New Age Artists

Chapter 653 Abnormality
As 12 comes to an end and the new year arrives, each company summarizes its achievements over the past year, and Santong Entertainment is no exception.

After Shen Santong retired, he reorganized Santong Entertainment, or to be more precise, slimmed it down.

Focus on the main business of film, and divest non-core businesses, dividing what should be divided and selling what should be sold.

Offline businesses such as coffee were sold, gaming and Internet businesses were run independently, and brokerage and television businesses were split off.

Focus on building an entertainment company with movies at its core and content creation as its driving force.

Santong Entertainment has received sufficient returns in the film market and achieved exaggerated results.

In 12, China's total box office was 384 billion yuan, an increase of 132 billion yuan compared with last year, a growth rate of 52%, which is even faster than the growth rate when Hollywood films were liberalized last year.

Domestic films grossed 227.8 billion yuan, up 95.8 billion yuan or 60%, outperforming the overall market growth rate. Imported films grossed 156.2 billion yuan, up 52.2 billion yuan or 30.5%.

Among them, the box office of Santong Entertainment movies was 170.85 billion yuan. The box office of Santong Entertainment alone was higher than that of imported films, an increase of 83 billion yuan compared with last year, an increase of 95%, almost doubling its share, accounting for 75% of the domestic film market share and about 45% of the total box office.

"Zhao Zilong" and "Lost in Tokyo" continue to drive the Dragon Year Spring Festival box office to continue to be popular, while "The Lost City" and "The Black Panther" drive the summer box office to new highs.

In the film market, it is not Santong Entertainment that dominates the market alone, but Santong Entertainment is single-handedly leading the Chinese film industry to soar!

In recent years, the growth rate of the Chinese film market has been driven by two cores: one is Santong Entertainment and the other is Hollywood imported films.

In 12, the strength of the dual cores has changed, and Santong Entertainment's driving capability is obviously stronger.

This is a heavy report card. As the market share expands, it still maintains a high growth rate, demonstrating the huge potential of the film market and the vitality of society.

It’s not that there are no problems, but that the achievements outweigh the problems.

Most people are people who just want their lives to get better and better and are full of yearning for a better life.

Movies cost money and are the most authentic expression of public opinion.

At the New Year tea party organized by the Film Bureau.

Shen Santong brought the report card of Santong Entertainment and expressed his support for Zhang Yimou in a high-profile manner: "Now some people say that I, Shen Santong, am great. I beg to differ. I am just standing on the shoulders of giants."

"The greatest fortune of Chinese films is that at this critical juncture in their development, we have a leader like Director Zhang Yimou who is determined to change his course regardless of personal reputation or criticism."

Lao Mouzi, who was at the scene, blushed immediately and said quickly, "Director Shen, you are so polite. I don't deserve it."

All the leaders and directors present at the meeting gasped.

I rely on!

What is Shen Santong going to do?
Many people had the idea that Shen Santong was going to stir up trouble. After all, Shen Santong really liked to stir up trouble.

"He deserves it. He deserves it." Shen Santong said firmly: "Director Zhang did not stick to the rut of art films, but bravely stepped forward. If he just stayed in the field of art films, Chinese films would have died long ago and could only shrink into film schools and academic research."

Zhang Yimou dared not admit: "If there is no Zhang Yimou, there will be others."

"Don't be so modest. Excessive modesty is pride!" Shen Santong said, "In 2002, when 'Hero' swept the market with a box office of 2.5 million yuan, many people criticized Zhang Dao for bowing to capital and eliminating artistic pursuits."

"Back then, I was a student, cheering for Director Zhang at school and debating with classmates and teachers. Looking back ten years later, facts speak louder than words! The debate can stop now!"

"Hero is like an icebreaker in the process of marketization of Chinese films, using commercial logic to open up a breakthrough for industrial upgrading."

"At the turn of the century, when Hollywood blockbusters were overwhelming and domestic films were struggling, Director Zhang's attempt at marketization wrapped in a martial arts guise objectively accomplished three major historical missions."

"First, it verifies the box office potential of the Chinese market."

"Hero was the first to expand the audience from art lovers and movie lovers to ordinary citizens. The grand occasion of BJ New Dong'an Cinema scheduling 45 screenings a day directly stimulated the national cinema construction boom. In 2003, the number of screens increased by 37% year-on-year."

"This laid the hardware foundation for the subsequent explosion of games such as "Langya" and "Jingjue Mystic City."

"Second, it has opened up the entire industrial chain of the film industry."

"From cross-border financing to special effects outsourcing, from integrating creative resources from Hong Kong and Taiwan to developing derivative products, the business operation manual of Hero is still used by the industry today. The advertising placement that was criticized at the time just opened up the exploration of diversified profit models for film and television projects."

“Third, it reconstructs the paradigm of genre film creation.”

“By combining the fifth generation’s visual aesthetics with commercial narrative, Hero not only retains the genes of auteur films, but also creates the genre of Chinese blockbusters.”

"This practice of balancing artistic pursuits with market rules provided a replicable experience template for later costume blockbusters and laid the foundation for later historical blockbusters."

"It can be said that Zhang Yimou's Hero is not only a commercial breakthrough, but also a milestone exploration of the industrialization of Chinese films."

Zhang Yimou felt embarrassed at first, but as he listened, he suddenly felt uneasy.

strange!

It seems more appropriate to say these words at his grave than at today's meeting, right?

The others also had different expressions, not knowing what Shen Santong was thinking.

Shen Santong continued to talk to himself, let's communicate, let's exchange ideas, it's all about business praise: "Today, the Chinese film market has gradually stabilized in the second place in the world, and we should not forget the fire that "Hero" ignited in the cold night."

"Just like the development of high-speed rail is thanks to the Pioneer experimental train, the industrialization of the film industry also requires pioneers to make mistakes."

"We can't put down our bowls and curse while enjoying the thrilling adventure of The Mysterious City on the screen! We must not forget the predecessors who built the industry ladder despite the infamy!"

"I pay my highest respects to Director Zhang Yimou and the older generation of filmmakers!"

"Director Zhang Yimou must occupy half of the film history after the reform and opening up. Director Zhang is a good predecessor and a good teacher to us younger generations." Let alone Zhang Yimou, everyone present was shocked.

At this moment, given Shen Santong's status, it is surprising to say this!
There is no need for him to support Zhang Yimou.

This isn't even business flattery, it's just bootlicking.

Especially at a sensitive time when Zhang Yimou's film works were subject to public scrutiny, "The Flowers of War" opened the door, and Zhang Yimou's previous works were also scrutinized, including "Red Sorghum".

If Shen Santong said this now and it got out, it would immediately help Zhang Yimou get out of the whirlpool of public opinion.

In the film industry, in the hearts of movie fans, and in the cultural field, Shen Santong, as the founder of Santong Entertainment and an important promoter of the prosperity of film and cultural undertakings, has such influence.

Of course, some people looked strange.

What Shen Santong said was almost the final word.

Rather than being a compliment, it sounds more like a eulogy for Zhang Yimou a hundred years later.

Zhang Yimou was not only shocked, but also felt heartbroken.

He still has plans to continue doing this. Shen Santong's words, seemingly a compliment, also have a bit of reverse characterization, and even a bit of a sense of suffering and dejection in public.

A leader said: "Director Zhang's contribution to Chinese films is indeed outstanding, and he will continue to contribute in the future."

The subtext is to remind Shen Santong that Zhang Yimou is still alive, so don't treat him as a dead person.

Zhang Yimou looked at his leader with gratitude. He wanted to work for a few more years. He looked at Shen Santong pleadingly: "I don't deserve it. I still have a lot of shortcomings. Director Shen is the one who truly contributed to Chinese films."

Everyone else is waiting for what's next.

As we all know, the praise in the beginning means nothing, and often the "but" is the truth.

Shen Santong praised harshly at the beginning, but the words after “but” were even harsher.

As for the New Year's tea party, we have to take the occasion into consideration. Is Shen Santong someone we care about?
To the surprise of those present, Shen Santong did not say "but", just pure praise.

What Shen Santong praised were indeed Zhang Yimou's contributions, and they were not exaggerated.

Not only is it not an exaggeration, it doesn't even include directing the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Zhang Yimou is a trendsetter of two eras. He was a protagonist in the film industry in both the art film era and the early commercial film era.

In later generations, he created a second life and found a new way out.

It is controversial indeed, but his enthusiasm and sense of professionalism are stronger than those of many young people.

The Spring Festival Gala featured a robot yangko dance, a tacky and trendy program that seemed ordinary but was actually extremely terrifying. It shows that Zhang Yimou is still exploring.

In his previous life, when it comes to influence in the cultural field, Zhang Yimou was definitely the ceiling.

After the tea party, Shen Santong's almost flattering evaluation of Zhang Yimou spread like wildfire.

It spread on social media.

It shattered many people's views!

No, you, Shen Santong, criticized Zhang Yimou a lot in "The Flowers of War". Why did you make a 180-degree turn now?

Some people took advantage of the situation and played a reverse role, advocating that Shen Santong "betrayed" and "was pardoned by imperial decree."

1 month 3 day.

Shen Santong reposted the 12-year report card posted by the official Weibo account of Santong Entertainment, and commented: "Looking back at the film market in 02, the total revenue was 9 million yuan. Director Zhang's Hero made 2.48 million yuan, more than a quarter of that. Ten years later, the film market share has increased 42.6 times."

"Santong Entertainment has achieved today's success under the protection of the Film Bureau and China Film, and based on the efforts of Director Feng's New Year films and Director Zhang's commercial films."

"History is already determined. We cannot deny the contributions of our predecessors in the past just because of the present. That is historical nihilism."

"Rather than saying that Santong Entertainment is successful, it's better to say that society has developed successfully, the reality is wonderful, and the culture has a long history. The success of Santong Entertainment is because it tells stories that the audience likes."

"Santong Entertainment's achievements are inseparable from the independent development of the Chinese film market."

Shen Santong was still praising, completely changing his previous sharp attitude.

The audience cheered for San Tong Entertainment's achievements, and the film and entertainment circles felt the chill.

It is obvious that Shen Santong definitely has other purposes, but the purpose is not Zhang Yimou, and probably not a domestic director.

Some people have noticed something from "self-development".

Li An, who was running for an award in Hollywood, flew across the ocean overnight. He could already feel the biting edge.

Shen Santong is such a perverse and arrogant person. He recited the "unity sutra" in order to swing the sledgehammer.

The reality is just as Li An thought.

When some people deconstruct gays and young ladies, they should also be prepared to be deconstructed themselves.

(End of this chapter)