Huayu: Are you even sitting up straight? You're going to be the director?

Chapter 13: Beijing Film Academy Produces a "Budget-Reducing Director"

Cui Xinqin was licked numb.

Mental instability.

She has absolutely no temper.

Soaked in the honey water that Cao Zhong fed her, she had lost all sense of the world around her.

Although he had questions in his mind, he couldn't figure it out in the end, so he could only let Cao Zhong do as he pleased.

My neck was pinched, and I felt like I was floating on air.

The question that was initially intended to be asked of Cao Zhong was completely forgotten.

Mei Ting arrived in the afternoon.

This time, the meeting wasn't held in Cui Xinqin's office, but rather at a coffee shop next to the movie story bar in the Beijing Film Academy's international student restaurant.

Mei Ting has a face full of collagen, but her dark circles under her eyes somewhat detract from her appearance.

Even with dark circles under her eyes, nothing could diminish her beauty.

It's a pity they're already married.

But Mei Ting was not in a good mood, which Cao Zhong could tell.

After thinking about the timing for a moment, Cao Zhong could roughly guess.

It's probably a relationship issue.

There is a story between Mei Ting, Li Xiaoran, and Yan Po that must be mentioned.

This should be considered the most famous masterpiece of this iconic sixth-generation director.

The second most famous masterpiece should be the movie "Aspirin".

Movies are not a panacea, but rather an aspirin.

It has a very artistic vibe.

But Cao Zhong wasn't too fond of these people. The so-called sixth generation of directors focused on marginalized urban groups and their living conditions and life difficulties.

Unlike the fifth generation, the sixth generation's camera language is more realistic, with different documentary aesthetic characteristics, and is more down-to-earth and human.

Yet none of them were in charge.

At this point, among the so-called "sixth generation" leaders, Ning Hao, Jia Zhangke, and others have risen to prominence.

However, this group lacks a unified identity and style, and most of them will remain mired in extremely conservative and boring propositions until 2030.

Including fifth-generation directors.

Both generations of "literary and artistic workers" have something strange in their souls.

For example, a foreigner salutes an ice sculpture; a Japanese soldier kindly saves someone and then commits suicide; following the rules, even in a life-or-death battle, one must seek a battle of honor; a foreigner helps a Chinese person, and in return, one must sleep with the foreigner for one night; or there must be a Western-style anti-war character.

Deep down, he was filled with a profound Western worship.

For so many years,

No one can stand up and carry the banner of Chinese commercial genre films.

All they know is to angrily berate the audience for being blind.

Later, it was snatched away by someone without a formal education in the field.

Non-academics, relying solely on their own creative core and the limits of their abilities, have turned this group upside down.

It's ridiculous.

While they were thinking about playing with artistic concepts, they were actually just going through the motions within the rules set by foreign countries.

Even a narrative of World War II of its own needs to be embellished with some inexplicable elements.

As one of the most brutal battlefields in the history of World War II, no film about it has had any impact internationally, and not even domestically.

This is Cao Zhong's purpose in making this film.

Regardless of whether Western media are engaging in or continuing to engage in attacks against China.

You have to learn to make peace with yourself.

The Chinese market is right here; it can't be moved or taken away.

Western media cannot determine whether the audience likes or dislikes something.

If you can't tell a good story, don't blame the audience for not being supportive.

Those classically trained directors have long since lost their ability and confidence. They can talk a good game about various theories, but they can't integrate their ideas into their own creative work.

It has lost the soil for grassroots creation.

It's inevitable that it will rot away in the future.

……

With his mind preoccupied, Cao Zhong momentarily forgot to exchange pleasantries with Mei Ting. Mei Ting, however, was very good-natured and greeted Cao Zhong with a smile first.

"Should I call you junior brother, or director?"

Having been invited, she naturally knew the purpose.

However, upon first seeing Cao Zhong, she wasn't very optimistic about him, so her tone was rather flippant.

"Please feel free, senior sister."

Cao Zhong didn't care about the other party's attitude, but said, "Should I tell my senior sister about our film crew and team situation first?"

"Junior brother, please speak."

"This script is a World War II narrative film being prepared for the 70th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre next year, and it has already received high praise from China Film Group and General Manager Han Sanpin."

Cao Zhongdao said, "Regarding the roles, we have already decided on Zu Feng, Xu Zheng, and others for the male lead. In addition to you, we also plan to invite Hai Qing to play an important role. The role I'm giving you is that of a movie star in 1937."

Mei Ting was stunned by what she heard, her eyes glazing over.

This junior brother seems to be quite impressive; he managed to get Zu Feng, Xu Zheng, and Hai Qing all in one drama.
Moreover, it has received high praise from China Film Group and Han Sanpin?
Mei Ting was a little stunned.

She felt that she might have underestimated the young junior brother in front of her.

Cao Zhong's expression remained completely unchanged.

Zufeng has been decided.

Xu Zheng was also in Cao Zhong's grasp.

As for the project approval, Han Sanpin values ​​it highly.

Although there's no concrete plan yet, that doesn't stop Cao Zhong from making grand promises.

Only by making the pie in the sky bigger and rounder can we suppress Mei Ting's price to the greatest extent possible, reducing her salary to a low level, or even zero.

Cao Zhong had this as a major reason for choosing actors from Nanjing.

This is also the key reason why he initially calculated the cost to be only five or six million.

Even knowing it would be difficult, Cao Zhong was determined to persuade the other party.

"I heard that my senior sister comes from a military compound?"

Cao Zhong conducted in-depth research, and his purpose was very clear. The script had not yet been given to him, but their ideas had already been integrated.

They even checked Mei Ting's household registration book.

"Director Cao knows all this?"

Subtly, the way he addressed me as "junior brother" has changed to "Director Cao."

After drawing several large pie charts, Mei Ting felt a little dizzy.

"Not only that, I also know that when you were a child star, you acted in 'The Bloodstained Evidence of the Massacre'."

After hearing Cui Xinqin say that her script had been cleverly chosen, Cao Zhong went to study those two films.

"The Bloodstained Evidence of the Massacre" is easy to find; resources can be found online.

"Black Sun Nanjing University TS" is hard to find, even though it's from the Beijing Film Academy. It's very easy to analyze films, and he still had to put in a lot of effort.

Now, at least it has been studied.

During this research, Cao Zhong discovered that Mei Ting had previously starred in "The Bloodstained City," which was quite a coincidence.

It was a match made in heaven.

"That was when I was very young, I can hardly remember it," Mei Ting smiled.

"My new movie is to prevent you from forgetting."

Seeing a good opportunity, Cao Zhong seized it, handed over the script, and solemnly admitted...
"Our film is to prevent the people of Nanjing, the people of Jiangsu, and the people of the whole country from forgetting it."

You should take a close look at this script. Senior Brother Zufeng is very passionate about it; he's shed tears several times and even decided to act in a role for free.

Cao Zhong was making it clear.

Mei Ting didn't speak, and began to read the script.

Cao Zhong continued, "Senior sister, there's a saying that goes, 'You can't step into the same river twice in your life.' But you previously filmed 'The Bloodstained Evidence of the Massacre,' and now I've chosen you to film 'Nanjing Photo Studio.' The same story, the same person. I think this is fate, a mission given to you by heaven."

This means this role belongs to you, and no one can take it away from you.

Mei Ting also found it particularly amazing.

The next second, Cao Zhong's voice continued,

"So, senior sister, are you interested in doing your part for Nanjing City, just like senior brother Zufeng?"

"Of course, I'm not saying that I would make my senior sister act for free, because that would make me look like a scoundrel."

"How about this: what's your approximate fee? I'll give you 30%? See if that's feasible?"

Mei Ting: ? ? ?
(End of this chapter)