Siheyuan: I have a multi-dimensional chat group!

Upon hearing Luo Jiwang's question, Xiao Shan was taken aback: "Oh! Let me think about it! I'll tell you when I have an idea!"

Watching Luo Jiwang leave, Xiao Shan began to seriously consider this question.

Although, in terms of current films, any idea that Xiao Shan comes up with is better than most of the films currently made.

However, just as Hong Kong people lack comprehensive information, Xiaoshan has not explored what kind of movies people in this era actually like.

Xiao Shan worries that if he were to rashly make those blockbuster movies in the future, the result would be like "A Chinese Odyssey," which flopped both critically and commercially upon release, but was hailed as a masterpiece ten years later.

It's like when a person has died and the grass on their grave has grown more than a meter tall, people only then remember the deceased's contributions throughout their life and rush to burn paper money and send wreaths on Qingming Festival.

The most suitable films for Hong Kong right now are undoubtedly those in the "toilet humor" genre, or new and simple film genres, which are not yet capable of producing grand masterpieces like those in Hollywood.

It should have a slight plot, and be full of handsome men and beautiful women who make it funny from beginning to end.

Those films with profound meanings are not suitable for release now; art films will always remain a niche genre.

An excessive pursuit of art and profound meaning, as well as language and warnings to humanity, is destined to result in a box office flop.

It's as foolish as introducing QR codes when people don't even have cell phones.

Society must go through a process of development, and so must film.

From the initial documentaries to live recordings, to the rise and fall of martial arts films, to Bruce Lee's martial arts films and Jackie Chan's comedic martial arts films, it has finally evolved into Hong Kong's diverse and vibrant Oriental Hollywood.

Everything must have a process!

Audiences will become more discerning, and the ingredients will need to be more carefully selected, but we can't start by serving a grand meal.

While Xiaoshan is ahead of the times, it must also adapt to the times and move forward hand in hand with them!

A week later, Taishan Film Company completed the integration of Shaw Brothers films.

Having taken over Shaw Brothers Studio, Taishan Business naturally took over Shaw Brothers' film production plans for 77.

Flipping through the information of various directors, as well as requesting funds, equipment, and personnel for filming, Xiao Shan was dizzy from looking at all the messy things like costs.

There's a reason why Shaw Brothers films were outperformed by Golden Harvest.

They lack any sense of innovation, and their filming content is almost always the same.

If one martial arts movie can't beat it, they release multiple movies at once. To Xiao Shan, it felt like sending a bunch of blind cats to catch mice.

Whether they can catch mice or not is unknown, but these blind cats have certainly made a mess of the house.

Moreover, Shaw Brothers implemented a fixed salary system, where everyone from directors to extras received a fixed salary.

What's even more amazing is that Shaw Brothers was extremely demanding of its producers, wanting to know the exact details of every aspect of the actors' lives, including their eating, drinking, and bodily functions.

Perhaps it was understandable for movies to do this twenty years ago, but it's outdated now.

The once-glorious martial arts films are now merely profiting from the box office returns of their older audiences.

As the audience of twenty years ago ages, the market for martial arts films will be completely submerged.

In the list of all directors' applications to film in 77, Xiaoshan was marked with a big "X" from beginning to end.

Even if there are a few outstanding ones, I'm too lazy to watch them.

Chapter 605, Recruiting the Bald Guy! (Please Subscribe!)

Ultimately, movies are all about innovation and originality, and Xiaoshan has no shortage of these.

Chu Baojian, the liaison between Shaw Brothers and Taishan Film Company, was a promising young director who held the film and television adaptation rights to a large number of Gu Long novels and was a key figure in Shaw Brothers' business.

However, Xiao Shan did not give Chu Baojian a friendly look.

In fact, this guy never gave him a kind look.

Although Shaw Brothers Studio was sold to Taishan Film Company, Chu Baojian, as a key figure in Shaw Brothers, was determined not to give up this precious old treasure.

Once the negotiations are completed, Chu Po-kin will join TVB as a director.

Moreover, Shao Renling clearly intended to swindle wealthy individuals.

Not only did Shaw Brothers' promising directors leave for TVB, but even experienced actors and lighting and production staff were not left for Taishan Film Studio.

If Xiaoshan hadn't recruited Luo Jiwang and Hong Dabao, things would be in complete chaos right now.

After Chu Baojian left, Luo Jiwang came in and told Xiao Shan that his friend had arrived.

Xiao Shan nodded and told him to invite his friend in.

When Luo Jiwang's friend came in, Xiao Shan recognized him at a glance.

Isn't that the bald guy?

The bald man was still very polite to Xiaoshan.

After all, he is nothing now, while Xiaoshan is already the head of Hong Kong's newspaper industry.

After some pleasantries, Xiao Shan went straight to recruit him, saying, "Bald guy, I admire you! You're a smart man, you should know why Xiao Luo came to see you! Our Taishan Film Industry has just acquired Shaw Brothers, and we're in a period of rebuilding. I wonder if you have any ideas?"

"Hehehe! Thank you for your appreciation, Mr. Xiao!" The bald man grinned for a while. "It's just unfortunate that I'm currently preparing to start a company with Huang Baiming and Shi Weicheng, and I'm really too busy to be in two places at once..."

Xiao Shan didn't believe the bald man's words at all.

It's important to know that in the original timeline, the three bald guys didn't start a company together until 80.

Starting a company now? That's a load of rubbish!

To put it bluntly, the bald guy just doesn't want to work for Taishan Film Studio and wants to go it alone.

This demonstrates extreme confidence in one's own abilities.

"Not only Shaw Brothers Studio, but Taishan Film Company has also acquired the Shaw Brothers cinema chain!" Xiao Shan said slowly, looking at the bald man.

Upon hearing Xiao Shan's words, the bald man's first reaction was that the Hong Kong film market was about to change!

It wasn't just the Hong Kong film market that was affected; the vast majority of Shaw Brothers' cinemas were located in Southeast Asia, which meant that the entire overseas distribution industry was changing along with it!

Given Xiao Shan's current status, there's absolutely no need for him to play tricks on him; the news is very likely true.

The bald man chuckled awkwardly but didn't reply, carefully considering the changes brought about by the major upheaval in the Hong Kong film industry.

It is no exaggeration to say that Taishan Film Company, which swallowed the entire Shaw Brothers film and cinema chain, would leap to become the leading force in the Hong Kong film industry.

The only concern is whether Taishan Film Studio has the capacity to absorb Shaw Brothers.

"You...you summoned me here to manage the cinema chain?" the bald man asked Xiao Shan, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Compared to running your own uncertain film company, what kind of power does it take to manage a cinema chain worth hundreds of millions?

Xiao Shan shook his head: "It's just about managing all the film production and logistics for Taishan Film Industry. Xiao Luo will handle the theater management!"

Seeing that the bald man was still weighing the pros and cons, Xiao Shan said with a smile, "Your own company can accept investment from Taishan Film Industry and be renamed Tianting Film Studio No. 2. I will give you enough freedom and authority to make films, and I will also give you a sufficient guaranteed salary..."

To put it bluntly, the bald guy also has ambitions.

Unwilling to work for others for the rest of their lives, they want to be their own boss and create their own business.

Bald Guy is like that, and so is Hung Tai-bo; they prefer box office revenue sharing to film salaries.

Jack Cheng obediently collected his salary, and the success of the film's box office was none of his business.

In Xiao Shan's view, as long as he controls the cinema chain, his film companies and personal film studios will never be able to escape the control of Taishan Pictures.

The bald guy finally understood!

This means he will turn his future company into a subsidiary of Taishan Film Industry, and then give him the power to manage all subsidiaries. This will not only satisfy his semi-independent production rights, but also give him a considerable salary.

"Thank you... Mr. Xiao, no, boss!" The bald man's eyes darted around like his bald head. He put away his perfunctory smile and said seriously, "Please take good care of me in the future, boss. I will definitely manage the company well!"

The way they address each other has changed, and so has their attitude!

Xiaoshan admires people who make changes even before an agreement is signed.

So Xiao Shan smiled and reached out to the bald man, saying, "Bald man, welcome to join us. With you joining us, Taishan Film Industry will become the number one in Hong Kong in no time!"

"You flatter me, you flatter me!" the bald man said, clasping his hands together warmly and bowing deeply.

"As for your compensation!" Xiao Shan said after a moment's thought, "An annual salary of 100,000 Hong Kong dollars! As for the company you mentioned that you're planning to establish, Taishan Film Industry can contribute capital and take a 40% stake!"

This treatment left the bald man somewhat shocked!

Based on the bald guy's understanding of the cinema industry, they are absolutely ruthless and greedy, and he wants to own as many shares as possible.

The more shares a company holds, the more it proves that its studios are the "favored children" and that they have a better relationship with their "father" (the parent company).

Now that Xiaoshan doesn't want absolute control of their company, does that mean their company isn't that important to Xiaoshan?

"Okay, boss!" the bald man replied, his mind preoccupied. "After I go back and discuss it with Huang Baiming and the others, I will definitely give you a satisfactory answer!"

Xiaoshan's dual emphasis and lack thereof thoroughly ignited the bald man's fighting spirit!

As for whether Huang Baiming and Shi Weicheng would be willing to have their companies become subsidiaries of Taishan Film Industry, Baldy felt there was no need to consider it.

As long as Huang Baiming and Shi Weicheng aren't brain-dead, they will never let such an opportunity slip by.

If they don't agree, Baldy would rather work for Taishan Film Studio than continue wandering with them!

Just as the bald man had expected, after he told Huang Baiming and Shi Weicheng about it, the two agreed without hesitation.

The three quickly established a film company and then swiftly joined Taishan Film Industry, securing investment capital from them!

Chapter 606, Even Studios Have Familiar and Distant Relationships! (Please Subscribe!)

After the three brothers, including Bald Guy, joined Taishan Film Company, Xiao Shan finally decided on the subject of Taishan Film Company's first film, taking into account the opinions of the three brothers and Hong Dabao.

That was the movie "Mr. Vampire" that would later make Lin Jiu a master ghost hunter!

The reason I chose to make this film is primarily because in Hong Kong today, people still prefer action movies, comedies, and beautiful women.

All of these points are present in "Mr. Vampire".

Moreover, "Mr. Vampire" pioneered a system, and Taishan Film Studio's opening with this movie was a prestigious achievement.

Secondly, the main actors of "Mr. Vampire" are all currently with Taishan Film Studio, so there is basically no need to borrow actors from outside.

Finally, before Xiao Shan transmigrated, he really enjoyed watching zombie movies starring Lin Jiu. Now that he has the opportunity, what's wrong with promoting Lin Jiu?

When Hong Dabao told Lin Jiu that Xiao Sheng was going to cast him as the lead actor, Lin Jiu was stunned!

He never imagined he'd one day be playing a leading role!

It wasn't until Xiao Shan sent someone to deliver the script for "Mr. Vampire" to Lin Jiu that Lin Jiu finally believed it was real!

As this was Taishan Film Industry's first film, Xiao Shan would frequently visit the set after filming began to personally supervise the production of "Mr. Vampire" in order to show his importance to the project.

However, to Xiao Shan's surprise, the filming of "Mr. Vampire" was not even as good as the "Mr. Vampire" he remembered.

This left Xiaoshan somewhat frustrated!

Now that I've given them a complete script and storyboard, and the filming team is stronger than the one in my previous life, why does the result still feel worse than the original?

Xiao Shan immediately stopped filming and began scrutinizing the group of directors and actors.

The entire crew was waiting for him to speak, but there was no response for a long time.

Lin Jiu, standing to the side, had a worried expression on his face.

Now all of Taishan Film Industry's resources are being directed towards him, and they've even set up a personal studio for him. The psychological pressure Lin Jiu is facing is immense.

"You guys keep filming..." Xiao Shan thought for a long time but still couldn't figure out what was wrong.

The film crew got busy again, and the film reels were filled with glittering Hong Kong dollars.

However, since the desired effect could not be achieved, all of them were abandoned by Xiaoshan.

The bald man walked over and tentatively asked, "Boss! The market for zombie movies is very small. How about Da Bao and I each make another one? If this 'Mr. Vampire' doesn't take off, we can use our film to make it bigger?"

"Huh? A zombie movie!" These words were like a wake-up call, and Xiao Shan suddenly realized what was going on.

How could Hong Kong films not depict the supernatural and mythical creatures of traditional culture?

Before "Mr. Vampire," Hong Kong had produced many zombie films, but they all flopped spectacularly.

That's why I haven't dared to touch this subject all these years!

It wasn't until "Mr. Vampire" appeared that Lam Kau brought zombie films to a peak.

So what exactly made Lin Jiu's zombie films stand out from the conventional zombie films, making him a filmmaker with his own system?

Although he didn't want to ruin Lin Jiu's chance, Hong Dabao was even more unwilling to tarnish Taishan Film Industry's reputation, so he braced himself and stepped forward, saying, "Boss, ghost movies and zombie movies are really too niche, there's no market for them."