Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 381, page 379: Vanguard

The bustling crowds in the waiting hall of Los Angeles International Airport are a microcosm of the era of globalization.

Wang Sheng and Robert White stood in a relatively quiet corner, having their final conversation of the trip.

“Robert, our collaboration has been very pleasant.” Wang Sheng got straight to the point, his tone as calm as ever. “Now, there’s something more sensitive, but it could also bring long-term rewards, and I need your help with that.”

White raised an eyebrow, showing interest: "Mr. Wang, please speak. In Hollywood, as long as the compensation is reasonable, many things can be discussed."

“Given the unfortunate events of September,” Wang Sheng said cautiously, “I have noticed that the atmosphere in Hollywood is not friendly to some ethnic minorities, especially those of Middle Eastern descent, or film industry talents whose names sound similar or who just look alike.”

Especially in fields like special effects, modeling, and post-production, which require a high level of expertise and creativity, I've heard of some incredibly talented people encountering an invisible glass ceiling, and even facing the risk of unemployment.

White's smile faded, and he nodded, his expression becoming more serious. "That's true, Mr. Wang. Panic and prejudice are everywhere, and the industry's hidden discrimination is intensifying. Many studios are becoming...extremely cautious when hiring. You mean...?"

“I want to invite them to China.” Wang Sheng stated his purpose directly. “My company, ‘Shengying Media,’ has partnered with the Beijing Film Academy, China’s top film academy, to establish a subsidiary focused on film special effects and digital production.”

As you know, the success of "Shaolin Soccer" is inseparable from its special effects, and "The Legend of Zu" uses visual spectacle as its selling point. The special effects requirements for "Night at the Museum," which we are currently preparing, have reached an unprecedented level.

The Chinese market is embracing this type of film, but we lack top talent and experience.

He paused for a moment, then offered an enticing deal: "I can offer them a one- to two-year work contract in Beijing, which, as you know, has won the bid to host the Olympics. It's China's premier modern metropolis."

Their salaries will be 20% to 50% higher than their current Hollywood earnings, depending on their abilities.

Meanwhile, we will provide comprehensive accommodation arrangements, round-trip airfare, and comprehensive insurance for your work in China.

Most importantly, there is a booming market there, and a platform waiting for them to make their mark.

A glint of light flashed in Robert White's eyes.

He immediately understood Wang Sheng's intention—this was not just about doing charity or solving a temporary need; it was about taking advantage of the situation by offering prices higher than the market rate, no, it was about "recruiting talent" and systematically absorbing high-level technical talent in Hollywood who were idle or marginalized for non-technical reasons, in order to quickly fill the key gaps in China's film industry technology chain.

What Wang Sheng valued were the knowledge in these people's minds, their skills, and their experience in the industrialization of Hollywood.

“Wang, you always have a keen eye,” White exclaimed. “This is indeed a window of opportunity. I’ll give it a try and contact some friends who might be feeling down at Industrial Light & Magic, Weta Digital, or other visual effects companies, or freelancers who are looking for new opportunities.”

China's accession to the WTO adds to the persuasiveness. After all, a market of over a billion people is beckoning them, and the rewards are substantial.

But he immediately raised a crucial question: "However, Wang, you must understand that this involves the cross-border movement of technical personnel, especially those who may have... well, sensitive backgrounds."

Export controls in the United States, and the background checks they may face, are obstacles.

More importantly, will there be problems with the approval of Chinese entry permits and work visas, especially for foreign nationals in high-tech fields?

You need to make sure your channels are open.

“I will handle the review process,” Wang Sheng replied decisively, with unwavering confidence. “I have my methods in China. You only need to be responsible for the initial screening and contacting people, compiling lists and resumes. My team will handle the subsequent administrative procedures. We only need truly capable people who are willing to accept new challenges.”

"make a deal."

White held out his hand, his shrewd smile returning to his face. "I'll take this headhunting job. The payment is the same as always, calculated based on the number of successful hires and their salary percentages."

"Okay." Wang Sheng shook his hand firmly. "I look forward to your good news."

“I also look forward to your next visit with the finished product of ‘Night at the Museum’,” White laughed. “That would definitely shake up Hollywood.”

Wang Sheng smiled and said, "It will definitely be as you wish."

……

After a flight of more than ten hours, Wang Sheng returned to Beijing.

In the late autumn of Beijing, the air was crisp and cool, yet a vibrant energy emanated from the city's successful entry into the WTO.

Newspapers about the WTO still occupy prominent positions on newsstands throughout the streets and alleys, and the whole country is in a state of excitement and anticipation for accelerated opening up to the outside world.

Upon returning to China, Wang Sheng took a short rest before immediately plunging into his backlog of work and new agenda items. ...

2001 11 Month 16 Day.

Against the backdrop of China's accession to the WTO, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television convened a meeting to discuss the strategic cooperation agreement reached between Shengying Media and New Line Cinema.

Attendees included leaders from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, the Publicity Department, and the Ministry of Culture; the head of the Film Bureau; Yang Buting, Chairman of China Film Group; Han Sanping, Vice Chairman of China Film Group; Wu Mengchen, Vice Chairman of China Film Group; and Wang Sheng, representing the partners and serving as the main speaker.

Yang Buting took office last year. He previously worked at the Film Administration Bureau of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. His appointment shattered Lao Han's fantasy of being promoted to chairman of China Film Group based on his contribution to the market rescue in 1999.

Wu Mengchen was the former general manager of China Film Distribution and Exhibition Corporation (the predecessor of China Film Group). He single-handedly established the revenue-sharing mechanism for imported blockbusters and was the main person in charge of the imported film distribution business. He was a direct competitor of Han Sanping.

However, he no longer has the chance, as Han Sanping has already obtained the authority to manage several core businesses of China Film Group.

The meeting was held in a solemn conference room at the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.

Seated around the oval conference table are key figures who will determine the future of China's film industry.

The atmosphere was serious and cautious.

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television leader who chaired the meeting set the tone at the outset: "The cooperation between Comrade Wang Sheng and New Line Cinema was reached at this historic moment when my country officially joined the World Trade Organization, and it has a trendsetting significance."

The purpose of having you all here today is to delve into the implications, opportunities, and challenges of this collaboration, and its implications for the future development of our film industry.

When it was Wang Sheng's turn to speak, he did not go into the details of the negotiations, but instead elaborated from a higher level: "Distinguished leaders, the core of this cooperation with New Line Cinema is not simply selling the North American rights to 'Shaolin Soccer,' but rather establishing a strategic cooperation framework of 'market for market, channel for channel.'"

He first pointed out the crux of the matter.

Wang Sheng continued, "We used the potential of China's future film market as leverage to obtain access to the other party's North American distribution network and relatively fair revenue-sharing terms."

This broke with the previous cooperation model where Hollywood companies either bought out projects at low prices or dominated the negotiations, giving us, for the first time, the right to equal dialogue at the negotiating table.

He then analyzed the challenges and opportunities brought about by China's accession to the WTO: "With the increase in the quota for imported blockbuster films, Hollywood movies will inevitably enter the Chinese market on a larger scale."

Passive defense is less effective than proactive integration. By collaborating with mainstream studios like New Line Cinema, we can gain a deeper and earlier understanding of Hollywood's operating rules, production philosophies, and marketing strategies. This is a learning opportunity that money can't buy.

"More importantly,"

Wang Sheng emphasized, "This has paved the way for our own films to 'go global.' 'Shaolin Soccer' will be a trial run, and for the follow-up 'Night at the Museum,' we are actively promoting it as a Sino-US co-production, aiming for better success in the US market and global distribution using Newline's network."

What we need to learn is not only technology, but also how to tell a Chinese story that the world can accept, or rather, a world story incorporating Chinese elements.

He also mentioned the talent recruitment plan that is currently being planned: "In order to support this industrial upgrading, Shengying, together with Beijing Film Academy, is actively building and strengthening the special effects talent training system, and plans to introduce world-class special effects experts for guidance and cooperation to make up for our shortcomings in high-end technical talents."

Yang Buting, chairman of China Film Group, listened attentively, nodding occasionally.

He affirmed Wang Sheng's foresight: "Comrade Wang Sheng's thinking is very clear and bold. Now that we have joined the WTO, we cannot close our doors to development. As a national team, China Film Group supports this attempt to actively explore the international market and bring in and go out within the rules. This is in line with the general direction of the national cultural strategy."

Han Sanping offered practical support: "Wang Sheng held firm to his bottom line and also secured tangible benefits in this negotiation. China Film Shengshi Cinema Circuit will actively cooperate, selecting and importing new films suitable for the Chinese market on the premise of equality and mutual benefit, while also accumulating experience for our own projects going overseas. This is a good start; the next step is to implement it solidly."

Wu Mengchen pondered for a moment, then remained silent.

The meeting lasted for the entire afternoon.

The discussion covered multiple aspects, including policy boundaries, risk management, and intellectual property protection.

While some conservatives expressed concerns about excessive openness, the prevailing sentiment was one of affirmation of Wang Sheng's breakthrough and cautious optimism about future cooperation.

The leaders are actually quite troubled right now. They don't really know how to proceed after joining the WTO, and they urgently need a pilot project to move forward.

Since Wang Sheng is willing to act as a vanguard, let's support him.

After all, Wang Sheng was outside the system, so his failure wouldn't matter much.

(End of this chapter)