Shao Zui'ong was born in 1896 and from Ningbo, Zhejiang. His father Shao Yuxuan ran the Jintaichang Pigment Store in Shanghai in his early years.

In 1914, after graduating from the law department of Shanghai Shenzhou University, Shao Zuiong served as a practicing lawyer at the Shanghai District Court and the Public Trial Party.

In 1921, he changed his career to business and successively opened pigment, northern goods, silk cloth, paper, money shop and other businesses in Shanghai, Tianjin, Zhenjiang, Ningbo, Jiaxing, Huzhou and other places.

He also jointly established the Sino-French Zhenye Bank with others and was promoted to be the manager.

Later, due to the failure to run Huayou Egg Factory, he raised funds with real estate developer Dou Yaoting to perform civilized dramas in 1922, and founded the "Heping Society" troupe, performing self-written satirical scripts.

Shao Zuiong invited Zhang Shichuan, who has experience in the theater management, to be the manager.

Because of the popularity of "Thunderstorm", the entire Shanghai drama industry has driven the revival, and the "Laughter Stage" has made good returns.

Shao Zuiong is very business-minded and sees great prospects in the entertainment industry and is ready to increase investment.

At this time, Zhang Shichuan came to persuade him to enter the film industry and used the high profits of "Shanghai Holiday" as an example, believing that the market is ready and now is a great time to shoot domestic films.

Moreover, they have theaters, theater clubs, and actors. They can shoot movies by buying a camera.

Although Shao Zui'ong is optimistic about the entertainment industry, he doesn't know much about filming and is quite hesitant.

After all, it is not small to shoot a movie, and it takes too long to shoot a feature film. It takes more than half a year to shoot it. There is a problem with capital turnover. If the film is not broken, there is a risk of bankruptcy. It is better to operate a civilized drama.

Zhang Shichuan is a veteran in the film industry and told Shao Zuiong that we can start by shooting short films, not much money, and wait until we make money before shooting feature films.

So, Shao Zuiyin made up his mind and prepared to try out the film industry.

This was the predecessor of the Hong Kong Shaw Brothers Film Company later, and Shao Zui's sixth brother was the future Hong Kong entertainment tycoon Shao Yifu.

At the same time, in Hong Kong, Li Weimin, who later became the father of Hong Kong films, also began to prepare for the shooting of feature films.

Li Weiminsheng was born in 1893. He was originally from Xinhui, Guangdong and was born in Japan.

He loved photography and drama since he was a child, and was enthusiastic about the National Revolution. He used play boxes to smuggle guns to support the Huanghuagang Uprising. After working in film, he advocated that movies save the country.

In 1913, he founded Huamei Film Company in cooperation with Russian American Brasky and his brother Li Beihai.

In "Zhuangzi's Wife" directed by Li Beihai, he played the role of the heroine Zhuangzi's Wife.

In 1921, he cooperated with his brother Li Beihai. Li Hai to establish the first Chinese-funded New World Theater in Hong Kong history. In 1922, he founded Minxin Manufacturing Film and Video Company as the director of the Hong Kong Screen Street.

This person is also the grandfather of later Hong Kong actress Li Zi.

Similarly, in Peking, a young man named Luo Mingyou also began his film journey.

Luo Mingyou was born in 1900. He was originally from Panyu, Guangdong, and was born in Hong Kong. He later moved to Guangzhou and was born into a prominent family.

In 1918, after graduating from Guangdong Higher Normal School, he was admitted to the Law School of Peking University.

In 1919, he opened Zhenguang Cinema in Peking and served as the manager after class.

He adheres to strict film selection standards, screens mostly foreign films with strong artistic subtitles and instructions, and adds early stages with preferential students every Sunday, which are well received by all walks of life.

Afterwards, based on "true light", he carefully planned, developed and operated, and gradually controlled the theaters in Peking.

In Shanghai, in addition to Du Yu’s Shanghai Film Company, there is also the event film department of Commercial Press.

The Activity Film Department was established in 1917 and was originally a department of the Commercial Press Business Department. The Photo Department of the Printing Institute is responsible for shooting, with the production policy of spreading bourgeois culture and the educational viewpoint of the Chinese national bourgeoisie.

Since 1920, technical equipment has been gradually expanded.

Build a studio, formulates filming organizational structures and rules and regulations, and operates distribution, screening, rental and sale of film equipment, and film production on behalf of others. It was the earliest way to implement self-made and self-selling film business in China.

In 1922, the movie "Lotus Fall" adapted from "Zheng Yuanhe's Dare to Sing" was purchased by an American development film company for $6,000 and was screened in the United States for two days. It was the earliest Chinese film released in the United States.

In addition, a group of national capitalists or international students with European and American educational backgrounds have entered the film industry and are preparing to make great achievements. For example, Feng Zhenou, Wu Xingzai, Chen Qiangran and others are among the top ones.

In the next few years, a large amount of national capital will enter the film industry, and domestic films will show a pattern of heroes competing for hegemony.

These national capitals have obvious regional colors.

Among them, Lin Zixuan belongs to the local national capital of Shanghai. The Lin family's industries are concentrated in Songjiang and have close contacts with merchants in Suzhou and other places, which is considered to be the same circle.

Shao Zui Oun and Zhang Shichuan belong to the famous Ningbo Gang. At this time, the Ningbo Gang was rich in financial resources and should not be underestimated.

In 1862, Ye Chengzhong from Zhenhai opened a hardware grocery store in Shanghai.

This is the first hardware account opened by Chinese in Shanghai. It has since grown to set up 38 branch accounts and 108 joint accounts across the country, and is known as the "hardware king".

In 1896, Bao Xianchang from Yin County, his brother Xiangang and his brother-in-law Xia Ruifang and others founded the Commercial Press, and later developed into the largest and outstanding large-scale publishing company in modern history in my country.

In 1897, after Cixi Yanxin, Zhenhai Ye Chengzhong and Dinghai Zhu Baosan founded the first Chinese bank, China Trading Bank, in Shanghai.

In 1910, Wang Caiyun from Fenghua established the Rongchang Xiangwool suit number on Nanjing Road, Shanghai, and was the founder of Shanghai's suit industry.

Sun Zhongshan once customized a suit in the store, which is the famous Zhongshan suit in later generations.

It can be said that Ningbo Gang has created countless firsts in the business world in Shanghai. This spirit of "daring to be the first in the world" has made Ningbo Gang a leader in the business world.

Moreover, the people from the Ningbo Gang are more in groups.

Luo Mingyou's capital comes from the combination of local capital in Guangdong and Peking. Guangdong is the earliest trading port in China and has a large amount of funds. These funds are enough for Luo Mingyou to make a big splash in the film industry, who else can I do?

Li Weimin's capital comes from Hong Kong and Nanyang, and overseas capital is relatively rich.

Especially behind him is Sun Zhongshan as the backstage.

Since 1921, Li Weimin followed Sun Zhongshan and filmed a number of news documentaries recording the National Revolution and the Northern Expedition, and was known as the "father of Chinese documentaries."

When capital and movies meet, it is destined to be a battle without gunpowder.

In the following years, this group of Chinese filmmakers will use the entire China as the stage, theaters and movies as weapons, and start a battle of hegemony in order to compete for the domestic film market and development and survival.

Lin Zixuan, standing at the forefront of the waves, vaguely felt a heavy storm coming.

But it doesn't matter. He is ready. It's unknown who will win.
Chapter completed!