China Entertainment: Indulge in Vanity Fair

Chapter 157 Criticism Not Enough?Will He Fang change it?

Don’t be surprised why the chairman of the Venice Film Festival came. It’s mainly because of Muller. He has an inseparable relationship with China. It can be said that he pushed some Chinese films to Europe.

Not only did he come to China in 74, but he also worked as a film selector for Venice Asia for 18 years, with his main activities in China, East Asia and Southeast Asia.In his first year as a filmmaker, he sent Ling Zi's "The Wilderness" to the Venice Film Festival. This is also the first film from mainland China to participate in a large-scale foreign film festival.

He also introduced "Yellow Earth" directed by Chen Kaige to the Locarno Film Festival, and even won the Silver Leopard Award for the film, and he accepted the award on his behalf.

He also recommended Raise the Red Lantern, the first mainland Chinese film to win an award at the Venice Film Festival, directed by Zhang Yimou.

Since 1991, he has served as the chairman of the Locarno Film Festival for 10 years. During that period, the Golden Leopard Award was given to some films that had not been released in China, such as "I Am Your Father" directed by Wang Shuo and "I Am Your Father" directed by Lu Le. Mr. Zhao", etc.

……

This person, you say he is a friend of the Chinese people, it seems true, he spared no effort to help Chinese films go to Europe to win awards, but what he did also encouraged domestic films to run wildly towards the author's film, causing Chinese films to accelerate toward the author's film tilt.

The only big gold lion award that Chief Jia Ke won was from Marco Muller, so Chief Jia has a good relationship with Muller.

Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Jia Kechang and other directors of literary and artistic films have more or less been helped by him, and he even settled in Shanghai after his old age.

Do you think he is a friend of Chinese films, or is he the pusher who caused Chinese films to run wildly on the road of author films?

Perhaps the best hunters often appear as prey?

Turning a corner in the development of your film, you still have to thank me and treat me with the highest courtesy?

Maybe this idea is too malicious.

However, that was all in the past. Who knows that after 2010, history will undergo major changes.

"Director He, come on, I can't wait to watch your new movie." Marco Muller said impatiently after finishing his meal.

"Mr. Mueller, don't be so anxious?" He Fang raised the teapot and was still pouring tea for Mueller.

"Nowadays there are too few art films in Chinese films, and there are even fewer good ones. Finally, there is a new art director like you. Your films are very mature and refreshing, so I heard your new film. The post-editing of the news is almost here."

"Thank you, Mr. Muller, for your attention. Then, after drinking this cup of tea, let's go there."

When He Fang brought Muller to the film and television post-production base of Huying Group Film and Television City, Muller nodded.

"You are really good. You have made such a big battle on your own." Mueller admired these conditions very much.

"Hehe, don't praise me. I'm just talking about it. It's the Huying Group that really made it. Let's go..."

The post-production base of Huying Film and Television City is an entire [-]-story building. There are Huying's own post-production computer rooms here, as well as dozens of private companies' post-production computer rooms.

There is an array of post-rendering and processing computer rooms that are second to none in Asia and even the world, and dozens of standard large-screen halls are used to handle post-editing, color correction, post-processing, sound processing, and sound mixing production. Apply when necessary.

When Muller walked into a standard large-screen hall, he was shocked. Usually he went to other people’s computer room to watch clips, and at most he just sat in front of a large computer screen to watch, but when he got here, he just sat in a large-screen display hall to watch. Straightforward cinematic effect.

What the hell is the editing room?Are you crazy?This is a standard movie theater with a fully soundproof and enclosed hall. There is a large screen with a standard width of 10 meters and a height of 6 meters in front, and three minicomputer-like computers are placed at the end of the high platform for editing.

In the middle is a space at least 20 meters long and 15 meters wide, but only less than [-] viewing seats are installed in this space.

"Wow, Ho, you guys are too luxurious." Mueller was shocked.

"Ha, it's nothing. If we want to industrialize and modernize, then the facilities must be top-notch. Come on, let me introduce to you, our editing teacher, Mr. Qian Lin, is also a teacher at the Film Academy."

He Fang introduced Mueller.

"Oh, I know her, but this is the first time I've seen her," Mueller said.

"Mr. Muller's name has long been known to me. It's an honor to meet you."

"Ha, me too."

"That's all right, let's stop talking nonsense and start watching the movie. Mr. Muller, what do you want to drink?"

"Do you have coffee?"

"Yes, wait a minute." He Fang said and pressed the phone on the table, and he was connected immediately.

"Standard room 515, bring me a pot of coffee and two bottles of Coke, sugar-free, I want Coca-Cola. Teacher Qian, what do you drink?"

"Bring me a pot of tea. The air conditioner here is a bit cold after being turned on for a long time, and it's a bit stuffy if it's not turned on, so drink some tea to warm it up."

"Okay, let's have a pot of tea. By the way, let's have a fruit plate, some fresh fruit, some fudge and biscuits." He Fang said to the phone and hung up.

"Wow, you guys are doing such a good service." Mueller praised.

"Ha, it's okay. This is outsourced to others. Of course, the service is good. The main reason is that people who work in the later stage often forget the time during work, or have no time to go out to eat or buy fruit drinks, so it's better Outsource these services to others. The service is good, everything is complete, and it can also solve the life problems of the post-workers.”

(The setting and living services of this standard hall were written by the author after experience in a later company in Thailand.)
Within 10 minutes, after everyone chatted about the facilities here, Qian Lin's side was also ready, and then tea and fruit plates were also delivered.

After He Fang and Mueller sat down, Qian Lin officially started playing the edited version of "Scorching Sun".

This version has no front and rear titles, no music, no light adjustment and color adjustment, it is very plain.

People who don’t know the later stage of the movie will find it unattractive, but those who make movies will get used to it.

The current version is 135 minutes long, which He Fang thinks is too long, but Qian Lin said that it can't be cut anymore, and if it is cut again, the whole scene will have to be deleted, or the characters will be deleted directly, otherwise the compression will not be possible.

"Director He, the pace of the movie is too fast, please slow it down a bit." Mueller had only watched it for half an hour and immediately expressed his opinion.

Qian Lin laughed from behind, and she said that the pace was too fast, and He Fang insisted on compressing it.

"Too fast? I think it's too slow? This movie has too many plots. If it is slower, it will take longer. Now it is 135 minutes. If you add the opening and closing credits, you can't go to 140 minutes? It's too long. "

He Fang lit a cigarette and shook his head.

"Oh, Director He, no, it's too fast. If you want to slow down, what are you afraid of? There are many literary films that exceed 180 minutes." Mueller protested.

"It's too long, it's not conducive to the theater's scheduling, and it will affect the box office in the end. I hope to cut it to 120 minutes."

"..." Mu Le spread his hands, continued to watch the movie, and then asked Qian Lin to go back and watch it again when he encountered something he didn't understand.

He looked carefully.

After watching the movie for more than two hours, Muller went to the toilet first, sat there for 135 minutes, and drank two cups of coffee. It was really uncomfortable.

After returning, he pulled He Fang seriously.

"Director He Fang, this movie is very well shot. The plot is full of twists and turns, interlocking. The performances of the three actors before are full of tension. This kind of discussion and thinking about human nature often makes the audience sigh after watching it. In terms of content, Really pretty good."

"However, the film obliterated many details. The three actors performed so well, why not give them space to perform? The fast pace has lost more precious things. Also, it is not sharp enough and not critical enough. Director He , this movie is a good movie, but if I want to win the highest award, I am worried that there will be controversy."

"After all... art films are not commercial films, and whoever has a good plot can win. Art films must have some expression in them, don't they? I think your last "Single Zoo" is very good. This "Scorching Sun" is written by the author. There is a lot less expression. There is no expression, only the exploration and reflection of human nature, good and evil, law and emotion." Muller spread his hands.

He Fang nodded silently after hearing this, could he not know?If "Scorching Sun" can reach the level of "Single Zoo" in terms of author's expression, then it's not that another time and space has not even won a Golden Goblet Award, and can only win the best award at a second-rate A-type film festival such as the Shanghai Film Festival. Best Director and Best Actor.

The biggest flaw in the art of this film is that it explores more, criticizes not enough, and lacks the author's personal expression.

Unlike "Single Zoo", which is the extreme irony of the author's attitude, satirizes utopia, satirizes dictatorship, and also satirizes fake love...

The expression of the author of "Single Zoo" is very direct and ingenious.

"I see, Mr. Müller. If it doesn't work, forget it, and I'll release it as a commercial film. Is this a commercial film with depth? Or, I'll wait for the Berlin Film Festival next year, maybe Berlin is right. This kind of exploration of human nature may be more interesting."

He Fang will not change, and there is no room for change, what author's ideas should he express in the film?Said that the police were ineffective in handling the case?Or the one who didn't forgive the three murderers and whose conscience is still alive?Did they execute the death penalty?

What exactly do you want to criticize?What do you want to express?Who is more ruthless when it comes to expressing Fa or love?Expressing the regretful and regrettable wrong life of the three 'murderers'?

No, none of this is what the judges want to see, they want to see something more definitive.

"Oh, don't worry. In fact, your movie is already very good. I mean there may be suspense in winning the highest award, but it's not that you won't have a chance to win other awards."

Muller was also taken aback. He Fang didn’t necessarily want to go to Venice after hearing He Fang’s tone, so he immediately changed his way to stabilize He Fang. Venice needs China’s attention, and whichever film festival He Fang goes to will attract more attention.

"It's okay. I don't insist on the highest award. Let's finish the movie first, and then we can talk about it." He Fang nodded.

"Hmm, I'm still very optimistic. Director He, don't care about literary and commercial disputes, a movie that people appreciate is a good movie." Mueller laughed.

"Yes, what you said makes sense, so I make both literary and commercial films." He Fang understood what Mueller was talking about, did he want to be a peacemaker?

But from the beginning to the end, He Fang never sought conflict with some people, he just expressed his ideas.They can't see who has different ideas, so they regard whoever is the enemy, right?
He Fang just ignored them, because they couldn't make any troubles.

Muller stayed in Changsha for a day, watched He Fang's movie the day before, and flew to Shanghai the next day. He had a good relationship with the organizing committee of the Shanghai Film Festival.

However, everyone in the industry has heard that Muller watched He Fang's award-winning film, but no one knows the specific senses.

On the second day, Qian Lin asked He Fang to make a decision on the handling of the film.

"Director He, do you want to change this movie? If not, my work will be almost finished. The rest is the sound and post-production."

"Oh, it's still too long, forget it, let's make it longer. Don't change it, that's it." He Fang still decided.

"Mueller hinted so much, don't you change it? Maybe you can win the Golden Lion."

"It's okay, I've thought about it, there is no room for change in this movie. If the movie is made longer, how will it be released in theaters in the future?"

"You can have two versions, one for film festivals and one for theaters. Many people do this."

"Now the General Administration has explicitly banned it. It is very clear that you must get the dragon badge to participate. The competition version must be the same as the screening version. I don't want to be a rake." He Fang refused.

"Okay, since you said that, I won't change it. My work is done. I'll go back to Beijing when the person in charge of the later stage of your company comes to hand over. There are still a lot of classes that are not finished. "

"By the way, do you want to go to the film school again?"

Qian Lin asked.

"Forget it, please don't dig holes for me, I'm not a good teacher." He Fang shook his head, he didn't have the hobby of being a good teacher.

"You spoke very well on the crew of "33 Days of Broken Relationship" a few days ago, about the difference between actors in TV dramas, actors in literary films, and actors in commercial films."

"Ah? How do you know?" He Fang was shocked.

"A lot of people are interested in your small class in Hefang, and there are videos in the circle. Maybe I was afraid that you would pursue it, so I didn't upload it on the Internet."

"I'll go..." He Fang was so speechless, was this pretending to be forceful?But he didn't want to act like this.

Who told him that he is now a new benchmark among young practitioners in the film industry?Among ordinary people, at most, he is regarded as half a star and a top famous director.But the practitioners in the circle have different perceptions of He Fang, the new god who is young, talented and capable.

(End of this chapter)