Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 567, Section 565: The Panda's Game
On September 7, 2004, the sky over Beijing was a clear, deep blue as autumn began to arrive.

On the top floor of the Jingxin Building, in the Shengying Media conference room that overlooks half of Beijing and is decorated in a style that combines modern business with oriental elegance, the atmosphere seems relaxed, but undercurrents are actually surging.

Wang Sheng sat in the main seat, with a huge display screen behind him. On either side of him were Li Tingting, the company secretary, and Zhao Jinsong, the director of the international business department of Shengying Media.

Across the conference table was the DreamWorks Animation delegation, who had traveled a long way.

The leader was a capable and sharp-eyed woman—Anne McCabe, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships at DreamWorks Animation.

Having worked at Disney for many years, she is well-versed in IP operations and international collaborations, and is one of Jeffrey Katzenberg's key associates.

Sitting to her left is Melissa Cobb, the core creator of the Kung Fu Panda project and its chief producer.

She has a deep interest in Chinese culture, which is why she strongly advocated for the team to come to China for in-depth research.

On the right is John Stephenson, the initial art director and co-director of the project, a middle-aged man with a full beard and a strong artistic temperament. His sketchbook is filled with his observations from this trip to China.

In addition, there is a screenwriter, Glenn Berger, who is in charge of story development.

“Mr. Wang, thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to meet with us.” Anne McCabe got straight to the point. Her Chinese had an accent, but she spoke clearly. “We at DreamWorks Animation greatly admire the character Po the Panda created by your company’s Dawn Comics Studio.”

Li Tingting provided fluent simultaneous interpretation from the side.

Wang Sheng nodded slightly and gestured for them to continue.

Melissa Cobb picked up the conversation, her tone brimming with an artist's enthusiasm: "Mr. Wang, we are preparing an animation project with pandas and Chinese kung fu as its core elements. We spent six months traveling around China, trying to capture the most authentic cultural essence."

When we saw the "Panda Po" comic, we were...very shocked. Po's image, his expression, that憨厚 (honest and simple) yet lively feeling, perfectly matched our imagination of the protagonist in many ways.

John Stephenson added that he even spread out his sketchbook on the conference table, which contained several of his panda sketches. Although the details differed, the overall outline and expression did bear a resemblance to the cover image of "Pok."

"It's a wonderful coincidence, but it also shows the success of this image design."

After laying the groundwork, Anne McCabe got to the heart of the matter, her tone becoming more formal: "Mr. Wang, DreamWorks hopes to acquire the global rights to the character 'Po' from 'Pok.' We can offer a very fair price, a figure that reflects its potential value."

The meeting room fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng picked up the celadon teacup in front of him, took a small sip, put the cup down, and said in a steady but unquestionable voice: "Ms. Anne, Melissa, John, thank you for your appreciation. But 'A Bao' is the culmination of years of hard work by the artists of our 'Dawn Studio,' and it is also a symbolic carrier of our Chinese culture. It is not for sale."

The words "Not for Sale" were clearly conveyed through Li Tingting's translation. The expressions on the DreamWorks team members instantly turned serious.

Anne McCabe clearly anticipated this answer. Leaning slightly forward, she adopted a professional negotiating stance: "Mr. Wang, we understand your feelings about owning your intellectual property. But please allow me to be frank, DreamWorks possesses world-class animation production technology and a global distribution network. If we were to manage it, this panda character would have the potential to become a world-class cultural icon like Mickey Mouse or Shrek. Limiting it solely to the Chinese market would undoubtedly be a huge waste. We hope to find a win-win solution."

“There are certainly ways to achieve a win-win situation,” Wang Sheng said calmly. “Personally, and Shengying Media, we have always been open to international cooperation. Since you are so optimistic about this image, and we have a mature image and first-mover advantage in copyright, why not consider joint development?”

“Joint development?” Anne McCabe frowned slightly.

“Yes,” Wang Sheng said clearly. “Shengying Media will invest in the ‘Po’ character copyright and some capital to jointly establish a project company with DreamWorks to co-produce this animated film. Global revenue will be shared according to the investment and copyright ratio. Meanwhile, Shengying will take the lead in distribution and operation in Greater China.”

This plan elevates Wang Sheng and Shengying Media to a near-equal partnership with DreamWorks, rather than simply a copyright seller.

Melissa Cobb and John Stephenson exchanged a glance. From an artistic point of view, they might not be opposed to collaborating, but commercially, it was clearly beyond DreamWorks' initial vision.

Anne McCabe paused for a moment, then shook her head, her tone hardening slightly: "Mr. Wang, your proposal... is very creative. But please forgive my bluntness, DreamWorks possesses complete creative, technological, and global distribution channels. The value of an image lies in how it is shaped and promoted."

Frankly, we don't only have 'Po' as an option. Our artists can design another panda character that is equally excellent, or even more appealing to a global audience. In that case, your 'Po' character might miss this excellent opportunity to go global, and you would lose a very substantial amount of copyright fees.

This is pressure, but it's also the truth.

As a Hollywood giant, DreamWorks certainly has the confidence to say such things.

Upon hearing this, Wang Sheng laughed, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Ms. Annie," he said, "you're right. Creativity is limitless. But opportunity and advantage are finite." He gestured to Zhao Jingsong, who immediately pushed several documents in front of him.

"This is a list of all copyright registration documents, series publications, and trademark registration certificates for the Po the Panda comic series since its first publication in 1998, as well as in major countries and regions around the world, including North America, the European Union, Japan and South Korea."

Wang Sheng spoke calmly and unhurriedly: "'Po's' image is already legally protected globally. More importantly, it has already accumulated a certain readership and market recognition in the domestic market. It is certainly possible for you to redesign a panda, but it will take time and you will also need to deal with a 'prototype' that has already been established to a certain extent."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group: "Moreover, I believe Ms. Melissa and Mr. John should be able to sense that the image of 'A Bao' is truly born from Eastern aesthetics and philosophy; it is not a simple accumulation of elements. This kind of 'spirit' is sometimes harder to replicate than 'formal resemblance,' and it is also more touching to both Eastern audiences and Western audiences seeking novelty."

Wang Sheng's words were both soft and hard, pointing out his own legal barriers and market foundation while also elevating the artistic value of the "A Bao" character, directly addressing the opponent's pain point in pursuing "authentic" Chinese style.

Melissa Cobb nodded subconsciously. As a creator, she could indeed feel the Eastern atmosphere in the "Panda Po" comic that was different from the Western interpretation.

“Joint development…involves very complex factors, such as investment ratios, decision-making power, and profit distribution, which require very detailed evaluation.” Anne McCabe’s tone softened somewhat, but she did not back down. “This is beyond the scope of my authorization this time.”

“I understand.” Wang Sheng nodded. “My proposal remains valid. Shengying is looking forward to a truly equal strategic partnership, not a one-off copyright sale. If DreamWorks feels the time is not yet right, we can wait. Perhaps one day in the future, when Shengying’s own animation production capabilities are strong enough, we will bring ‘Po’ to the big screen ourselves.”

This statement leaves room for maneuver, but it also serves as a form of implicit pressure—implying that if DreamWorks misses out, it may face a formidable competitor in the future.

The initial negotiations ended in an atmosphere that appeared friendly but was actually at a standstill. The DreamWorks team needed time for internal discussion and to report back to headquarters.

Over the next two weeks, Shengying Media's professional negotiation team, led by Zhao Jingsong, held several rounds of intensive consultations with representatives from DreamWorks.

Wang Sheng no longer directly intervened, but every strategy he devised was at his behest.

The negotiation process was arduous and tortuous.

DreamWorks initially insisted on a buyout or demanded absolute control in joint development.

Sheng Ying, on the other hand, firmly adhered to the two bottom lines of "copyright equity" and "Greater China rights," while also striving to justify its position on global revenue sharing.

It's clear that DreamWorks, especially the creative team led by Melissa Cobb and John Stephenson, has an unbreakable fondness for the "Po" character. They worry that if they redesign the character, it will be difficult to find that "just right" feeling again.

November 23st arrived quietly.

Tomorrow marks the nationwide release of "New Police Story," starring Jackie Chan and co-produced by Sheng Ying.

The entertainment media in Beijing have been overwhelmed by the film's promotional campaign.

That very afternoon, Zhao Jingsong walked into Wang Sheng's office with a preliminary agreement in hand.

"Boss, we've reached an agreement." Zhao Jingsong's tone was tinged with fatigue, but more so with excitement. "DreamWorks has basically accepted our core framework."

Wang Sheng took the document and quickly scanned the key points:

Project Company: The two parties will jointly establish a special purpose vehicle (SPV) in Hong Kong to be responsible for the production and management of the "Kung Fu Panda" (tentative name) project.

Investment and Copyright: DreamWorks Animation was responsible for the main financial investment, core technology production, and global distribution (excluding Greater China). Shengying Media contributed a certain percentage of cash, granting exclusive global licensing rights to the "Po" character, thus holding a 30% equity stake in the project company.

Profit distribution: Net revenue from the project's global box office and derivatives will be distributed according to equity ratios (DreamWorks 70%, Shengying 30%).

Regional Rights: Shengying Media exclusively owns the rights to film distribution, television broadcasting, and all derivative product development and sales in Greater China (including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan). DreamWorks provides the necessary master discs and technical support.

Creative Involvement: Shengying Media has the right to dispatch core animators and cultural consultants to participate in project production, ensuring the accuracy of cultural details and the consistency of the "A Bao" character. DreamWorks reserves the final creative decision-making power, but must fully consider the opinions of the Chinese side.

Sequel Series: This agreement applies to the first film. If a film series is developed, Shengying Media has the right of first refusal under the same conditions.

While this outcome falls short of a fully equal partnership, it has maximized the protection of Shengying's interests, especially preserving the Greater China region, the fastest-growing market in the future. Furthermore, it has successfully integrated the local IP "A Bao" into a top Hollywood production, paving the way for its future global influence.

(End of this chapter)