director of the millennium

Beijing, in a commercial rental house in the suburbs of the fifth ring road.

Xin Yukun sat in front of the computer, looking at a commercial that had not been cut yet, frowning.

Although he was looking at the picture on the screen intently, he was obviously distracted and absent-minded.

Xin Yukun, a new director who is barely entering the directing industry, has had a very rough personal experience.

He had a dream of directing since he was a child. Even when he was still a sophomore in high school, he chose to drop out of school and apply for the Xi'an Film Training Institute affiliated to the West Film Group at his own expense. However, he dropped out again soon after and applied for the Beijing Film Academy.

However, in 2003, Xin Yukun applied for the Beijing Film Academy for the first time, and applied for the Literature and Directing Departments but was not admitted.

Later, after he had been in business for a year, he heard that the film school was recruiting an audit class. Xin Yukun signed up again, but missed out on Nortel again.

After that, Xin Yukun started from scratch in Xi'an, from recording and holding poles, to serving tea on site, while reading various theoretical books to enrich himself.

In 2005, Xin Yukun began to create column dramas for local TV stations in Xi'an. By 2008, he had produced dozens of column dramas.

Also in 2008, he finally applied for a refresher course in the Photography Department of the Film Academy for one year.

After graduating from the advanced training class, he stayed in Beijing and started working as a Beijing drifter, making a living by shooting promotional videos and advertisements.

Xin Yukun, who is two years younger than Wu Yuan, has a much rougher life experience than Wu Yuan.

For Wu Yuan, it was easy to get into the directing department of the film school, but for Xin Yukun, it was a pity that he could never do it.

Because of this, Xin Yukun still admires Wu Yuan, a world-renowned film school graduate director who is only two years older than him.

When the Light and Shadow Times launched its first support program for young directors, he didn't catch up, so forget it.

This time, Light and Shadow Times launched the second phase of the young director support program, and Xin Yukun was naturally not willing to miss it.

The low-budget suspense "Funeral Coffin" adapted from a true story was immediately submitted to the submission mailbox announced by Xin Yukun in the Light and Shadow Times. Attached was also a number of advertisements and promotional videos he shot himself, showing his talent as a director. .

However, Xin Yukun, who was full of expectations, finally got an unsuccessful result.

During this period of time, Xin Yukun was in a trance after work, and he kept doubting himself in his mind. Was he really not suitable for the director's career?
He tried hard and applied for the directing department of the Film Academy year after year, but he never got into it.

After finally getting into film school, I could only take a refresher course in the photography department.

I have been working in Beijing for almost three years, and I can only hang out in the advertising and promotional film field, which is the lowest level in the directing industry. I often don't get roles.

Xin Yukun originally regarded the project "Funeral Coffin" as his last project.

In order to write this script well, he gave up all his work. Apart from cooking at home and making lunch for his wife and sending her to work, he wrote the script at home the rest of the time.

His wife's colleagues all laughed and said "Ang Lee is here" when they saw him.

Xin Yukun had made up his mind. If the project of "Funeral Coffin" could not be completed, he felt that he might not have the opportunity to be a director. He accepted his fate and stopped working.

But when the script was not selected for the Light and Shadow Times Young Director Support Program, he felt reluctant to give it up. He thought that although it had hit a wall at Light and Shadow Times, it did not mean that it was a complete failure. Who knows, maybe other film companies would be interested in it.

In the final analysis, I still love the directing profession very much in my heart, and I can’t bear to let go of this dream that I have been working hard for since I was a child.

"Jingle Bell……"

The cell phone placed on the computer table rang suddenly, interrupting Xin Yukun's self-contemplation.

Looking at the unfamiliar caller number on his phone, he picked it up casually.

Xin Yukun, who thought it was some kind of sales call, was about to curse a few words to vent his pent-up emotions when the crisp figure on the other end of the phone made him tremble.

"Excuse me, is this director Xin Yukun? I am from the era of light and shadow..." Two minutes later, Xin Yukun hung up the phone in a daze, with a confused look on his face.

He was stunned for a full twenty or thirty seconds before he reacted. He grabbed the mouse and keyboard, searched for the official website of Light and Shadow Era, and clicked in.

Sure enough, on the official website of the simple and simple Light and Shadow Times, the cover push has been replaced with the latest information.

[Surprise finalist of the second phase of the Light and Shadow Times Young Director Support Program - Xin Yukun! 】

Like crazy, Xin Yukun stared for a long time, crying and laughing, with trembling hands, he called his wife who was still at work.

"Honey, I'm a finalist!"

"..."

"Hey?"

"FIRST Youth Film Exhibition?"

"I know this."

"Invite me to be chairman?"

"this one"

On the other side of the ocean, just as Xin Yukun and his wife were celebrating ecstasy, Wu Yuan also received an unexpected phone call.

The domestic FIRST Youth Film Festival invited him to serve as the festival chairman of next year's FIRST Youth Film Festival.

FIRST International Film Festival is a domestic film festival service platform focused on discovering and promoting young filmmakers and their works.

Compared with serious and grand film festivals and awards ceremonies on major TV stations, this youth film exhibition serves more as a platform to promote the works of domestic young directors.

It can be regarded as a support and encouragement for newcomers, and the most important thing is to provide opportunities for exposure and attention for newcomer directors.

If he had time, Wu Yuan actually wouldn't mind taking on the name of this chairman, to support and develop the film exhibitions of new domestic directors, and to provide some fame and blessings.

It's just that this pole will be held until next year. It's really not sure whether he will be free next July.

Wu Yuan had no choice but to agree verbally first. He didn't dare to guarantee whether the schedule could be arranged at that time.

However, the chairman of the film festival does not need to review films or review films. He just provides a platform for the film exhibition, that is, to provide support from his own reputation and connections. He does not have much work. He only needs to show up at the beginning of the Youth Exhibition. Just stand on the stage.

But after receiving the call, Wu Yuan started to think about it again.

The age of light and shadow is developing so well now, it seems that it should hold its own film festival or film exhibition!

He still remembers that in a few years, Section Chief Jia will organize the Pingyao International Film Festival, and Marco Muller has even been recruited to serve as the artistic director.

Film exhibitions and film festivals, whether at home or abroad, represent high quality.

If a company or an individual can create and develop a good film exhibition or film festival, it can leave a name in the film history of the entire country.

Not to mention that he can reach the level of the top three in Europe and the three gold medals in China, but as long as he can reach the level of the Pingyao International Film Festival, Wu Yuan can also say that he is "popular with talents all over the world" in the country in the future.

Because as long as a new director participates in his film exhibition, he can be regarded as being supported by him, and he has to bear some responsibility.

In the post-Chinese film era where box office performance is the highest, Jia Zhangke is still able to have a very high reputation and status. He is not left behind like his contemporaries Wang Xiaoshuai, Lou Ye, Zhang Yuan, Lu Xuechang and others.

Pingyao International Film showed great strength! (End of chapter)