"Chairman Han, I think what President Zhong said makes a lot of sense," Fatty Yu chimed in.
Wang Zhongjun nodded, but didn't say much. Although this matter involved his direct interests, the piracy business involved too many people, and he didn't want to be the first to speak out. He decided to observe from the sidelines for now.
Han Sanping glanced at Zhong Lingxuan speechlessly, tapped the table with his fingers, and took a couple of puffs of his cigarette in frustration. "Why did you have to get involved in this? You're just creating problems for me. Do you think he doesn't know about the piracy industry's exploitative practices? Do you think he doesn't know how much the piracy industry affects filmmakers like us? But can you do anything about it? You can't. Although the general environment doesn't allow it, and piracy is indeed illegal, that's just how things are in China now. Can you really control it?"
Shen Fang smiled slightly as he looked at Han Sanping's resentful little eyes.
"President Han, Director Liu, I'm only targeting these pirates who exploit our film and television industry. I'm not making an enemy of all pirates. Besides, I don't intend to kill them all at once. Let's take it one step at a time. At the very least, we need to set a few examples to warn others and put them on the defensive. Otherwise, if we don't control them, they will become even more lawless, which won't do."
"Otherwise, we original creators will be driven to our deaths by these pirates. If we let it go unchecked, it will eventually lead to disaster. Then it will be difficult for us to develop the entertainment industry again. China's entertainment industry started late. If we continue like this, we will lose money on every movie we make. Who will want to make movies then? Nobody's money comes from thin air."
"If such a large country as China were to broadcast only foreign blockbusters and foreign TV series, and there were no domestic cultural works at all, then, to put it more seriously, there could very well be a situation of cultural invasion. I think this is not what you want to see, is it, Director Liu and President Han?"
Upon hearing this, Han Sanping and Liu Bu frowned.
"It can't be that serious, can it?" Han Sanping felt that Shen Fang was exaggerating.
Shen Fang laughed. Of course, it wouldn't be that serious, since many people use filmmaking to evade taxes and launder money. However, if it's really left unchecked, the situation he described could indeed occur.
"I won't say anything else, Teacher Zhang, Teacher Wang, how much did you sell the online rights for that TV series 'The Eloquent Ji Xiaolan' for? You can tell me yourselves."
Zhang Guoli looked completely bewildered when asked: "Internet copyright? Does such a thing exist? I don't think it's ever been sold."
Shen Fang... and he didn't even pay a single penny! Damn, that's incredible. "The Eloquent Ji Xiaolan" season 1 was the king of dramas in 2000; even 20 years from now, it'd be worth at least tens of millions in copyright fees. That's ruthless.
"Teacher Zhang, go home and search for your TV series on any browser. It's everywhere. Just install a browser and you can watch it online. And those pirated VCDs and DVDs, selling them for one yuan a disc, you can watch them however you want. They haven't paid you a single penny. They're not just fleecing you, they're fleecing the TV station. If we shut down these pirates, we could bring you at least tens of millions in copyright fees. They're just sucking your blood, not paying a single penny, completely freeloading."
"Xiao Fang, you can't say that. Although China is waking up and the economy is getting better and better, ordinary people don't have much money. How much money do they have to buy genuine DVDs? For many people, watching DVDs is still a rare treat." Director Liu pointed out the crux of the matter directly.
"That's why I'm saying this now in advance: the number of computer users in China will increase exponentially every year. The Internet is the future of the world. It can change your lives. Once it becomes fully widespread, pirated DVDs and VCDs will disappear. They will be replaced by online piracy. We need to crack down on it step by step, layer by layer, and establish clear directions, principles, and plans to protect the interests of us original creators."
Han Sanping frowned and said, "Since you've already said that DVDs and VCDs will be phased out after the internet becomes widespread, let's wait until the internet is widespread before discussing this topic again."
Shen Fang looked at Han Sanping with a mischievous grin: "Uncle Han, it's not very kind of you to keep making excuses."
Han Sanping.....
"You're always causing me trouble. Do you think this is so easy to resolve? This involves the interests of so many people. How can I help you?"
"Uncle Han, I didn't say anything about a one-size-fits-all approach. Didn't I say we'd take it one step at a time? Let's set a precedent and make a statement first, and then proceed slowly."
"At the very least, we shouldn't let them be so arrogant and lawless in stealing the fruits of our labor."
Han Sanping:......
Chen Fang:.........
Han Sanping:.........
Chen Fang:.........
The two engaged in a heated exchange, arguing back and forth for quite some time.
"Alright, I understand. I'll discuss this with Minister Zhou, as well as some officials from the internet monitoring department, the Ministry of Culture, the publishing department, the copyright bureau, the regulatory bureau, and the public security department. Xiao Fang, you can come along with me later, and we'll have a proper discussion," Minister Liu said decisively.
Sinking Square...
"Ahem, well, I'm just an ordinary citizen, so I guess I won't go, Director Liu."
Liu glanced at Chen Fang.
"You said it, you stirred up the problem, and you provided the solution. If you don't go, who will take the blame?"
Sinking Square.......
"No, boss, please don't push me out there! Goodness, I'm still young. I don't want to be surrounded and beaten by a mob. My reputation will be ruined. No, no, no."
Liu Bu grinned mischievously: "Weren't you quite the chatterbox just now? Now that I'm asking you to step up, you're not willing anymore?"
Chen Fang... Boss, is it appropriate for you to make me take the fall for this? My principle is to keep a low profile. If people find out I was in charge of this, they'll flatten my tires and smash my windows. I was planning to make a movie later, and if I become a public enemy, who's going to watch my film?
Seeing Shen Fang's embarrassed look, Liu Bu burst into laughter.
"Alright, this is about fighting crime, how could we let you take the blame? Your job is to talk to those in charge about how to manage, punish, and act. The most important thing is to discuss the priorities of this matter with them. I also think a one-size-fits-all approach is unrealistic. I'm sending you there to make a start. We'll discuss how to proceed from there. I think you're absolutely right. If the piracy industry isn't regulated, it will become a huge disaster in the future. The domestic cultural industry is just starting out, and we can't afford to make any mistakes."
Shen Fang smiled: "That's no problem, I'm very good at this."
"Alright, we've talked enough about the business. Why isn't the food served yet? I brought some good wine with me today." Ye Daying patted the shiny black wine jar he had brought.
Shen Fang gave Shen Kun a wink, and a moment later Shen Kun walked in.
"The food will be served shortly."
........
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