Generation Z Artists

Chapter 349 A Romance Across Time

The term "The Condor Heroes Studies" is like a two-headed dragon, rubbing against the heart of the starry sky on one side and poking and thrusting into Fang Hei's lungs on the other.

Many people immediately jumped up and questioned, "What gives you the right?"

Full of stars told them: Just based on the more than 8 million that our god has thrown out.

How come the cost has increased by another 300 million?

This story begins with that episode of "Happy Camp".

On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Fang Xinghe finally managed to find time to participate in a special program.

This episode is a special episode featuring The Return of the Condor Heroes, part one.

According to Mango TV's idea, "The Condor Heroes" × "Happy Camp" = a ratings bomb, so they definitely can't just do one episode, they have to invite everyone who can come.

For the first episode, having Fang Xinghe, Liu Yifei, and Gong Li would be enough.

But the problem is... Fang Xinghe rejected all the parts of the program script that were sent out, especially the parts about mentally challenged games.

The original quote was: "Too noisy, lacking consideration."

"Lyrics relay," "radish squat," "musical chairs"... Is this what you call a happy kindergarten?
The production team racked their brains and changed the game segment into several relatively natural presentation segments, finally managing to persuade these three international film stars to come.

At this point, Li Xiang had already left, and He Jiong, Li Weijia, and Xie La formed a happy trio, which was just the beginning of their lively activities.

As a result, Fang Xinghe, Gong Li, and Liu Yifei were all unwilling to cooperate, and the hosts were so hesitant to record that it almost turned into a serious interview.

The downside is that it's not as lively or as visually appealing.

The original audience of "Happy Camp" was not used to it and felt that it was not "happy" enough and was missing something.

The advantage is that there is a huge amount of information. All three guests are unconventional interviewers. If you ask them the right questions, they will answer honestly.

As a result, non-audience members learned a great deal of "indescribable" inside information.

Teacher He's high EQ in smoothing things over, Sheila's impulsive madness, and Li Weijia's keen insight and subtle encouragement really worked wonders. The final edited program content was a mix of disaster and abstraction, seriousness and absurdity, which was quite darkly humorous.

On the day the show aired, no one else knew, but Nenxian was overjoyed.

"Mom, come watch my show!"

"I'm coming."

Ms. Liu brought a huge fruit platter into the living room and invited her daughter's best friend to eat some melon.

Today, her good friend who is visiting her is Yui Aragaki. The two developed their relationship during filming and often appear hand in hand when participating in Japanese programs.

Yui Aragaki's Chinese is already quite good. She has been studying diligently since the training camp and can now communicate in daily life.

The Chinese market is certainly not worth her efforts; Fang Xinghe is.

Jun Ji-hyun and Son Ye-jin both learned Chinese and sent messages to Director Fang on important dates such as Lunar New Year.

Smart girls usually know where the opportunities are.

Nenxian's Japanese is also quite good. It's not new that Sony wanted to sign her; the two sides were already in talks when "You Are My Destiny" was first released.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, she will likely still go to Japan.

"Thank you for your hospitality, you've had a long day!"

Yui Aragaki jumped up and bowed repeatedly, but Nen-sen pulled her back, and the two little girls hugged each other while watching the show.

The opening introductions were quite extravagant: Fang Xinghe was a "super director who conquered the world," Gong Li was an "Oriental goddess at the three major European film festivals," and Liu Yifei was an "Asian super popular idol, Long'er Girl."

But this extravagance isn't the point; the point is the indifferent reaction of the three guests.

Fang Xinghe took the lead, and the three guests clapped with fake smiles, giving a perfunctory two claps before immediately turning to look at the host, their expressions quickly returning to calm.

Is that all? What's next?

He Jiong and his team worked so hard and put in so much effort, creating such a passionate atmosphere, only to have it completely ruined by them.

The three hosts were stunned by their stares and were momentarily at a loss for what to do.

The director specifically edited out this scene, zoomed in on it, and contrasted it with the host's awkwardness when the conversation couldn't continue, making the scene both absurd and hilarious.

This scene also gave birth to the earliest known image-based emoticon – indifference.JPG
Created and uploaded by Mantianxing, it quickly became popular as a custom image for QQ.

And it was eventually transformed into a more suitable caption and emoji: "Watching you perform quietly."

Of course, it hasn't happened yet, but that doesn't stop the audience from finding the scene funny at all.

"Wow, you two just don't get along at all..." Yui Aragaki's eyes widened. "It's weird, but also really funny..."

It was visibly a stark contrast between the boisterous host and the aloof guests, yet this contrast carried a strong sense of postmodernism, making people both expectant and curious.

Nenxian scratched her head and muttered, "Really? I didn't feel anything... I was just imitating Director Fang on how to make a program..."

"Ah! I'm so envious! When will I have the chance to appear on a show with Director Fang?"

"Soon, right? He should be making an appearance in Japan soon."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Of course, he values ​​his image and will definitely go."

Liu Yifei is a clever lazybones. She fully understands the core of image management, but she still doesn't bother with it and lazily goes about her own business.

The program continued, albeit with some hiccups, in this atmosphere.

He Jiong racked his brains to find a topic to talk about.

"Director Fang, could you share with us how much you spent filming 'The Return of the Condor Heroes'?"

"Strictly speaking, 5.62 million yuan was spent from the production account of The Condor Heroes, while the total amount spent on this project was about 8 million yuan. Many expenses were paid from other places and were saved on this project."

The question-and-answer format had some interesting moments, but it wasn't very engaging.

He Jiong was trying to figure out what was going on when Sheila suddenly interjected, "Did your family's money grow on trees?"

Fang Xinghe glanced at her and replied, "Money that comes from the wind has to be bent down to pick up; I don't need it."

The questions were clearly thoughtless and the responses were blunt, but the scene was inexplicably hilarious.

Li Weijia quickly pulled back: "Unbelievable. Could you tell everyone where all the money went? I think many viewers are interested in the filming of such a mega-drama."

"The main expense was probably on the details."

In this segment, all three had changed into their costumes from the drama.

So Fang Xinghe used Gong Li's clothing as an example.

"For example, as you can see, Li Mochou has already worn three different outfits in the show... Hey, Sister Li, where are we now? It's three outfits, right?"

Gong Li shook her head: "Two sets."

"Oh, only two channels were broadcast..."

Fang Xinghe stopped dwelling on it and focused on the present.

"So now, the outfit that Sister Li is wearing actually corresponds to her early style and inner world, and it even has a special name: Sister Li. Let's take a look?"

Gong Li stepped forward confidently, raised her arms, turned around, and gave a full display.

The magnificent robe drew gasps from the audience. Only by seeing it in person could one truly appreciate how meticulous, exquisite, and extraordinary the workmanship of this garment was.

Sheila kept squeaking and babbling, circling around Gong Li.

Fang Xinghe simply gave up the stage, indicating: "Sister Li, you explain it to everyone yourself."

Gong Li, of course, was not intimidated. She took the microphone and started talking about the costumes from the beginning.

"The character Li Mochou has a total of four costumes, which are called Heart's Blood, Wrongful Woman's Tribulation, Parting Love's Hatred and Burning Passion Fire."

The red and black costume in the opening scene is that of a wronged woman.

It has an unconventional double-layer structure, with the inner layer being satin, the most recently developed basic material for clothing in ancient China.

Satin originated in the Song Dynasty, flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and was the most technically complex fabric with the most colorful and beautiful appearance, representing the highest level of craftsmanship.

The inner layer of the "Raging Woman's Calamity" garment is made of bright red brocade; can you guess what the pattern on it is?

The atmosphere was electric. Not only were the audience members curious, but even the host rushed over to get a closer look at the gorgeous outfit.

Gong Li generously lifted a bit of her veil, allowing everyone to see clearly.

"Huh?" Shera recognized it. "It looks like a lotus?"

"Yes, it's a lotus flower."

Gong Li smiled and nodded.

"Actually, the inner layer of the 'Resentful Woman's Calamity' was modified from the wedding dress of a bride in the Song Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, if a bride was of high status, her wedding dress would usually be embroidered with flowers and animals."

For example, the peony symbolizes wealth and nobility, the lotus represents purity and nobility, the phoenix pattern embodies auspiciousness, and the patterns of children and babies playing with fish express the expectation of having many offspring.

Li Mochou wore a grand wedding dress embroidered with lotus flowers, the hidden meaning of which is easy to understand—she identified herself as Lu Zhanyuan's wife and believed that Lu Zhanyuan had betrayed her love for him.

I, Li Mochou, am of noble character. The reason I have become like this is all because of your heartlessness and ingratitude.

So, love turned to resentment, and she deliberately covered her auspicious attire with an ominous black veil, sealing away happiness and transforming herself into a female demon…” “Wow!”

The host was stunned, feeling as if he were in a dream.

"This, this, this..."

Li Weijia stammered, "How expensive and complicated must this be? No wonder it looks so good..."

“Indeed!” Sheila nodded repeatedly. “This costume is absolutely stunning! When you first appeared, Sister Li, it was impossible to look away. I’ve watched so many TV dramas, but I’ve never seen such gorgeous and high-quality costumes.”

"This outfit is indeed expensive and troublesome."

Gong Li chuckled and nodded, then looked at Fang Xinghe with a complicated expression.

"As early as the preparation period of The Return of the Condor Heroes, the production team hired several hundred experts to prepare costumes, props and sets."

This costume was based on the overall concept proposed by Director Fang, and the design master and his team made several revisions before it was finally made by hand by ancient craftsmen.

I spent at least a month and a half trying out the bright red base color of this dress alone.

At the same time, because it had to be made of brocade, with a guaranteed luster and exquisite lotus patterns, the master craftsmen worked tirelessly day and night. Ultimately, however, due to the loss of the craft, they were unable to fully meet Director Fang's requirements…

He Jiong asked curiously, "So how did you manage to do it in the end?"

"Make it by breaking it down."

Gong Li shook out her sleeve to show everyone the details.

"First, the brocade base is created, and then the silver lotus pattern is embroidered separately by embroidery masters. After meeting the shooting requirements, the Song Dynasty Costume Research Institute will continue its research on technical reproduction..."

In addition to their regular compensation, Director Fang donated an extra 500 million yuan to the project, hoping they could rediscover the lost craft.

He Jiong exclaimed with emotion, "I never knew Director Fang had done so much quietly for the sake of our cultural heritage..."

Just as the atmosphere was getting touching, Sheila suddenly blurted out a spoilsport remark.

"Putting aside the craftsmanship, how much does this costume actually cost?"

Gong Li is not a woman with a good temper. She frowned in public, gave her a domineering glare, and then turned back to continue chatting with He Jiong.

"It's really hard to calculate the cost per unit because all the preparation work can be shared by everyone."

Anyway, if we only consider the cost of Li Mochou's costumes, from material costs to labor costs, plus the ones that were scrapped, the four costumes must have cost at least 400 million yuan.

"What?!" Li Weijia's eyes widened. "A million for one outfit?!"

Gong Li shook off the black veil covering her "resentful woman" outfit, her expression becoming quite helpless.

“We have a lot of outdoor scenes and action scenes. This gauze material is fragile and often gets scratched and damaged. It can be ruined in the blink of an eye. Each one costs more than 10,000 yuan. I’ve probably replaced it at least 30 times. You do the math!”

Wow! This single layer of gauze destroyed an entire house?!

Gong Li rarely makes jokes: "The houses in Beijing might not be big enough."

"A house in Changsha would be fine too!" Sheila cried out in despair, "I still can't afford a house..."

But you can afford to buy 1 million Weibo followers...

Fang Xinghe didn't like Sheila, so whenever she tried to talk to him, he wouldn't reply at all and would just stand there as the most beautiful background wall.

But in the end, when the topic of clothing was about to conclude, he still had to give the summary.

Professor He Jiong's question was also very good.

"Director Fang, I actually have a question. With the resolution of televisions in Chinese households today, they probably can't see the effort you put into the costumes, makeup, and props."

I'm not exaggerating when I say that I have a pretty good brand of TV at home, a 42-inch plasma TV, but the sofa is far away, so I can't see the details clearly. If you hadn't pointed it out, I really wouldn't have noticed.

I can tell that the quality of this show is exceptional.

But probably 95% of our audience wouldn't feel this, so I really don't understand why you're so persistent about this.

Aren't you afraid of wasting your time and effort?

Fang Xinghe smiled, nodded, and admitted, "Indeed, most of it was useless."

"what?!"

Faced with the hosts' stunned reactions, Fang Xinghe smiled again and shook his head.

A nod, a shake of the head—each gesture held a profound meaning.

But his answer was not at all pretentious; it was simply natural and spontaneous.

"Actually, many of the details were not made for the current audience."

You think 95% of the audience won't see it? Okay, then they won't see it. They're living in the moment, and they just want to have some fun.

The core function of TV dramas is to entertain the masses. I have achieved that, and they have felt it. So, at the mass level, we have perfectly achieved a two-way exchange.

However, if you look at the issue from a developmental perspective, you will realize that Chinese audiences will not remain stagnant in the present.

They won't always use their current perspective, stick to their current CRT televisions, maintain their current aesthetic sense, or be satisfied with their current spiritual needs.

They will grow up, be exposed to high-quality foreign dramas, have their horizons broadened by all sorts of new things, and demand higher quality material and spiritual life due to economic development.

This raises a small question – who will satisfy them then?
A couple of days ago, a TV drama director made a sarcastic comment in the newspaper, saying, "If I had a budget of 5 million yuan to squander, I could also make a good drama."

There are many directors in China like him, whose ideas are both pragmatic and naive: 'If the people truly become intellectually enlightened on a large scale one day, then I can make the high-quality dramas they want to watch; why bother with all that effort now?'

Do you believe they can easily keep up with the times?

He Jiong was taken aback by the question, moved his lips, but ultimately did not give a direct answer.

Fang Xinghe didn't need his reply and continued speaking.

Whether they can do it or not is not important at all.

The biggest difference between me and them is that I don't save things up to do them at the 'most opportune time'.

I wasn't thinking about what to do then; I was thinking about another question—who would lead them?
Right now.

When 95% of the audience is unaware that they have higher-level needs, and when only 5% of the audience pursues excellence and aspires to the extraordinary, who will lead them?

I.

I won't wait for high-quality American dramas, Korean idol dramas, and Japanese romance dramas to flood into China, broaden the horizons of our people, and impact their worldview.

On the contrary, I am now going to stride out with the fiercest steps to tell those top international film producers, to those foreign audiences with a much higher threshold of understanding than us, and also to some cowardly Chinese people who cannot stand up straight—you have never properly understood the profoundness of Chinese civilization.

As for domestic fans who like "The Return of the Condor Heroes"...

It's okay if you can't see the details of the costumes and props in "The Return of the Condor Heroes" for the time being.

Time waits for no one. Twenty years from now, when every Chinese household has a high-definition television, you will, on a leisurely afternoon, open your memories and a certain mood, and watch "The Return of the Condor Heroes" again with your children.

At that time, you will not only see the details of the costumes, props and sets clearly, but you will also see much more.

At that time, your children will ask: Dad, why is it different from other old movies?
And you can proudly tell your children: This is a special gift from Fang Xinghe to our generation. Back then, we only saw one-tenth of it. What you see now is the whole thing...

Teacher He, you asked me if I'm afraid all my hard work will be in vain.

Now I will formally answer your question: I will not measure this kind of romance that transcends time and space in terms of 'usefulness' or 'uselessness'.

Success is success. The increased costs, lower profits, and hard work have all been put to good use in the future.

Right now, I only regret that time is moving too slowly, so I can't see that future sooner. How could I be afraid?

Before he had even finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

Fang Xinghe was talking about costumes, props, and sets, but what the audience heard was much more than that.

Yui Aragaki blinked her big eyes, which were filled with tiny pink stars.

"Wow! Fang Jun is really... handsome..."

Her limited Chinese vocabulary restricted her expression of emotion, but Liu Yifei was immediately on high alert.

She turned her head and carefully examined her best friend, scrutinizing her from head to toe, her mood fluctuating between joy and sorrow.

Good news: My best friend's aesthetic sense is exactly the same as mine.

The bad news: They're too consistent!

She glared angrily at the handsome face on TV, thinking: What's the big deal? Next time a reporter interviews me, I can speak with substance too!
However, her part was immediately broadcast on television.

This is how she answered—

"Huh? I don't have morning grumpiness. I only get up when I'm no longer grumpy."

"Hahahaha!"

Yui Aragaki laughed so hard she fell off the sofa, while Nen-xian quickly grabbed a plush toy to cover her face, her whole body turning bright red...

This...this doesn't count this time, but it will definitely happen next time!
But she didn't know when there would be a next time, or what silly things she might say next.

She just thought frantically and desperately: When will I ever learn Fang Xinghe's calm and handsome way of expressing himself? I've already become the most popular female star in China, Japan, and South Korea, but people online call me a fool every day... I don't want this persona!
The girl watched the episode with a bittersweet feeling, her emotions were complex and hard to describe.

She never expected that her already limited peaceful time would end so abruptly and hastily—that inexplicable study of the Condor Heroes had dragged her into it from the very beginning.

(End of this chapter)