1980 My literary era

Later, Feng Xiaogang once directed a movie called "Private Customization" and a movie called "If You Are the One". In these two movies, many viewers who are familiar with Feng Xiaogang can see "Party A and Party B" shadow. But in fact, most of these works have the mentality of when Wang Shuo was young, companies could easily make a lot of money by being clever.

The story of "Party A and Party B" is basically the same as "The Unruly Master" and "Private Customization". Wang Shuo's three-step ax is still fresh to today's Chinese audiences. During the internal viewing, everyone watched it with gusto.

Mo Yan came to Wenhua Film and Television relatively late. Although he had read the script of "Party A and Party B", he still had no idea about the movie. When he watched the movie today, he was quite disdainful.

When whispering to Tong Zhonggui, his contemptuous attitude was palpable.

"When I first started, I had the same idea as you. It was like writing a novel. Zhang Yimou and the others directed art films, like some serious literary works, while Feng Xiaogang's film style was more commercial and wanted comedy. The effect is like a popular novel.

It would be meaningless if you have to care about the level. There is no distinction between high and low in art. "

Tong Zhonggui's words made Mo Yan fall into deep thought, and he realized that although he had been at Wenhua Film and Television for a while, his mentality had not been corrected, and he had been dealing with work affairs with the attitude of writing novels, which was not right.

While the two were talking, the screening of "Party A and Party B" was coming to an end, and the credits on the screen had been put to the end.

The lights in the small screening room turned on. Feng Xiaogang was sitting in the back row. He leaned close to Lin Weimin, his tone mixed with anxiety and expectation, "Teacher Lin, what do you think?"

Lin Weimin's face was soft, "Yes, 6 points is a bit low."

Hearing this, Feng Xiaogang smiled brightly.

Director Wang on the side doesn't like Mr. Feng's style. Why don't you just praise you? Look how beautiful you are!

After Lin Weimin finished speaking, he looked at everyone again and asked everyone for their opinions. Everyone said a few words, some praise and some criticism, but the overall evaluation of the movie was relatively high.

"I can feel relieved this time!" Feng Xiaogang said happily.

"Party A and Party B" is the second movie he directed, with an investment of 2 million. For Zhang Yimou and Cheng Kaige, people may not even look down on them, but who made Feng Xiaogang's starting point too low, even 2 million? He still walks on thin ice with his investment and dares not slack off at all.

Lin Weimin patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Just listen to what we say. The real test still depends on the market and the audience."

When he said this, Feng Xiaogang felt even more stressed and felt that a huge burden was on his shoulders.

Yu Dong said at this time: "Teacher Lin, there is nothing wrong with the movie. Can you please finalize the final release date?"

Lin Weimin pondered for a moment and said: "Let's just December 24th. Christmas and New Year's Day are both together. It's far away from the Chinese New Year. Avoid Cheng Long's movies."

Feng Xiaogang was surprised, "Cheng Long's movie will be released on New Year's Day this year?"

Lin Weimin nodded, "At the beginning of this year, the movie "Red Zone" made 95 million at the box office here. This is a divided movie. Jiahe has made a lot of money, how can we miss this feast?"

Feng Xiaogang sighed: "The top really opened a big hole for them!"

The 10 imported blockbusters not only swept the domestic film market in one year, but also hung like a sword of Damocles over the heads of many Chinese filmmakers, making everyone dare not take it lightly at all times.

"Any market loses its vitality once it loses competition. Putting in a few catfish appropriately is good for the overall environment." Lin Weimin said.

Everyone present had different thoughts when they heard this, but the common feeling was that Lin Weimin's pattern was that it was flattering to say that he was high-ranking and far-sighted, but his perspective on problems was indeed extraordinary.

Lin Weimin then explained: "There is still more than a month before the movie is released. During this time, you have to work more on publicity. The concept of 'Lunar New Year film' has already been pioneered by Cheng Long. Now we are going to make 'Lunar New Year film' , 'Lunar New Year stalls' these two concepts continue to be popular, only then can we attract more audiences to enter the theater."

Movie promotion and distribution are the unshakable responsibilities of general manager Yu Dong. Like Feng Xiaogang, he feels a heavy pressure.

The promotion work of "Party A and Party B" has begun, and Wenhua Film and Television, which has been busy for more than half a year, finally has a work that works well.

During this year, Wenhua Film and Television invested in a total of 4 films, two of which were participating films, namely "Winner" and "Red Suit" produced by Yan Film Studio, and the other two were "Party A and Party B" and "Party A and Party B" produced by Yan Film Studio. "Speak well if you have something to say".

"Winner" has been released in the second half of the year, with a box office of 1.96 million. According to the current 6:4 ratio between the film studio and the theater, Wenhua Film and Television and Yan Film Studio have achieved considerable profits as investment and production units.

Recently, the video rights of the movie were sold to Zhijiang Audio and Video Publishing House for a price of 100,000 yuan, and the TV broadcast rights can also be sold in the future.

For "Winner", a movie with an investment of less than one million, the rate of return is already considered good. After all, the movie business has always been high-risk.

For the Chinese Literature Society, an investment of 400,000 yuan, including box office revenue and video tape revenue, can yield a return of nearly 550,000 yuan, which is extremely impressive.

The director of "Red Suit" is Li Shaohong. That movie took its time and is still in production and is expected to be released next year.

"Party A and Party B" is the first movie invested and produced by Wenhua Film and Television. Yu Dong is the general manager at a young age. It is the first time to lead the distribution of a movie. He can't wait to use all his strength, for fear that He failed to live up to Lin Weimin's kindness in knowing him.

While Wenhua Film and Television was busy with the distribution of "Party A and Party B", a guest from afar walked into the office building of the Chinese Literature Society, accompanied by two government staff.

Michael Isikov is a reporter and writer for Newsweek. He is now in his early forties. Unlike Richard Stengel, a senior reporter at Time, who came from a prestigious school, Michael Isikov came from a humble background. It took me twenty years of hard work in the American journalism world to achieve what I have achieved today.

His most commendable deed is the revelation of the affair between Zipperton and Monica Lewinsky. The revelation of this scandal directly led to the second impeachment trial of a general in US history.

It is not difficult to see from Michael Isikoff’s strong record that media like Newsweek is definitely not liked by the US government.

Similarly, works such as Lin Weimin and "God Bless the United States" will not be welcomed by the American government.

Whether it was a mutual affinity or sympathy, Michael Isikov and Lin Weimin had a very happy conversation.

Michael Isikoff likes to ask questions related to politics. After all, he is a reporter for a current affairs magazine. This is his specialty and understandable. However, Lin Weimin mostly stops short of answering questions.

You can make fun or ridicule in novels, but in reality you still have to be rational.

After talking about politics, Michael Isikov turned the question back to the novel itself.

"According to the information I have collected, your novel has already sold 700,000 copies in the first month of its release. This not only breaks the sales record of your personal works in the United States, but is also very rare in the American book market. Even many best-selling books have not shown such dominance. What is your comment on this?"

"I always believe that after a work is completed, it is out of the writer's control. Sales or reviews will not have much impact on you."

"The sales of your works have always been good."

Michael Isikov pointedly pointed out that Lin Weimin's answer can be understood as standing and talking without backache.

"Of course. Maybe when the sales of my novels are worse than those of Richard Yates, I will say something else: the American people are blind."

Lin Weimin's answer was frank and funny, making Michael Isikov laugh, "Aren't you afraid that others will say you are hypocritical?"

"The person wearing the mask may be a clown or an ace. Our attitude towards the world depends on what kind of feedback we want."

Lin Weimin said this lightly, but Michael Isikoff chewed on it for a long time.

The writer in front of him is so young that people often ignore his achievements in literature, but he always inadvertently throws out words of wisdom that make people feel heartbroken.

"Before I left, I read an article in The Atlantic Monthly, which mentioned the issue of your nationality. The author believed that if it were not for the influence of nationality, you should have won the Pulitzer Prize or the National Book Award, or even It’s the Booker Prize and the Nobel Prize for Literature…what do you think of that?”

"There is nothing to say about nationality. Every country's literary awards have certain restrictions. For example, in our country's Yanbing Literature Award, only writers from this country can participate, so this is not a problem.

Although I cannot win the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, or the Booker Prize, I may still have some hope of winning the Nobel Prize in Literature. "

Michael Isikoff became excited after hearing this last sentence, "It seems that you are very confident that you will win the Nobel Prize for Literature?"

"I don't have much confidence. The main thing is that I am young and can endure it!"

Lin Weimin shivered so smartly that the staff accompanying him didn't stop, and their shoulders kept shaking.

After Michael Isikov laughed, he couldn't help but sigh: "Lin, I appreciate your optimism and open-mindedness, unlike some writers who are so sensitive and delicate that they are pathologically sensitive."

"If you often chat with Chinese people, you may often hear them mention a sentence: China has a long history. But you may not understand the meaning behind this sentence.

Behind them are dynasty changes, natural and man-made disasters, and every color in the history books contains the ups and downs of countless people's lives.

We Chinese people grew up under this view of history. Sometimes it may bring us some conservative things, but more often, it teaches us to be open-minded, optimistic, and that man can conquer nature. "

When Lin Weimin said this, his tone became excited.

Michael Isikoff also seemed to be affected and praised: "What a great national gene!"

Then he added: "This seems to be exactly the opposite of what we Americans think. I remember you ridiculed us more than once in the novel that we in the United States have no history and culture."

He suddenly got angry, but Lin Weimin laughed and said: "I didn't say that, it came from the British!"

What a trick to divert trouble to the east!

The staff nearby couldn't help but praise Lin Weimin.

Michael Isikov smiled bitterly, "Well, damn British!"

He stopped smiling and said, "Let me ask one last question. Last year, Time Magazine interviewed you, and the article concluded that you were one of the most important writers in the second half of the twentieth century. Do you agree with this evaluation?"

Lin Weimin also became serious and said: "We have a saying in China that the final evaluation of a person is usually determined after his death. Their evaluation seems to be a little early."

Michael Isikoff heard a sense of courage in Lin Weimin's tone. He recalled that he had done homework for interviews before and read many interviews about Lin Weimin. The confidence shown in them was exactly the same as now.

His eyes fell on the Chinese version of "God Bless the United States" on the desk beside him. He couldn't help but think that it was probably these outstanding works that made him determined!