The Trailblazer

Shen Shanden's calculations were crude, but they were indeed supported by data.

Moreover, everyone knew that the 11th Five-Year Plan included provisions concerning culture and film. That was the direction of their work.

The scale of theater chains and the number of screens might really turn out as Shen Shanden had said.

No matter what, his arguments were sound and well-supported. Most importantly, he had Han Sanping's backing.

The project had basically passed its preliminary review.

From beginning to end, Shen Shanden's goal had been to pry open the door, not to launch Brotherhood of Blades.

Han Sanping was not Superman.

With an investment of one hundred million, China Film Group could not possibly fund all of it. Even leading the investment would require thirty million. That was no small sum.

Other forces would get involved later, and Shen Shanden's thin résumé would not be enough to hold up.

But as long as it passed the preliminary review, his goal would be achieved. He would have bargaining chips.

The Production Department leaders who had left first saw Han Sanping keep Shen Shanden and his junior brother behind alone, and their hearts stirred.

Han Sanping's office.

Another secretary came in and served tea to Shen Shanden and Zhou Qifeng.

Han Sanping took a sip of tea and said, "Being young is good. Young people have guts."

Then he asked Shen Shanden, "Be honest with me. Do you think you can handle this project?"

Shen Shanden thought for a moment. "On the surface, I'm a somewhat famous online singer."

Han Sanping waved a hand and cut him off. "That's useless for a project of this level. In the end, films speak for themselves. I'll be blunt: you've never made a feature film. Under your lead, the crew could very well fall apart."

Shen Shanden explained, "My undergraduate major was Civil Engineering. For graduate school, I studied Film Engineering Management."

"I know," Han Sanping said.

Shen Shanden smiled confidently. "First of all, I didn't major in directing, and I don't have formal film school training. That means I won't necessarily fail. So I'm already halfway to success."

Zhou Qifeng lowered his head and stared at the floor.

Looking for ants, anyway. This was not a good time to look up.

Han Sanping froze. "..."

Was that any way to talk? That was way too savage.

The Fifth Generation, Sixth Generation, and New Generation had all been dismissed.

What nerve!

Shen Shanden turned serious. "I have my own Blockbuster Ambition. I grew up watching Hollywood movies. In my opinion, following the studio director's approach—large-scale productions and major investments—may seem risky, but is actually low-risk."

Han Sanping became interested. "Oh?"

Shen Shanden said, "I studied civil engineering. In my view, the Blockbuster Strategy can be compared to Infrastructure Construction in urban development—using major investment to drive the growth of an entire region."

"Our film industry has reached its most dangerous moment. If we do not rise rapidly, we will follow in the footsteps of many other countries, with Domestic Films being squeezed out. If the National Industry cannot hold on, it will certainly be a tragedy for the Entire Industry Chain, even a national tragedy."

"From the perspective of the Entire Industry Chain, major investments are not actually that risky. As long as box office revenue matches production costs, it is a victory."

"The studio director is looking at things from the height of the film industry's development—cultivating talent for the industry and buying time for the Domestic Film industry."

"Cultivating audiences' moviegoing habits, using blockbusters to draw audiences into theaters, training Domestic Film production teams, and giving theater chains working capital."

"If you keep a small ledger, Film and Television Companies need three times their costs at the box office when making movies."

"But China Film Group bears the task of developing the industry. Looking at the Entire Industry Chain—production, distribution, cultivating audience moviegoing habits, training production teams, theater-chain revenue—when it is all added together, as long as box office receipts remain equal to production costs, there is no loss."

"The Blockbuster Strategy is the grand strategy of the film industry. It keeps a big ledger. It is a strategic investment that not only does not lose money, but produces enormous returns."

"The outside world's misunderstanding comes purely from looking at it from the production side, so they think it loses money. In truth, it does not lose a cent."

"It is like civil engineering. Building major bridges and railways, if you keep a small ledger, will certainly lose money unless you charge exorbitant road tolls and bridge tolls, set up checkpoints to collect fees, and raise ticket prices."

"But once you include the broader ledger of regional development, the profits are massive. When we built roads in the nineties, even in the early 2000s, some bold leaders built them on a grand scale—ten or even more than ten times the actual usage demand."

"Back then, everyone said those were vanity projects and an enormous waste. Yet a few years later, ten years later, everyone complained that they had been built too small. Four lanes were not enough; six lanes should have been eight. The roads were completely jammed."

"What China Film Group is doing is starting from the bigger picture. For cultural security, for the long-term interests of film industry development, for this kind of industry planning, only State-Owned Enterprises are willing to disregard costs."

Han Sanping looked at Shen Shanden with undisguised admiration.

Good, good!

He had voiced all of Han Sanping's thoughts—and said them even better than Han Sanping himself had.

Han Sanping ran it through his mind. Building infrastructure for the film industry and being moderately ahead of demand—what an excellent formulation!

Shen Shanden continued, "Director, costume films and the Blockbuster Strategy have reached the point where they need to advance further. No matter how dangerous the road ahead is, no matter how great the difficulties, I am willing to charge through them—to carve out a future for costume films and the Blockbuster Strategy."

"To be a trailblazer for Chinese Cinema! If not me, who?"

"Only I can do this!"

Shen Shanden put on a bit of an act. There were techniques to managing one's superiors too.

Managing one's superiors could not be treated as simple flattery or blindly sucking up. Shen Shanden could not do that.

Even if he could, he would be easily discarded.

As for someone like Han Sanping, Shen Shanden did not know what he was like in private. Even if he did, whatever Han Sanping chose to do was not Shen Shanden's place to interfere with.

To put it bluntly, it was like carrying a pig's head and being unable to find the temple gate. Even if he found it, he could not open it.

But Shen Shanden knew there was one thing Han Sanping needed: support for his line. That could not be wrong.

That article he had written seemed to be criticism, but when paired with Han Sanping's reports and remarks, it became clear that compared with film professionals and the industry at large, Han Sanping was one of the few clear-headed people.

It looked like criticism, but it was actually praise.

Only someone with real insight could see that praise.

"Good, good, good."

Han Sanping said "good" several times in a row, extremely satisfied.

They chatted for a while.

Han Sanping had a meeting that afternoon and needed to rest, so their conversation finally ended.

Shen Shanden and Zhou Qifeng took their leave.

Before they had gone far, Han Sanping's secretary came over and took the USB drive containing Ode to the Great Ming.

After closing the door,

Han Sanping had the secretary set up the computer, then listened to it slowly.

For the fourth time!

As an eighties-born Xiao Deng who had been reborn, Shen Shanden was not confused about the future. His confidence practically overflowed.

But for an Old Deng from the fifties like Han Sanping, it felt completely different.

He had lived through a time of extreme material scarcity, experienced social turmoil, and then witnessed the economy gradually take off.

Though he remained optimistic, he did not know what the future held, nor was he certain whether the grand blueprint could be realized.

Yet in this song, Han Sanping felt an unprecedented sense of freedom and ease.

Those histories shaped by imposed definitions, those invisible shackles placed upon him, all of it. It was the darkness of modern history, and the self-respect of this ancient nation.

It all seemed to be in this song.

"China... our China."

He let out a long sigh.

For a long time, he said nothing.

After leaving Beijing Film Studio,

"Ah!"

Zhou Qifeng could not hold back an excited shout. They had planned for one hour, but had talked for three—and even eaten a meal together. It was no ordinary success.

A tremendous success!

Zhou Qifeng was even more excited than Shen Shanden.

"Senior Brother, you're incredible! You're fucking incredible!"

Seeing quite a few people looking over curiously, including Beijing Film Academy students, Shen Shanden reminded him, "Calm down. We're only at Just the Beginning for now. We must keep this confidential."

Keeping it confidential meant keeping it from falling through.

"Yes, yes, yes." Zhou Qifeng stopped talking.

On the way back to school, Zhou Qifeng still could not hold back. Like a curious child, he asked, "Senior Brother, are you really confident you can make Brotherhood of Blades and get a box office of one billion?"

Shen Shanden replied frankly, "Who can say for sure? You ask me—who am I supposed to ask?"

Zhou Qifeng was dumbfounded. So Senior Brother had just been bluffing?