Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 574, Section 572: Banning Directing and Industry Blacklisting
The National Day holiday film season in 2004, in an unprecedented and almost brutal manner, declared the establishment of the "Shengying Group's" absolute control over the market.

Two films that were originally highly anticipated by some art critics and movie fans—"2046" and "Kekexili"—withdrew from the competition in the mainland market almost immediately after their release.

After being bombarded with a deluge of negative reviews on the Maoyan Movies community and the entertainment sections of major portal websites, with many saying they "couldn't understand" the film, "2046" saw its box office completely freeze.

Apart from a very small number of "ghost screenings" symbolically retained by local cinemas in Shanghai through the mediation of Jet Tone Films and Shanghai Film Group, the film was almost completely removed from theaters in other parts of the country, especially by China Film Group Corporation and its allies.

Wang Jiawei's signature sunglasses and slow, deliberate tone failed to serve as a shield for his art this time. Instead, they became synonymous with "pretentious mystification" and "out of touch with the masses" in the eyes of ordinary viewers and passersby.

What chilled industry insiders even more was the news that spread like wildfire: Wang Jiawei, due to his "lack of understanding of the rules," would be unable to secure any broadcast or release opportunities in the mainland market for a considerable period of time.

This is not an official document, but rather a more robust, invisible barrier forged by channels and capital.

In an instant, projects that had originally intended to invite Wang Jiawei as a nominal producer or art consultant all backed down, and his influence in mainland China plummeted to rock bottom.

The situation of "Kekexili" is even more dire.

The plagiarism scandal has escalated under the precise control of "Hanhai Consulting" and the forces behind it.

Documentary director Liu Xinyu's weathered face and tearful accusations resonated deeply with audiences through television, newspapers, and magazines.

"Respect originality and resist plagiarism" has become the most prominent label attached to "Kekexili" and its director Lu Chuan.

After China Film Group took the lead in withdrawing the film and issuing an announcement, other mainstream cinema chains across the country followed suit with almost no resistance.

This film, which has not yet been officially released to the public, has been killed in its infancy due to the double blow of public opinion and distribution channels.

Lu Chuan himself went from being a highly anticipated young director to being condemned as a "plagiarist" overnight, and his personal reputation suffered a severe blow.

This storm even affected his family.

His father, a respected elder in the literary world, also had to face inquiries and strange looks from colleagues, friends, and even outside public opinion, and endured enormous pressure.

Without these two very different "disruptors," the market landscape for the 2004 National Day holiday became exceptionally clear, even somewhat "monotonous."

"New Police Story," starring Jackie Chan and with extensive involvement from Sheng Ying Film Studio, continues to dominate with over 40% of screenings. Thanks to its impressive action sequences and solid storyline, its box office continues to soar, aiming for even higher records.

The Hollywood blockbuster "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" firmly holds the second spot, satisfying the needs of teenagers and fantasy enthusiasts.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong romantic comedy "Dragon and Phoenix," co-invested by Sheng Ying and starring Cecilia Cheung, occupies the third tier of the market, attracting many couples with its lighthearted tone and star power.

In addition, several patriotic films will be released during the same period.

Several of these films were produced or co-produced by Shengying Group.

These films, which either praise role models of the times or showcase the country's achievements in development, have occupied a considerable market share with the support of the "China Film Prosperity" cinema chain and local publicity departments, ensuring an ample supply of "positive energy" on the big screen during the National Day holiday.

The overall market did not suffer from the withdrawal of "2046" and "Kekexili". On the contrary, with the strong leadership of "New Police Story" and the stable output of other films, it appeared more "harmonious" and "prosperous".

For the vast majority of ordinary viewers and passersby, this National Day holiday was fulfilling and satisfying. They talked about Jackie Chan's life-risking performance, were immersed in the magical world of Harry Potter, or were amused by the lighthearted humor of "Dragon and Phoenix".

Almost no one misses those two "aborted" works. Even the impressions of Wang Jiawei and Lu Chuan are mostly negative, such as "their films are incomprehensible" and "they are suspected of plagiarism and have bad character."

The industry fell silent, and everyone realized more clearly how severe the price would be for violating the rules set by the "Shengying Group".

……

October 1st, afternoon, Beijing.

The autumn sunlight streamed softly through the large floor-to-ceiling windows of Gao Yuanyuan's residence, filling the living room and casting warm dappled light on the carpet.

Wang Sheng, dressed in comfortable loungewear, sat leisurely on the carpet, a rare sight for him.

In front of him, his little daughter, Wang Ruoruo, who was almost two years and two months old, was wobbling as she tried to stack a block on top of the already somewhat crooked "castle".

The little girl inherited her mother's excellent genes; her eyebrows and eyes were as delicate as a porcelain doll's, and her slightly pouting lips when she was focused had a stubborn cuteness about them.

"Ruoruo, slow down, yes, put it down gently." Wang Sheng's voice was gentle, his eyes following his daughter's every move.

Gao Yuanyuan came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of sliced ​​fruit. Seeing this scene, a serene and satisfied smile appeared on her face.

She placed the fruit plate on the coffee table next to her and then sat down on the carpet next to Wang Sheng, watching her daughter play.

"I wonder who she takes after with her stubbornness," Gao Yuanyuan said with a soft laugh, picking up a small piece of apple and handing it to Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng took the phone, but before he could even put it in his mouth, his personal cell phone on the coffee table started buzzing. The screen lit up, showing the caller ID—Han Sanping.

Wang Sheng glanced at it, mouthed "wait a moment" to Gao Yuanyuan, picked up his phone, and pressed the answer button.

"Happy National Day, teacher. Any instructions?" Wang Sheng asked casually, his gaze still fixed on his daughter who was diligently building with blocks.

On the other end of the phone, Han Sanping's voice carried an obvious hint of helplessness and exhaustion: "Happiness? This place is practically a petition office, how can I be happy?"

"Oh?" Wang Sheng raised an eyebrow, roughly guessing what it was about. "It must be something serious to give you, the head of China Film Group, a headache."

"It's all because of Lu Chuan!" Han Sanping sighed. "That kid, he really knows how to mess things up. His father, who I also know, called my house directly, tears streaming down his face, saying that his son was being unreasonable and begging me to give him a way out."

That's not all. This morning, a retired senior leader who used to admire Lu Chuan's father called me personally to inquire about the matter. His words implied that he hoped we could consider the bigger picture and be forgiving.

Han Sanping paused, his tone tinged with annoyance: "What kind of mess is this? A plagiarism scandal has dragged you all into it, and even I can't have a moment's peace. Sheng, tell me honestly, did Lu Chuan plagiarize that film or not? What are your plans for this?"

Wang Sheng listened with a blank expression, but he reached out and supported his daughter's nearly collapsing block castle, which made Wang Ruoruo giggle.

“Teacher,” Wang Sheng’s voice remained steady, with a hint of barely perceptible amusement, “Lu Chuan’s relationship is truly extraordinary; it has even alarmed someone as important as you.”

"Don't flatter me!" Han Sanping said irritably. "I'm incredibly annoyed right now. They're insisting it's an independent work, while Liu Xinyu has irrefutable evidence. The key is, public opinion and the market have already formed a consensus. If you ask theaters to put the film back in theaters, aren't you just contradicting yourself? Audiences won't buy it!"

Wang Sheng gently patted his daughter's head, signaling her to play by herself, then stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the bustling street scene below.

“Teacher,” he said slowly, “the documentary directed by Liu Xinyu was based on material that he and his patrol team risked their lives for. There is no doubt about that.”

The striking similarities between *Kekexili* and other works in character design, key scenes, and even parts of the narrative structure are clearly documented and readily apparent. This is not simply a coincidence of inspiration.

He then changed the subject, his tone becoming serious: "As for Director Lu Chuan... perhaps he did put in a lot of effort, perhaps he considered it 'artistic refinement.' But rules are rules."

Our push for industry standardization and emphasis on copyright respect is not aimed at any particular individual, but rather at setting a benchmark and a bottom line. If we give Lu Chuan a wide berth today, Zhang Chuan and Li Chuan will follow suit tomorrow. How can we maintain an environment conducive to original content creation in the industry then?

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone before Han Sanping's voice rang out again, tinged with inquiry: "So you mean... there's no way to back this up? The person they asked for help has quite a bit of influence."

“Teacher, since you’ve already spoken, I’ll certainly give you face. Besides, I don’t want to push things to the extreme,” Wang Sheng said. “I do have a solution here that we might be willing to try.”

"Oh? Tell me about it." Han Sanping immediately perked up.

"First of all, given the current evidence against it, it is impossible to force the release of the film 'Kekexili'. But we can give it a chance to 'exit gracefully'."

Wang Sheng stated clearly, "The production company Huayi Brothers and director Lu Chuan jointly issued a statement acknowledging that during the creative process, they did indeed refer to and draw heavily on the valuable materials and core spirit of director Liu Xinyu's documentary 'Me and the Tibetan Antelope,' but due to poor communication, they were unable to reach a formal cooperation agreement and attribution agreement with director Liu in a timely manner, for which they expressed their deep apologies and regrets."

If you admit it, then it's plagiarism.

"Is this... a tacit admission of 'inappropriate borrowing'?" Han Sanping pondered.

"Yes, give them a way out, but we must acknowledge that there were procedural flaws and a lack of respect."

Wang Sheng affirmed, "Then, based on this, the production company and director Lu Chuan are willing to give director Liu Xinyu a 'compensation for the use of materials' and 'compensation for mental distress.' The specific amount can be discussed, but it must reflect sincerity."

At the same time, director Liu Xinyu was invited to serve as a 'project consultant' to collaborate on potential future works on related themes (such as any possible revisions or documentary version of *Kekexili*), with clear attribution.

"Will Liu Xinyu agree to withdraw the lawsuit?"

“Mr. Wu from Hanhai Consulting will do the talking,” Wang Sheng said calmly. “Make sure the compensation is adequate, show the right attitude, and give him a way out. After all, for him, getting the respect and financial compensation he deserves is more practical than a protracted lawsuit.”

"And what about the film itself?" Han Sanping pressed for the core question.

"The film will be shelved for now."

Wang Sheng offered a final solution: "After this wave of public opinion has completely subsided, at least a year later, we will consider releasing it in a limited manner through 'revised versions,' 'director's cuts,' or non-mainstream commercial channels such as movie channel on-demand or overseas film festivals. This is to leave a spark for it, and for director Lu Chuan. As for director Lu Chuan himself..."

Wang Sheng paused, his tone carrying an undeniable determination: "He needs time to reflect and mature. He is not allowed to lead any film or television projects for the next five years. This is the price he must pay for his 'lack of understanding of the rules' and 'creative flaws'."

"Okay, I understand."

Han Sanping thought for a moment and said, "Let's go with your plan. I'll communicate with them. I hope Lu Chuan and his family can understand that you've already shown leniency."

"You flatter me, teacher," Wang Sheng said calmly. "I just hope that this industry can be more reasonable and more disciplined."

After hanging up the phone, Wang Sheng saw that Xiao Ruoruo had successfully stacked the blocks high and was clapping her little hands, cheering for herself.

(End of this chapter)