1980 My literary era

Wang Shuo didn't go to the party organized by Haiyan, and neither did Lin Weimin.

Wang Shuo didn't go because he had an quarrel with Feng Xiaogang, and Lin Weimin didn't go because he was concentrating on making final revisions to his new work.

It has been almost two months since he started writing the novel. He wrote the first draft very quickly and completed it in about a month.

But this novel came from Father Shi, so he revised it very carefully and finally finalized it at the end of January.

He took the novel to Shi Tiesheng. After a week, Shi Tiesheng never called to ask Lin Weimin to pick up the manuscript.

Instead, Cheng Ximi called and urged Lin Weimin to take the manuscript away quickly.

Cheng Ximi said that Shi Tiesheng has read Lin Weimin's novel several times these days, and every time he reads it, it is a huge consumption for Shi Tiesheng.

Lin Weimin hurried to Shi Tiesheng's house. When they met, it was as Cheng Ximi said that Shi Tiesheng's complexion was very poor.

He jokingly said to Shi Tiesheng: "I was not as responsible as you when I was the editor."

"Your novel is so good that it makes people want to put it down." Shi Tiesheng praised without hesitation.

"Is it really that good?"

Shi Tiesheng hesitated for a moment and then said: "My evaluation is quite subjective."

"It's okay. Let readers evaluate it after it is published."

After taking the manuscript from Shi Tiesheng's house, Lin Weimin handed it to He Qizhi the next day.

He Qizhi took the manuscript and was extremely excited. He had been looking forward to it for more than a year and finally had a new work from writer Lin.

"Why are your hands shaking?" Lin Weimin asked.

"I'm excited and happy!" He Qizhi said in an excited tone, "It's not like you don't know that the current environment is so sluggish that our "Contemporary" sales can't even hold on to 1.2 million copies, so we're counting on your novel to come back to life! "

Lin Weimin smiled and said: "If your colleagues listen to what you say, they will probably be beaten. Don't be so stressed. Sales are not good. It is a crime other than war."

Since the late 1980s, the sales of domestic literary magazines have been declining. Over the past few years, many formerly prosperous literary journals have fallen into operating difficulties.

Even leading domestic literary journals such as "October" and "Harvest" are struggling to survive, and their sales are deteriorating.

"Contemporary" is in the best position among many first-line literary magazines, and this is also thanks to the solid foundation laid by Lin Weimin for "Contemporary" when he was in office.

At its peak, it was common for "Contemporary" to sell two to three million copies of a single issue.

However, good times do not always last, good flowers do not always bloom, and the overall downward trend of the general environment has an inevitable impact on "Contemporary".

Last year, there were no very influential works in the domestic literary world. As the top platform for publishing literary works in the country, "Contemporary" naturally became less popular than before.

The most direct impact is that the sales volume that we have been trying to maintain has continued to decline over the past year. The sales volume of the 12th issue in 1996 has fallen below 1.2 million copies, and it seems that the decline has not stopped there. The first issue in 1997 has been on the market for more than 20 days, and it has barely exceeded 1 million copies. The sales volume is not optimistic.

Lin Weimin's new work comes out at this juncture, which is nothing less than a shot in the arm for "Contemporary", not only for readers and the market, but also for the "Contemporary" editorial department.

After accepting Lin Weimin's manuscript, He Qizhi was so excited that he still didn't calm down completely after returning to the editorial office.

"Lao He, what happened to you, why are you so happy?"

Zhu Changsheng asked curiously when he saw He Qizhi's happy face.

"Hehe!" He Qizhi waved the manuscript in his hand and smiled without saying a word.

"Whose masterpiece is this?" Zhu Changsheng asked.

To make editor-in-chief He Qizhi so happy, it must be a new work by a well-known author.

Over the past year, the influence of the works published by "Contemporary" has indeed declined. Everyone is looking forward to receiving some high-quality manuscripts to stabilize the magazine's gradual downward trend.

Seeing He Qizhi smiling but not speaking, not only Zhu Changsheng became curious, but everyone else in the editorial department also showed inquiring eyes.

"Editor-in-Chief, now that you have the manuscript, stop hiding it."

As Yang Xinlan spoke, she moved closer to He Qizhi.

She glanced at the first page of the manuscript. The paper seemed to have magic power, and her eyes were immediately attracted to it.

Seeing Yang Xinlan's performance, others couldn't wait to get closer to He Qizhi.

Finally seeing the name clearly on the first page of the manuscript, Zhu Changsheng smiled broadly and said, "Okay, okay!"

Yao Shuzhi clapped her hands and said: "Oh, this person who is not doing his job must have remembered his old job!"

Everyone in the editing room was beaming with joy, even happier than when wages were paid.

While the editorial department of "Contemporary" was excitedly discussing Lin Weimin's new work, several guests were welcomed into Lin Weimin's office.

To be precise, there was only one guest, and the other two were Yu Dong and Zheng Yuanjie.

"President, this is Jin Guoping, the director of Shanghai Art Film Studio."

Yu Dong made an introduction, and before Lin Weimin could speak, Jin Guoping on the opposite side burst into hearty laughter and held Lin Weimin's hand enthusiastically.

"President Lin, hello, hello! I have long admired your name!"

Jin Guoping had a generous character that was rare among Shanghai people, and the enthusiasm he showed upon meeting him made Lin Weimin, a Northeasterner, a little uncomfortable with it.

"Director Jin, please take a seat."

The Chinese Literature Society has roped in Zheng Yuanjie, a leading figure in the field of children's literature in China, so it is natural that he will flex his muscles in this area.

As a carrier of children's literature, in addition to novels, comics and animation are the best choices.

In terms of comics, Guowenshe owns two extremely popular magazines, "King of Painting" and "Hongdou Comics", and is fully developing the potential of Zheng Yuanjie's many series of works.

In terms of animation, Guowenshe has no experience at all and can only rely on external help.

In China, when it comes to animation, Shanghai Animation Film Studio is an unavoidable name.

Shanghai Art Film Studio was founded in 1957. It was formerly the art film section of Northeast Film Studio. In 1950, the art film section moved from Northeast China to Shanghai and became part of Shanghai Film Studio.

In the following years, with the continuous expansion of personnel, Shanghai Art Film Studio was officially established. At that time, Wan Laiming, Wan Guchan, Wan Chaochen, Qian Jiajun, Yu Zheguang, Zhang Chaoqun, Lei Yu, Jin Jin gathered here. , Ma Guoliang, Bao Lei, Wu Yingju and a large number of famous artists and writers.

China's first color puppet film "Little Heroes", the first puppet film "Xiaomei's Dream" using the synthesis technology of real people and puppets, the first color cartoon "Why are Crows Black", the first color paper-cut film " "Zhu Bajie Eats Melon", the first ink cartoon "Tadpole Looking for Mom", the first theatrical animated feature film "Havoc in Heaven"...

The history of Shanghai Animation Film Studio almost condenses the history of animation in New China. The many works it has produced with strong national styles have also made Chinese animated films unique artistic masterpieces in the world of film and art. They are famous all over the world. It has had a wide-ranging and far-reaching impact.

After entering a new era, Shanghai Art Film Studio still maintains a good momentum of development, producing such films as "Nezha Hao Hai", "Afanti's Story", "Landscape Love", "Nine-Colored Deer" and "Three Monks" "Snow Child", "Monkey Catching the Moon" and a series of animated singles and medium-length films that were both well-received and well-received.

After 1985, Humei Factory entered the era of animated series. Many post-80s generation are familiar with a series of animations such as "Calabash Brothers", "The Adventures of the Sloppy King", "Black Cat Sheriff", "Shuck and Beta" The film is from this period.

However, with the continuous deepening of domestic economic reform, the shortcomings of Shanghai Art Film Studio as a state-owned unit began to gradually appear. After the 1990s, the glorious period of Shanghai Art Film Studio was completely over, and its decline was fully apparent.

When the Chinese Publishing House wanted to produce cartoons, the first thing that came to mind was the Shanghai Mei Factory.

A few years ago, Zheng Yuanjie's "The Adventures of Shuke and Beta" and "The Rubik's Cube Mansion" were produced into cartoons by Humei Factory. Due to the previous cooperative relationship, Chinese Language News Agency contacted Humei Factory through Zheng Yuanjie.

At this time, the Humei Factory was facing internal and external troubles. When faced with the Chinese Literature Society's initiative to come to seek cooperation, it was naturally a welcome request.

After communicating twice on the phone, the factory director Jin Guoping came to Yanjing decisively and planned to meet with the Chinese Literature Society to discuss cooperation in detail.

After some pleasantries, Lin Weimin chatted openly and honestly with Jin Guoping about the prospects of the Chinese Literature Society in the field of animation.

After the 1990s, the development of Humei Factory was not going smoothly, and China's animation field seemed to be in trouble.

Those animated feature films that were like works of art that could be enjoyed in movie theaters in the past have almost disappeared, leaving only TV screens filled with various cartoons with rough painting styles, stiff movements and expressions, and weird plots. Only one or two films are released every year. It is not easy to watch animation works that are good enough.

At that time, doing animation and losing money were almost equal.

In a market economy, no one can do business without money.

All that's left on TV are shoddy products that rely on government subsidies to survive. Bad money drives out good money, and the market goes from bad to worse.

It was not until 2015 that domestic animation saw some improvement.

It is now 1997 according to the Western calendar. The domestic animation industry is experiencing a trough, and this trough will last for a long time. If the Chinese Language Society wants to enter this field, the difficulties it will face will be extremely huge.

Lin Weimin is very clear about the difficulty of this matter, but industry must be cultivated. If you don't cultivate it, pie in the sky will not fall into the sky.

What's more, the cultivation of animation IP will be a very important puzzle piece in the future IP territory of the Chinese Literature Society. Just look at Disney, which has been aggressive in the world cultural field since 2000. This is an area that Lin Weimin cannot give up no matter what.

It is difficult to enter the animation field, and it is even more difficult to cultivate the animation market, and the Chinese language agency cannot make a loss-making business.

Therefore, you must find a good entry point.

The entry point Lin Weimin found for the Chinese Literature Society was animated feature films.

Later generations of Chinese people seem to have entered into a misunderstanding when developing animated films. It seems that they must start with animated series, cultivate IP and audiences bit by bit, and then move on to big movies, that is, animated feature films, and then peripherals and theme parks. …

But there is a paradox here.

If you want to produce animated series, you have to sell them to TV stations. As we all know, domestic TV stations purchase cartoons at ridiculously low prices.

If you can't recoup the cost, how can you make this cartoon?

The answer is self-evident: low price and low quality.

As a result, the most direct effect is that the training time of the audience is greatly extended.

Many children can be fascinated by watching an episode of "Naruto", but it is hard to imagine that those little brats would fall in love with "Joyful" at first sight. The main purpose of this thing is to accompany it.

As a result, the investment payback period of animation will naturally be greatly extended, and the risks will not be reduced much.

Lin Weimin plans to start directly from animated feature films. The risk is naturally not small. After all, the investment cost of animated feature films is much higher than that of inferior animated films. The most important thing is that there are no government subsidies.

But the advantage of making animated feature films is also obvious, that is, you can directly explore opportunities in the already cultivated and mature animated feature film market, instead of struggling to cultivate the market and audience yourself.

As for how to attract audiences to the cinema, this of course depends on Zheng Yuanjie's influence, otherwise Lin Weimin would not have gone to great lengths to attract him to the Chinese Literature Society.

“Our Chinese Literature Society’s intention to engage in animation is not just a whim, nor is it a superficial taste, but a consistent effort over the past ten years to form an internationally competitive cultural industry in our country!”

At the end of the conversation, Lin Weimin concluded with a serious tone and serious expression.

Jin Guoping, Zheng Yuanjie and Yu Dong were all excited when they heard this!

President Lin has a plan!