Literary Master 1978

Chen Kaige is a real literary youth, and he is the kind of literary youth who has been immersed in the 1980s.

The script that Tao Yushu read is called "Walking and Singing", which is adapted from Shi Tiesheng's short story "Life is Like a String".

The content of the novel is about a young blind man in his early twenties who follows an old blind man in his sixties all day long, making a living by playing the piano and telling stories.

The young blind man couldn't bear the misery of his fate, and every time he wanted to give up his life, the old blind man told him that his master had left a last word.

It said that if he broke 1,000 strings, burned the ashes as medicine, and took it together with the prescription medicine left by the master, the blind eyes would be able to see again.

The young blind man was skeptical, and finally one day, the old blind man broke the 1,000th string, excitedly found the prescription, and went into the pharmacy.

Who knew that the clerk who picked up the medicine told him that the prescription was completely blank without a single word written on it.

When the old blind man heard this, he was like a bolt of thunder, and wanted to hit his head and die in front of the pharmacy door, but suddenly changed his mind.

When he got home, he told the little blind boy that he had misremembered the master's words. The master said that he had to break 1,200 strings.

But before he broke the remaining 200 strings, the old blind man died.

Before he died, he told the little blind boy to keep playing.

The novel is a good novel, with a clear, restrained and warm temperament. The struggle against fate and the questioning of the meaning of life are worth pondering.

But it is a bit thin in the form of a movie. Chen Kaige loves to write scripts, but he is not the kind of screenwriter who can enrich the script.

When he writes scripts, he always likes to add some inexplicable shots and scenes.

To highlight the self-proclaimed images and emotions, in fact, except for himself, this extremely individual feeling is difficult for others to understand.

Tao Yushu's reprimand made him full of grief and indignation, but he dared not refute.

Not only because Tao Yushu is an elder, but also because his father Chen Huaikai is watching next to him, so he can only lower his head and feel wronged.

"It's true that The King of Children won an award, but that's not all your credit. It sold more than 8 million at the box office, and that's because of the people's patriotism.

Don't feel wronged. You visited Hong Kong in the first half of the year to learn about it. I know I don't agree with their stuff.

But do you know? The Story of A Lang sold 10 million Hong Kong dollars in the first week of its release.

You have read the script of The Story of A Lang and you have been to the set. Do you think it is a purely commercial film?"

Tao Yushu's words shocked Chen Kaige. How did The Story of A Lang sell so well? Will it make 20 to 30 million Hong Kong dollars later?

In a place as small as Hong Kong, the box office created is actually more than that of The King of Children?

"You haven't even learned to walk yet, but you're already running. Do you think you're the only one in the world who can make movies? Are you the only one who understands art? People who have made movies for so many years are not as good as you?"

Tao Yushu was merciless. She still remembered what Lin Chaoyang said to her:

A young tree won't grow straight if it's not pruned, and a man will grow old if he's not pruned.

Kaige is a man who gets cocky when he has some achievements. Someone needs to hold him back and draw a line for him.

Tao Yushu's biggest feeling after reading the script was that her husband really had a good eye for people.

After she said these words, she looked at Chen Kaige sharply, waiting for him to refute.

She could see that Chen Kaige was not convinced.

After waiting for a long time, Chen Kaige looked stubborn and aggrieved, but he didn't dare to say anything.

Tao Yushu nodded with satisfaction, and she recognized her husband's evaluation of him even more in her heart.

After giving him a slap, you have to give him a sweet date.

"The copyright of "The King of Children" is selling very well. You can increase the budget of your new film appropriately so that you can have a better performance."

Chen Kaige was delighted. As a director, who doesn't want to have a sufficient budget?

When he heard this, he immediately put aside the grievances and resentment in his heart, "Aunt Lin, how much can you add?"

"The specific amount depends on your script, but I tell you, the script of "Walking and Singing" will definitely not work."

Chen Kaige's face immediately changed from joy to bitterness, and he begged: "Aunt Lin, Tiesheng wrote this script for more than three months..."

Tao Yushu's expression was decisive, "The manuscript fee will be paid, and the script will be considered as bought by us, but you definitely can't shoot it."

Hearing her resolute tone, Chen Kaige knew that "Walking and Singing" was completely hopeless.

He felt a little depressed and helpless in his heart, and asked blankly, "Then what should I shoot?"

Tao Yushu pondered, and remembered what Lin Chaoyang said in his mind: Kaige is good at details and delicate things.

"Didn't you say before that you liked "Little Shoes"?"

Chen Kaige raised his head suddenly, as if the clouds had cleared and the sun had come out, his face was full of joy, and he looked at Tao Yushu expectantly.

"Don't look at me like that, I just had a sudden idea, and I have to go back and discuss it with your uncle."

Chen Kaige nodded like pounding garlic, "Yes, yes, yes! Aunt Lin, if "Little Shoes" is really given to me, I will definitely do a good job of it."

He felt that such a statement was too pale, and turned his head to ask for help from his father who had been silent.

"Dad!"

Chen Huaikai said: "No matter who makes the novel, you just need to perform well. Can your uncle Lin's novel be given to outsiders?"

Tao Yushu also said: "Your dad is right."

Chen Kaige felt a little awkward, feeling like when he was a child, he asked his parents for snacks and was asked to get two hundred points in the exam.

But when he saw that his father and Aunt Lin said so, he had to express his attitude: "I will definitely do a good job!"

Tao Yushu comforted him with a few words of relief.

When she was leaving, Chen Huaikai came out to see her off and asked, "Yushu, can "Little Shoes" really be made by Kaige?"

Tao Yushu smiled and said, "I won't hide it from you. Chaoyang said that if his script this time is not good, he will give "Little Shoes" to him. He actually thinks that "Little Shoes" is very suitable for Kaige to make."

Hearing her words, Chen Huaikai was overjoyed and smiled.

"Okay, I feel relieved with your words. Chaoyang is really willing to give this novel to him. I will help him make this movie even if I risk my life."

Tao Yushu sighed inwardly, pitiful parents in the world.

"Don't worry. But don't tell him about this for now. I think he hasn't settled down yet. Wait a little longer."

Chen Huaikai nodded and said, "I understand!"

After seeing Tao Yushu off, he returned home and Chen Kaige came up to him immediately.

"Dad, what did my Aunt Lin say? Can I really get "Little Shoes"?"

Chen Huaikai's face was cold, "Give it to you? Look at how crazy you are!"

"How am I crazy..."

Facing his father's majestic gaze, Chen Kaige did not dare to refute.

"Then I..."

"Calm yourself down. If you have time to chat with others every day and attend those useless parties, you might as well watch more movies and study your skills.

You are a director, not a writer, let alone a poet!"

The next day, Tao Yushu drove to the China Film Building in Xiaoxitian, where the first China Film Exhibition was held.

This China Film Exhibition brought film producers from more than 20 countries and regions around the world, which is one of the diplomatic achievements of China in recent years.

Since it is a Chinese film exhibition, it is naturally Chinese films, and all the participants are from several domestic film studios.

The name of Lin's Films is particularly eye-catching among a bunch of film studios, but fortunately there is also a Yindu organization.

The person sent by Yindu to attend the China Film Exhibition this time was the production manager He Qing, who had participated in Yindu's "Shaolin Temple" and "Shaolin Boy" and other popular films in the past few years.

Tao Yushu chatted with him for a few words, and got to know several directors and deputy directors of film studios.

Not all studios were eligible to participate in this film exhibition. Those who came were relatively strong ones such as Yanying Studio, Shanghai Film Studio, and Changying Studio.

Then she saw several people walking into the venue, followed by many foreigners.

"That's Teng Jinxian."

Wu Tianming, who was sitting next to Tao Yushu, pointed to the leader and said.

The China Film Exhibition was led by the Film Bureau and implemented by China Film. With so many foreign guests present, Teng Jinxian, the director of the Film Bureau, naturally had to show up, and Ding Daming, the general manager of China Film, also appeared.

As for the foreign film producers, there are Golden Ring Pictures from the United States, Toei Co., Ltd. from Japan, Gaumont Films from France...

Obviously, these foreigners are not interested in the formalistic opening of the domestic film exhibition. It is estimated that many of them came to give face to their own governments.

After a morning meeting, the screening session finally started in the afternoon.

The films scheduled for screening were screened at the China Film Archive, and "The King of Children" was selected as the premiere film.

Only then did Tao Yushu understand why several film studios of Lin's Pictures did not get the quota to participate in the film exhibition, but Lin's Pictures was able to get the admission ticket to the China Film Exhibition so easily.

It turned out that they were needed to support the scene.

"The King of Children" is the winner of the Berlin Film Festival Jury Grand Prix, and it is the ceiling of the awards won by Chinese films in international film festivals so far.

It is reasonable to be pulled here to support the scene.

Lin's Pictures was only allowed to bring three films to the exhibition this time. Tao Yushu took into account the domestic censorship atmosphere at the time and brought "The King of Children", "Autumn Fairy Tale" and "A Lang's Story".

The film exhibition lasted for a week. The three films of Lin's Pictures were strongly welcomed by foreign guests during the screening, and the transactions went very smoothly.

In the end, the three films "The King of Children", "Autumn Fairy Tale" and "A Lang's Story" received copyright contracts of US$400,000, US$580,000 and US$1.07 million respectively.

The copyright transaction amount of "The King of Children" was low mainly because the overseas copyright had already been sold out. "Autumn Fairy Tale" is a love film, and many film producers are not interested in Asians falling in love.

On the contrary, although "A Lang's Story" is an art film about the relationship between father and son, it has been welcomed by many film producers because of the element of racing.

After the one-week Chinese Film Exhibition, Lin's Pictures received a total of US$2.05 million in contracts.

In comparison, the performance of other domestic film studios seems a bit unremarkable. Not only did they not sell many films, but the contract amount was also relatively small, at most 100,000 or 200,000 US dollars.

All in all, the foreign exchange earning task of the last few film studios this time was not as much as that contributed by Lin's Film.

This situation made the leaders of the Film Bureau, China Film and several film studios a little embarrassed, but everyone was mentally prepared.

After all, during the film screening, except for the three films produced by Lin's Film, the films produced by other domestic film studios received relatively mediocre responses.

Even when Shanghai Film Studio produced Xie Jin's work, it did not stir up any waves.

The main reason for this situation is that the production level of domestic film studios at this stage has already opened up the level with many countries and regions with developed film industries.

The film producers came here to purchase high-quality films, so their requirements were naturally higher, and there were fewer films that were pleasing to the eye.

Moreover, the films brought by these film studios were all realistic themes reflecting contemporary times.

The political issues of these films were particularly prominent, and many film producers were not interested in this type of film.

After the film exhibition closed, the foreign guests left, but several production units that participated in the film exhibition were retained by China Film Group to hold a meeting to summarize their gains and losses.

In fact, whether it was the Film Bureau, China Film Group or various film studios, everyone understood the existing problems, but with the current system, meetings could not solve any problems at all.

After the meeting, Tao Yushu was about to leave, but was stopped by Teng Jinxian.

In addition to Tao Yushu, Ding Daming of China Film Group also stayed.

"Daming, you have to thank Comrade Yushu this time. Their Lin's Films has saved the face of your China Film Group." Teng Jinxian's words sounded like a joke, but Tao Yushu felt that it was more like a criticism of Ding Daming.

China Film Group has spent a lot of time and energy on this film exhibition, but now it seems that the results are not satisfactory.

This first China Film Exhibition may also be the last one.

Ding Daming immediately reviewed himself, and Teng Jinxian waved his hand, "It's just a joke. We are just chatting after the meeting. Don't make it so formal."

He asked Tao Yushu again: "I saw that Comrade Yushu didn't speak much at the meeting. Is there any concern?"

Tao Yushu smiled bitterly and replied thoughtfully: "It's not that I don't want to speak, but our company's identity is relatively special. Even if I speak, it is a personal opinion and it doesn't help the overall situation."

Teng Jinxian smiled and said: "You can think so, which proves that you are a comrade with a big picture. Now is not a meeting, let's communicate privately, why not be bolder."

He sighed and said: "Although you and your wife are in Hong Kong now, you are also our own people, Lin's Pictures has produced another good work like "The King of Children". I believe that it should be understood by comparing it with the development of the current domestic film industry.

This film exhibition exposed many problems in our film industry!

In recent years, the number of new films produced by several feature film studios and provincial film studios affiliated to the Ministry of Culture has increased year by year, but the number of moviegoers has been declining year by year.

By the end of last year, the cumulative number of viewers had dropped by more than 4 billion.

Among these released movies, the proportion of losses reached 47%, 28% remained the same, and only 25% made a profit. The situation is not optimistic! "

Teng Jinxian came up and exposed his shortcomings. Tao Yushu understood that he really wanted to communicate frankly.

She pondered for a moment and said, "Since Director Teng is so frank, I will speak frankly. "

Teng Jinxian was shocked. What he wanted was to speak frankly.

"As you said, the domestic film market seems to be flourishing now, but it is actually in a continuous decline.

Some people attribute this to the impact of the rise of TV dramas as an art form. This argument certainly makes sense, but it is not entirely correct.

In addition to TV, don't entertainment forms such as dance halls, video halls, roller skating rinks, and billiards divert movie audiences?

Some comrades have been in the system for too long, and it is easy to have a feeling that it should be like this.

They believe that China's film market should have 20 to 30 billion moviegoers a year, that the movies made by those studios should be watched by people regardless of whether they are good or bad, and that making movies is an art form. art, and cannot develop in the direction of commercial films...

These views are prevalent in the minds of the majority of film practitioners in our country.

But the essence of the matter is that our film market has been under the control of planned economy and unified purchase and sale since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Now that the country has entered the reform stage, the market economy is constantly impacting the development of all walks of life, and the same is true for movies.

I irresponsibly infer that the shrinking scale of the number of moviegoers may continue, and there is still a long way to go before it bottoms out and rebounds. "

It was not at the meeting that Tao Yushu spoke very boldly, but it was precisely because of her boldness that Teng Jinxian admired her more.

"Comrade Yushu is right. The social environment we filmmakers face is developing and changing. It is not okay to look at the problem with the old perspective.

So what do you think is our biggest problem now? "

Tao Yushu couldn't help but glance at Ding Daming. Ding Daming seemed to have a premonition of something and twisted his body uncomfortably.

"I think everyone still has no motivation to change."

Teng Jinxian frowned, trying to understand what Tao Yushu meant, and Ding Daming breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now the studio can get 900,000 yuan from China Film for making a movie, just like the big pot meal before, no matter whether the movie is good or bad, whether it makes a profit or a loss.

It has nothing to do with the studio, the director, the actors and others, anyway, everyone is paid.

How can a good movie be made under such circumstances?"

Teng Jinxian couldn't help but refute when he heard this: "There are quite a few good movies."

"Many good movies we have seen rely on the conscious and self-disciplined creation of many comrades with superior professional ethics and artistic cultivation.

But people eat grains, and we can't ask everyone to become an artist with both moral integrity and talent.

I don't know if Director Teng knows that there is a saying in society now, 'The income from making atomic bombs is not as good as that from selling tea eggs, and the income from using scalpels is not as good as that from using razors'.

In the past, when people made movies, they were decent, had considerable income, and had status.

But what about in a few years?

Comrades in the studio still earn dozens of dollars a month. Will they still calm down and make movies?

I heard that Liu Xiaoqing still refused to change even after being punished for going to acupoints. Why? Isn’t it just making money by visiting acupoints?

Our country is still at the point of a dual-track economy, but the shift to a market economy seems inevitable in the future.

By that time, if the film industry cannot keep up with the development of society..."

Tao Yushu did not continue, but both Teng Jinxian and Ding Daming fully understood what she meant.

After a moment of silence, Teng Jinxian muttered "competitiveness" and then asked Tao Yushu.

"What do you think is the most effective way to improve the competitiveness of our domestic films?"

"Increase crisis awareness and business philosophy of studios."

"What's specific?"

Tao Yushu hesitated and said: "We can try to introduce a group of excellent foreign films first. Only with competition can we be motivated."

Teng Jinxian's brows wrinkled unconsciously again, and Ding Daming said, "Aren't we also introducing foreign approved films now?"

“Are many of the films currently being introduced by China Film Group produced works from many years ago?

Moreover, some films are only introduced as reference films, and many ordinary people have not yet seen them.

These films are introduced at buyout prices, which is certainly cheap, but both we practitioners and ordinary people appreciate domestic films that were made a few years ago, or even ten or twenty years ago.

Under such circumstances, how can we expect our film market, practitioners and audiences to keep pace with the times? "

Ding Daming felt that Tao Yushu's words contained hidden thoughts. After all, she was running a film company herself.

Tao Yushu seemed to understand his thoughts and said openly:

"Personally, I very much hope that the restrictions in the film field can be liberalized. Director Teng may not know that our Lin Film Company is now..."

She recounted the ban and restrictions imposed on Lin's Pictures by Bay Island, and then said:

“The reason why Wandao has dared to suppress Z-style filmmakers in Hong Kong so arbitrarily over the years is simply because of its own market advantage.

The mainland's film market is closed, which is the most uncomfortable for those of us filmmakers in Hong Kong.

I also understand that our film industry has a special position in politics, but... alas..."

Tao Yushu's sigh was not completely fake.

On one side is a completely closed market, and on the other side is a market that can be entered with a low head. The enemy is very sharp, and the own people are weak.

Being a Z-school filmmaker in Hong Kong in this era requires paying a heavy price.

Although they all understood Tao Yushu's psychology, what she said was true. Teng Jinxian and Ding Daming were inevitably embarrassed when facing this situation.

"Alas! Comrade Yushu, you have been wronged. Our work is indeed not enough."

Teng Jinxian's attitude is very good, but it seems that he has no intention of supporting the Z-sect filmmakers in Hong Kong.

The movie involves ideological control, and he, as a director, would not dare to make any promises or statements.

Since the 1980s, the trend of bourgeois ZYH has spread in the country.

At the beginning of this year, the People's Daily published an editorial "Taking a clear-cut stand against bourgeois ZYH" to unify our thinking.

The culture of Hong Kong and Taiwan is naturally part of the bourgeoisie, and we must be wary of it.

Tao Yushu said without giving up: "Director Teng, I have a suggestion. Can you please consider it?"

"Please tell me. If it is within my ability, I will try my best to help."

The implication is, don't say anything that goes too far.

“Now the country is wary of bourgeois ZYH and Hong Kong and Taiwan culture, and I understand it very well.

But I wonder if it can also provide some conveniences to our own people.

We don’t dare to ask for so much, as long as we are given two or three movie quotas every year. "

Before 1993, domestically imported films were never divided into separate accounts, and all copyrights were sold out, with the average price generally being around US$20,000.

Even for those films that Yindu Organization cooperates with domestic studios, they are at best the buyout fees paid by China Film to the studios.

Listening to Tao Yushu's request, Teng Jinxian fell into silence.

The matter of splitting accounts has nothing to do with ideological control, but the root of the problem is that if the Film Bureau and China Film Group do this, they will inevitably offend film studios across the country.

We ourselves can only enjoy buyouts, so why should outside films be able to split the bill when they come in?

The most difficult thing in the world to block is Youyou Zhongkou!

Seeing the embarrassed expressions on Teng Jinxian and Ding Daming's faces, Tao Yushu sighed softly in his heart.

Sure enough, this kind of thing is not something she can easily change with just one word.

"This matter... is not very realistic." Just when Tao Yushu was discouraged, Teng Jinxian pondered for a long time and finally spoke.

Hearing this, Tao Yushu's heart fell completely to the bottom of his heart.

"but……"

Tao Yushu's disappointed eyes immediately raised and looked at Teng Jinxian.

"If the film produced by your company can win an award with international influence, I can make an exception and introduce it as a separate film."

"Director Teng, I don't know what the criteria for this 'award with international influence' you are talking about are?"

A strange flash flashed in Teng Jinxian's eyes, "Well... to win the highest honor at the three major international film festivals in Europe, or the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in the United States..."

Hearing this, Tao Yushu's heart sank again, with a wry smile on his face.

Perhaps because he knew that his request was a bit outrageous, Teng Jinxian also felt guilty and said: "Comrade Yushu, there is indeed no precedent for this kind of thing in the country."

Tao Yushu was not angry because of Teng Jinxian's request.

She understood that from Teng Jinxian's perspective, he had to have a justifiable reason to break the monopolized purchase and sales system in the film industry and make an exception.

Always rational, she put away those discouraged emotions in the blink of an eye, and said with a calm face:

"Anyway, thank you, Director Teng, for finally giving us an opening. This request is indeed difficult, but it is not an impossible task. I will try my best."

Teng Jinxian knew the difficulty of this kind of thing. Although he was not optimistic about it, he thought of the principle of "ask for it and get it". If he really won the award, it would be considered his political achievement.

Moreover, the participation of Lin's Pictures in this film exhibition really supported the film bureau and China Film.

He thought about it, discussed it with Ding Daming, and decided to give Lin's Pictures a fixed quota of two imported films every year in the future, and at the same time give a certain premium to the buyout price.

No matter how small a mosquito's legs are, they are still meat, so Tao Yushu will naturally not refuse his advances.

After a long conversation, Tao Yushu wanted to invite Teng Jinxian and Ding Daming to dinner. After they declined, she left the China Film Building alone.

It was September when we arrived in Yanjing, and it was already October when the film was finished.

Something happened in Yanjing, and Tao Yushu asked Yu Yuxi to book a ticket for her back to Xiangjiang.

Early the next morning, she arrived at the Capital Airport to wait for her flight. There were still two hours before boarding the plane. She walked into the Xinhua Bookstore at the airport without anything else to do.

"Huh?"