China Entertainment started in 2004

Chapter 382 New Year
In fact, before the 2008 Spring Festival Gala, Zhao Benshan's team initially prepared two scripts.

However, they did not expect that after submitting the two scripts, the Spring Festival Gala director team thought that neither of the two scripts was ideal, so they were both rejected.

The suggestion given by the Spring Festival Gala director team is to create a "topic composition" based on the main theme.

The reason is that among the many works submitted, none of them were about the Olympics, which did not suit the taste of the radio and television stations.

Therefore, the screenwriter of the sketch "Torchbearer" became Xu Zhengchao, not He Qingkui.

At the same time, this work is only the second formal work he wrote for Zhao Benshan.

He is also much younger than He Qingkui. At only 32 years old, he belongs to the new generation of screenwriters.

The director of this work was also changed to another new generation director named Gao Dakuan.

It is not the Zhang Huizhong that many people know.

This person also served as Zhao Benshan's agent, but was fired by Zhao Benshan not long after.

Not long after that, Gao Dakuan was involved in a scandal.

Compared with Zhang Huizhong, with whom Zhao Benshan often works, Gao Dakuan is undoubtedly a substitute player, who seems to have been temporarily brought in to make up the numbers.

Generally speaking, the director can decide the direction of a work, and the actors will perform according to the director's requirements. They will do whatever the director asks them to do.

The director gives the artistic conception of the entire work, and the actors have to perform according to the conception of the work.

If an accident happens on the spot, no matter who is asked to act, it will be difficult to perform well.

This incident undoubtedly made the already weak work "Torchbearer" even worse.

The skit "Torchbearer" had just ended, and Zhao Benshan suddenly burst into tears when he returned to the backstage.

Zhao Benshan, who is over 50 years old and has gray hair, cried like a child.
The "sketch king" who is usually in front of people, now bluntly said: "This sketch is too 'weak'."

Song, who had just removed her makeup, also hurried over to comfort him.

Later, when facing an interview with reporters, Zhao Benshan's original screenwriter He Qingkui gave his opinion on Zhao Benshan's breakdown and crying: "The story script itself is boring."

"Both old men want to be torchbearers. There is no obvious conflict in the script, and of course there is not much suspense."

"The audience knew the ending before they even watched it, and they knew it before the first or fifteenth day of the lunar month. Of course, they had no determination or desire to continue watching."

There is no novelty in the work, and the jokes in the work are all old and outdated. The double bed and football are all jokes that have been tossed out in the mobile phone space.

The script is too bad and there are not enough jokes, even Zhao and Song, the two best fighters among the roosters, are useless.

Of course, we can’t put all the blame on the screenwriter.

Because this book is about "main theme composition".

However, the main melody genre has limited room for development and is not so easy to write.

Works of many other themes can be freely filled with all kinds of jokes that can bring out the funny points, such as belittlement, ridicule, sneer, and squeeze.

Main theme topics are not acceptable, we must talk about them in a positive way.

To put it in a positive way, it's hard to be funny.

Zhao Benshan also admitted that this work was one that was particularly difficult for him to perform.

Moreover, Zhao Benshan's works are usually about 15 minutes long, but this "topic composition" work was extended by 5 minutes to 20 minutes.

There are two theories about the extension of time.

First, Zhao Benshan felt that the content of the script was not enough, and in order to unite the group beforehand for the performance, he did not tell the people around him.

And Song did cooperate very well in the end, even though she didn't know about it.

Second, it is needed by mainstream directors.

The directors of the Spring Festival Gala believe that although this work is a mainstream theme, it still does not perform the mainstream theme well enough, and lacks sufficient expression and development in terms of time, genre and content.

Especially in this year's Spring Festival Gala, when there are not many language programs and this is the only main-theme work, it is particularly necessary to deepen the theme and it becomes valuable to highlight the main melody.

After the Spring Festival Gala ended, some netizens pointed out that the second half of Zhao Benshan's sketch "Torchbearer" was seriously plagiarized by his apprentice Tian Wa.

During the five-minute speech, Tian Wa took the lead in clapping every once in a while, saying, "Good!"

Zhao Benshan's "job" is exactly the same as his.

In "Torchbearer", Zhao Benshan leads the applause every time he speaks a word. This performance method is very similar to the performance of his apprentice Tian Wa.

After netizens compared the performances of the two in the video one by one, they found that their helpless expressions and movements on the stage were exactly the same. In the lines, they used a sudden word "good" to create a funny atmosphere for the whole audience when paving the way for the next part and making a rescue.

Regarding this matter, Liu Liu, vice president of Benshan Media, told reporters: Zhao Benshan and Tian Wa are originally a master-disciple relationship, and this is not plagiarism at all.
In any case, since it is a mainstream theme work, then this sketch must be "good".

If someone interviews him about his evaluation of the sketch "Torchbearer", he will first say that he has not seen it, and then say that it should be good.

Anyway, to put it in a positive way, it's definitely right.

It’s not that he is praising Zhao and Song, but that "Torchbearer" is a "main theme composition."

On the other hand, some staff members of "Travel to Taipei" were watching the Spring Festival Gala while calling their families far away in their hometown.

"We've had the New Year's Eve dinner. Director Wang paid for us to eat at the hotel. The table cost several thousand yuan and it was very sumptuous."

"And I can bring my family along and have the New Year's Eve dinner at the hotel."

When my parents heard this, they were happy and said, "That's great. Your director is very generous."

"It's very generous. The monthly salary in Beijing is only more than 3700 yuan, and our table is 4600 yuan, which is more than a month's salary in Beijing." A staff member of the crew took over.

In 2008, the average monthly salary of workers in Beijing was 3726 yuan.

Of course, there are people who earn hundreds of thousands or millions of yuan a month, but this is not a reference.

It can even be said that a monthly income of 3726 yuan is still too much.

The salary for lower-level workers is between 2,000 and 3,000 yuan, or just over 3,000 yuan.

There is also a group that earns more than 1,000 yuan a month.

"So generous? Then you have to work hard in the crew and don't let others down." The old parents exclaimed.

"Don't worry, I still understand these."

As soon as it was past midnight, Wang Shu's phone kept ringing and he received many New Year greetings.

"Director Wang, Happy New Year." Yang Mi.

"Director Wang, Happy New Year, and may wealth and prosperity come to you." Yang Zi.

"Director Wang, Happy New Year." Shu Chang.

"Director Wang, Happy New Year." Liu Yan.

Wang Shu saw these New Year greetings and replied to them one by one.

His reply opened up the conversation, and Yang Mi, Liu Yan and others started chatting with him via text messages.

There were too many people chatting at the same time, and even though his hands were very fast, he was still overwhelmed.

"Aren't you asleep yet?" Mei Ting asked after she and Wang Shu exchanged New Year greetings.

Wang Shu really wanted to reply, how could I reply to your text message if I’m asleep?
I could only complain in my heart and edited a text message to reply: "Going to bed soon."

"Well, where did you have your New Year's Eve dinner today?" Mei Ting replied.

"Guess?" Wang Shu replied.

"Did you invite some female celebrity to your villa?" Mei Ting asked half-jokingly and half-tentatively.

"Guess?" Wang Shu replied. "Haha, with whom?" Mei Ting asked.

Wang Shu replied at the right time: "I didn't have anybody to eat with. I had the New Year's Eve dinner with the crew."

"I've reserved a table at the hotel, with the entire crew."

"Huh? Isn't that quite lively?" Mei Ting felt happy after reading Wang Shu's reply.

"It's quite lively." Wang Shu replied.

"Boss Wang is very generous. He treated the entire crew to dinner during the New Year. It must have cost a lot of money, right?" Mei Ting asked.

"It's okay. I can afford it." Wang Shu replied.

Just after I replied to Mei Ting, Zhou Xun sent me a text message, "Want to come over to my place and play?"

"Ah?" Wang Shu was confused.

"I mean, do you want to come and play? I have a lot of friends here, it's quite lively." Zhou Xun replied.

"Forget it. I have to go to the crew tomorrow." Wang Shu declined.

"Okay, I'll call you next time I have the chance." Zhou Xun.

"Yeah." Wang Shu replied.

After Wang Shu replied to the text message, Zhou Xun's friends hurriedly asked, "How is it going? Is Director Wang coming?"

Zhou Xun replied: "He said he has to go to the crew tomorrow and can't come."

Hearing this, everyone around showed regret on their faces.

I had thought that I could take this opportunity to make friends with Wang Shu, and perhaps be promoted by Wang Shu in the future.

I never thought that such a good opportunity would be missed by the other party due to work reasons.

Seeing this, Zhou Xun immediately said, "Next time, I'll introduce Director Wang to you next time when I have the chance."

After hearing this, several friends in the circle nodded helplessly.

One of them suddenly asked, "Sister Xun, has Director Wang approached you about the movie Taipei Trip?"

"You told me before that there's a schedule conflict." Zhou Xun responded ambiguously.

The man suddenly realized, "That's what I said. Since we've asked Li Binbin to play the role, there's no reason not to ask Sister Xun to play the role."

The subtext of this statement is that Li Binbin and Zhou Xun are both Huayi artists, and Wang Shu has a deeper friendship with Zhou Xun.

If you have to choose between these two people, then Zhou Xun naturally has the advantage.

Zhou Xun smiled and didn't respond.

Another person asked curiously, "Sister Xun, after Director Wang finishes filming "Travel to Taipei," is he really going to Hollywood to develop his career?"

Nowadays, whether inside or outside the circle, the rumors that Wang Shu is going to Hollywood to develop are becoming more and more outrageous.

For example, many people are now certain that after Wang Shu finishes filming "Travel to Taipei", he will definitely go to Hollywood to develop his career.

For example, Wang Shu was originally planning to develop in Hollywood, but was called back to China to make a commercial film by Han Sanping, with whom he had a close relationship.

"I'm not sure either." Zhou Xun replied.

"Ah? Didn't you ask?" the person next to him asked puzzledly.

"Why should I ask him about this?" Zhou Xun asked back with the same confusion.

"He won't go to Hollywood, will he?" someone analyzed. "President Han asked Director Wang to return to China to make commercial films in order to boost the film market in mainland China."

"Not only does Chairman Han not want Director Wang to go to Hollywood, but the people above him also don't want Director Wang to go to Hollywood."

"Compared with directors Zhang Yimou and Feng Xiaogang, Wang's films can better promote the development of mainland films."

“So I think both Mr. Han and the people above will try to keep Director Wang.”

Since the reform of cinema chains, vigorously developing commercial films to boost the film market has always been the general direction.

From a national perspective, commercial films can boost the economy, which is a real benefit.

Although art films are mainstream in the film industry, they are not what the country advocates today.

Although Zhang Yimou's "Hero", "House of Flying Daggers" and "Curse of the Golden Flower" were all very successful, anyone with a discerning eye could see that they had limited impact on the development of the mainland film industry.

Because martial arts + history are very popular themes in China and there is nothing new about them.

Although they do have extremely high box office results, once the bubble is over, things will return to normal.

Domestic films should be beaten by Hollywood films, and they will be beaten by Hollywood films.

Whether it is Zhang Yimou, Feng Xiaogang, or other directors' commercial films, they are all rehashing old stuff.

Thunder, little rain.

The appearance of Wang Shu changed this situation.

The science fiction films he directed have proved that even low-budget films can achieve good results.

Even if you can't do hard science fiction, you can still do soft science fiction.

In addition to science fiction movies, there are also suspense movies like "The Piano Tuner" with many twists and turns.

Each one is a novel work, injecting new blood into the mainland film industry.

At the same time, it also allowed many people to see opportunities for the development and growth of the mainland film industry and Chinese-language films.

"I also think that the people above will try to persuade Director Wang to stay. Unless Director Wang really wants to go to Hollywood, he will probably stay in China."

One person answered.

The reasons for this were discussed by several people a long time ago.

The mainland is now vigorously developing commercial films, but what it lacks is commercial film directors, and even more so, talented commercial film directors.

Although Wang Shu has never forgotten to make art films, the box office results of his commercial films have already proved that he is also a very capable commercial film director.

This kind of director is of great benefit to promoting the development of mainland films.

Now is a period of vigorous development of commercial films, and there is no reason to just watch Wang Shu go to Hollywood.

"I think Director Wang will go to Hollywood." Someone also expressed his opinion, "I think you all know that Director Wang is not from the academic school."

"So, as long as Director Wang understands the truth, he will definitely go to Hollywood."

“It’s only this if you make it big in Hollywood.”

After saying that, he gave a thumbs up.

This statement is not to lick Hollywood's brow, but has another meaning.

It means that if non-academic directors like Wang Shu do not go to Hollywood to gain experience, then even if they produce many popular works in China, they will always be criticized and belittled.

It is even said that he was able to achieve success because of the times and the care from above.

In short, there is a group of people who are always superior.

But it's different when you go to Hollywood and get gilded.

They are genuine international directors. Even if that group of people want to be superior to others, they cannot do so.

(End of this chapter)