Chapter Forty-Nine: The Special Effects Studio

“How should I put it? It’s hardly a personal relationship at this point. Think of these people as extras in a film crew—each of them is talented, but they simply lack an opportunity.”
That was Kunal’s explanation.
“So they’re eager to seek a new environment that might allow them to develop more quickly in the future?” Liu Qingshan asked.
“That’s about right. Or, to put it another way, you could sign them on at a very affordable rate and quickly establish your own special effects team.”
“Sign them on?”
“Master, I suggest having a contract in place to bind them. And for now, they’re still quite cheap—an annual salary of about ten thousand US dollars each, which averages out to just eight hundred dollars a month.”
Eight hundred dollars was roughly equivalent to 6,500 yuan, given the 2004 exchange rate of about 8.2.
“Master, while the average pay for regular cast and crew in Bollywood is only around two hundred dollars in rupees, the standard for special effects artists is much higher—it’s an internationally recognized field, with typical salaries fluctuating around six hundred US dollars.”
Liu Qingshan was mentally calculating his current financial capacity, his thoughts racing. Seeing that Liu remained silent, Kunal hurried to clarify, clearly misunderstanding.
He knew Kunal wasn’t telling the whole story; if these people were still earning six hundred dollars a year, why would they bother following him to such a distant and unfamiliar place?
“Kunal, I’m not questioning their salaries—what I’m considering is the overall allocation of funds. After all, the biggest expense in running a special effects studio isn’t labor, but equipment!”
His tone was tinged with discouragement. If he’d known, he wouldn’t have bought property so soon; now he probably had only a few hundred thousand left at most.
“Master, I still have some money on hand. If you need it, I can transfer it to you immediately!”
Hearing Kunal’s offer, Liu Qingshan could only smile wryly to himself.
He exhaled deeply. He knew opportunities like this were rare, and no matter what, he’d have to grit his teeth and push through—even if it meant borrowing money back home.
His hesitation came from the uncertainty of the exact sums involved, especially since the initial investment in the studio could easily turn into a bottomless pit. The little money he did have might not even buy a single piece of advanced professional equipment.
First, there was the hardware cost. Without good hardware, major film visual effects simply can’t be produced.
A typical system would at least require dual processors and high memory, costing tens of thousands per unit.
Moreover, equipment depreciates rapidly—every three to five years, you need a complete replacement. Dedicated workstations, storage arrays, and the huge energy consumption all add up to considerable expenses.
Then, there’s the cost of software licenses. Legitimate CG software is usually licensed annually, not purchased outright, and many different software packages are needed for CG production.
These licenses are expensive. For example, Weta Digital spends up to 180 million yuan a year just on using Renderman, a rendering software.
And that’s just for the renderer, not counting other production tools.
Then there’s labor. The success of some Hollywood films is the result of collaboration among many special effects companies, with around 1,500 people involved in the visual effects alone. In the later stages, nearly every render farm in Los Angeles is pressed into service.
What Liu Qingshan was considering was the overall difficulty. The studio’s initial stages wouldn’t require massive investment, especially since his main goal was simply to hire a few instructors.
This was exactly what Jackie Chan had been lamenting about recently; otherwise, with his assets, why wouldn’t he form his own visual effects team instead of hiring Hollywood professionals at high prices?
“Kunal, thank you for your kindness, but I’d rather handle it myself, even if this huge investment does give me a headache!”
Liu Qingshan scratched his head in frustration.

Kunal was extremely astute, and immediately picked up on Liu’s frustration. Suddenly, he chuckled, “Master, I know you’re just starting out in your career, but have you considered that, while you might not have enough money, our esteemed Mr. Kram does?”
Liu Qingshan was taken aback, not quite understanding what Kunal was implying.
“Master, think about it—even in Hollywood, no single billionaire can single-handedly shoulder the costs of technical development and design. Industrial Light & Magic, founded by George Lucas, is a prime example!”
This, Liu Qingshan understood. Industrial Light & Magic was a subsidiary of Lucasfilm, created with the combined resources of the entire production company.
After the sci-fi blockbuster ‘War of the Worlds’ was produced this way, many major studios set up their own special effects divisions.
Previously, these studios didn’t have independent visual effects departments; to save costs, the bosses had long since disbanded them, and no one focused on special effects anymore.
But now, in Hollywood, choosing a suitable visual effects supervisor is as important as casting a leading man, because the structure of the film industry has been fundamentally changed by visual effects.
After all, the success of visual effects isn’t just about technical execution—the conceptual breakthroughs propel the entire industry forward.
So, in recent years, as digital technology has matured, studios have been rebuilding their visual effects teams.
However, any team or group with a reputation was always backed by a powerful studio.
“You mean I could seek help from your boss?”
Liu Qingshan suddenly grasped the subtext.
On the other end of the line, Kunal laughed again. “Master, you have an excellent opportunity right now! For example, help me become the most powerful action star in Bollywood!”
His laughter was full of cunning yet genuine sincerity.
Liu Qingshan suddenly realized, “So you’re plotting for yourself! Do you really want to become my true disciple?”
Although Kunal called him ‘Master’ at every turn, Liu had never seriously considered imparting the ancestral skills to a foreigner wholesale.
Still, he knew that even if others didn’t possess his own aptitude, they could at least master the basics without trouble.
“I’d be lying if I said I had no selfish motives. But it wasn’t premeditated, nor do I doubt your sincerity as a teacher. It’s just that, without being formally accepted as your disciple, I don’t feel secure.”
“So tell me—how can you get your boss on board? And how would our collaboration work?”
“Then you agree to take me as your disciple?”
“Oh, enough with that! State your terms—if I’m satisfied, I don’t mind taking my first apprentice.”
“Haha, I really am clever to have thought of this!”
“...”
Liu Qingshan was at a loss for words. He had underestimated this burly fellow’s wit—he knew exactly how to seize an opportunity and wasn’t letting go.
“Actually, it’s simple. Master, you could work with Mr. Chen and Mr. Kram to sign another agreement: in exchange for training a full action choreography team for Treasure Films, you’d ask for a small investment from the company.”
“Why involve Brother Jackie? Is it because I don’t have enough clout?”
“That’s part of it, of course. More importantly, Jackie Chan has the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. Our people would have a systematic, professional training environment!”

“And you’d be free to stay by my side?”
“Exactly. You see, the action team is going to be much larger than what Jackie originally promised—it’s almost impossible to train such a group without the resources and opportunities offered by the Stunt Team.”
“So what about the investment from Treasure Films? Why do you call it a small investment?”
“Treasure Films has its own visual effects department. While they won’t spare their top technicians for you, they can help with equipment—like second-hand computers. They might be old, but their high precision is guaranteed. For early animation work, they’re a huge help, and even if you had to pay, they’d be very cost-effective and would let your team quickly become more professional.”
“If I have to pay, I might as well buy new ones. The turnover rate for that hardware is too high, and outdated equipment isn’t worth much.”
“I was just giving an example. Besides, you could sign a strategic cooperation agreement with Treasure Films for technology sharing—maybe you wouldn’t have to pay anything at all!”
“If they won’t send their people, does that mean I have to find my own?”
“Actually, I’d suggest we recruit our own. Young people without established roots are not only affordable but, more importantly, have huge potential for technical growth.”
“Potential? Are you saying those young people aren’t reliable?”
“’Reliable’ means trustworthy, right?”
“More or less.”
“Okay, but do you know how much it costs to hire ‘reliable’ people? Whether you’re in Hollywood or not, an average special effects artist earns about $40,000 a year. Senior staff get around $60,000, and top specialists can make up to $150,000. More importantly, unless you’re a major studio, don’t even think about poaching them!”
“So even a mid-level effects artist is hard to lure away?”
Liu Qingshan understood Kunal’s point—talent always seeks higher ground, and that’s not just a Chinese tradition.
“Absolutely. Private studios, especially new ventures, simply can’t attract them because we don’t have the technology and resources they need.”
Kunal’s tone was resolute.
“We? Are you not with Treasure Films anymore?”
“If you accept me as your disciple, my boss is just my superior—you are family.”
Moved by the sincerity in Kunal’s words, Liu Qingshan was nonetheless firm. “Kunal, you have to understand, I don’t want to base our relationship on an exchange of favors.”
“I understand, Master,” Kunal’s urgency was obvious. “But I believe you’ll accept me as your disciple sooner or later—this is just a matter of timing.”
“All right then. I’ll wait for Brother Jackie to return, and you should discuss things with Mr. Kram Singh as soon as possible.”
“Master, does this mean you’ve agreed to take me in?”
“Just as you said—whether this happens now or in the future, fate has already brought us together. From now on, you’ll stay by my side. Jackie Chan’s team in Hong Kong will be your next stop, but you probably won’t be joining his film crew very often.”