Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 572 Knowing Me or Condemning Me, Only History Will Prevail (Thanks to the great Monchiqi for joining the alliance)
PS: 100% completion rate [90/100], bonus chapter for the big boss.
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"Just treat me like him! Now you understand, right?"

After Xiao Liu finished making the nest with her husband, she left, leaving Da Tiantian alone, bewildered in the wind. It was as if her Pandora's box had been opened by those words.

She would never have dared to imagine such a thing before, let alone have her little scheme exposed to her face by the person in front of her!
The actress's pretty face turned bright red, a blush of embarrassment that seemed to have been exposed spreading almost from her collarbone, exposed by her loose ancient costume, all the way to behind her ears.

Her eyes darted nervously to Lu Kuan, who was chatting and laughing with Li Xuejian not far away.

The man was tall and straight, his profile clearly defined in the dim light of the hall, exuding a calmness and strength that she found irresistible.

Da Tiantian couldn't help but look at Xiao Liu, who had returned to his seat. Two figures were overlapping in her mind. This imagined composite figure had a sense of familiarity that made her feel at ease and admire him, as well as an unknown charm that belonged to the opposite sex and made her heart race.

The barriers to her performance that had been troubling her were quietly broken down at this moment by a more primal and genuine emotional impulse.

"All departments, get ready! Let's try one more take!" Director Zheng Xiaolong's voice rang out.

The script supervisor claps the clapperboard: "The Book of Peace, Season 1, Unit 3, Scene 2, Shot 7, Action!"

The hall fell silent again, and the sound of the zither began once more.

Li Xuejian and Liu Yifei re-immersed themselves in the performance, while also secretly observing Jing Tian's performance.

The latter's state underwent a subtle change. When her gaze fell on Gu Nan again, it was no longer a direct, affectionate appreciation, but a cautious inquiry.

Her gaze would first quickly sweep over his profile, as if confirming the presence of something that made her heart flutter, then drop swiftly like a startled deer, her fingertips on the strings carrying a hint of barely perceptible panic. It was no longer feigned shyness, but a genuine, heartfelt awkwardness in the face of someone she truly loved.

When the plot required her to stand up again, using the excuse of adjusting her hairband to approach, Hua Xian's steps became hesitant and gentle, as if afraid of disturbing the other person. She reached out her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly, no longer a stylized performance, but a genuine expression of a nervous desire to touch yet a reluctance to be abrupt.

“Mr. Gu, your hairband…” Her voice was even softer than before, almost breathy, and the timid, tentative feeling was incredibly real.

Just as her fingertips were about to touch her temple, Gu Nan, played by Liu Yifei, still made that instinctive, wary, slightly backward avoidance movement, her eyes sharp.

Jing Tian's reaction escalated as well. As if burned by that cold gaze, she abruptly withdrew her hand. The blush on her face was not an act of sadness, but a genuine blush that was a mixture of being stunned by his aloof demeanor and feeling ashamed of her abruptness.

She hesitantly withdrew her hand, lowered her head, and her ears turned bright red, perfectly portraying the helplessness and shyness that a fairy should feel when faced with the cold response of the man she admires.

"Good! Cut! Perfect!" Zheng Xiaolong finally smiled with satisfaction behind the monitor, and even led the applause. "That's the feeling! Jing Tian's take was fantastic! The emotion, the layers, the details were all right!"

Encouraging applause rang out on set, and sunlight streamed through the windows of the Wu'an Jun Mansion, casting dappled shadows.

A performance crisis caused by the misalignment between real emotions and dramatic requirements is ultimately resolved quietly in an unexpected way, revealing a more unique dramatic brilliance.

Inside the main hall, the actors touched up their makeup and rehearsed their lines, while the staff busily prepared for the next scene. Lu Kuan stood in this immersive film set, looking at the group of outstanding creators before him and nodding to himself.

He knew that the magnificent historical scroll of "The Book of Peace" was being meticulously drawn frame by frame by these top actors, directors and professional teams, destined to be seen by the world and become a classic of Eastern history.

Lu Kuan spent two days with his wife and children in Hengdian before returning to Beiping alone to continue working day and night on the post-production of "Ball Lightning".

The post-production process for science fiction films is inherently complex, and with the director's personal vision of Chinese science fiction also involved, he needed to be even more hands-on.

The first step is the integration and refinement of special effects.

Patching Pictures needs to complete a large number of VFX shots:

First, the final rendering of the "ball lightning" itself requires fine-tuning its plasma ripples, halo attenuation, and interaction with the environment, based on previous dynamic light source tests and real-life footage, such as penetrating windows and carbonizing human bodies, to ensure that it is both scientifically imaginative and has a fantastical aesthetic.

Second, the visualization of macro-fusion energy fields, including the diffusion of spherical energy pulses and the "transparency" and "polarization" effects of the ship's structure, which involves complex particle simulation and light effect synthesis;
Thirdly, the final presentation of Lin Yun's quantumization process should integrate Zhou Xun's performance layer with digital painting and energy particles to achieve a cold, sci-fi feel of "rules eroding the human body".

Secondly, the dual-track editing and fine-tuning are carried out simultaneously.

Boss Lu needs to work with the editor to finalize the narrative rhythm based on the rough cut. This is something that cannot be delegated to others and is the editing right that Hollywood directors dream of.

For example, balancing science fiction spectacle with humanistic narrative, ensuring that high-concept scenes such as macro-fusion do not overshadow the character arcs of Chen Guang's trauma and Lin Yun's obsession, also requires integrating multiple narrative lines to seamlessly interweave realistic plots, scientific explorations such as "Ding Yi's explanations," and flashbacks such as "childhood tragedies," maintaining the tension between suspense and emotion.

At the same time, he also had to supervise the pre-set music and sound design, discuss with the composer the use of a mix of electronic and orchestral timbres to highlight the mystery of science and the oppressive feeling of war, and design iconic sound effects for quantum states, ball flash energy, etc., to enhance the realism of the worldview.

These are all post-production details that are just as important as the actual filming.

Finally, his experiment with color this time was inspired by the aurora borealis, the colorful houses of Boca, and other cultural and natural features he encountered during his honeymoon with Liu Yifei in Ushuaia.

That is, color grading using DI digital intermediates must adhere to his aesthetic vision.

Therefore, since the beginning of the year, he has been guiding colorists to establish two visual systems:
First, the realistic part has a cold and austere tone, mainly using the lead gray and sea blue of the Bremerton real scene to create a depressing atmosphere;
Secondly, the surreal elements of the sci-fi climax use a “two-color gamut tearing” effect, such as the clash between a dark blue energy field and a warm golden sunset, to visualize the quantum observation effect and realize the visual metaphor of “calm madness” he described. The mixing and output need to integrate all audiovisual elements and perform final mixing to ensure the balance between dialogue clarity and special effects sound field.

In this process, the young director himself is like an artistic commander, coordinating a post-production team of hundreds of people to realize his ambition of "Chinese science fiction aesthetics" at the limits of technology.

Since filming wrapped up last year, we've been working almost day and night.

The rather "special" Lunar New Year film season officially came to an end on April 1st, 2010, April Fool's Day.

What makes it special is that, while almost all domestic films were pulled from theaters within their allotted timeframes, Avatar, with its exceptionally long run and global popularity, grossed a total of 17.79 billion yuan in mainland China alone, an increase of about 30% compared to the previous film.

Without a doubt, this is all thanks to Wenjie Jiahe.

After reaching a deal with Fox, the latter, thanks to the strong coverage of its pre-established IMAX and 4K cinemas, helped the sci-fi visual effects blockbuster "Avatar" to dominate the market, and also reaped a huge benefit from high ticket prices.

4月1号当天上午，问界嘉禾官博公布了从去年11月开始的贺岁档到今年4月期间，长达5个月的电影传统旺季的总票房数字，以12.25亿的金额成功登顶民营院线榜首。

This figure isn't particularly surprising to the industry, because shortly after the premiere of "Avatar" in January, when IMAX ticket prices were inflated to thousands or even two thousand yuan, the entire Chinese film industry, including China Film Group, could only watch helplessly as this lucrative opportunity was devoured by the industry.

Just like the slogan "Only large-scale demolition can lead to large-scale development" that was promoted in mainland China at certain times, Wenjie is also implementing the action plan of "Only large-scale construction can lead to large-scale development" at this special time.

This is a level of financial strength that other private enterprises do not possess, and a level of policy flexibility that China Film Group's state-owned cinema chain does not have.

The total box office figure of 12.25 billion yuan also means that, thanks to the success of "Avatar", Golden Harvest has surpassed Wanda in single-screen output and market share for the first time, becoming the king among private enterprises!
With the film industry's entire system chain, which was successfully built many years ago, as its core, Wenjie once struggled to catch up with its two older counterparts in the e-commerce payment and cinema sectors.

Now, on the last fast train of the first decade of the 21st century, it has finally achieved a phased overtaking.

However, the benefits that the industry can reap, apart from building a high-end cinema image through this Lunar New Year film season and gaining stronger bargaining power with consumers in the future, cannot be a permanent advantage.

The road wide, following the path paved by Gao Jun and others, will obviously continue to be imitated and attempted to be surpassed.

Since the release of Avatar, all domestic cinema chains, including Wanda, China Film Group, and Beiping New Film Union, have begun to build high-end cinemas, which is relatively lagging behind, following suit.

A major upgrade to domestic cinemas is about to usher in an unprecedented peak.

These IMAX screens and high-end cinemas that will spring up like mushrooms after rain will also change the "seller's market" status of Golden Harvest, making it difficult for them to make a fortune during this Lunar New Year season.

In any case, the impact that Avatar had on the Chinese people and the film industry needs no further explanation.

People watched in suspense, almost week by week, as its box office numbers skyrocketed from over 100 million to 500 million, 1 billion, 15 billion...

"The Founding of a Republic" was the first film in mainland China to break 5 million yuan at the box office, while "Avatar" jumped two levels to break 15 billion yuan, leaving behind a despairing image for those who followed.

On April 2nd, the State Administration of Radio and Television organized a high-level seminar on the theme of "Learning from the Technological Revolution of Avatar and Promoting the Upgrading of China's Film Industry".

The conference aimed to analyze the groundbreaking achievements of Avatar in 3D/IMAX technology, visual effects, and industrial processes, and to explore how Chinese films can learn from its experience.

The core objectives of the seminar are threefold:

First, we will promote the upgrading of domestic cinema hardware and accelerate the construction of IMAX and 4K theaters;

Second, guide production companies to prioritize technological innovation and cultivate local special effects teams;

Third, we will formulate industry standards to promote the construction of a film industrialization system. At the meeting, the General Manager of Wenjie Golden Harvest shared his experience collaborating with Cameron's team, emphasizing the concept of "technology serving narrative."

The meeting ultimately resulted in the framework of the "White Paper on the Development of Film Technology in China," which became an important reference for subsequent policy formulation.

This industry-wide conference attracted widespread attention, with dozens of journalists from both inside and outside the industry gathering at the entrance of Xiaoxitian, hoping to interview some key figures.

Because he was engrossed in post-production and editing, Lu Kuan, who had not appeared in the public eye for a long time, naturally became the target of the mob.

Boss Lu laughed and said, "Let's get straight to the point. I still have to go to the city later to report to the leaders about the Beiping Film Festival."

China Film News was the first to get an interview: "Director Lu, what are the premiere arrangements for 'Ball Lightning'?"

Lu Kuan nodded: "We are currently preparing for the Cannes Film Festival next month, as well as the global promotion and marketing of 'Ball Lightning.' The global premiere of the latter is tentatively scheduled for the start of the global summer movie season in late June to early July. Please stay tuned, our online and offline promotion will begin soon."

The Cannes Film Festival opens on May 12th, and with marketing activities starting this month and copyright negotiations in Europe and other regions, it looks like it won't be until June.

Moreover, with the huge hit "Avatar" preceding them, they need to capitalize on this trend to ride the wave of science fiction popularity while also conveying different ideas through comprehensive marketing strategies.

Reporter from China Film Report: "Director Lu, in recent years, with the popularization of your concept of 'film industrialization,' both the industry and the audience are no longer unfamiliar with it."

"I'd like to ask, for Wenjie, which has been practicing this system, what do you think is the biggest inspiration that Avatar has brought to the industrialization of Chinese cinema? Where has Wenjie's industrialization reached?"

After a moment's thought, Lu Kuan solemnly replied, "The biggest lesson from Avatar is that industrialization is not a cold machine assembly line, but a collaborative system that uses cutting-edge technology and the most rigorous processes to precisely bring genius imagination to life, with creativity at its core. It requires strong project management, technology research and development, and global resource integration capabilities."

"Through exploration over the past few years, Wenjie has initially established a special effects system represented by Butian Pictures, as well as a standardized process covering pre-production preparation, shooting management and post-production. However, we must be soberly aware that we still have a gap with Hollywood's top industrial system, especially in terms of basic technology research and development and the density of high-end talent."

"Ball Lightning was an even more extreme industrial stress test for us than Planeswalker. We mobilized almost all the technical resources within the Infinity ecosystem. It can be said that we are in a critical climbing period from 'initial establishment' to 'mature application', and this head-on confrontation with Avatar, no matter the outcome, will greatly accelerate our learning process."

The reporter from *The Filmmaker* magazine was particularly interested in today's meeting topics: "Director Lu, the box office miracle of *Avatar* proves the absolute appeal of high-end audiovisual experiences. Golden Harvest has reaped considerable benefits from this feast thanks to its forward-thinking IMAX theaters. However, we also see that competitors such as Wanda and China Film have announced massive IMAX construction plans. Faced with the impending homogenization of competition, how will Golden Harvest maintain its leading edge? Are you worried that the period of rapid growth will soon end?"

“We are happy to see the entire industry upgrade together, which will expand the pie of the high-end movie-watching market and benefit both consumers and the Chinese film industry. Wenjie’s leadership lies not only in the quantity of hardware, but also in the operational experience, technical standards and brand recognition accumulated by its first-mover advantage.”

“Most importantly—” Mr. Lu said confidently, “we have the highest quality content production matrix in the country. This is the true core soft power of the film industry and the key to our competitive advantage.”

He smiled as he promoted his new film, which was about to enter its promotional period: "Like this film, 'Ball Lightning,' we dared to premiere a purely domestic science fiction film globally after 'Avatar,' which takes confidence and courage. I think there are very few companies in all of Asia that can do that."

The question from the reporter of *China Business News* seemed quite interesting: "Director Lu, yesterday we interviewed Ye Ning of Wanda Cinemas and Wang Sicong of Wanda Pictures, and they revealed an important piece of news—"

"While strengthening its domestic high-end cinema chain development, Wanda is considering venturing overseas and acquiring Hollywood cinema chain AMC!"

A murmur rippled through the room. The reporter from *First Financial Daily*, whose article had already been published, smugly accepted the attention from the crowd, and asked Mr. Lu, who remained calm, a question:
"Director Lu, Wanda's overseas acquisition plan is clearly aimed at establishing a global channel advantage. Faced with this aggressive globalization strategy of 'trading capital for market share,' does your insistence on the 'content is king' philosophy seem too conservative?"

Will Wanda adjust its strategy, like other cinema chains across the country are now learning from Wanda's IMAX construction, and be forced to join this arms race, directly competing with Wanda in acquiring overseas assets? As an industry expert, what is your assessment?

Everyone's eyes turned to Lu Kuan, including the leaders from the General Administration of Sport who approached him to invite him to the city government, Han Shanping, and others, as well as the reporters.

Wanda's ambitious industrial strategy and its strong response to its temporarily lagging market share have shocked the industry. Even the young director with the buzz cut at the scene was eager to hear what he had to say.

Since his emergence in 2001, Mr. Lu has become a trendsetter in the industry, and he is also the absolute focus of conflict in this fierce battle among private cinema chains.

However, this question was indeed difficult for him to answer, as it risked revealing his true judgment.

Times have changed, and the film industry in this timeline has also undergone significant changes. It's hard to say whether Wanda will definitely fail, but it will certainly face numerous difficulties.

This issue truly shocked him. He had been discussing it with his wife during a period of reflection just last month, but he never expected it to come true so quickly with another company.

He wasn't shocked by Wanda's acquisition of overseas cinema chains, but rather puzzled...

Why now?
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[One day ago, in the conference room at Wanda's headquarters on Chang'an Avenue]

"Why now?" Wang Sicong, vice president of Wanda Pictures, spoke eloquently to his father and the company's management. "That's a good question. I've been racking my brains over this question for over a year." (Chapter 528)
He solemnly declared, "Because this year marks the first time Wanda's leading advantage has slipped to the second tier, because this year is a year in which official and industry predictions for domestic film box office revenue will inevitably exceed 100 billion yuan, and also because our strongest competitor, Wenjie, is here!"

Wang Sicong, dressed in a suit and tie and who had been working in China for over a year, paused, looked around, and said with deep regret, "Because the history of Wenjie's rise to power is 'relying on foreign powers to enhance its own importance and using Chinese resources to control foreign powers'."

"I have read all of his reports and speeches over the years at Beijing Film Academy, China Film Group, State Administration of Radio and Television, USC, and various film festivals. Director Lu Kuan's routine has always been these eight words."

“He told Disney, Fox, Miramax, and Lionsgate that the Chinese film market was growing rapidly and was a goldmine, and used his alliance with China Film Group to make a big splash. You want to enter the Chinese market, get a share of co-productions, and even want a good screening schedule, right? You'd better cooperate with me.”

"He also told the domestic film industry and the government that Hollywood's film industrialization and advanced system are worth learning from. How to learn from them? Wenjie has already taken the lead in China and Asia, so as to influence the government's thinking and participate in policy-making."

"Isn't this the case with 'Ball Lightning' this time? Whether it's import tax rebates for special effects or policy support for IMAX, aren't these all things that he has demonstrated and promoted over the long term through the 'Film Promotion Law' and this year's 'Opinions'?"

The second generation also has its own differences.

Many Jin possess the shrewdness, decisiveness, and ruthlessness inherited from his father and uncles who came from that era. These are essential character traits and abilities for leaders in the black gold industry.

As an only son, and having been sent abroad by his father to study and broaden his horizons at a young age, Wang Sicong was able to summarize and analyze his competitor Lu Kuan's speeches and reports, which spanned more than ten hours and many years of professional experience. His conclusions were not without merit.

Regardless of other factors, at least under Wang Jianlin's encouragement and education, he possessed a composure and humility that contrasted sharply with his outward arrogance, and he valued the "other people's children" that his father often mentioned to an extreme degree.

The second-generation real estate tycoon said in a deep voice, "Everyone, do you think these eight words I just said are the best explanation and footnote to his Lu Kuan's many years of dominance in the mainland market?"

"Given the situation this year, is it not too much for me to say, 'If the enemy can go there, so can I'?"

Wang Sicong wrote three keywords on the whiteboard with flowing strokes.

China, overseas cinemas, traffic.

Wanda Cinemas General Manager Ye Ning smiled and said, "Mr. Wang, stop beating around the bush. Please have a chat with this overseas returnee."

"Brother Ye, don't be so modest," Wang Sicong said with a smile. "What I was just saying, and has always maintained, is to learn from the advanced and to explore the world."

"How can we learn from and emulate the strategy of relying on foreign powers and using Chinese resources to control foreigners, which was just mentioned?"

“If he has China Film Group, we’ll take over Huaxia Film Distribution! The latter is the only state-owned film company besides China Film Group that can control the distribution rights of imported films.”

“He has Netflix, a DVD distribution and streaming company, while we directly acquired a large overseas cinema chain with heavy assets in one step.”

Wang Jianlin, expressionless: "Where's the traffic?"

"That's simple. It's just a group of film and television stars and celebrities with high online traffic, led by Liu Yifei and Jay Chou, and now including Fan Bingbing and others."

"Including the WeChat that Wenjie is working on now that is about to go public, as well as Wenjie Ticketing, the e-commerce platform, and the farm game before, which one of them didn't rely on the support of this traffic? I think this is something we need to learn from."

Wang Sicong had been studying for a long time, aiming to develop Jing Tian into a "Wanda version of Liu Yifei." However, after researching the behavior patterns of time travelers for more than half a year, and just as he was about to make his mark after returning to China, he opened this test paper on internet traffic and discovered—

After studying the final, most challenging questions from the entire year's exam, and researching how to monetize popular female celebrities, I realized that after writing my name on the exam paper, I couldn't even answer the first question.

Da Tian Tian completely ignores him.
This third point will be set aside for now. Those present today are the very core of Wanda Cinemas and its film and television division. Like Lu Kuan, whose shareholding is closed, Wang Jianlin has 100% control over the company. Therefore, Ye Ning doesn't shy away from stating:

"I fully agree with and have no objection to the eight-character policy of 'asking about boundaries' or 'broadening the road' that Si Cong mentioned. He said it and he did it. The typical example is his operation on 'Avatar' this time."

"He was emphasizing his influence and market share in high-end cinemas in China to Fox, while simultaneously promoting science fiction and special effects films to relevant leaders and departments. That's the kind of thing he was doing."

“But I have some doubts about what you mean by China.” Ye Ning glanced at Wang Jianlin, who had a calm expression, and said bluntly, “A few years ago, if you said that we were allied with China to fight against China Film Group, that would have been fine. Because at that time, China and China Film Group were still on the same level.”

"Although we are still at the same level now, we cannot ignore the issues of General Han's position, rank, and status within the system of the General Administration."

He looked at Wang Sicong and smiled, "I'm not entirely unfamiliar with the domestic environment. After all, Mr. Wang started his business after leaving his government job. Tell me, do you think Mr. Han, who was demoted to deputy director, can still help our partner, Huaxia, grow bigger?"

This involves the status of China Film Group and Huaxia Film Distribution, both of which are distributors of imported films. Under the provisional "Implementation Rules for Reforming the Film Distribution and Screening Mechanism," China Film Group was the sole importer, but in the distribution环节, China Film Group and Huaxia Film Distribution jointly held a monopoly.

The 20 revenue-sharing blockbusters each year are allocated by China Film Group and Huaxia Film Distribution through internal negotiations, basically following the principle of "rotating ownership." For example, if one film goes to China Film Group, the next one goes to Huaxia Film Distribution, and so on, to ensure a relative balance of interests between the two companies.

But Ye Ning also mentioned that this was before.

Given Lao Han's current influence and status, what about his influence and position?

There are more twists and turns here, and it's quite subtle.

Wang Sicong had already thought about this point long ago. "President Ye, how did China Film Group or President Han get out and rise to the top?"

He continued writing eloquently on the whiteboard: "Political achievements, performance, merits—these three words are enough to summarize it."

"I won't go into details, but I can say this: according to my plan, we can provide the leaders of China or higher levels with achievements through overseas channels."

“Wanda Cinemas’ massive domestic user data and the overseas audience data that it will soon acquire can be shared with China Film Group. We can assist China Film Group in establishing a more accurate model for selecting imported films and an evaluation system for domestic films going global, making their decision-making more scientific and efficient. This is a key performance indicator.”

"And what about his achievements?" Wang Sicong, who had prepared thoroughly for today's speech and even deliberately imitated Mr. Lu, spoke with great passion:
"Our achievement in cooperating with Huaxia lies in creating a new model that leverages state-led capital and market-oriented methods to enhance the global influence of Chinese culture!"

“Wanda’s acquisition of North American cinemas is no longer a simple commercial merger, but a strategic move with a national mission. Wanda’s involvement in the acquisition is playing the role of a front man and a vanguard, but the top-level design of the entire project, especially the game with Hollywood, requires the deep participation, and even dominance, of the Chinese government’s official will.”

"Imagine this scene: when we successfully acquire a major cinema chain, the head of Huaxia can stand on the international stage and announce that we have not only opened up distribution channels for Chinese films in North America."

"More importantly, we have established a new system for international cultural communication in which China participates in the formulation of rules. For example, we give more opportunities to films that showcase Eastern aesthetics in terms of scheduling, and enhance the influence of Chinese elements and cultural discourse in co-productions."

"Isn't this the same tactic Lu Kuan used when he acquired Netflix? He even managed to get himself to report to the lake because of the Olympics, so why can't we do the same?"

Wang Sicong tapped his signal pen lightly on the whiteboard: "Our acquisition of cinema chains is even more direct than Netflix's. I can't think of any reason why Huaying or even higher-level leaders would refuse."

The second generation's argument, which elevates commercial mergers and acquisitions to the level of national cultural strategy, shows some of the time traveler's skill; the logic is clear, the vision is grand, and it is highly persuasive.

Ye Ning's doubts dissipated, replaced by excitement and approval. He clapped his hands lightly and looked at Wang Jianlin: "President Wang, Si Cong's way of mentioning 'achievements' is a tricky angle, but it really hits the nail on the head."

"If we can truly impress China and even higher levels at this level, then President Han's personal position issues will actually become an aid rather than an obstacle to cooperation. I think this is a move worth trying!"

Wang Jianlin certainly understood the subtext of Ye Ning's words.

The power to speak is determined by the size of the pie. When the pie is small, Huaying and China Film Group compete for dominance, and Lao Han, with his superior position, can "take sides".

But what if the pie is big enough that he, as the deputy director, needs to consider the overall situation?
As Ye Ning said, this would actually become an asset to Wanda, making Lao Han, a person with a certain constitution, hesitant to act rashly.

Since the huge success of "Avatar" and the reflection and learning of the industry by all industry insiders, Wang Sicong has been preparing for this day for two or three months. He has made contingency plans for all aspects of the problem, and he wants to promote Wanda's internationalization under the leadership of his position as vice president.

It is also a step of imitating the world, using the banner of cultural export to give back to itself.

The meeting room was quiet for a moment, then a few scattered but heartfelt applause broke out, and several executives couldn't help but nod in approval.

However, Wang Sicong was staring intently at his father, the person he most wanted to gain approval from, but his face remained expressionless.

Even though he secretly had some approval for his son, Wang Jianlin, being an old-fashioned father, still spoke without reservation:

"Whether it's the eight-character policy, politics, career, or achievements, the logic is sound and it sounds perfect." He paused, then spoke in his usual cold tone: "But ever since you proposed this plan, I've had a question in my mind. If you can answer that, then these arguments will hold water."

Old Wang spoke quickly, and before his son could ask a question, he leaned forward slightly and said, word by word:
“Lu Kuan. His company, Wenjie North America, acquired Netflix three years ago, an online streaming platform, not any physical movie theater chain. With Lu Kuan's vision, the funds he controls, and the overseas connections that we can't even compare to now, if he thought acquiring assets like movie theater chains was so important, wouldn't he have seen it or been able to afford it?”

"Why didn't he acquire it, but instead chose Netflix? Give me an explanation as to why the path Lu Kuan took is the opposite of the path you're pointing out now?"

This question hit the nail on the head, and all the executives in the conference room held their breath.

Wang Sicong took a deep breath. He knew this was his father's most devastating blow, and a hurdle he had to overcome.

"Questions about boundaries and the breadth of the road" is a voice that the domestic internet, film industry, and cultural industry absolutely cannot ignore.

Because of their success, their influence on industrial policies, and their impact on industry rules and standards, IMAX is the best example of this.

More and more Weibo influencers and professional media outlets are starting to cite Mr. Lu's views and opinions when publishing articles, even his competitors.

To some extent, Lao Wang is one of the "fans" of time travelers. Even though he always prevents Wanda from getting involved in any conflicts with Wenjie other than normal business competition, like Ali and Lianxiang, and often uses his deeds to educate his son, Lao Wang still dreams of defeating Wenjie.

After all, if it weren't for the time traveler causing trouble, Wanda in the previous life would have had an 11-year "reign" starting in 2010, firmly occupying the top spot in the domestic box office.

Wang Sicong's brows furrowed deeply, and he took an unusually long time to think before finally speaking solemnly, "Mr. Wang, I'd like to first correct a statement you made just now—"

“Our involvement in cinemas and Wenjie’s involvement in streaming media are not necessarily going against the grain. I think at most they are two different paths, but the goal is the same: to earn the channel profits of this cultural industry centered on the film industry.”

"If I were to speak now, I would say that the most important reason why we and Wenjie have taken different paths is the difference in our corporate DNA."

"Genes?" Wang Jianlin asked in a deep voice.

“Yes, genes.” Wang Sicong spoke with increasing fluency, and without hesitation, he addressed the doubts on everyone’s faces: “What are the genes of Wenjie? Starting with Blogcn.com, it has been the genes of internet technology. Its core is connection and distribution, and it pursues asset-light, highly flexible, and exponential growth.”

"Lukuan's acquisition of Netflix is ​​a move to seize the commanding heights of online traffic and data, and to build a content distribution network that reaches households around the world using algorithms and subscription models."

"And what is Wanda's DNA?" Wang Sicong changed the subject, his tone becoming firm, "It's the DNA of offline space operation! Our core competence is creation and experience, and the management of massive physical properties, complex flow of people, and immersive scenarios."

“Cinemas, especially high-end cinemas, are the ultimate hub for offline experiences, a social and sensory sanctuary that cannot be replaced by digitalization. Our acquisition of overseas cinemas is about seizing the commanding heights of offline experiences and spaces; it's about ‘buying a port to land,’ buying ready-made physical ports that allow our content and culture to directly reach overseas consumers.”

He walked up to the projector, his tone becoming increasingly confident: "Lu Kuan doesn't acquire cinema chains not because cinema chains are bad, but because that's not his forte. His advantage lies in conquering the world with content and the internet, while our advantage lies in retaining people's hearts with steel and concrete and an ultimate experience."

"It's like the navy and the army, one is responsible for sea control and the other for landing and occupation. The goal is the globalization of cultural export, but the means and the core capabilities they rely on are completely different."

Apart from Wang Jianlin, almost all the executives present, including Ye Ning, the direct person in charge of Wanda Cinemas, were completely convinced.

This is a "Wanda-style film development path" proposed based on summarizing the successful experience of Wenjie and Lukuan over the past few years. It is clear that this second-generation, who has been back in China for more than a year, has taken all the factors into consideration.

Everyone looked at Wang Jianlin, the absolute leader who led Wanda Group from Dalian to Beiping, and from Beiping to the world.

No matter how eloquently Wang Sicong speaks, in the end, he is the one who makes the final decision, and everyone will only believe him.

What is Wang Jianlin thinking?
He didn't consider any specific industry logic; instead, amidst Wang Sicong's passionate speech, which he had been preparing for at least half a year, he painstakingly pondered a single question—

If Lu Kuan were sitting in his seat right now, what decision would he make?
Wang Jianlin has never been more eager than now to hear Lu Kuan comment on the development of the film industry, even if his comments are sometimes guiding remarks that benefit the industry.

“Everyone is saying that Wenjie is an aircraft carrier now, and Lu Kuan himself calls himself that too. Wang Sicong means that Wenjie builds ships and Wanda buys ports.”

He paused and said, "I can't say there's anything wrong with your logic. You've done a lot of research on various data, theories, and future development predictions."

Wang Jianlin sighed, skipping the final decision without giving a direct answer, and turned to his eldest son: "Do you have a goal?"

"Yes!" Wang Sicong quickly added, seeing that the question indicated a strong tendency to agree.

“Our first choice is AMC, the second largest theater chain in the United States, with at least 5000 screens. Acquiring them means that Wanda can directly jump into the overseas market and gain the same level of influence as North American theater chains. Even if Lu Kuan gets his movie out, he will have to consider our opinion.”

"The others are Odeon & UCI cinemas and the shrewd RealD company. The former has cinemas all over Europe’s box office cities, and the latter is now the world’s largest supplier of 3D projection technology, but I still favor AMC."

“Hmm…” Wang Jianlin, Ye Ning, and the others fell into deep thought.

"What is the specific acquisition valuation for AMC?" Old Wang is one step closer to making a decision.

Wang Sicong is very familiar with the data: "AMC's current corporate valuation is about $18-25 billion. Its parent companies, Apollo Capital and Bain Capital, took on heavy debt when they leveraged to buy AMC in 2004."

"If we're going to proceed, my suggestion is to propose a combination of debt assumption and cash acquisition. For example, we could commit to resolving AMC's debt issues, and then we might only need to pay an additional $5 million to $8 million in cash to acquire a controlling stake."

"In general, keeping the total transaction amount around $20 billion is the ideal situation."

Seeing the scene fall silent again, Wang Sicong said after a long while, seemingly casually, "Three years ago, Wenjie spent more than $40 billion to acquire and privatize Netflix, and so far it has not achieved anything significant."

"It's said that this year, during the traditional September TV season, a political drama called 'House of Cards' will be released."

Listening to his son's rambling explanation, Old Wang leaned back in his chair in a somewhat silent manner, a rather hesitant gesture that was rare in his previous professional career.

This business leader, who led Wanda to rise from Northeast China, felt that the morning had passed by in an incredibly long time.

I am pleased with the growth and progress that Wang Sicong has made in the past year or so since he took over Wanda ahead of schedule in this life;

They hesitated about how to make a decision that would affect the future of the company at this historical juncture when Wanda was surpassed by others.

In fact, his bias was quite obvious from the moment he asked those two questions.

Before Wenjie announced the results of "Avatar", before they proudly announced that they had reached the top as a private cinema chain, Wang Jianlin did not forget the announcement of the software called "WeChat", nor did he forget the strategic disadvantage that last year's "Double Eleven" forced Ali into.

Clearly, Penguin and Ali will eventually make a decision, as will Wanda.

Because if he does nothing, Wang Jianlin can hardly imagine how Wanda could catch up with a carrier battle group like Wenjie.

Regarding the development of IMAX and high-end cinemas, overseas channels, and the output of high-quality content, the gap between Wanda and Wenjie will only widen.

After a long while, Wang Jianlin let out a long sigh and lightly tapped the table!
"Let's put it on the agenda. Ye Ning will be in charge, with Wang Sicong assisting. Let's come up with a concrete plan first." He looked at his excited son, slowly stood up, and even now he hadn't been overwhelmed by excitement.

“The road that is wide but not traveled may lead to a mountain of gold, or it may lead to a glacier, or it may be a trap that he saw through. We have no way of knowing, and he may not be able to be sure either.”

“But you can’t gamble when you’re running a business. Wanda’s current goal is to explore a path to internationalization with minimal cost, and your proposal should be based on that.”

He addressed the entire core leadership team, but his final gaze was fixed on Wang Sicong: "It's admirable to have the courage and boldness to take this step, but I hope you can first consider how to come back alive if you fail."

"Yes." Wang Sicong's expression was solemn, and he no longer had his usual joking demeanor throughout the entire meeting.

He suddenly had an idea and said half-jokingly, "The State Administration is holding a meeting tomorrow. How about I find a reporter to ask Lu Kuan about this and tentatively spread the news?"

Wang Jianlin, on the contrary, admired his son's composure in the face of major events. He nodded and smiled, saying, "Whatever you want, but just listen for now. If you take it seriously, you'll be fooled."

Yes, haven't we all been scammed by bad actors in recent years?

……

After going around in circles, Wanda still ended up clashing with AMC.

From a certain perspective, this is not simply the influence of time travelers, but rather the inevitable intertwining of Wanda's mission and vision under Wang Jianlin's leadership with the fate of AMC, a cinema chain.

The idea of ​​acquisition first came to Wanda around 2010, because at that time Wanda had already firmly occupied the top position in China and the market was almost saturated.

In 2010, when the state issued important documents on the film industry for three consecutive years, for Wang Jianlin, who was full of ambition at the time, the acquisition of AMC was a key step in realizing Wanda Group's grand strategy of internationalization and transformation into a world-class enterprise.

This was a blitzkrieg of "buying a boat and going to sea".

The current situation facing AMC is that, before the 2008 global financial crisis, AMC was acquired by several private equity firms, including Apollo Global Management and JPMorgan Chase Partners, through a leveraged buyout.

This means that AMC itself was burdened with heavy debt, and after the financial crisis, due to the deterioration of its operating conditions, its debt repayment ability became problematic, and it was on the verge of bankruptcy.

After years of struggling, several private equity funds holding AMC (Asset Management Company) are eager to get rid of this hot potato in order to recoup some of their investment losses. For them, Wanda's offer is an ideal exit opportunity.

It can be said that both parties were in love, which led to this "wonderful union".

In this life, Wanda doesn't have the huge advantage in the cinema industry of the previous life, but due to the immense pressure brought by the Questioning Realm standing in front of him, he has also followed the map and reached this point. It can be said that he has stepped into the same river in both lives.

However, we can only wait and see how things unfold.
-
[At the interview site outside Xiaoxitian]

The reporter arranged by Wang Sicong asked the probing question as scheduled.

Even if they didn't expect Mr. Lu's answer to be the absolute basis for corporate decision-making, no one, including Wang Jianlin, didn't want to know what he would say.

Lu Kuan pondered for a long time, hesitating about how he should answer.

He wanted to gloss over the issue, remaining noncommittal so that Wang Jianlin and Wanda couldn't see his true intentions.

Neither affirming nor denying.

But standing at the crossroads of Chinese film development, what is he pondering now? And what is he hesitating about?
The transmigrator's mind was filled with the disastrous consequences of Wanda's move;
After the release of the "Opinions" and the "Film Promotion Law," Wanda secured huge loans from a banking syndicate including the Bank of China and ICBC by taking advantage of national policies. However, it wasted its development opportunities and industry funds on meaningless North American cinema chains.

Assuming a total domestic box office of 100 billion yuan this year, the total amount involved in acquiring AMC and assuming its debts will be at least 120 billion yuan.
If this huge sum of money comes from a domestic syndicated loan, it would be equivalent to investing more than a year's worth of the Chinese film market, plus precious national financial resources, into a single overseas asset-heavy business full of uncertainty.

What would happen if this money were used domestically?
If the domestic film industry chain follows the industrial views and measures he proposed in the Film Promotion Law, and takes the path of film industrialization with Chinese characteristics, it will receive a significant financial boost from policy-based loans from banks!
This money could nurture hundreds of "Patrick Cinema" studios, thoroughly solidifying the foundation of China's film special effects industry.

It can build thousands of truly advanced screens, complete the modernization upgrade of cinemas nationwide, and benefit local audiences.

It can incubate and support thousands of high-quality film projects, foster a thriving creative ecosystem, and to some extent solve the problem of "content anemia".

Wanda's move is tantamount to removing the core steel and cement from its own foundation and building a seemingly magnificent but poorly owned building in a distant place before the foundation is even solid, resulting in a severe drain on local industries.

From an official standpoint, Lu Kuan does not want to see such flashy but impractical scenes reproduced, as this would be detrimental to Chinese cinema.
Personally, the fate and development of Wenjie and Chinese cinema have become intertwined; the stronger Chinese cinema becomes, the stronger Wenjie becomes.

He sighed inwardly, and then stopped worrying about whether Wang Jianlin and the others would see through his true thoughts.

Facing the camera, the young director solemnly said, "This is a risky attempt. At least from my perspective, I am not optimistic about this deal. I hope Wanda will consider it carefully."

The reporter, who was on a mission, became even more excited upon hearing this and pressed on: "Mr. Lu, you bluntly stated that you are not optimistic about this acquisition. Does this mean that Wenjie is worried that Wanda will seize the initiative in global channels through this move, thereby threatening Wenjie's current leading position?"

"Your pessimism seems somewhat domineering. Does it also reflect a reluctance to see a strong competitor emerge? Is this irresponsible towards the overall situation of Chinese films and the national cultural industry policy?"

The sound of camera shutters clicking from other reporters nearby was constant, and all eyes, including Han Shanping and the leaders of the State Administration of Radio and Television, were instantly focused on him.

Lu Kuan suddenly looked very seriously at the reporter whose face was flushed. The latter was slightly frightened and looked embarrassed.

Facing the dark, unfocused lenses of cameras, he spoke with unprecedented seriousness:

"To be honest, today's Wenjie has already gained some influence over the film industry. Our every move may have a profound impact from a market perspective. This is legal and compliant, and I do not deny it."

"That's why I keep telling everyone in the company to remember one ironclad rule—we must be a company that does not do evil."

"Whether it's Chinese films or the internet industry, Wenjie has always stood with the country and the people, and will never be a wavering centrist."

His voice was steady and powerful, carrying a frankness that transcended personal stance:

"What I just said was to ask Mr. Wang of Wanda to carefully consider this decision. It was not a malicious threat, but merely a warning from a peer, even though we have always been the most direct competitors."

"As for whether my judgment is right or wrong, whether my suggestions are based on public interest or private considerations, including the recent online debate about whether Wenjie (问界) was biased in its opening of the door to 'Avatar' and whether it was acting as a 'traitor', I may only have a few words to say to you—"

"Those who know me and those who condemn me, only history will tell."

(End of this chapter)