Back to 80: My Literary Life

A week later, a Chinese-American with a long career rushed to the history museum with a huge sum of money. He was told that the calligraphy and paintings had been purchased by others first, and he immediately beat his chest in anger.

His name is Weng Wanger.

His ancestors were the imperial teachers of the two emperors of the Qing Dynasty.

Fang Minghua didn't stay in Yanjing for long. The next day, he followed the Song Yuemin brothers and sisters in the jeep and followed the truck back to Xijing.

There is no place to store the four big boxes of paintings and calligraphy for the time being. The new house is still being renovated. Fang Minghua just stacked them in his woodshed for the time being and found a shelf to put them up to prevent them from getting wet. It is estimated that thieves will not care about the things in this woodshed, except for bicycles.

Let's just let them go for the time being. After the new house is renovated, a room will be dedicated to storing these paintings. In a few years, like Ma Weidu, we will set up a private museum where these calligraphy and paintings can be appreciated by others.

Fortunately, the weather in Xijing is relatively dry.

I rode to work the next morning. As soon as I arrived at the door, I was stopped by Zhang Baofu: "Brother Minghua, your package."

"Oh, thank you."

Fang Minghua got out of the car and took the package. He saw that it was sent from Guizhou Film Factory.

script?

He pushed the car down the office building, went up to the second floor and entered his office. He opened the package and saw that it was indeed the script "Not One Less" written for Zhang Yimou.

There was also a letter inside, written by Zhang Yimou, to the effect that the factory was unable to establish the project and could not waste your script, so I sent it back and expressed my gratitude.

Ah?

Is there really no chance?

Then leave it alone for now.

Fang Minghua stuffed the script into his desk drawer.

After cleaning the office, I went downstairs to fetch water. When I returned to the office and just made tea, I heard someone knocking on the door.

When he opened the door, he saw it was Zhang Yimou, with an excited look on his face.

"Editor Fang, thank you. Director Wu has seconded me to their factory to prepare for the filming of your script!"

Fang Minghua was confused after hearing this: "Then you sent it back to me again?"

"At that time I thought it was hopeless."

Zhang Yimou sat on the sofa and told Fang Minghua the cause and effect of the incident.

I see!

"Director Wu said that he plans to postpone the filming of "The Sun Also Rises" temporarily and prioritize my project." Zhang Yimou finally said.

sure.

Wu Tianmin has "true love" for Zhang Yimou.

"In that case, Photographer Zhang, no, I should call you Director Zhang now, so let's shoot well." Fang Minghua said, taking out the script from the drawer and handing it to the other party.

"I guess you won't give it back to me this time."

Zhang Yimou laughed a little embarrassedly after hearing this.

"Editor Fang, I came to see you today because I want to discuss with you how to film this script?" Zhang Yimou said the purpose of his visit.

Fang Minghua was not in a hurry. He poured the other party a cup of tea first, and then said, "You are the director, and I want to hear your thoughts."

"I want to change the shooting location."

"Why?" Fang Minghua was a little surprised.

He set the story of this script on the Loess Plateau in northern Qin, and the description of the school was also based on the Guanjiabao Primary School in the village where Shi Tiesheng joined the team.

Zhang Yimou gave his own reason: "I shot "Yellow Earth" on the Qinbei Plateau. I wanted to go somewhere this time to experience different regional customs."

oh.

Shouldn't he go to a place called Shuiquan Village in Hebei Province to shoot?

Of course this is very unlikely.

Naturally, Fang Minghua would not remind him, but said, "Okay, you are the director and this is your right. Where are you going to go?"

"In the Zhenbeipu area of ​​Ningxia, when I was filming "One and Eight", Zhang Xianliang, vice chairman of the Yinchuan Writers Association, who was also the editor-in-chief of "Shuofang" magazine at the time, introduced us to that place. I thought it was very good."

Ah.

Did Zhang Xianliang have his mind set on that place so early?

The future Zhenbeibao Film and Television Base.

It seems that the "Wrangler" adapted from his novel and Zhang Yimou's "Red Sorghum" were also shot there?

"I don't have any objections. I'll shoot it according to your ideas." Fang Minghua said.

"As for the shooting method." Zhang Yimou continued: "I want to shoot it in a documentary style, and I must emphasize reality!"

"I agree with this. This script focuses on realism. As long as it can capture the most real and simple side of the people, it will be considered a success."

"So, I have a bold idea that I want to discuss with you." Zhang Yimou said.

"Should we abandon professional actors and hire amateur actors for filming?" Fang Minghua asked with a smile.

"Editor Fang, you and I have come together!" Zhang Yimou said with excitement:

"Hit amateur actors for filming! They are teachers, students, and villagers themselves. Whatever they are, they play in the movie! Of course, this will also save some money."

Zhang Yimou finally told the truth.

Although Xiying Film Studio approved the project, the funding was too small, only 200,000 yuan.

I need money to hire professional actors.

Save a little if you can.

"Director Zhang, if you want to use non-professional actors for filming, I will give you some suggestions for your reference."

"Say it." Zhang Yimou listened carefully.

"First, the character image is consistent. This film mainly plays a group of children. A group of naughty children who don't like to study very much. We need to act like real students, instead of saying to the camera in the news, "Study hard and be the successor in the future." human image. "

"I understand." Zhang Yimou nodded solemnly.

"Second, the professions of the characters on and off the screen should match. As you just said, the villagers asked him to play the villagers, and the teachers asked him to play the teachers, performing in his true colors."

"The third is the consistency of the story experience, that is, the experience of the non-professional actors themselves and the experience of the characters in the film are highly consistent or similar."

"The fourth is the high degree of consistency in emotional relationships. The real-life relationships and the characters' true feelings of non-professional actors are also introduced into the film."

"The last two points are more demanding. It depends on whether you can find the right candidate." Fang Minghua finally said.

"Editor Fang, what you said really enlightened me." Zhang Yimou sighed, and then asked:

"Have you read professional books on acting? Otherwise, how could you say such professional things?

"Haha, I only watched "The Actor's Self-cultivation"."

The two discussed the script again, and Zhang Yimou left.

It is undoubtedly a risky act to choose non-professional actors among all the actors.

Looking at Chinese-language films, in addition to Zhang Yimou, there are also Chief Jia who have done relatively well in this regard. They filmed "Xiao Wu", "Three Gorges", "Platform", etc., and used a large number of actors with non-professional backgrounds in their films.

Xiangjiang's Fang Yuping is a master in this field. In "Father and Son", "Half Man" and "American Heart", all actors played him, some real people played him, and finally all real people played him. He is an alternative among directors.

There is no doubt about Zhang Yimou's talent.

That same year, Zhang Yimou starred in the first movie "Old Well" produced by Wu Tianmin as the protagonist, and won three Best Actors at the Golden Rooster, Baihua, and Tokyo International Film Festival.

It is said that when the news that Zhang Yimou won the best actor in Tokyo came back to China, Wang Zhiwen was stunned and couldn't help but sigh: "We have studied professional courses for four or five years, what's the use?!"

Then came "Red Sorghum," which was the first time I directed it independently, and it won numerous awards.

The debut is the peak.

Some people just have this talent, and God will reward them with food.

Of course, Fang Minghua is not worried, but some people are.