Huayu: This producer has no bottom line.

Chapter 156 Talent, Strategy, Ambition

Two days later.

When Ren Pingsheng saw the revised clip, he knew it was a success.

Those three seconds of transition seemed to possess a magical power, seamlessly blending the two completely different worlds of live-action and animation together.

With this, the entire production of "The Adventures of Li Xianji" was completed.

Just then, my phone vibrated.

He picked it up and saw that it was Gong Yu.

"I have some good news for you." The voice on the other end of the phone was filled with laughter.

"Is Chairman Han back?"

"Just got off the plane," Gong Yu's voice paused, then became serious. "He's free tomorrow night. I'll send you the location later, so get ready."

After hanging up the phone, the relaxed atmosphere instantly became tense.

Zhang Yibo and Kong Lianshun exchanged a glance, both seeing nervousness in each other's eyes.

They knew very well that tomorrow night's meeting would directly determine the course of their lives for the next few years, and whether that behemoth called "Ghost Blows Out the Light" could successfully move from the book to the screen.

Ren Pingsheng was the calmest of them all; he had prepared two weapons for this meeting.

The first is the recently completed film "Li Xianji," which serves as his pledge of allegiance and a testament to Han Sanping's understanding of genre films, his aesthetic appreciation, his creativity, and his ability to integrate industry resources.

The second one is the business plan that has been revised more than a dozen times.

The former is responsible for showcasing talent, while the latter is responsible for showcasing strategy.

Talent determines the upper limit of a work, while strategy determines whether "Ghost Blows Out the Light" can be successfully completed.

For someone like Han Sanping, who holds a high position and controls half of the Chinese film industry, the latter is even more important than the former.

He needs a leader who understands creation, the market, and policy.

Ren Pingsheng possessed all three qualities.

The next day, at 7 p.m.

Led by a waiter, Ren Pingsheng walked through the antique courtyard and arrived at a tea room.

"Chairman Han, General Manager Gong."

Ren Pingsheng greeted him neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Sit down," Han Sanping gestured to the seat opposite him and personally poured him a cup of tea.

Ren Pingsheng smiled and sat down, taking a laptop out of his bag and placing it on the table.

"Chairman Han, I know your time is precious, so instead of saying more, let's just look at the documents."

A hint of approval flashed in Han Sanping's eyes. He was most annoyed by young people who started talking about their ideals right away.

Ren Pingsheng stood up and waved his hand, "Sit down."

"OK."

'

The title of the film, "The Adventures of Li Xianji," appeared on the screen.

For the next forty minutes, the tea room was completely silent, with only the sound effects and background music from the movie playing.

Han Sanping watched with extreme focus. Unlike ordinary viewers who would be swept up by the plot's ups and downs, his gaze remained fixed on the composition of the shots, the editing rhythm, and the presentation of the visual effects.

When he saw Li Xianji's first time-lapse syndrome flare up and the pixelated reality crumble, a hint of surprise finally appeared on his usually calm face.

When the final scene showed raindrops frozen in mid-air, Han Sanping also froze in front of the screen.

The raindrops suspended in the air refracted tiny fragments of light in the lens, as if time on the screen was being held in place, and people outside the screen forgot to breathe.

Then, time began to flow again, and the rain began to fall again. The elderly Li Xianji, played by You Benchang, smiled with relief in the rain. Han Sanping stared at the elderly Li Xianji who was smiling with relief in the rain, and remained silent for a long time.

He picked up his teacup and sipped it silently until the end credits rolled.

Gong Yu remained silent.

Ren Pingsheng knew that both of them were thinking.

After a long while, Han Sanping put down his teacup and looked at Ren Pingsheng to ask his first question.

Which company did the special effects?

"BaseFX."

"What about the animation?"

"Li Yang, the director of the original animated film."

"Did you choose Xia Yu and You Benchang?"

"Yes."

Han Sanping nodded and didn't ask for any more details, but he already had a judgment in his mind.

This short film reveals too much.

"You really understand what young people like," Han Sanping commented.

"I'd rather create something that more people can enjoy," Ren Pingsheng replied.

"So, that's how 'Ghost Blows Out the Light' came about?"

Han Sanping's gaze fell on another document he had brought.

Ren Pingsheng pushed the thick proposal over, saying, "Since Chairman Han asked directly, I'll take the liberty of revealing that this is the feature film that Shengping Vision is preparing for theatrical release."

Han Sanping didn't open it immediately. "Johnnie To has always wanted to make this, but the script has been rejected by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television several times. Tomb raiding is something that crosses the line. It's good that young people are bold, but it's not wise to stubbornly stick to one's head and hit a brick wall."

This is the real test.

Anyone can do the math in business, but the risks of policy are the Damocles' sword hanging over every project.

Ren Pingsheng was well prepared.

"Chairman Han, Director Du's script might not be approved because he's too fixated on the word 'tomb raiding,' but in my opinion, we're not making a crime story about seeking wealth."

Han Sanping held his teacup, waiting for him to continue.

"In the original story, the tomb raiders raided tombs for money, and this motive is a fatal flaw in the investigation."

Ren Pingsheng paused, carefully crafting his words to subtly change the subject, "But Chairman Han, what if we give them a different motive in name only?"

"Change your motive?"

"Yes, change the motivation," Ren Pingsheng offered his solution, "For example, the protagonist doesn't go underground to make money, but is forced into an underground crisis."

"In terms of plot presentation, we can still retain the original Qimen Dunjia and Feng Shui secrets, and we can still have thrilling and exciting traps and monsters. But the protagonist's behavior changes from actively stealing national cultural relics to surviving in an unknown underground world."

He looked at Han Sanping and said, "As long as we adhere to the bottom line and do not glorify crime, adding a shot at the end of the film showing that the cultural relics have been clearly protected, under the current policies, this narrative that showcases the brilliance of humanity and the will to survive is completely justifiable."

Han San listened calmly; Ren Pingsheng's explanation was spot on.

He not only found a breakthrough, but also elevated a subject that was originally in a gray area to the level of protecting national cultural heritage.

That kid is too smart.

"The idea is cunning, but it's certainly feasible," Han Sanping put down his teacup and finally opened the project proposal. "But getting it approved isn't enough. How do you plan to bring this 300 million yuan project to fruition?"

"Wanda, the cinema chain, has confirmed its entry into the game, while Sohu and iQiyi will serve as strategic partners in the Internet field, investing 75 million and 30 million respectively."

Gong Yu chimed in at the opportune moment, "President Li has already given his approval; we're just waiting for news from Chairman Han."

Han Sanping did not express his opinion, but looked at Ren Pingsheng, signaling him to continue.

"I hope China Film Group will take charge of the remaining parts. This project needs a leading figure, and China Film Group is indispensable in everything from the initial censorship approval to subsequent resource coordination."

Ren Pingsheng didn't hide anything and laid out his needs completely.

Silence fell in the tea room once again.

Gong Yu's heart was in his throat.

After a full minute, Han Sanping finally spoke.

What are your thoughts on the film market in the next few years?

Ren Pingsheng knew that this was the final test.

"For theater expansion, content is king," he said, summarizing eight words.

"Currently, there are fewer than 6,000 movie screens nationwide, but I predict that this number will double or triple by 2014, with a large number of cinemas appearing in second-, third-, and even fourth-tier cities. At that time, the market will not lack moviegoers, but rather good movies that can draw these people into the cinema."

"In recent years, the films that have been able to carry the box office on our big screens have almost all been Hollywood blockbusters, but the market cannot be dominated by imported films alone."

"We have IPs rooted in traditional culture and a broad market, but we lack the determination and ability to tell Chinese stories."

"Therefore, domestic commercial films must have their own flagship products as benchmarks to attract more capital and talent in this direction, and 'Ghost Blows Out the Light' is an attempt to achieve this."

After he finished speaking, the tea room fell silent.

Han Sanping looked at Ren Pingsheng and saw ambition in the young man's eyes, a strong desire for the entire industry.

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