1980 My literary era

1995 should be regarded as the darkest moment for Chinese movies.

The number of TV sets in China continues to rise, video halls are everywhere, VCDs are developing rapidly, and piracy is rampant...

The convergence of various negative factors has led to a cliff-like decline in the domestic film market in recent years. The number of annual moviegoers has been halved again and again, and so has the box office.

The film reform in 1993 was a helpless move to transform the industry. The introduction of imported blockbusters in 1994 was to activate the competitiveness of Chinese films.

Revolution requires bloodshed and sacrifice, and the price required for reform is equally heavy. How can Chinese films regain a new life without going through some pain?

Since 1994, China's film industry has been experiencing this kind of pain.

Lin Weimin wanted to come up with ten or eight good scripts and shoot them all at once to inspire people, but things are not that simple.

The biggest problem with Chinese films now is that they are not industrialized enough, and the concept is still stuck in the era when literary and artistic films were king.

However, the success of Hollywood and the continuous decline of European films have proved that if the art form of film wants to develop in a long-term and quality way, literary and artistic films will never dominate the market for a long time.

Now if you take out a bunch of scripts that are good at storytelling and give them to domestic directors to shoot, they will still shoot them out of shape and still follow the original path.

Without changing concepts and increasing the level of industrialization, the future of Chinese films will be bleak.

Zhang Yimou's ability to produce "Hero" in later generations is enough to prove that his consciousness and style surpass the vast majority of domestic film directors.

What Lin Weimin is doing now is to provide appropriate guidance.

Not only Zhang Yimou, but also many potential film directors, let their vision not only be limited to the art film.

Of course, after putting so much effort into it, it’s only natural to make some money along the way.

Zhang Yimou is now a famous director in the world. When Michael Phillips heard that Lin Weimin was helping Zhang Yimou attract investment, he agreed without even thinking about it.

The movie "Farewell My Concubine" has made him more than 40 million yuan so far. The boss is now one of the richest independent producers in Hollywood. He has no mercy when investing in movies, not to mention Zhang Yimou. It has already become famous internationally.

The wealthy old comrade also planned to wrap up Zhang Yimou's film funds, but Lin Weimin quickly stopped him.

Can you, the boy, take advantage of such a good thing all by yourself?

Lin Weimin turned around and called Xu Feng again. When he told about Zhang Yimou's new movie, Xu Feng immediately beamed.

Lin Weimin blocked Qiu Fusheng, and then she would have the opportunity to invest in Zhang Yimou's movie. What could be better than this?

Xu Feng was excited. After the success of "Farewell My Concubine", she chose to continue to bet on Cheng Kaige and invested in the movie "Feng Yue".

Since the filming started last year, "Feng Yue" has experienced successive changes in the heroine and the director's turmoil. Until now, Cheng Kaige has decided to recreate Jinling Road in the suburbs of Shanghai and restore the bustling and prosperous old Shanghai of the 1920s.

It has been a year now, and the investment in the film is getting bigger and bigger, but the day of filming has not been completed. If "Farewell My Concubine" hadn't brought Xu Feng tens of millions of dollars, I'm afraid she would have backed down. .

After "Farewell My Concubine", Cheng Kaige was gradually closing in on film creation, which made Xu Feng unbearable.

Compared to Cheng Kaige's arrogance, Xu Feng heard that Zhang Yimou has very few personnel, never overspends, let alone make things difficult for investors, and even Qiu Fusheng agreed to let him take the film to participate in the competition in violation of regulations, which is enough. It shows the temper of this director.

This kind of director is the favorite of investors. Xu Feng agreed to Lin Weimin's request without hesitation, and after hearing that the Chinese Literature Society has now established a film and television work to specialize in investing and producing movies, she directly asked: "Mr. Lin , does your film and television company still accept investment?"

Lin Weimin was surprised when he heard this, "Ms. Xu, your film company is doing very well, right? Why did you think of investing in this small company of ours?"

"The size of the company does not matter, the key lies in who is at the helm? With you here, I believe that the development of this film and television company will be successful."

Xu Feng's compliment made people feel comfortable, and Lin Weimin was thinking.

After so many years of business, Xu Feng has deep connections in the film industry on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and three places. If he can really bring her over, it will be somewhat beneficial to the development of Wenhua Film and Television.

"If Ms. Xu has time, she might as well come to Beijing to discuss it in detail." Lin Weimin extended the invitation.

Xu Feng said happily: "Okay, I'll be there in two days."

A week later, in the banquet hall of the Yanjing Hotel, the Chinese Literature Society held a press conference in the name of Wenhua Film and Television.

At the press conference, Lin Weimin, Han Shanping, Michael Phillips, Xu Feng, and Zhang Yimou all appeared at the press conference.

At the press conference, Lin Weimin first announced that Wenhua Film and Television had introduced a new investor, Xu Feng, and then announced that Zhang Yimou would officially sign with Wenhua Film and Television and become a contracted director of Wenhua Film and Television. All of his films in the future will be invested by Wenhua Film and Television. , or financing through Wenhua Film and Television.

Immediately afterwards, Lin Weimin announced Zhang Yimou's latest film "Speak Well", which will be jointly invested by Wenhua Film and Television, Yan Film Studio and the film companies of Xu Feng and Michael Phillips, with a total investment of up to 26 million yuan.

A series of messages immediately caused an uproar among the reporters in the audience.

Lin Weimin's series of news contained too much content and was too shocking for everyone to digest.

Wenhua Film and Television has introduced new investors, which is nothing to do with it being an unknown film and television company.

The key is that this company can actually sign Zhang Yimou to its company. According to Lin Weimin's wishes, only they are qualified to invest in Zhang Yimou's movies in the future, and others want to invest, and they have to go through them.

This model of director signing seems to be the first time in China.

In addition to this news, there is another news that makes everyone even more excited.

"Speak Well" is Lin Weimin's novel, and Zhang Yimou is Lin Weimin's single-handed director. Are they finally going to officially collaborate?

The reporters were a little excited. The last time Lin Weimin worked with the fifth-generation domestic director Cheng Kaige, the film adapted from "Farewell My Concubine" successively won the Cannes Palme d'Or, the American Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award, and was even better at the box office. It created a box office miracle for literary films, with a global box office of 400 million US dollars.

How could such a brilliant record not make these reporters excited? Everyone wanted to poke the microphone into the mouths of Lin Weimin and Zhang Yimou.

This time, "If You Have Something to Say", even the investors are exactly the same as in "Farewell My Concubine". This is because they are aiming to replicate the success of "Farewell My Concubine"!

The reporters' torrent of questions almost annihilated Lin Weimin and Zhang Yimou. The question time lasted for almost half an hour. Lin Weimin officially announced the end of the press conference, but the reporters were still unfinished.

After the press conference, Lin Weimin and Zhang Yimou accepted exclusive interviews with several media.

The next day, Wenhua Film and Television's press conference was featured in more than 20 media outlets.

"Zhang Yimou signs contract with Wenhua Film and Television, investing 26 million in new films" "Lin Weimin once again joins hands with fifth-generation directors, "Let's Talk" will be adapted" "Guowen Society's full copyright operation makes a big move, Zhang Yimou becomes a signed director"...

More than 20 media reports quickly triggered a huge response in the domestic film industry.

Zhang Yimou is the Chinese director who has won the most international awards in the past ten years. He is also the first Chinese director to win huge international reputation in decades. His every move is the focus of the domestic film industry.

Lin Weimin is Zhang Yimou's talent, which is no longer news in the domestic film industry. The two worked together, and Zhang Yimou signed a contract with Wenhua Film and Television, a subsidiary of the Chinese Literature Society, which attracted the attention of countless people.

It has been two years since the film "Farewell My Concubine" won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. The awards and box office created by this film have already become a peak in the history of Chinese films.

It is also a novel written by Lin Weimin, and it is also a collaboration with a fifth-generation director. At a time when imported blockbusters are ravaging the domestic film industry, this news has given a shot in the arm to many domestic filmmakers, giving everyone a big sigh of relief.

The investment in the film "Speak Well" brought together four investors. Wenhua Film and Television did not invest much, only investing 5 million, but it was the main controller of the film. This approach is not uncommon in the film and television circles of later generations.

When Wenhua Film and Television was established, it only had Li Guangfu's 5 million yuan on its account. It had previously invested in Feng Xiaogang's "Party A and Party B", Yan Film Studio's Huo Jianqi's "The Winner" and Li Shaohong's "Red Suit". Logically speaking, he wanted to invest 500 million yuan. Ten thousand yuan is no money.

But Xu Feng has just become a shareholder of Wenhua Film and Television. She invested 15 million yuan in Wenhua Film and Television and obtained 15% of the company's shares.

After dilution, Guowenshe's shareholding ratio dropped to 51%, Li Guangfu's shareholding ratio dropped to 34%, and Xu Feng was the smallest shareholder, only 15%.

15% shares, 15 million yuan, valuation of 100 million yuan.

This is a sky-high valuation for Wenhua Film and Television, which has not yet completed production of a movie.

The awesomeness that Director Wang boasted to Mr. Feng and Mr. Peng back then has now come true with Chief Editor Lin.

When he learned that Wenhua Film and Television had obtained new financing and was valued at 100 million, Li Guangfu went crazy with joy.

I think he invested 5 million at the beginning. Now, in just half a year, the shares in his hand are worth 34 million. Even if it is just the valuation, it is enough to surprise him.

Over the years, he has worked very hard in business, and his net worth is only 200 million.

If you follow Teacher Lin, you can really make a fortune!

Li Guangfu was pleasantly surprised by the skyrocketing valuation of Wenhua Film and Television. He was even more impressed by Xu Feng who dared to invest such a large sum of money. After meeting him, he found out that she was actually a female boss, and he was even more impressed.

The reason why Xu Feng is willing to invest in Wenhua Film and Television, an emerging film and television company, at such a high valuation is naturally because he has taken a fancy to Lin Weimin behind it.

"Farewell My Concubine" made tens of millions of dollars in one movie, which was more than she made from investing in dozens of movies. Xu Feng realized the influence of Lin Weimin's works. Wenhua Film and Television was Lin Weimin's behind-the-scenes manipulator. Adapting his works only relies on his vision and ability, and the future development will inevitably be immeasurable.

Spending 15 million to only get 15% of the shares, Xu Feng thought it was a worthwhile deal.

Of course, Cheng Wanchun is the one who feels more worthy.

Comrade Lao Cheng never thought that a film and television company would be fine with just 5 million when it was first established.

Now it has not even made a decent movie, but it has received another investment of 15 million yuan.

Guowenshe holds 51% of Wenhua Film and Television, with a valuation of 51 million.

It’s not so fast to grab money!