Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 579, Section 577: Practitioners Must Be Cultured

In the late autumn of 2004, ginkgo leaves covered the streets of Beijing, turning the city into a golden landscape.

The post-production of "Havoc in Heaven" has entered its final sprint stage. Director Tsui Hark and his team are working day and night to meticulously refine every frame.

Although Wang Sheng, as the executive producer and the soul of the project, no longer does everything personally, he still personally oversees key aspects such as visual effects review, final music selection, and final mixing.

However, unlike in the past when he was immersed in the specific details of creation, Wang Sheng has clearly devoted more energy to thinking about the future of the industry during this period.

In between overseeing the final stages of filming "Havoc in Heaven," Wang Sheng worked diligently at his desk, producing a series of essays on the future development of China's film and television industry.

These writings are not casual essays written on a whim, but rather well-structured academic papers with extensive references and data support.

Its broad vision and profound analysis are unlike the work of a "big shot" in the industry who has risen to prominence through business success in his early twenties. Rather, it is more like the work of a scholar and strategist who has been deeply involved in industry research for decades.

His paper had a clear focus, directly addressing some of the industry's chronic problems that were just emerging at the time and had intensified over the next decade or so:
"On the Construction of China's Film and Television Industry Industrialization System and Talent Training Strategy": It focuses on the drawbacks of the current "workshop-style" production and emphasizes the necessity of establishing a complete industrial process from script evaluation, project management, financial transparency, post-production standardization to derivative product development.

He pointed out sharply that many so-called "producers" and "directors" who are "mingling" in the industry lack professional competence, and called for the establishment of a professional vocational education system and industry entry standards, especially for production, talent agency, and publicity.

He suggested that Shengying Media has already begun implementing "producers holding licenses" and "project management KPI assessments," and recommended that industry associations refer to and establish similar mechanisms.

"An Exploration of the Path to Reconstructing the Artist Management Ecosystem and Cultivating Professional Ethics": This paper directly targets the emerging phenomena of "traffic supremacy" and "illiterate idols".

In his article, Wang Sheng emphasized that actors and singers are "artists" rather than simply "commodities".

He proposed the concept of "artist value life cycle management" and opposed the excessive consumption that leads to the depletion of resources.

He emphasized the importance of improving the cultural literacy of artists and made the following suggestions:

1. Signed artists must have a high school diploma or above, and are encouraged to pursue further studies. The company will coordinate their studies and work.

2. Establish mandatory and regular general education courses in culture, history, and art appreciation, and incorporate them into the assessment of artists.

3. For underage artists under contract, their right to receive compulsory education must be strictly guaranteed, and work arrangements must give way to their studies.

4. We encourage artists to read classic literary works and write about their understanding of their roles and their performance experiences, and oppose the bad habit of simply reciting lines and relying on post-production dubbing.

The article criticizes the phenomenon of blindly setting up "celebrity studios" but lacking professional management capabilities, and emphasizes the importance of professional and institutionalized brokerage.

"The Dialectical Relationship Between Capital and Content: Beware of the Erosion of Film and Television Creation Ecosystem by Financial Leverage": In this highly strategic paper, Wang Sheng does not simply deny the role of capital, but rather deeply analyzes the contradiction between the profit-seeking nature of capital and the particularity of cultural creation.

He warned of the potential for creative distortions caused by "betting agreements," the influx of "quick money" leading to a proliferation of themes and shoddy productions, and the risk that capital, by controlling channels, could in turn hijack content production.

He proposed that "patient capital" and "strategic capital" should be encouraged, a diversified system for content evaluation should be established (rather than solely relying on box office revenue), and the establishment of a "content innovation risk fund" should be explored to support projects with artistic value but high commercial risk.

He subtly pointed out that one of the core aspects of the Shengying model is ensuring relative autonomy for content creation in the face of capital.

"Building a Healthy and Transparent Film and Television Data Ecosystem and Market Order": In response to phenomena such as inflated box office figures, fabricated viewership ratings, and online manipulation of public opinion, Wang Sheng called for the establishment of a third-party supervised and tamper-proof box office and viewership data system (similar to an upgraded version of the "Maoyan" platform he promoted) to severely crack down on data fraud and maintain market fairness.

After completing the initial drafts of these papers, Wang Sheng did not publish them immediately.

He first had Li Tingting organize the core viewpoints into an internal briefing, which was then sent to Han Sanping and leaders of relevant departments of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. He also attached a sincere letter, stating that these were some of his observations and thoughts in industry practice, and that he hoped they could provide a reference for the healthy development of the industry.

After reading the briefing, Han Sanping called immediately, his tone complicated: "You kid... are you going to 'write a book and establish rules for the entire industry'?"

He paused, then sighed, “There are some things that we people within the system can’t say. But when you say them as a private entrepreneur and a successful practitioner, they carry a different weight. Especially your comments on the cultural requirements for artists and your wariness of capital—they hit the nail on the head. I think it would be a good thing to choose some suitable platforms to publish them and spark discussion.” With Han Sanping’s tacit approval and even encouragement, Wang Sheng began looking for platforms to publish these papers.

His chosen goal was very clear: to ensure authority, reach the core audience, and spark discussion beyond the core audience.

Film Art: As a core theoretical journal sponsored by the China Film Association, it is essential reading for film academics and seasoned practitioners. Wang Sheng has slightly revised his article "On the Construction of China's Film and Television Industry Industrialization System and Talent Training Strategy," removing overly sharp cases and highlighting the theoretical framework and path design for system construction, and published it in the latest issue of Film Art.

The *China Radio and Television Journal* covers a wider range of broadcasting systems. Wang Sheng's article, "An Exploration of the Reconstruction of the Artist Management Ecosystem and the Cultivation Path of Professional Ethics," found its place here, emphasizing the responsibility of broadcasting platforms and production companies in guiding the direction of artists.

*Literary Studies* is a comprehensive journal of literary theory with a broader perspective and greater theoretical depth. It recognized the potential of Wang Sheng's article, "The Dialectical Relationship Between Capital and Content," considering its analysis of the logic of capital in cultural production to be forward-looking.

The People's Daily Theory Section: Through Han Sanping's indirect connection, some of Wang Sheng's core viewpoints on "building a healthy film and television data ecosystem" appeared in the culture section of the People's Daily in the form of interviews and commentary articles. Although the articles were short, they were of great symbolic significance, marking that his views had entered the highest level of public opinion.

These mainstream online media outlets quickly reprinted the core content of the aforementioned paper, along with introductions and commentary, enabling it to spread among a wider range of netizens.

Once the paper was published, it was like throwing several boulders into a seemingly calm lake, instantly stirring up huge ripples and discussions in the industry.

Supporters, mostly veteran filmmakers with ideals, academic professors, and some clear-headed practitioners, were overjoyed.
"Wang Sheng said what we've been holding in for a long time! How can an actor be good if he's uncultured?"

"Data fraud should have been cracked down on long ago! This is the biggest injustice to those who create serious content!"

"Capital has made the market too volatile, and we need a heavyweight like him to speak out and set things right!"

"This is the vision that industry leaders should have: not just focusing on their own small area, but considering the healthy development of the entire ecosystem."

Those who oppose or question the practice are mostly groups whose interests are affected, some of the criticized artists and their teams, and some investors who are accustomed to the old operating model, who react strongly:
"It's easy for Wang Sheng to talk when he's not in the situation! Without capital, how could his Shengying have risen to prominence?"

"Demanding high academic qualifications from artists? That's discrimination! Art relies on talent and inspiration!"

"He wants to be the 'Emperor of the Film Industry,' trying to build a reputation for himself! He's set all the rules; how are others supposed to compete?"

“Shengying Group has strong distribution channels now, so of course they can talk about content independence. How can our small company survive without capital?”

Many more centrists are observing and reflecting:
"The problems raised by Wang Sheng do exist, but aren't his solutions too idealistic?"

"I agree that artists should strengthen their cultural learning, but how can this be implemented? Won't it become just a formality?"

Where exactly is the balance between capital and content? Is Shengying's model replicable?

Online, related discussion threads have sprung up on the "Maoyan Movies" community and various forums.

Supporters and opponents argued fiercely, but it is undeniable that "Wang Sheng's thesis" became one of the hottest topics in China's cultural and entertainment industry at the end of 2004.

This even led to a slight increase in sales of books such as "The Analects" and "A History of Chinese Literature" among actors—whether genuine or staged, at least the tide has begun to turn.

Under Wang Sheng's deliberate guidance, the "Shengying Group" reacted the fastest.

Shengying Media and Enlight Media were the first to announce that they would include "artist cultural literacy assessment" in their annual evaluation and link it to resource allocation.

Gao Yuanyuan of "Star Era" responded immediately and formulated a detailed learning plan for her artists.

Some directors and producers who work closely with Shengying have also begun to publicly state that they will pay more attention to the cultural background and understanding of actors when selecting them.

(End of this chapter)