1980 My literary era

More than half a month after the release of "Don't Knock on the Door Tomorrow", the sales of "Contemporary" skyrocketed.

The novel has aroused a very strong response among the domestic literary circles and readers, and it can be said that it has received rave reviews.

Readers scolded it, but if they didn't love the novel, why would they take the initiative to submit an article to a newspaper to scold Lin Weimin?

In late March, He Qizhi held a work seminar for "Don't Knock on the Door Tomorrow" under the name "Contemporary".

He held a symposium on his work less than a month after the novel was published, which shows He Qizhi's inner urgency.

After waiting for more than a year, it was finally possible to publish such an influential work. "Contemporary" must show its presence in the contemporary literary world.

Lin Weimin was very happy to do such things as work seminars when he was the editor-in-chief.

Every work seminar represents that the journal and publishing house have released another good work that they can be proud of.

But just because he is willing to hold seminars on other people's works does not mean that he is also willing to hold seminars on his own works. He can't remember the last time he attended a seminar on his own works.

The standards of this work seminar were not low, and Lao He almost exerted all his energy.

Lin Weimin originally didn't want to participate, but he couldn't get over He Qizhi's insistence, so he had to go through the motions.

After the seminar, Lin Weimin resumed his work rhythm and stopped paying attention to the outside discussion on "Don't Knock on the Door Tomorrow".

In early March, "Hero", jointly produced by Wenhua Film and Television, Yan Film Studio, China Film Company, American Film Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and Hong Kong Tomson Pictures, had completed intense filming.

There are still four months until July 1st, and there is not much time left for the post-production of "Heroes".

The end of filming is just a phased victory for a blockbuster like "Hero", and the post-production of the film is also crucial.

As early as the early stage of film shooting, two special effects companies in the United States, Tweak Films and The Orphanage, had already been involved in the production of CG special effects for the film.

"Hero" is a historical blockbuster with costumes. Although most of the shots were shot in real life, in order to pursue beautiful visual effects, CG special effects are still indispensable.

Because it is a blockbuster, the post-production level of "Hero" must be constantly improved. After the filming, Zhang Yimou led the post-production team to the United States without stopping. At present, only the film industry level there can 100% meet the producer's requirements for this, China's first commercial film. Blockbuster requirements.

In fact, the level of film and television production in Xiangjiang is not bad, but for the sake of insurance, Zhang Yimou still chose to go to the United States.

This decision also caused the production cost of "Hero" to exceed 20 million yuan, thus becoming the first film in the history of domestic films with a production cost of over 100 million yuan.

During filming, a huge burden fell on Zhang Yimou's shoulders, and he wanted to give up countless times.

But thinking about the huge investment in the movie and Teacher Lin's ardent expectations for him, he finally managed to survive.

Entering the post-production stage, the pressure on Zhang Yimou was heavier than before, and he was frequently on the verge of collapse.

It was very difficult during the shooting, but at any rate I was free and unscrupulous, but in the later stage, I just embroidered based on the shooting.

Zhang Yimou, who is directing a commercial blockbuster for the first time, has no experience in this area at all. He has to explore everything on his own, just like a middle school student facing high school exam questions. Every step of his problem-solving ideas is based on his existing technical reserves. A challenge.

In a foreign country, he was still the person in charge of the project. Even if Zhang Yimou wanted to find someone to talk to, he couldn't find anyone.

In the end, he couldn't bear it anymore, so he dialed Lin Weimin's phone number and made Lin Weimin his target.

The difficulties faced by Zhang Yimou are what those who are the first to eat crabs must face. Not only do they have to take greater risks than others, but they also have to endure pressure and pain that ordinary people cannot bear.

Only by going through this painful experience like a cicada shed can Zhang Yimou be qualified to stand at the top of the world film industry and look down upon the others.

Chicken soup has always been Lin Weimin's specialty. In Zhang Yimou's current situation, drinking some chicken soup is beneficial and harmless.

Of course, Lin Weimin is not like other leaders, who can't help at all other than giving him chicken soup and making big cakes.

Within a few days after Zhang Yimou called him, the studio responsible for the post-production of "Hero" welcomed the great director Steven Spielberg.

When it comes to making movies, Steven Spielberg may not be much better than Zhang Yimou, but when it comes to special effects, if Zhang Yimou is compared to a primary school student, then Steven Spielberg should Belongs to a doctoral student.

After all, this guy created a science fiction film "Firelight" when he was 16 years old, and created the movie "Jaws" when he was 28 years old. Although this film has a large proportion of horror elements, its success It is also inseparable from the blessing of realistic special effects.

Compared with Zhang Yimou, who has always followed the route of literary films, Spielberg's attainments in film special effects are much more powerful, and his arrival has brought great help to Zhang Yimou.

Spielberg retired after spending two days helping Zhang Yimou solve some of his post-production problems.

Before Zhang Yimou could recover, another great director came to the studio.

Like Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola was also entrusted by Lin Weimin to help Zhang Yimou solve problems.

Spielberg's strength is in special effects, while Francis Ford Coppola's strength is in plot and editing.

Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola may not be much better than Zhang Yimou in terms of aesthetic vision, but they have been in Hollywood for decades and have advantages in directing techniques for big-budget and commercial films. , Zhang Yimou cannot match him.

With the help of these two people, the post-production of "Heroes" finally got rid of the initial stumbling blocks and became smoother.

Director Zhang Yimou also gradually got rid of the anxiety when he first came to the United States and began to become calm.

The arrival of Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola was naturally due to Lin Weimin's request. In the past, although Lin Weimin knew the two of them, they probably didn't have such a big reputation to let them waste a few years. He volunteered to help out every day and provided help to Zhang Yimou.

But after the unprecedented success of "Farewell My Concubine" and "Life is Beautiful" on a global scale, Lin Weimin's reputation in Hollywood has indeed become bigger and bigger, big enough to make Steven Spielberg and Francis A director of Ford Coppola's caliber came to help direct.

Just after Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola extended a helping hand to Zhang Yimou, on March 24, Los Angeles time, the 69th Academy Awards was officially held at the Los Angeles Temple Theater .

At this year's Academy Awards, Zhang Yimou's "Speak Well" was selected by the domestic film bureau as the Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film. Zhang Yimou, who was busy with the post-production period of "Hero", took time out of his busy schedule to attend the Oscar ceremony.

This is the second time he has attended the Oscars, and it is also the second time his work has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The last time he was nominated for the Oscar for "Raise the Red Lantern".

However, although he was shortlisted for the Best Foreign Language Film Award, Zhang Yimou knew very well that today's award had nothing to do with him.

"The 69th Academy Award for Best Actor, the winner is Roberto Benigni, "Life is Beautiful"."

"The winner of the 69th Academy Award for Best Score is Nicola Piovani, "Life is Beautiful."

"The 69th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, the winning film is "Life is Beautiful."

"The 69th Academy Awards for Best Picture, the winning film is "Life is Beautiful."

…

Zhang Yimou sat in the audience and witnessed "Life is Beautiful" and Roberto Benigni's feat of sweeping the Academy Awards.

Best actor, best soundtrack, best foreign language film, best picture, one film won four Oscars this year, and "Life is Beautiful" became the biggest winner at this awards ceremony.

When Al Pacino, the guest who presented the most important award "Best Picture", stood on the stage and said the name ""Life is Beautiful"", Roberto Benigni, who had stood on the podium several times, He jumped excitedly onto the back of the seat of his colleague next to him.

He stood swaying on the back of the chair, opened his arms unscrupulously, and enjoyed the thunderous applause from the scene.

At this moment, he seemed to be crowned a king!

Everything is wonderful!

After a short celebration, he stood on the back of the chair and was swaying. Fortunately, Spielberg held him up and kept him from being embarrassed.

Roberto Benigni walked onto the stage under the gaze of countless pairs of eyes. This was the third time he stood on the stage today. He was still as excited and excited as the previous two times, but he was not as excited as before. Twice gushed like that.

After being stunned for about ten seconds, he said into the microphone in a funny Italian accent: "I made a serious mistake. I have used up all the English I know!"

The scene burst into laughter.

Of course, Roberto Benigni's words were a joke, but it was completely unexpected for him to take the stage for the third time to receive the "Best Picture" award. He had only prepared two acceptance speeches before, and now he is receiving the award for the third time. After three speeches, he really didn't know what to say.

The cameras at the scene were still facing him. He hesitated for a moment and finally spoke.

"The filming of the film "Life is Beautiful" was a wonderful life journey for me. About ten years ago, I first read the original novel "No matter what, life is beautiful" for this film, and I was deeply moved by it. Deeply fell in love with this novel.

Because my father had the same experience as Galliyan in the novel, but when he told me about this past event, he was full of optimism, just like what was written in the novel.

At that time, an idea came to my mind that I would make this novel into a movie.

Later, by chance, I met Mr. Lin Weimin, the author of this novel. When I made this request to him, he told me the unfortunate news that the rights to adapt this novel had been bought by a big Hollywood director..."

When Roberto Benigni said this, the cameras on the scene collectively cut to Spielberg, and Spielberg couldn't help but smile bitterly.

The fact that Spielberg bought the rights to "Life is Beautiful, No Matter What" but did not film it is not news in Hollywood. With "Life is Beautiful" sweeping the film industry when it was released last year, this matter has also been discussed in various circles. Everyone knows it due to media propaganda.

This kind of thing is actually very normal in the film industry, but unfortunately, after he gave up the film adaptation of "No matter what, life is beautiful", the adaptation rights of this novel were handed over to Roberto Benigni On hand, Roberto Benigni perfectly restored the plot of the novel and received numerous praises and high box office. It happened that the two of them participated in this Academy Awards ceremony at the same time.

All this seemed to be destined, allowing Spielberg to witness Roberto Benigni sweeping the Oscars with "Life is Beautiful", and also allowing him to witness what kind of excellent masterpiece he missed that year!

Spielberg's wry smile made the guests laugh louder, and the audience in front of the TV was also infected by this scene, and inevitably felt a burst of schadenfreude.

On the stage, Roberto Bernini's speech continues.

"Fortunately, after a lot of twists and turns, Mr. Lin still gave me the right to adapt this novel. I am very grateful to Mr. Lin for trusting me. The success of "Life is Beautiful" is based on the original novel. , is also based on Mr. Lin Weimin’s trust and help in me.”

At this point, Roberto Bernini opened his hands again, his face full of piety, and shouted: "Hallelujah! Praise Lin Weimin!"