Rebirth of Siheyuan starts in the 1980s

Chapter 379 Making an independent film?

"Of course I'm happy!"

Speaking of this, Xu Qingdong looked at Cao Zhiqiang with a sigh on his face: "President Cao, I have done such an unreliable thing, and you are willing to continue to let me direct this drama regardless of past grudges..."

"Wrong!" Cao Zhiqiang said expressionlessly, "I will be the director and you will be the assistant director to assist me in filming this movie."

Xu Qingdong hesitated, then forced a smile and said: "President Cao, frankly speaking, the script you wrote is really good, very good, and your image is also good. You can definitely be a good screenwriter and actor, but when it comes to being a director, this

Well……

I don’t mean anything else. It’s purely a career in directing. The technical threshold is quite high. It requires mastering all aspects and requires a lot of knowledge reserves and practice. And you have never been a director before. Suddenly you have to be a director. I’m afraid it’s not possible.

It’s so suitable.”

Cao Zhiqiang smiled slightly: "Director Xu, let me tell you frankly, as a person, I either don't do something or do something, and I like to control everything by myself.

The threshold for the profession of director is indeed very high, but in the final analysis, it is about expressing the story in the script in the form of a movie.

This story and script are all mine. No one knows this story better than me, and no one knows better than me how to shoot and present this film.

What I lack are just some technical issues, such as how to grasp the timing of shooting and how to control the shooting angle.

Therefore, I came to you and asked you to be my assistant director by way of appointment.

To put it simply, if a film crew is an army, I am the commander-in-chief and you are my chief of staff.

I am only responsible for making decisions, deciding how to play and how to shoot.

But it’s up to you to decide how to shoot and how to shoot.

Of course, during this period, I will also learn from you how to be a director.

After all, no matter how much theory there is, it is not as fast and better as practice.

Many directors in Xiangjiang became monks halfway, becoming actors first and then becoming directors after they became familiar with them.

Why can’t I?”

"This..." Xu Qingdong frowned, then shook his head, "This is still not appropriate, because in this case, what if there is a conflict between us?"

"It's simple." Cao Zhiqiang said.

“I have the final say on the entire story flow of the film, but you have the final say on how to shoot it.

I will explain the play to you in detail, and I can even draw you a scene-by-shot drawing to give you a detailed concept.

We usually discuss it carefully during filming. If there is still a conflict, then I have the final say.

But under normal circumstances, I don’t think it’s the case, after all, I’m easy to talk to, don’t you think?”

Xu Qingdong frowned again and said nothing, obviously not happy.

Looking at Xu Qingdong's expression, Cao Zhiqiang smiled slightly and raised two fingers.

"Well, Director Xu, if you agree to be the assistant... no, co-director of this film, I'll be happy to give you this number."

"Two hundred?" Xu Qingdong frowned.

"Two thousand!" Cao Zhiqiang shook his head.

"Two thousand?" Xu Qingdong immediately stopped frowning and opened his eyes wide.

Indeed, two thousand yuan was a lot of money at this time.

You know, at this time, domestic directors usually received a salary. Even if they had filming, they could get filming subsidies, but their actual income was not high.

For example, Yang Jie, the director who later made the 1986 version of Journey to the West, made only 90 yuan per episode.

This is still the treatment of a large-scale production by CCTV, and each episode of the 1986 version of Journey to the West is about the same as a movie.

If you watch ordinary TV dramas and movies, it’s hard to say what your income will be. There may be no subsidies at all, just wages.

As for ordinary directors, if they are making movies, such as ordinary feature films, and the director is not a famous first-line director, the salary for a movie is usually two hundred to three hundred yuan.

Only those famous directors who make a big-budget movie may earn a little more, but generally it will not exceed one thousand yuan.

Fortunately for Cao Zhiqiang, the movie hasn't even been filmed yet, so to give Xu Qingdong, a little-known new director, a salary of 2,000 yuan, which is indeed very high.

To put it bluntly, if Cao Zhiqiang were to find a director at this price, even if he was just an assistant director, there would probably be a lot of people competing for the job.

Although it is said that directors in the 1980s had more character, they mostly made what they wanted to make, not for money.

But actually that's all nonsense.

Who wouldn’t be happy to make more money?

But today's national conditions and general environment are like this. The funds of big film studios are tight, let alone small film studios.

The income of domestic directors during this period was generally not very high.

Of course, this is not too high. It is compared with directors from Hong Kong and Taiwan and their subsequent income.

Comparing the same period, directors' wages are still much higher than those of other workers.

As for attracting investment and sponsorship, at this time in China, almost all are state-owned enterprises and collective enterprises. If they have money to invest, they will not just wave their hands and add money to a director.

So you can’t say that people like Cao Zhiqiang don’t exist in China at this time, but they are definitely rare.

"Really two thousand?" Xu Qingdong narrowed his eyes again and stared at Cao Zhiqiang's face, for fear that the other party would regret it.

"Of course." Cao Zhiqiang smiled, "I can give you one thousand first and another thousand afterwards."

After a pause, Cao Zhiqiang added: "In addition, I will reimburse all your food, accommodation and transportation during the filming. They are all of a high standard. If you have a hotel, stay in a hotel, and if you have a plane, take a plane. I won't treat you badly."

Xu Qingdong was a little hesitant: "Actually, I don't care about money, I just like this story very much and want to film it..."

"I know." Cao Zhiqiang said, "Well, in the movie subtitles, your name can appear as a co-director, but the main director must be me, and your name will be after mine.

You have to know that I wrote the script of this drama, I am the lead actor, and I am the investor, and I was cheated of 100,000 yuan by you before..."

"That's not my fault." Xu Qingdong said immediately, "Who knew those people at Beijing Film Studio..."

"Okay, the matter is over, I don't want to worry about it anymore." Cao Zhiqiang waved his hand, "I only know that since you messed up the matter, you have to listen to me in everything."

After a brief pause, Cao Zhiqiang continued: "Actually, I had planned to give up filming this movie, but I really couldn't bear the thought of all my hard work going down the drain.

At the same time, I was afraid that other people would not be able to film well and deviate from my original intention, so I decided to write, direct and act myself, to film the story in my mind.

Of course, I also admit that I really don’t know much about directing, so I need a director to actually help me complete it.

In short, regardless of whether this movie is a hit or not, I will let this movie appear in this world.

To be clear, this is a little willfulness of mine, do you understand?"

Xu Qingdong sighed: "I understand, I completely understand, but..."

"But what?" Cao Zhiqiang asked.

Xu Qingdong said: "Beijing Film Studio will definitely not be able to shoot in the short term. They don't have photography equipment for us. Although I applied, I still have to queue up, and the money I paid cannot be refunded to you immediately.

Have to wait."

"Then don't wait!" Cao Zhiqiang said calmly.

"I re-invested in my own name, starting with 200,000 yuan. I also provided the photography equipment and film.

As for you, you just need to find another film studio for me. I want one that can start filming right away and doesn't require queuing.

Anyway, they don’t need to provide photography equipment, people, or money.

They just provide a platform so that my film can be released normally."

"Wait a minute!" Xu Qingdong suddenly said, "You said you want to invest in the filming yourself, even the photography equipment? Do you have a camera?"

"Of course." Cao Zhiqiang nodded.

"Can I take a look at the camera first?" Xu Qingdong asked.

"Well..." Cao Zhiqiang paused for a moment, "It's possible, but the origin of these equipment is a bit... not so legitimate. Can you keep it a secret?"

Xu Qingdong blinked and immediately thought that Cao Zhiqiang's batch of photographic equipment was smuggled goods.

"Don't worry." Xu Qingdong laughed, "I only care about whether the things are good or not. As for where they came from, that's not what I care about, and I won't talk about it everywhere."

Cao Zhiqiang nodded: "Okay, come with me, I will show you the goods."

Cao Zhiqiang took Xu Qingdong and left the Peking Hotel, then drove himself and took Xu Qingdong straight to Hongguang Publishing House.

The reason why I went there was that Cao Zhiqiang could not think of any other place to store his photographic equipment.

Almost all the houses Cao Zhiqiang has purchased so far are occupied by other people, and he himself stays in hotels.

After signing up for the photography equipment, he originally planned to buy a bigger house, but it was not too late.

Moreover, Hongguang Publishing House itself occupies a large area, and there are many empty rooms in the office building alone.

That's all. The key point is that not long ago, Vice President Chen Jiabang had just negotiated the purchase price with the original glass factory, and purchased several other plots of land, as well as the old factories and warehouses above, for 800,000 yuan.

Directly expanded three times.

Of course, no matter how much expansion is done, it will still be industrial land, and it can only be bought and sold from public to public. Private individuals cannot buy it, and the nature of the land cannot be changed at will, unless the government changes it.

Therefore, it is impossible to build houses in the old glass factory for sale.

Although the country now allows free buying and selling of real estate, it is only for commercial housing of a residential nature, such as old courtyard houses, old western-style buildings, etc.

Houses on industrial land, such as self-built houses in factories, are still not allowed to enter the market and are bought and sold like commercial houses.

Because of this, industrial land is basically not available for purchase.

You're kidding, everyone is short of money now, but if there is no shortage of land, who can afford to buy your old factory?

For example, the glass factory was originally relocated mainly because of pollution problems, and they did not move there willingly.

As for the old factory building left behind after the glass factory was relocated, it was originally planned to be packaged and sold to Hongguang Machinery Factory. After all, it was a neighbor, but the machine factory never relented.

Now if there is Hongguang Publishing House willing to buy it, then of course I will be happy.

From the perspective of future generations, this glass factory suffered a huge loss, but from the perspective of the glass factory at this time, it was not a loss.

Because most of today's factories are state-owned enterprises and collective enterprises.

That glass factory was originally a township collective enterprise, not a state-owned enterprise.

During the commune movement, many township and village enterprises were established in many rural areas around the capital.

At that time, the area outside the Second Ring Road in Beijing was all rural areas, so this glass factory outside the Second Ring Road was a collective enterprise, and there was nothing wrong with it.

Therefore, this glass factory was a commune product at that time.

On the contrary, Hongguang Machinery Factory, a state-owned enterprise, moved here later.

Collective enterprises are much more flexible than state-owned enterprises, but they are also more short of money.

Because the technology of this glass factory is not good and it has been losing money for many years, selling the factory for money is the most urgent action.

To put it bluntly, this is still a suburban township jurisdiction at this time, and the township government has the final say on whether township enterprises such as glass factories can be sold or not.

Now that a state-owned enterprise is willing to take over a dilapidated factory that was shut down due to pollution problems and return it with cash, of course it can be sold.

With that 800,000 yuan, the township government can solve many urgent needs.

Otherwise, Hongguang Publishing House, as a state-owned publishing house, would be able to do anything at this time.

Therefore, the current Hongguang Publishing House is still very good simply in terms of floor space. It is a typical place with a vast area and sparsely populated areas.

No matter what, there is enough space here for a warehouse, that's enough.

After driving for a while, Cao Zhiqiang took Xu Qingdong to Hongguang Publishing House.

Afterwards, Cao Zhiqiang asked Xu Qingdong to sit in his president's office first and let his secretary Xiang Dongfang entertain him.

As for himself, he quietly arrived at a somewhat dilapidated red brick house.

This place was originally a warehouse of the glass factory. As a township enterprise, it would be nice to have a red brick building.

During this period, let alone cement, most of the cement was imported, and there were not even many red bricks.

It's pretty good for a township enterprise to have such a red brick building as a warehouse.

In fact, here are the warehouses, important places such as office buildings are red brick buildings, and other factories and other buildings are made of clay.

Using the key to unlock the red brick house, Cao Zhiqiang walked in to take a look.

There was nothing at first glance inside, and it looked like it had been abandoned for a long time.

Cao Zhiqiang thought for a while, found an open space, then took out a large clean cotton cloth from his pocket, and then took out a 35mm gold Panaflex camera, a matching tripod, and six matching lenses.

As for the bunch of other accessories, they are not needed for the time being. Too many things at once will be too eye-catching.

After placing the camera, tripod, and six supporting lenses, Cao Zhiqiang took out pieces of cotton cloth and wrapped them all separately.

After doing this, Cao Zhiqiang invited Xu Qingdong to come and see him alone.

When Xu Qingdong saw the camera and the six matching lenses, he was immediately surprised and couldn't open his mouth from ear to ear.

"This is, is this Panna from the United States?" Xu Qingdong is a knowledgeable person and can tell the story at a glance.

Yes, the abbreviation of Panavision in China is Panna. He can say this name in one sentence, which means he has seen a lot.

"And they are all new machines? How is that possible?" Xu Qingdong touched the machine with a face full of surprise, "As far as I know, these things are only for rent and not for sale. They are basically used by Hollywood. There are none in our country? You, where are you?

Coming?"

Indeed, the cameras in China at this time were basically domestic or West German Ale cameras.

As for Panavision in the United States, there are really no formal domestic film studios.

Occasionally, there may be one or two co-productions, and those are brought by foreign businessmen.

During this period, there was a general shortage of cameras in China, let alone good cameras.

For example, Masahito Sada, who previously shot "Talk about the Yangtze River" and is still in Japan and has not returned, when he shot the Yangtze River documentary, he brought his own camera, and it was also rented.

Why did Masahito Sada make a movie about the Yangtze River and was heavily in debt?

In fact, his consumption during the domestic shooting process was not much. The main expenses were the cost of renting a camera and purchasing film.

In short, as Cao Zhiqiang expected, Xu Qingdong couldn't put it down immediately after seeing the brand-new Panavision camera.

"Don't worry about where I came from," Cao Zhiqiang said, "I'm just asking you, can I shoot with this?"

"Yes, of course I can!" Xu Qingdong couldn't put it down and touched it again and again, as if he was touching the most beautiful woman.

"Good stuff, really good stuff!" Xu Qingdong sighed, "With this, so many lenses, and some good film, we can definitely make the best film!"

"That's good." Cao Zhiqiang nodded.

"but……"

"But what?"

Xu Qingdong put down the camera and looked at Cao Zhiqiang solemnly:

"President Cao, since you have money, a story, and such a good camera, and you can even handle film, why are you looking for a studio?

The studio has it and you have it, so why do you let them have a portion?

Let’s just make an independent movie ourselves.”

"Making an independent film?" Cao Zhiqiang frowned.

"Yes!" Xu Qingdong's eyes lit up.

"It is the first independent film in China that is not influenced by any unit or individual and is completely decided by myself!

As long as the film is completed, no matter what the result is, this will create history!"

(End of chapter)