Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 125, Section 124: 'Review by the Three Ministries'

the following few days.

An unexpected surge of enthusiasm, originating from the grassroots, flowed from local television stations across the country through letters, phone calls, and tangible banners to local broadcasting, cultural, and propaganda departments.

At first, the staff of these organizations were somewhat confused when they received the phone calls or letters.

On the other end of the phone are often ordinary viewers, each with varying degrees of emotion and accents.
"Hey! Is this the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television? I want to commend you! The new movies you showed in your 'Weekend Cinema' were fantastic! Much better than those long and tedious TV dramas!"

"Hello comrade, on behalf of our neighborhood senior activity center, I would like to thank the TV station for bringing in such a wonderful film as 'Wedding Dress'! It brought tears to the eyes of several of us old folks, reminding us of our younger days. It's truly educational!"

"Your 'TV Movie' program is exceptionally well-run! It truly benefits the people's cultural and spiritual lives! I hope it continues and that you show more excellent films like this!"

more than this.

Some proactive members of the public even went so far as to deliver the banner to the gate of the local television station or propaganda department, accompanied by gongs and drums.

On the bright red velvet surface are written large, glittering golden characters such as "Artistic Purity Stream, People's Voice," "Enriching Spiritual Life, Spreading the Strong Voice of the Times," and "Television and Movies Illuminate Every Home."

This commotion has left the reception staff completely bewildered—didn't the higher-ups assign this task?

This honor came a bit suddenly!
The grassroots units dared not neglect the task. While warmly receiving the guests and accepting the banner, they also quickly conducted an internal investigation: which department was leading this "people's project" of "TV and movies"?
After much investigation, the clues pointed to the provincial film studio.

But when asked again, the people at the film studio were also confused: "Us? We did participate in the alliance, but the film was produced under the leadership of the Beijing Film Studio, and the broadcasting was the TV station's responsibility. We were just the distributors..."

The information was reported up the chain of command and finally summarized at the provincial-level radio and television and cultural authorities.

The leaders looked at each other, holding the report.

It turns out that the commotion was caused by Han Sanping's "Film Studio Alliance" at Beijing Film Studio.
Is it not a locally initiated cultural innovation project?
But the public response was genuinely enthusiastic and positive!
These days, it's rare to find a cultural product that can win praise from both ordinary people and some art critics.

In particular, the evaluation that "rescued the people from poorly made TV dramas" was straightforward, but it struck a chord with many managers and insightful people.

This is no longer a simple matter of viewership ratings; it has risen to the level of "meeting the people's growing spiritual and cultural needs" and "guiding healthy artistic trends."

As a result, reports with positive evaluations and explanations were submitted to the relevant departments of the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television, as well as several other ministries.

……

As expected, Han Sanping was once again invited to a meeting at the ministry.

In stark contrast to the atmosphere of skepticism and scrutiny that filled the meeting room last time, the leaders present this time all wore warm smiles.

The lineup of attendees also demonstrated the importance attached to this matter by higher authorities: in addition to the vice minister in charge of film and television production, there was also the vice minister in charge of propaganda guidance and mass culture, the director of the General Office, as well as the main responsible persons of the Film Bureau, Television Drama Department, and Propaganda Department, and representatives from the Ministry of Culture and the Propaganda Department.

It can be described as a 'review by three ministries'.

The meeting was chaired by the vice minister in charge of propaganda and guidance.

He first affirmed the "breakthrough progress" and "positive social impact" that the film studio alliance has recently achieved in the field of television films.

"Comrade Sanping," the deputy minister said with a beaming smile, "I never expected that your alliance would quietly deliver a 'cultural feast' to the audience across the country!"

The feedback from various places is very positive; the public genuinely likes it and gives it high praise! They call you a "breath of fresh air in the arts," enriching their spiritual lives—this is a great honor!

Another vice minister chimed in: "Especially films like 'Wedding Dress,' which are sincere in their emotions, have a healthy message, are both artistic and down-to-earth, and achieve a balance between social and economic benefits."

This shows that our state-owned film studios are powerful; the key lies in how to guide and stimulate their vitality. It seems you've chosen the right path!

The director of the Film Bureau nodded in agreement: "The two films are very different in style, but they both capture the pulse of the times and the psychology of the masses."

This low-investment, fast-paced, high-quality, and relatable production model is beneficial for enriching television programming, cultivating audience aesthetics, and training the creative team. Director Han, your contributions are indispensable!

Han Sanping felt relieved, but he remained humble and quickly said, "You flatter me, leaders! This is all thanks to the capable leadership of the ministry, which has given us room to explore."

It is also the result of the concerted efforts of more than 30 film studios in the alliance.

"We were just making an attempt, and the fact that we've gained the approval of the people is the greatest encouragement." "Hmm." The vice minister, who was presiding over the meeting, nodded in satisfaction, then changed the subject: "The achievements should be acknowledged, but the responsibilities should also be increased. Comrade Sanping, the people's praise is both a pressure and a driving force."

The ministry's message is that they hope you will avoid complacency and impetuosity, and not just produce a flash in the pan, but continue to release high-quality works. Not only should you produce good TV movies of one or two hours, but you should also plan to challenge yourself with longer runtimes and broader themes, producing some high-quality long-running dramas that reflect the spirit of the times.

We must maintain the right direction and adhere to the principle of "serving the people and serving socialism," and not just focus on economic benefits, becoming another example of a miserly person who only cares about making money!

This is both encouragement and a reminder, as well as an expectation.

Han Sanping immediately straightened his back and replied in a loud voice, "Please rest assured, leaders! Our Beijing Film Studio and Film Studio Alliance will always keep in mind the responsibilities and missions of state-owned cultural enterprises!"

Exploring market-oriented paths is for better survival and development, and the ultimate goal is to produce high-quality works, cultivate talent, and promote the prosperity of socialist culture.

We will always adhere to the principle of prioritizing social benefits while ensuring a balance between social and economic benefits, and we will never let down the trust of our leaders and the expectations of the people!

He paused, then, feeling the time was right, naturally added: "Actually, the success of this TV movie is inseparable from the efforts of a young comrade in our factory."

Wang Sheng of Shengying Media played a key role in everything from project planning and script control to production process optimization and market expansion.

Young people are energetic, have ideas, and are willing to put in the effort to study their audience and the market.

The leaders present were all shrewd individuals. Upon hearing the name "Wang Sheng," their eyes flickered slightly, but they remained expressionless, simply listening with smiles. No one immediately responded or pressed for answers.

They heard Han Sanping's boasting and kept it in mind.

The name Wang Sheng, along with the various "miracles" he created, has long been on the radar of high-level officials.

However, in this context, making too many statements would be inappropriate.

Affirming the achievements of the alliance and Beijing Film Studio indirectly affirms Wang Sheng's role.

Some things are better left unsaid.

The meeting concluded in a friendly and encouraging atmosphere.

As Han Sanping walked out of the ministry building, the spring breeze on his face made him feel exceptionally comfortable.

This time, being "invited" was completely different from the "pressure" I felt last time; it was a triumphant moment.

He knew that the alliance and Wang Sheng had overcome another hurdle and won a more relaxed and favorable development environment.

……

In stark contrast to Han Sanping's glamorous acceptance of honors, Fan Xiaopang is still struggling in Beitaipingzhuang.

Five days have passed.

Fan Xiaopang was like a statue waiting for her husband, appearing every day without fail on the open space in front of the Beijing Film Studio where people waited for work.

The starlight at dawn saw her, the midday sun scorched her, and the evening glow lengthened her lonely figure.

She was still holding up the cardboard sign that read, "Actor: Fan Xiaopang. Featured in: 'Strong Woman' (introduced by teacher Liu Xuehua)."

However, the edges of the sign were already curled up, and the lettering was slightly blurred after being exposed to the wind and sun.

Her stubbornness remained, but her once bright eyes were now inevitably shrouded in a shadow of fatigue and anxiety.

Over those five days, she witnessed countless commotions among the crowds, the eagerness to volunteer, and the scenes of a lucky few being chosen.

She also mustered up her courage and pushed forward time and time again to loudly promote herself, even going so far as to mention the name "Teacher Liu Xuehua".

But most of the responses she received were impatient waves from assistant directors or production assistants, dismissive shakes of the head after scrutiny, or indifferent or even veiled mockery from her colleagues who were used to it.

(End of this chapter)