China Entertainment: Indulge in Vanity Fair

Chapter 105 For the first time, it was completely broken in front of the public
"Director He, everyone has finished watching the movie. I personally think it is very good. It has both the humor of a comedy and the discussion of social phenomena. Can you tell us about the creative experience of this story?" Jing Wei asked.

"Ah, this..., I have to ask the screenwriter Tian Yuyu, unfortunately he is not here today. However, I don't know the creative experience, but if you want to talk about how this movie came about, I can tell you..."

So He Fang explained how he met Tian Yusheng and how he bought the script.

"That is to say, Director He's script was just filmed, and there was no secondary creation?"

"No, why do you want to re-create it? This script is very mature. The four-stage structure is very stable, the character arc is complete, the theme is clear, and the story is close to life. I was shocked when I saw this script. Standard Hollywood commercial script."

"Creation is because you think there is a problem with this script, or you create it because there is a better expression than the script, but this is a very complete script, so I have no reason to create it again."

"I don't know what is the significance of the director's re-creation of a mature script? Is it just to show the authority of the director? Or to show the talent of the director? But in fact, people originally focused on the theme, structure, characters, plot, rhythm, etc. of the script. The commerce and other aspects are relatively complete, and won’t it destroy the original stable structure if you intervene? This is not creation, but destruction.”

"I think it's not good for the director to change the script randomly. Some directors just like to change the script randomly. I heard that 'flying pages' are very popular in domestic production crews. This is a very spoiled behavior."

He Fang explained.

"Flying page? What is a flying page?" Jing Wei asked curiously.

"I don't know very well, but I heard that in some productions, the director will bring along a screenwriter, and then the director will suddenly have some inspiration, and he will re-edit the script and suddenly insert a new page into the original script. The plot, this is called the page number of Feilai."

"Flying page is the product of a movie or TV series that the director asked the screenwriter to modify while filming. Some of these changes are the director's own creation, some are added for certain actors, and some are to meet the requirements of investors or advertising parties. Etc. Movies Or once the filming of the TV series is finished, the original script has been changed beyond recognition.”

"I heard that the original authors of some film and television dramas have stood up and cursed people more than once, because the scripts shown to them by the film studios are inconsistent with the finished ones. I think this is a very big bad habit, not to mention in Hollywood, but in European families You wouldn’t make an author’s movie like this.”

"Therefore, some film and television investors must pay attention. For film and television creative teams that are accustomed to operating in this way, they must not invest. If they invest, they will be in vain, because the story that comes out in the end must be full of holes, and even a complete story will be difficult. No. Then let’s not talk about box office and ratings, such an investment will only lose money.”

"Of course, there are not no special cases. Many classic movies are changed temporarily. Like some movies of Stephen Chow, some movies of Wong Kar-wai, and even some movies of Mr. Jiang Wen, they all like to change the script temporarily. But, and Not every director who temporarily changes the script can be successful, and the failure rate is 99%.”

This thing that is well known to passers-by more than ten years later is like an industry secret in this era, and outsiders don't know it.

Even some who know it will feel that it should be done, and this is creation, and they don't think these problems are at all.

He Fang said it frankly, and he didn't care whether what he said would cause dissatisfaction among some people in the industry. Although he didn't want to offend people, there was no need to be a good person.

"So Hollywood directors don't change the script during filming?" Jing Wei asked.

"Generally not, of course there are very special circumstances that will change. Before a script is shot, it is jointly approved by investors, producers, main creators, and actors. The director just makes changes on the basis of this script. Perfect de-visualization, visualization."

"Of course, if the director has an idea for the script, he can put forward his idea before the filming starts, and finally discuss and approve it before the filming starts."

"Under normal circumstances, according to the production process, it is not allowed to change the script during the shooting process. If this is the case, everything will become uncontrollable. The quality is uncontrollable, the progress is uncontrollable, the cost is uncontrollable, and even the contracted actors The schedule is uncontrollable, and the development direction of such a project is very dangerous.”

He Fang talked eloquently, but the expressions of the people on and off the stage became weird, because He Fang would offend a large number of people by saying such words, which were words that violated the established rules.

Don't talk about those small directors, it's the big directors who don't change the script on the set?

For example, Chen Kaige and Jiang Wen are both well-known masters of changing scripts on the set, but Chen Kaige's changes are getting worse and worse. Although Jiang Wen doesn't say that it's good to change while changing, at least he will change some characteristics.

For example, in Jiang Wen's "Let the Bullets Fly", Chow Yun-fat once complained that the filming on the set was inconsistent with the script sent to him, and it was different every day.

So, when He Fang said this, it's not offending people.Which of those young directors doesn't change the script on the spot?In particular, the crew of TV dramas made changes even more fiercely. As He Fang said, he would bring a screenwriter along with the crew to make changes while filming.

Now He Fang publicly advocates investors not to invest in such film and television dramas, this...

"So, director He, is the reason why the quality of your movies can be guaranteed because you don't change the script randomly?" Jing Wei is also a little excited, and she also likes to hear this kind of revelation.

"Of course, when I was filming with Cameron, such a big director didn't say anything about modifying the script on the spot, but changing a line requires the consent of the actors, producers and other people. On the set, Cameron is busy every day. The focus is on how to make the image effect more perfect, never explaining how to change the drama that will be filmed tomorrow.”

He Fang is also willing to go all out, since he wants to break through this problem, he just goes straight to the end.

"That's why Cameron can't make a literary film, and the director of a literary film does not change the script." Finally, someone in the audience couldn't help it, and shouted in the dark.

There was an uproar in the audience, He Fang was fine, he spread his hands.

"Does Hollywood produce few films with high artistic standards every year? They are not produced by rewriting scripts on the spot. From another perspective, are there few art films produced in China that rewrite scripts on site every year? There are a few film festivals that pay for it." ? The audience bought it?"

"Why is this? The film festival doesn't buy it and the audience doesn't buy it? It proves that our creative method is wrong, and the problem is that the story is not good. Why is the story not good? Because there is a problem with the script. How did the script go wrong? Because someone changed the script badly."

"It's okay to maintain art, and it's okay to want to engage in artistic creation, even if you rely on your own ability to fool investors into willing to pay for your art. However, destroying the industry ecology will make more and more investors and audiences pay for your art. The loss of confidence in the industry is unacceptable."

As soon as He Fang finished speaking, the audience in the back row immediately applauded, which caused some people who wanted to speak out for art to be speechless.

Han Sanping in the audience smiled wryly and shook his head. Everyone in the industry knew that it was bad, but no one dared to say it.

Why, because this is like throwing a firecracker into a cesspit, which will arouse the "people's dung" of those who benefit. If these people attack you in turn, no one can think about it.

The bosses of the film and television companies in the audience were all smiling. They also wanted to restrain the director, but unfortunately there was no such trend. Now that they have made a breakthrough, they have a reason.

But those creative directors turned pale and gritted their teeth.

"Cough, Director He, this is already two consecutive films you have directed and acted in. Will you be the protagonist in your films in the future?" Jing Wei immediately changed the topic, an excellent host must learn to control the scene.

"Ha, of course not. For example, I didn't take part in a movie I shot in the United States in June, and I won't take part in the next film "Pacific Rim". When will the starring role be? Whether watching acting will affect my director work, and whether the role is suitable for me, I will not be the protagonist just to be the protagonist."

He Fang replied.

"Okay, thank you Director He for your answer. Next, let's ask Teacher Wang Baoqiang. Teacher Baoqiang, this is the first time you have cooperated with Director He Fang. How do you feel about the cooperation?"

Wang Baoqiang picked up the microphone and nodded with a smile.

"Very good. Director He is a very professional director. He taught me a lot during the filming process. Everyone knows that I also acted in movies at first, but later I acted more in TV series. The main reason is that everyone regards me as a special actor. See, there aren't that many movie roles available for me, so I've never been able to get good movie offers."

"So you want to break through, so what did Director He Fang teach you?" Jing Wei asked.

"Director He supported my breakthrough. He also taught me a lot of acting skills, which are different from those taught by the senior actors in China. But he also told me, don't rush to subvert or break through your own inherent play, because it is easy to be self-defeating."

"Breakthroughs and changes should be made slowly after the performance becomes more and more mature, just like Leonardo, Ren Dahua, Tony Leung, etc., at the beginning they played some handsome, relatively positive roles. Later, slowly When my acting skills are mature, I can play both good and evil, and I can handle many roles."

After Wang Baoqiang finished speaking, he glanced at He Fang, who patted Wang Baoqiang with a smile.

"So, his advice to me is not to rush, wait for the opportunity slowly, and choose the script. I think this is quite suitable for me. After all, I am not from a major, and my acting skills are not mature enough."

After Wang Baoqiang finished speaking, Jing Wei took the lead in applauding.

"Director He Fang is still a good teacher and helpful friend? Teacher Baoqiang said just now that you will teach something different from that taught in domestic acting. What exactly is it? Will you train all the actors in the crew?"

Facing Jingwei's new question, He Fang picked up the microphone without haste.

"It can't be said to be a good teacher and helpful friend, but as a director, you must have the ability to guide actors' performances. In fact, I didn't teach anything different. What I told them were some emergency methods. It is used in the acting school. It is the method school, that is, how to You don’t need to experience life, you can use skills to play the role.”

"And then?" Jing Wei saw that He Fang stopped talking, and immediately asked.

"Let's talk about it later. This is a premiere, not a classroom. People won't like me acting like a teacher and talking about a lot of theories that many people don't necessarily agree with."

He laughed.

"what……"

"Okay, let's talk about movies..."

……

Jing Wei then asked some more questions, mainly about the movie, and the crew of "On the Journey" answered them one by one.

When it was the interactive session's turn, He Fang immediately received a sharp question from the reporter.

"Director He Fang, you said that the director should not create the plot during the filming process, so how to achieve the director's expression in the film? Isn't the director who has lost the right to express himself a puppet?"

He Fang immediately gave the questioner a thumbs up.

"You've asked a good question. First of all, when do you need the director to express? Second, you need to confirm, what does the director want to express?"

"Directors can express themselves in all aspects of film and television drama creation, photography, performance, editing, music, etc., but directors cannot express themselves in a single way. You just said that a director who has lost the right to express himself is a puppet. Where did the creators lose their right to express their scripts, performances, photography, art, editing, music, etc. after expressing their words? After satisfying the director’s words, have they become puppets?"

"Since the director is so good and can do everything, why not do all the work alone? Why do you need to invite so many excellent main creators to assist in the production? So, if you want the director to express everything by himself, yes, you pay for it yourself. One person writes the script, one person shoots, one person cuts... This is the purest auteur film."

"Of course, the final result may be that you are the only one in the cinema."

"The so-called director's expression is to make an excellent script and a good-looking story audiovisual, beautify and empathize with the audience through the director's means."

"Secondly, what does the director want to express? If the director's expression mainly refers to the plot, then why bother to write a screenplay? Then why set up a best screenplay award at major film festivals?"

"Because according to the logic of 'the plot is a kind of expression expressed by the director', if the plot wins an award, it means that the director has won the award. But in fact this is not the case. In fact, the judging criteria for the best director award given by major film festivals are There are three points:"

"One, can the director vividly present the film's story to the audience through creativity and expressiveness, that is, whether the director can tell a story. If you change the story to make it even more incomprehensible, is it still called telling a story?"

"Second, the skills and style of the director. Does the director have unique skills and style, and can he shoot the film exquisitely? That is, is the actor, setting, props, sound and light well used? And the expressiveness of his personal style, Could this film be a masterpiece of a directorial career, and what does it reflect about your style?"

"Style includes: such as creating unique characters, making the use of film colors unique, such as unique scheduling, and making unique pictures, music sounds or special effects rhythms, etc. Or you have a strong characteristic in the movie The expression of modernization, such as the opening of styles such as violent aesthetics.”

"Third, the box office and word-of-mouth of the film. Has the film been successful in terms of box office and word-of-mouth, and has it been well received by the audience and the media? Even if you are a literary film, have you surprised the media and judges?"

"This is what the director should do, instead of changing the script at will on the set, it is called director's expression. If changing the script on the spot is called director's expression, then the audience will not see a complete and coherent story in the cinema."

He Fang answered in one breath. Many people in the industry know it, and those who have read the book know it, but He Fang is the first to challenge it in public.

The audience in the audience burst into warm applause immediately, and the applause represented everyone's approval of He Fang's words.

"Director He Fang, well said..." Someone in the audience shouted, and then everyone burst into laughter.

As soon as the premiere ceremony was over, all the literary directors left without saying a word, all of them with ashen faces.

Of course, the reporters would not let them go, but most of them did not speak.

There is only one exception, he is Chief Jia Ke.

"Some people are very lucky. Even if they don't know how to make literary films, they still win awards. If they get it, they will take it, but it's not right to curse and slander. And he doesn't know what the core of literary films is. The core is the author's expression, which is the director's expression."

"Where are you talking about?" the reporter asked.

"I didn't say it, you said it."

Just as Chief Jia was about to leave, he stopped again and turned to the reporter: "Depriving directors of their creative rights is not industrialization. I don't think we can study in Hollywood for eight years and then go back to China and veto all our own things."

"Industrialization is not the development direction of Chinese films, and the producer-centered system is not as good as it is said to be. If it is so good, why are there so many bad and loss-making films in Hollywood? Don't always be superstitious about foreign films."

Chief Jia shook his hands and walked away after finishing speaking, leaving behind the excited reporters, who rushed to block where, maybe a scolding war would start.

(End of this chapter)