The only sun in Huayu

Chapter 9 Fire
Han Sanping originally admired Shen Shandeng quite a bit.

In our youth, full of vigor and vitality, we were brimming with scholarly spirit and boundless ambition. We discussed the state of the nation, wrote passionate essays, and regarded the powerful officials of the time as mere dust.

Young people should still have some drive.

Moreover, Shen Shandeng is different from ordinary young directors, or more accurately, different from most directors.

Almost all directors in mainland China view filmmaking as a form of expression, an artistic endeavor.

In contrast, Hong Kong directors at least have the awareness to please the audience.

Shen Shandeng doesn't have the problem of young directors constantly talking about art and expression; he has a sense of serving the audience.

He might be a bit arrogant when analyzing problems, but he always starts from the fundamentals of the industry and is quite pragmatic in his work.

With a plan, a route, and action, Han Sanping doesn't mind being a talent scout.

Han Sanping was also considering letting Shen Shandeng practice with small and medium-sized projects.

Big-budget productions typically require a considerable amount of preparation time. "The Warlords" was first conceived in 05 and then its establishment was announced during the Shanghai International Film Festival.

Then, a few months later, filming began, with test shots taken beforehand.

The release of "The Warlords" will be during this year's Lunar New Year holiday season, which is three years in total, so it's actually quite fast.

As for "Red Cliff," rumors of it first surfaced as early as 04, and producer Terence Chang, a long-time collaborator of producer John Woo, officially announced it at the American Film Market.

Then came the long period of script polishing, casting, and preparation.

Filming was originally scheduled to begin in 05, but due to script issues, the screenwriter was replaced, and the budget was exceeded, the project was delayed several times.

Filming officially began around April last year at the Yi County Film and Television Base near Beijing, but then Chow Yun-fat announced his withdrawal from the crew, leading to a halt in production.

It has been almost four years since the project was first initiated.

Even now, the main roles have not been finalized.

Han Sanping had high hopes for "Brotherhood of Blades" and took it very seriously.

Use a mid-range production to gain experience, consider it a test shoot.

The money used was far less than the funds consumed by the several delays of "Red Cliff".

It doesn't matter who you use, you can use them all the same way, and it's the same with Shen Shandeng; he has patience.

He just couldn't stand the feeling of being deceived.

Shen Shandeng only shouted slogans, and the pressure on this side had just begun when he ran away.

Hit me, then run!

There is no such thing!
It's like selling crutches; before he even announced the price, Shen Shandeng immediately made the deal!
They came to deceive him, to ambush this old comrade.

Is this okay? No, this is not good!
Han Sanping was furious!

Who says the path of "historical epics" has reached a crisis point and must be changed!

Who says period dramas should be closely tied to Chinese history and embody the spirit of China!
Who said we'd make period epics? This is a strategic upgrade for blockbuster films—a pioneer in Chinese cinema!
Who is so confident that they look down on the fifth, sixth, and new generations?

It's not difficult to shout out a billion, and I even assured him that I would withstand the pressure!

then
That's it?

Seeing that the old man was about to get angry, Shen Shandeng immediately swore an oath: "Factory Director, I, Shen Shandeng, am not afraid myself, but I am afraid of harming you!"

Han Sanping was stunned. Was this still helping him?

Does he have to say thank you?
He wanted to hear what kind of ivory Shen Shandeng could spew from his dog's mouth.

"How do you say this?"

Shen Shandeng said sincerely, "Isn't the factory director at a critical moment of job adjustment? You are wholeheartedly devoted to the film industry, but others don't understand."

"During the initial review, I was confident, like a newborn calf unafraid of tigers. It wasn't until the scope of the review expanded that I truly understood and gradually realized how difficult it was for the factory manager!"

"The project 'Brotherhood of Blades' hasn't even been officially approved yet, but all sorts of people are already trying to get their hands on it. Some want to drive me away, some want to make money off it, and some subconsciously dislike or reject it because of its national pride theme."

"Without the factory director, many people want to split up China Film Group privately. The cinemas will probably all be showing Hollywood movies. What will happen to Chinese films then?"

"It doesn't matter if I get hurt myself, but the heavy responsibility of the Chinese film industry rests on the director's shoulders, and he absolutely cannot fail!"

Upon hearing this, Han Sanping waved his hands repeatedly: "You brat, don't try to flatter me."

Shen Shandeng's face fell as he said, "Factory Director, I can't hide it from you, I do have some ulterior motives."

Han Sanping looked as if he had known it all along.

Shen Shandeng said, "After gradually developing the filming plan for 'Brotherhood of Blades,' I found that it was difficult to handle. If we started it rashly, we would probably waste this subject matter."

"To put it more bluntly, the future of period dramas nowadays rests on 'Brotherhood of Blades'."

Han Sanping's expression shifted slightly, then he became a little wary: "You little brat, what kind of twisted logic do you have now?"

Shen Shandeng said aggrievedly, "What kind of twisted logic could I possibly have? Among the three major directors in China, some have ruined their reputations, some have suffered box office failures, and others have lost interest."

"The major projects nowadays are mainly in Hong Kong, such as John Woo's 'Red Cliff' and Michelle Chen's 'The Warlords'."

"I have absolute respect for both directors, and I have the utmost respect for them."

"But to be honest, Director Wu, he has no intention of making a career at all. The production cost exceeded the budget several times, and then he promoted Taiwanese actress Kuroko Chiling, used Zhao Zhetian to elevate her status, kicked out the famous screenwriter, and then let his wife write the script." "As for Director Chen Kexin, she offered Li Lianjie a salary of 100 million. Tell me, how much of that is shady and inflated?"

“I read in the reports that he also had Jet Li act in dramatic scenes, and judging from the information released, the scenes were dark and metaphorical.”

"To put it bluntly, 'A Nest of Snakes and Rats' not only established the combination of Eastern wonders and Western core, but also turned beautiful and dazzling martial arts moves into boring slow motion."

"The Warlords went even further, with no martial arts scenes at all."

"The assassination of Ma Ying-jeou was a complex case, involving a struggle between local and central authorities. Highlighting patriotism could easily give the impression of legitimacy."

"It belittles the imperial court and supports the local areas, which means the southeast is trying to protect itself. It also has a tendency to split, which does not suit the audience's taste."

"A typical case of being blocked at both ends."

"In addition, the name 'The Warlords' shows that we treat the other party as a human being, but given their colonial nature of fearing power rather than appreciating virtue, they may develop particularly strange psychology."

"They want to go north to make money, but they also want to show that they are being kept and have an independent personality, and they also want to curse their mothers while eating."

Han Sanping listened intently. He liked the Three Kingdoms theme, and he believed that this theme was indeed promising.

However, the several controversies surrounding "Red Cliff" also show that John Woo has indeed lost his ambition.

As for Chen Kexin, he's even more incredible; he knows more about the "Warriors" project than Shen Shandeng.

They charged Jet Li an exorbitant price, and the film leaned towards an art-house style.

But the more I listened, the more something seemed off; Shen Shandeng seemed to enjoy belittling others!

Coming to his senses, Han Sanping slammed his hand on the table: "Xiao Shen, you need to change your personality. You can't so easily dismiss people!"

Even if Shen Shandeng spoke to his heart, Han Sanping could not agree.

If this gets out, it won't look good.

Han Sanping was speechless.

The young director in front of me rejected all the fifth, sixth, and new generation directors from mainland China, and then he also rejected the big directors from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

So, you think you're so great, Shen Shandeng?
However, Shen Shandeng's words offered a unique perspective that could provide him with some inspiration.

Han Sanping advised: "Speak only about the matter at hand."

"I'm just stating the facts," Shen Shandeng immediately admitted his mistake, saying, "In short, the films 'Red Cliff' and 'The Warlords' are likely to flop."

Han Sanping broke down again: "The Warlords and Red Cliff are also major projects organized by China Film Group. Are you really that pessimistic?"

Shen Shandeng said, "The box office may not be a loss, after all, China Film Group is protecting it. However, this will actually diminish the prestige of China Film Group."

Of course, this also diminishes Han Sanping's prestige; forcibly forcing the cinemas to follow his lead will definitely have a negative impact.

Shen Shandeng did not say it explicitly.

Nowadays, we still need to rely on the other party to get into the industry, and we have to show some respect to Old Deng on the surface.

Han Sanping understood: lies don't hurt people, but the truth is the sharpest knife.

He was silent.

Shen Shandeng, fearing that Lao Deng was going too far with his manipulation, quickly steered the conversation back on track: "The question is, given the character of filmmakers today, would they admit it's their own problem? Probably not."

"The problem must be with the audience. They don't like it now, but they'll understand in ten or twenty years."

"The problem must be with the subject matter. Historical dramas are outdated, and even China's vast history has lost its appeal."

"At that time, period dramas, and even the historical genre as a whole, which was originally our strength, the stories we are familiar with, this treasure, will be turned into a cesspool."

"Brotherhood of Blades may be the last chance to prove with its performance that it's not that the audience doesn't love history, but that the creators just can't do it right."

"Otherwise, this genre will have to wait ten, even twenty years, to revive, or it may remain dormant forever."

"Director, 'Brotherhood of Blades' cannot afford to fail. It can be said that the spark of period epics and historical films lies in this movie."

Han Sanping fell into deep thought.

Shen Shandeng said he was thirsty and took a sip of water.

PUA is really tough on Old Deng, forcing him to come up with some real substance.

These analyses are all objective descriptions; otherwise, Han Sanping would not have been able to believe them.

Shen Shandeng did want to wait for the "Brotherhood of Blades" project to be completed.

He wasn't lying; "Brotherhood of Blades" might be the swan song of period films, or even period martial arts films.

If personal interests were the sole consideration, Shen Shandeng should have done everything in his power to push forward the "Brotherhood of Blades" project.

Even if this movie flops, with Han Sanping's influence, it can still gross over 100 million yuan.

"The Warlords" and "Red Cliff" can both sell for 200 to 300 million, so breaking 100 million is too easy.

Having directed a film project worth 100 million yuan and grossed over 100 million yuan at the box office, and it was his debut film, Shen Shandeng is definitely a representative of the new generation of directors, and even a leading figure.

But Shen Shandeng also had his own principles.

He's already been reborn, why is he still trying to outdo others? Isn't that a waste of his rebirth?
(End of this chapter)