Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 382: Miracle

In November, a cold wind began to blow in Beijing.

Wang Sheng, who returned triumphantly from Los Angeles, immediately threw himself into a new round of intense yet well-organized work without a moment's rest.

Before filming of "Night at the Museum" officially began at the end of November, his energy was mainly focused on two core tasks: ensuring that the preparation of the new film was flawless, and drawing up a detailed nautical chart for "Shaolin Soccer," which was about to set sail for North America.

Preparations for "Night at the Museum" have entered the final sprint stage.

The main building of the "Chinese Civilization Museum" in the "Jackie Chan Happy Park" in Huairou is undergoing rapid changes, and its internal structure is beginning to take shape.

Wang Sheng and his core creative team frequently traveled between their Beijing office and the construction site in Huairou.

On this day, the north wind was biting, and Wang Sheng, wrapped in a thick cashmere coat, personally went to the construction site.

Inside the huge workshop, craftsmen from all over the country are making final adjustments to various antique props needed for key scenes in the film, from the terracotta warriors of Qin Shi Huang replicated at a 1:1 scale, to the exquisite and complex ancient astronomical instrument "Water-powered Astronomical Clock Tower", and then to the representative costumes, weapons and ritual objects of various dynasties.

The air was filled with the mixed smells of wood, paint, and metal, and the sounds of hammering, polishing, and the ticking of electronic components being adjusted were incessant.

Director Huo Jianqi, Chen Guoxing, and the art director are holding design drawings and having an intense discussion with the props team leader about the materials and lighting effects of the starry sky dome in the "Han Dynasty Exhibition Hall," striving to present a fantastical atmosphere on the screen that is both historically accurate and visually stunning.

"Mr. Wang," Huo Jianqi greeted Wang Sheng immediately, rubbing his hands which were red from the cold, "How do you see the internal mechanical structure and the external antiquing effect of this 'revived' bronze cauldron? Does it look out of place when it moves?"

Wang Sheng bent down to examine the bronze cauldron model, which was about half the height of a person. The complex connecting rods and miniature motors inside were faintly visible, while the exterior was covered with carefully carved verdigris and rust.

He signaled to the workers to turn on the power for testing. The Taotie patterns on the cauldron seemed to come alive with the slight sound of the motor, slowly wriggling, and even the eyes glowed with a faint red light, which was both eerie and mysterious.

"The movements should be slower, with a sense of sluggishness, like someone just awakening from a thousand-year slumber, rather than the agility of a modern robot."

Wang Sheng pointed out, "The lighting color could be a bit more bluish to add to the mysterious atmosphere. We are creating 'magical reality,' and we want the audience to believe that these things 'come alive' in the museum at night. The details must stand up to scrutiny."

He also inspected the construction progress of several other main scenes and made specific requirements for the simulation of spice scents in the "Tang Dynasty Silk Road" exhibition area and the debugging of the interactive projection equipment for the "Song Dynasty Market" scene.

Faced with a massive set and complex special effects preparations, Wang Sheng demonstrated amazing patience and a meticulous attention to detail.

He knew all too well that any minor flaw in this hugely invested film, which aimed to set a new benchmark for Chinese fantasy blockbusters, could be magnified into a disaster on the giant screen.

"Has the schedule with Jackie Chan been finalized?" Wang Sheng asked the production manager beside him.

"It's confirmed. Mr. Chen Ziqiang replied that filming for 'The Tuxedo' will definitely wrap up before December, and Jackie Chan will be able to join the crew in the first week of December."

Wang Sheng nodded slightly, and then discussed the filming equipment with the special effects team.

……

Regarding the North American release of "Shaolin Soccer".

Wang Sheng instructed the theatrical film distribution division to establish a dedicated "overseas distribution strategy team" to handle this matter.

Instead of giving a specific solution directly, he first set the tone and general direction.

The analysis can be broadly categorized into the following areas: core challenges and opportunities analysis, core strategic positioning, localized execution plan, phased marketing roadmap, development of specialized channels, risk assessment and response, team building requirements, and expected goal system...

……

Time has quietly slipped into the latter half of November.

On November 27, a front-page news article from the China Film News once again put Wang Sheng and Shengying Media's publicity and distribution division in the spotlight.

Special Feature from China Film News:
[The Legend of Zu Mountain Breaks 1.33 Million Yuan in First Month! Sheng Ying Model Creates a Commercial Miracle in Chinese Cinema] (Reporter Zhang Yuan) In 1996, when Wang Sheng, a son of the Beijing Film Studio, proposed "customized wedding films," no one could have predicted that this young man would create the most shocking commercial miracle in the history of Chinese cinema five years later.

Yesterday, authoritative box office statistics showed that "The Legend of Zu" grossed 1.33 million yuan in its first month of release. This figure not only made the film one of the highest-grossing Chinese-language films of the year, but also created a commercial myth that astonished the industry—successfully turning a film that had failed at the Hong Kong box office and was deemed "dead" by the industry into a market blockbuster.

From an industry laughingstock to a market legend
Looking back three months ago, "The Legend of Zu" only grossed over HK$1000 million at the Hong Kong box office, suffering a double Waterloo in terms of both critical reception and box office performance.

Industry insiders generally believed that this visually stunning film, with an investment of HK$100 million, would be a complete financial disaster. At the time, Sheng Ying Media's move to buy out the mainland copyright for RMB20 million was seen by many as a "crazy gamble."

However, Wang Sheng and his team used precise market insights to complete a textbook-level business operation.

By accurately positioning itself as a "visual spectacle," the film successfully shifted public attention from its narrative shortcomings to its leading special effects production; leveraging the hardware advantages of China Film Grand Cinema, it created the consumption concept of "exclusive experience in giant screen theaters"; and further, by collaborating with "Legend of Today and Yesterday: Wuxia Edition" to hold a national fantasy writing competition, it built a continuously evolving cultural derivative ecosystem.

Breaking the Mold and Establishing New Logic: Reconstructing the Commercial Logic of Film
Behind this series of actions lies Wang Sheng's profound understanding of the film industry's development. From the founding of Shengying Media in 1996, he has demonstrated a forward-thinking approach to industry strategy:

Pioneering a business model for wedding films and opening up a niche market.

Promote film studio alliances and integrate industry resources
Deeply involved in cinema reform, building a modern distribution network
Today, the success of "The Legend of Shushan" further validates the effectiveness of its three-dimensional operation model of "content + channels + derivatives".

Data shows that IMAX theaters contributed as much as 47% to the box office revenue of "The Legend of Zu," with average ticket prices exceeding those of regular theaters by 62%. This not only demonstrates the role of high-quality projection terminals in enhancing the viewing experience but also reveals the enormous potential for consumption upgrading in the Chinese film market.

Industry Implications: A New Era for Chinese Cinema

The success of "The Legend of Shushan" was no accident.

Compared to the 2.39 million yuan box office record set by "Shaolin Soccer" during this summer's box office season, Shengying Media has demonstrated the diverse possibilities of the Chinese film market with two works of very different styles.

More noteworthy is that these two works respectively pioneered two brand-new genre film markets: "sports comedy" and "visual fantasy," greatly enriching the content ecosystem of Chinese films.

Industry experts pointed out that with its first-month performance of 1.33 million yuan and its continued steady market performance, it is no surprise that "The Legend of Shushan" will eventually break the 1.5 million yuan mark.

This figure not only represents the success of a single project, but also marks a new stage of development for the Chinese film industry:

The commercial value of movies has been redefined.

Market segmentation and precision marketing become possible
The fusion of traditional cultural elements and modern film technology has gained market recognition.
Going Global: From Local Miracles to a Global Vision

Just as "The Legend of Zu" was creating a box office miracle, Wang Sheng had just concluded strategic cooperation negotiations with New Line Cinema in the United States, opening up a new channel for Chinese films to "go global".

This approach, which combines successful experiences in the domestic market with international strategic planning, demonstrates unprecedented confidence and vision among Chinese filmmakers.

From his entrepreneurial dreams in the dormitory building of Beijing Film Studio to his current business empire that has shaken up the entire industry, Wang Sheng has completed a commercial revolution in Chinese cinema in five years.

The miracle of "The Legend of Zu" is not just a box office figure, but also an important milestone in the industrialization of Chinese film.

It proves that Chinese filmmakers are fully capable of creating excellent works that are both artistically valuable and commercially successful, while adhering to market principles.

In this era of profound transformation facing the Chinese film industry, Wang Sheng and his Shengying model are writing a new chapter in history.

As a veteran filmmaker once said:

"The success of 'The Legend of Zu' is not the end, but a brand new beginning. The commercial miracle of Chinese cinema has just begun, and Wang Sheng is both the creator of the miracle and the miracle itself."

This report was like pouring a ladle of hot water into an already scalding pan of oil, bringing Wang Sheng and Shengying Media's reputation to a new peak.

(End of this chapter)