independent filmmaker

Xie Lansheng held the phone, feeling like he was acting in an absurd drama: "I don't need Wanwan's team, nor do I need a joint screenwriter. How about this, you and Mr. Wan and Mr. Ruan have a chat, let's meet again , Let me talk about my ideas face to face. I hope that Mr. Wan and Mr. Ruan will come to this meeting, and you can send me a WeChat message when you set a specific time."

"All right……"

After putting down the phone, Xie Lansheng remembered the experience of a certain film made by Feng Mao.It was Fengmao's first foray into commercial films, and it was badly criticized, but in the end the company decided to be the producer.At that time, Feng Mao was very grateful, but after the film was made, the boss suddenly asked his junior's screenwriter to sign.Because it has already been made, the copyright of the film belongs to others, and Sun Fengmao's personality is different from Xie Lansheng's, so he gritted his teeth and nodded, and let Xiaosan be the co-screenwriter.Sun Fengmao is the same as almost all directors of the sixth generation. The films after 2003 were produced and distributed by old studios, such as Shanghai Film. That time, it was the first time to "bow for money" to test the waters of commercial films.At that time, Sun Fengmao said to Xie Lansheng: "They are not only filled with actors, but also the main creators!"

Xie Lansheng sighed again.

The length of the movie has been edited, and the content has been suppressed. Now even the outline has to be changed?

This is simply unacceptable.

…………

In the end, the meeting between Xie Lansheng and Xinwei was scheduled for Wednesday.

Xie Lansheng took producer Lan Tian to Xinwei to discuss actors.

Xie Lansheng really likes the blue sky.Lan Tian is his undergraduate classmate. In the "competition" in the sophomore year, the two of them chose the easy one to win the funding, and the teachers were very supportive. In the end, he was selected, but after thinking about it, he decided to give up, because suddenly he felt "Lost original intention" and "took a wrong path". At that time, Lan Tian felt that good directors needed companions very much, so he went to New York and learned experience to become a producer.Therefore, Lan Tian's ability is very strong, and he is very considerate to the director.

He also always supported Lan Sheng in this "Going to Yueyang", but the film producer is not as important as in Hollywood, Xinwei Video is very stubborn, and Lan Tian is powerless.Xinwei Company does not believe in the professional judgment of the producers, but more in itself. It will not be unwilling to offend a big producer like the United States, just because the latter has a good director and a good script. Xinwei believes that the current industry Capital is the center.

This time, the conference room was changed to another one, still on the top floor. Wen Yuan, Ruan Cheng, Wu Jiuyi and others were all present.

"Mr. Wen, Mr. Ruan," Xie Lansheng said, "It's really inappropriate to add characters. Now, there are six main characters in "Going to Yueyang". The film is only two hours long, but the characters need to be three-dimensional and full. , too many characters will distract the movie audience's emotions, so they won't cry and laugh together. Moreover, "To Yueyang" will be broadcast on our 'Internet Cinema', so the movie audience's attention will definitely be It is very scattered, chatting for a while, sending a WeChat for a while, adding characters will make it even more difficult for everyone to tell who is who. Now the six main characters are the limit of my ability, and I have tried my best to distinguish these six people. Brain, it takes a lot of thought in all aspects, adding another one will make it blurred, and there will be no memory. His existence will only compress the playing time of other people and delay the shaping of other people's characters. I can't delete the ones used to express other people. The content of the plot. For a 120-minute film, the average time spent on each character is 20 minutes. Assuming that this new character only plays a total of ten minutes-it can’t be less, and the other people’s shaping time is only 18 minutes. Minutes, lose one-tenth!"

After a pause, Xie Lansheng said again: "Moreover, the humorous method used now is more suitable for the medium of the movie. This has been confirmed in countless movies. If cross talk and teasing are imposed, the effect will be compromised, which is very contrary to harmony." .and also undermines unity."

Unity is the thing that most tests the professional skill of a film director.A film needs to be shot for several months or even years, and it is very difficult to ensure that the atmosphere, performance, lighting, and photography of each scene of the film are perfectly unified and flawless.Xie Lansheng didn't want the cross talk actors to spoil the atmosphere - I'm afraid the feeling would be different when they were present and when they weren't present.

Producer Lan Tian also used his skills and tried hard to persuade.

After Wen Yuan and the others listened carefully, Wen Yuan crossed his fingers, sighed softly, put on a helpless look, and said, "Director Xie, Lan Zhi, I understand what you mean. However, there are naturally reasons for our request. It makes sense. The audience of literary and artistic films is mainly star fans, and they even need stars to join them more than commercial films. And the funny way of male three is in movies or cross talk, the audience will not really care about it, and they really don’t understand. Are you A professional, probably thinking too much. They don't understand. As for the unity..."

Xie Lansheng: "..."

Wen Yuan continued: "Director Xie, take a look at the total box office of literary films without stars. As you can see, it is very different from literary films with stars."

"Yeah," a girl sang badly, "Director Xie, to be honest, I don't like it very much, so please don't worry about it. The box office of the films that Director Xie failed to win is only tens of millions! Those released last year The final box office of "April Day" was 3000 million, "This Spring" in 2010 was 1500 million, and "White Horse" in 2007 was only 300 million! The three films that broke the box office record of literary and artistic movies are special. In 2006 The "Boundless Land" won the Golden Lion Award, and the 2008 comeback film won the best director in Venice. The 2013 film is the only film that has exceeded [-] million yuan, and it also won the award. It is not convincing. power. We really didn’t want to silence the film.”

Before she finished speaking, Wen Yuan waved his hand at her, indicating that she was too abrupt, and took over the conversation: "We hope that "Going to Yueyang" can bring "Online Literature and Art Cinema", star effect can be said to be a must What you want, what you can’t lose. We also have difficulties.”

After thinking about it, he said: "We have discussed it here. Adding a character and a little drama, it should be okay."

Xie Lansheng's words were heavy: "But Wanwan is really not suitable."

Wen Yuan smiled: "Director Xie, please think of a way anyway. You said that the filming method of "Going to Yueyang" is more suitable for online broadcasting, and it will not participate in the exhibition for awards-we know that those things are actually relatively ethereal. Well, many Audiences don’t really care about things, and they really don’t understand.”

Xie Lansheng: "..."

Lan Sheng and Xinwei couldn't agree on the tens of thousands of issues, and the topic turned to Zhang You, the upper right, and the dispute still could not be resolved.

Wen Yuan also seemed to feel that Xie Lansheng was a hard-headed person, and he had a headache: "Director Xie, our interests are the same. Xinwei hopes that the number of views of this movie will increase, and the box office will also increase. We believe that you will too. We Hundreds of movies have been cast here, and a few stars can definitely drive the number of moviegoers by a large margin.”

At this time, the little girl who sang bad faces before spoke again: "Director Xie, our Xinwei doesn't want to smash a movie with no stars, moreover, it's a gloomy movie about "broken dreams" with no stars." The audience needs to be happy and satisfied, and they don’t want to use their brains, let alone think. You must have something to make them feel good. Stars can be this point.”

"Li Xiao!" Wen Yuan stopped her again, turned around and said to Lan Sheng, "Director Xie, we promise that we will not interfere with other aspects of the film. We only hope that the film will have two stars. Support the scene and ensure the bottom line. Don’t worry about other things. I even said that I can increase the movie budget one more, you don’t need to rush to finish the project, you can shoot whatever you want, and shoot as many as you want. I know that it is tricky for you to add the right and the right, so you should think of a way slowly, try more, compare and compare, don’t worry about the movie budget, you can shoot until you are satisfied.”

Generally speaking, the director will compromise on this point.

But Xie Lansheng didn't plan to retire.

He couldn't help thinking sadly: He is a big-name director, and the other party is already considered polite.Then, do the other 99% of film directors have no bargaining chips?

Didn't he cut off his feet first, then his hands, and finally there was only a strand of hair floating in the air?

He can understand that film investment needs a return of income, and he also knows that these capitals are promoting the prosperity of the industry, but Xie Lansheng always feels that investment cannot kill the chicken to get the egg.Investment should benefit both artists and supporters, not just one party to benefit to the greatest extent.Everyone needs to consider the entire industry ecosystem together to ensure that a model can continue to operate for a long time.

Xie Lansheng feels that the current art field really needs a steady stream of investors with stupid money.

In addition, he also believes that relying solely on capital is problematic, and it is still a big problem, because capital will inevitably put shackles on film directors.

There are some film funds in China, such as the Lansheng Film Fund, but these film funds can only be regarded as a drop in the bucket. On the contrary, European and American countries are more systematic and mature in this regard. For example, France has a special fund for film and television funding. The center is responsible for unified management and distribution. The funds come from additional tax on movie tickets, sales tax on video tapes and DVDs, business tax on TV and video, and many other taxes. Part of the money will be returned to the filmmaker and entered into his capital account. These directors can use this fund when they make their next film, and the other part is similar to a loan, mainly for newcomer films, and finally, there are some special ways to guarantee the release of the film.

China also has this kind of fund, and 5% of each ticket is allocated to the "Film Special Fund".Now the national box office has reached 300 billion yuan, that is to say, the "Film Special Fund" can raise 15 billion a year, but the amazing thing is that the relevant departments have never announced the specific details of this money, and no one in the whole circle has seen it with their own eyes. I have seen this thing, and even the relevant departments did not say the application conditions and the amount of funding, but only left vague general descriptions, such as "renovating grassroots cinemas", "supporting excellent films that cooperate with x and the country's propaganda tasks", "supporting needs Excellent films with other themes that are specially encouraged and subsidized", and the few films that can be found are all main theme films.Now, there are growing calls for the government to help literary and artistic films. It is said that "artistic innovative films" will also be included in the scope of support, but generally speaking, it is difficult for film directors to have any expectations for this fund.

Xie Lansheng took another deep breath, and tried his best for the last time: "Mr. Wen, Mr. Ruan, isn't the director's support and enthusiasm the most important thing for a movie?"

Xinwei seemed dismissive, and only politely echoed: "Of course it's important. But it's not okay for investors to blindly approve the director's approach. This thing is the same as other industries, and there is no difference. Students' enthusiasm for learning is very important, and employees Your enthusiasm for work is very important, but normal discussions in other aspects are also absolutely essential.”

"Okay, I understand." Xie Lansheng loosened his collar, showing a sense of anger, he said, "Since the two sides can't reach an agreement, then the cooperation will be broken."

As soon as Xie Lansheng's words came out, it was obvious that the people on the opposite side were all stunned.

The few of them always believed that Xinwei had given a lot—Xie Lansheng could earn about 4000 million yuan or even more from this movie.

4000 million!No one else can give this number!

Xie Lansheng closed the folder in his hand with a bang, and half-truthfully said: "I have transferred the filming rights of "In Yueyang" to Xinwei Video. Five years. If I don't turn it on within five years, I will Take back this script. I will treat it as selling the filming rights of a movie script. You go and hire someone else to shoot, by the way, I don’t require the screenwriter’s signature, and the film’s main creator should not bring me.”

After a pause, he continued: "As for the director's contract, I'll ask a lawyer to come and terminate the contract. "In Yueyang" is still in the preparation stage, so I won't lose a few bucks."

It is written in the contract that if the director quits the team, the remuneration already paid by Xinwei Video will be refunded, and the cost already spent by Xinwei Video will be made up.Now the movie is not in production so the cost is almost zero.

In fact, Xie Lansheng was not unprepared for this situation, but he always wanted to fight for opportunities and promote literary films, and he did not intend to give up easily.

However, if he breaks his bottom line, if he is told to give up his original intention—the original intention of freely making the movies he likes to make, he will forget it.

It is very important to promote the film, but it is more important not to change yourself.

He very much believes that as long as he submits once in his creation, all his future works will carry that taste—that taste of surrender, and he will destroy himself.

Xie Lansheng actually believes that "independence" is more on the spiritual level, and there is no need to be too formal. After 2003, all of his films were submitted for review, but Xie Lansheng would choose to give up if the revisions were too extreme, whether it was before filming or after filming. Fortunately, the latter has not happened so far.At this level of capital, his movies are basically produced by himself or Xinye. Although this time he chose to cooperate with Xinwei to promote the movie, it is the only time, but his spirit is independent and free. Will still fight to the end.

However, although Xie Lansheng said this, he also knew that deep down in his heart he still hoped to reach a consensus.

It can be said that it is the last move to threaten the opponent with "putting on the pick". He has shown the acting skills that Xin Ye once said "better than anyone else".

Of course, if it doesn't work, probably we really have to break up.

After thinking about it, Xie Lansheng smiled again. He held the folder in both hands, and said, "Mr. Wen, Mr. Ruan, you two should also know that I came out of the wild."

Wen Yuan and Ruan Cheng: "...?"

"In 91, because I didn't want to line up for the film, and because I didn't want to be censored, I chose to do it alone, and was banned by the Film Bureau. My first film was called "Rooting". Universal wanted to buy the North American copyright but wanted to modify it. In the end, I refused without hesitation. After filming "Love at First Sight", my films are basically produced by my own company. In order to pass the review, I can negotiate with the Film Bureau for a certain detail for half a year until I convince them or almost convince them. They stopped. In 12, I really couldn't accept a suggestion from the Film Bureau, so I withdrew the application and stopped filming, and the right to do nothing for the first six months."

Wen Yuan and Ruan Cheng: "..."

Xie Lansheng stood up, tapped the folder with both hands, looked down at the opposite side, and said, "I'm not bragging, I just want to say that I've been making movies for 25 years, and no one can tell me what to add, what to delete, what to delete, what to delete .”

"..."

Xie Lansheng's eyes were sharp: "No one can ask me to shoot anything."

After finishing speaking, Xie Lansheng held the folder in one hand, stepped forward with his long legs, and walked towards the door of the meeting room.When passing by Lan Tian, ​​Xie Lansheng pushed the back of Lan Tian's head and said, "Lan Tian, ​​let's go."

Then, he put that hand in his pocket and left without looking back.