

He stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the bustling traffic below.

"We must seriously consider the future of Huayi."

"I heard that Sha Yi from our company is involved in Mohen's project 'A Little Reunion.' Let him make the connection, and we can have a good chat with Shen Mo."

The relationship between BAT (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent) has always been such that a small change in one part can have far-reaching

The collaboration between InkSign and Tencent instantly disrupted the existing balance, triggering a chain reaction from the other two giants.

Alibaba acted swiftly and precisely, immediately accelerating its full acquisition of Hong Kong-listed China Media Capital, with an estimated investment of over 60 billion yuan. The company plans to rename it Alibaba Pictures, using it as the core vehicle for entering the film and television content production field.

At the same time, they extended an olive branch to Zhang Qiang, the deputy general manager of China Film Group, inviting him to join as CEO, intending to leverage his extensive industry resources and official background to quickly build a professional film and television empire.

Baidu, the company behind Kiwifruit, reacted even more strongly, immediately approving an emergency capital injection of $2 million into Kiwifruit to solidify its market position in the long-form video sector.

At the same time, they began to actively contact Lei Jun's Shunwei Capital, hoping to strengthen the layout of the video ecosystem and its ability to resist risks.

"Mr. Shen, would you be interested in investing in kiwifruit together?"

On the other end of the phone, Lei Jun's voice carried a hint of laughter.

After being contacted by Kiwi Fruit, the first business partner that came to his mind was Shen Mo.

This young man is not only a rising star in the investment world whom he admires, but his company, Inkstone Pictures, also possesses the most sought-after content production capabilities and IP reserves.

In his opinion, bringing Shen Mo in with him was a better choice.

Upon receiving the call, Shen Mo almost instantly grasped the immense opportunity it presented and Lei Jun's intention to mentor him.

A smile appeared on his face, and his tone became exceptionally warm.

"Brother Jun, you really have to help me out with this great opportunity!"

Upon hearing this on the other end of the phone, Lei Jun couldn't help but chuckle and tease him.

"You little brat, you're all about whoever feeds you, and now you're calling me 'brother' so readily when there's investment involved?"

"Look at what you're saying," Shen Mo replied readily, his tone carrying just the right amount of intimacy and slyness.

"I'm just following your strategic vision. On the Tencent side, it's about platform cooperation, and on the kiwi side, it's about capital linkage. We're doing both, and doing both well."

As for whether swapping shares with Tencent and then investing in kiwifruit might cause any problems, that's an overreaction.

In the investment world, the best strategy is often not to select a single company, but to invest in an entire industry.

Moreover, the company that swapped shares with Tencent Pictures was Inkstone Pictures, while the company that invested in Kiwi could be Inkstone Capital.

Fortunately, Mohen Pictures has a complete production team, and Mohen Investment owns the copyrights to nearly a hundred popular IPs. Mohen Capital can fully license these enough IPs to both platforms.

Moreover, with BAT (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent) fully involved and the cultural and entertainment industry landscape undergoing dramatic reshaping, Mohen must not put all its eggs in one basket.

A deep partnership with Tencent is the cornerstone, but it shouldn't be a rigid commitment. Simultaneously entering the kiwi fruit market through capital investment can not only diversify risks but also greatly enhance Inkmark's bargaining power and influence within the industry.

This move must be made.

For Kiwifruit, there was no reason for them to refuse Lei Jun's proposal to bring in Mohen Capital. Moreover, aside from the influence of the entertainment industry, Mohen Capital itself is a high-quality investment institution.

In early March, another piece of news disrupted the tranquility of the entire entertainment industry.

Baidu, together with Shunwei Capital and Mohen Capital, jointly invested $3 million in Kiwifruit, with Baidu contributing $2 million, and Shunwei and Mohen each contributing $5000 million (5% stake). The investment will be used to develop Kiwifruit's content, with plans to rival international video platform Netflix.

For a moment, everyone in the industry felt their scalp tingle!