A widower's entertainment

Chapter 361 [A New Invitation] (Please Subscribe)
There are many TV stations and film studios in China that want Lin Youcheng to write scripts. Many directors want to work with him. However, Lin Youcheng is a big shot with an unusual background and is offered a million-dollar fee from the United States. This makes many directors in China hesitant, wondering if they can persuade him to write a script.

Of course, those who truly know Lin Youcheng will know that he didn't demand exorbitant prices in China just because of the market rates in the United States. Otherwise, he would have asked for a high price when he handed over the script for "Atonement" to Chen Aige for filming and served as the screenwriter. After all, Lin Youcheng's "The Time Traveler's Wife" had already been sold to Universal Pictures for a million dollars, and the screenplay for "Love" that he wrote for director Hou Xiaoxian was only worth 100,000 dollars. This was only because it was a film company in Taiwan that Lin Youcheng was paid such a screenwriting fee.

Although Zheng Xiaolong has other TV series to shoot and is also collaborating with Haima Film Studio, it is clear that he really wants to ask Lin Youcheng to write TV series scripts again. After all, previous works such as "The Message", "My Brothers and Sisters", and "Lurking" were all absolutely excellent stories.

However, even Zheng Xiaolong, an acquaintance of his, can no longer directly ask Lin Youcheng to write TV drama scripts. After all, Lin Youcheng has the skills to write movie scripts for Hollywood.

Although Zheng Xiaolong didn't get much attention, other directors came knocking on his door, including a female director.

Chen Aige acted as a go-between for Li Shaohong, and even brought her to Xinghua Hutong to meet Lin Youcheng.

This is all about connections; otherwise, other directors would have had an incredibly smooth time getting to know Lin Youcheng at that point.

Speaking of which, 1978 was the first year that Yenching Film Academy resumed its college entrance examination. Those who entered university that year were probably the generation that most deeply understood the saying "the college entrance examination changes destiny." The resumption of the college entrance examination for Yenching Film Academy was even named by Cahiers du Cinéma as one of the "100 most exciting moments in 20th-century film history." The reasons are self-evident, because almost all the peaks that Chinese films and television dramas have reached both domestically and internationally since then have been achieved by directors from the Class of '78.

Back then, 156 people were admitted to the Beijing Film Academy, with 28 of them going to the directing department. Among these 28, only 8 were female directors. Among them, Li Shaohong and Hu Mei were the most famous. Although they were all directors in the same class of '78, they came from different social classes. Chen Aige, Tian Zhuangzhuang, and Li Shaohong all came from families with privileged backgrounds or film families. This was different from Zhang Yimou and Zhang Jianya, who were a cotton mill worker and a carpenter, respectively.

It has to be said that Li Shaohong's admission to the Yenching Film Academy was quite interesting; she only heard about it from others. At that time, a classmate handed her a newspaper with an advertisement for the Yenching Film Academy in the arts section. The classmate asked Li Shaohong, "Isn't your mother studying film?" Upon hearing this, Li Shaohong went to the academy. She never expected to be admitted, but with only a primary school education at the time, she applied to the directing department of the Yenching Film Academy and was accepted. After graduation, she was assigned to the Yenching Film Studio as a director.

This is because he comes from a film family. Later, he began working as a film director at the Yanjing Film Studio. In 1983, he served as assistant director on the drama film "The Bao Family," a tragicomedy that left viewers wanting to cry but also unable to laugh. He also served as assistant director on the drama film "People Going Out to Earn Money." In 1984, he directed the romance film "Clearwater Bay, Freshwater Bay." It must be said that this was a very high starting point, but he later suspended his directing career due to family reasons.

However, just two years ago, in 1988, this female director made a comeback and completed the filming of the thriller "The Silver Snake Murder Case," which can be considered her first true directorial work. Moreover, it sold more than 200 copies and was one of the highest-grossing films of the year.

Last year, he directed another crime film, "Bloody Morning," which won the Gold Award for Best Film at the Nantes Three Continents Film Festival.

Chen Aige looked at Lin Youcheng and said, "Youcheng, Shaohong has always really liked your novels."

Lin Youcheng smiled when he heard Chen Aige's words; he had heard similar remarks many times before.

Li Shaohong looked at Lin Youcheng and said, "I especially love your film 'The Devotion of Suspect X.' I was truly amazed when I first watched it."

Li Shaohong's two most recent films were both crime-themed works, so it's conceivable that she's not entirely averse to this genre. Not to mention, Lin Youcheng's "The Devotion of Suspect X" is no ordinary crime film; the criminal methods and love story in it were so brilliant that they made the entire literary world swoosh.

"To be honest, I really wanted to make a film about your story back then. Later, director Hou Xiaoxian adapted your novel into a film and won the Palme d'Or. I even went to see the movie. Director Hou made it so well."

Li Shaohong said with a smile, "I have read all of your other novels, they are all really wonderful, and I am also your reader."

Listening to Li Shaohong's words, Lin Youcheng understood why Li Shaohong had come to see him. However, even if Li Shaohong didn't say it directly, he certainly wouldn't ask directly. Now, listening to Li Shaohong's words, whether they were flattery or not, he understood that this was his current status in the circle, and many people would want to befriend him.

Li Shaohong's intentions are now self-evident; she also wants him to write a script.

To be honest, director Li Shaohong had no choice. In 1987, in order to cater to the trend of marketization, major film studios in China were organizing the production of commercial films. At that time, Yanjing Film Studio was looking for a few young directors, so the task of "The Silver Snake Murder Case" unexpectedly fell to her.

Li Shaohong was well aware that at that time, everyone was terrified of Hollywood and despised its commercial films. She was unwilling to make the film at the time, but in the end, she made it with tears in her eyes.

Her first reaction was that she felt incredibly unlucky, and she cried her eyes out. Her classmates had all made art films like "One and Eight," "Yellow Earth," and "The Horse Thief," but her fate was not as good as theirs. At that time, Tian Zhuangzhuang, the class monitor in the directing department of the film academy, encouraged her to make films, saying that at least she would get a chance to prove herself, and once she gained recognition, she could make the films she wanted to make.

They did prove themselves later on, with their film *Rouge* winning the Silver Bear for Visual Effects at the Berlin International Film Festival. However, the filming process was fraught with difficulties. It's important to know that China's copyright law came into effect in 1993. Before the copyright law was enacted, the original novel *Rouge* by Su Tong was sold to Yanjing Film Studio, and Li Shaohong was slated to direct it. After the copyright law was enacted, Su Tong sold it to Liu Xiaoqing, who wanted Jiang Wen to direct the film.

The Beijing Film Studio refused to accept this and filed the first lawsuit, which was ultimately won by the arbitration.

The key point is that Hong Kong director Tsui Hark funded the early preparation of "Rouge," but when the film was officially approved, relevant policies stipulated that co-productions would be canceled. Tsui Hark was dumbfounded and had no idea what to do. The money was essentially wasted.

"Rouge" eventually raised 250 million yuan. Because it was eager to recoup its investment in distribution, after the Film Bureau approved "Rouge", Hong Kong Ocean Film Co., Ltd. bought the global rights to the film for 380 million yuan.

In fact, the film ultimately grossed 2800 million yuan at the box office, and it was also the first time that a domestic film implemented the internationally accepted revenue-sharing model, with the production company receiving 35% and the film company and theaters receiving 65%.

It can be said that this pattern remained almost unchanged throughout, with the proportions remaining roughly the same.

"Rouge" was a success both artistically and commercially, but just when Li Shaohong finally proved herself, things changed again. Domestic filmmakers encountered unprecedented upheavals. Originally, film studios operated under a planned economy, where everything was provided. However, after 1993, systemic reforms began, abolishing the director's office and requiring everyone to raise their own funds for their films. As a result, she encountered unprecedented difficulties in making films.

Finding investment left Li Shaohong exhausted; in contrast, making TV dramas didn't require as much worry about raising money. At that time, Li Shaohong, Teng Wenji, and a group of fifth-generation filmmakers all "went into business" by making TV dramas, and the TV drama market was booming like never before.

Faced with the harsh realities of life, this female director could only temporarily bury her artistic dreams in her heart, hoping to find a way to achieve her goals through a roundabout means one day. Later, Li Shaohong and her friend Li Xiaowan opened Rongxinda Company. The two first collaborated on the film "Bloody Morning" in 1992, and the following year they jointly opened Rongxin, with one focusing on directing and the other on talent management.

It is said that Rongxinda's first TV series after its establishment, "Thunderstorm", was a success, earning 165,400 yuan. It may not seem like much, but it was actually a considerable sum at the time.

This is actually why the domestic literary and film circles have such a high regard for Lin Youcheng.

Later, "Palace of Desire," which became Li Shaohong's true representative work, was deeply loved by the audience, and Rong Xinda instantly became a mainstream film and television production and agency company in China. It was because of the two TV series "Palace of Desire" and "The Orange is Red" that the female director's name appeared in the "Yanjing Daily" nearly ten times. She perfectly combined the beautiful visuals like cinematic shots with the delicate plots, and this poetic "beauty and sorrow" became Li Shaohong's trademark.

Looking at the path Li Shaohong took, Lin Youcheng realized that it was, to some extent, the path he also intended to take, which involved balancing film and television production with artist management. Of course, in Lin Youcheng's view, film and television production was the most important.

Li Shaohong asked Chen Aige to introduce her to Lin Youcheng, naturally because she wanted to work with screenwriter Lin Youcheng. So she said directly, "I also really like your novel 'The Reader'. I want to adapt your novel into a film and I would especially like to invite you to be the screenwriter of the movie."

As a director, I am naturally very clear about how profound Lin Youcheng's novel "The Reader" is. The story of a middle-aged woman and a boy's unrequited love, and the fact that she would rather go to jail than reveal that she is illiterate for the sake of her dignity, is a story that would not move any director. Of course, some directors may worry about the content, but even so, directors like Jiang Wen and Hou Xiaoxian from Taiwan have also wanted to make this film.

For Li Shaohong, she felt confident that she could make a good film about a middle-aged woman's love story. Of course, Li Shaohong also wanted to make a film about the story of "The Reader," and like her classmates, she aimed for awards at international film festivals, especially the three major film festivals.

Lin Youcheng looked at Li Shaohong and said directly, "We have already agreed to this novel with Jiang Wen."

Upon hearing this, Chen Aige couldn't help but ask, "Isn't Jiang Wen going to film that movie, 'In the Heat of the Sun'?"

"He plans to make 'The Reader' after he finishes making 'In the Heat of the Sun,' but I haven't sold the rights to him yet. You can talk to him about it."

This was actually something Lin Youcheng and director Hou Xiaoxian had said before. However, at that time, Lin Youcheng gave director Hou Xiaoxian another option, which was to bring out another story hidden in "The Reader," called "Love." Now, naturally, Li Shaohong will not have a chance to star in the film "Love."

More importantly, although Li Shaohong is a skilled director, she is certainly not as good as Hou Xiaoxian, who has won the highest awards at two major film festivals.

This is why Lin Youcheng entrusted the film script "Love" to Hou Xiaoxian for filming.

As for Li Shaohong directing the film "The Reader," Lin Youcheng didn't feel it was inappropriate. After all, Li Shaohong was quite skilled and was a female director. Directing "The Reader" might allow her to present Yang Ju, the illiterate middle-aged woman, from a better perspective.

Of course, it all depends on

Hearing Lin Youcheng's words, Li Shaohong was naturally somewhat disappointed. She hadn't expected Lin Youcheng to have already agreed to Jiang Wen's request. However, she understood what Lin Youcheng meant. He had only verbally agreed to Jiang Wen's request, and the film rights to the novel hadn't been sold yet. If she really wanted to make the movie, she would need to talk to Jiang Wen herself.

Chen Aige understood what Lin Youcheng meant and knew why Lin Youcheng hadn't directly agreed to Li Shaohong's request. After all, Jiang Wen had wanted to film "Atonement" before, and Lin Youcheng had given him the script. Now that Lin Youcheng had agreed to the story of "The Reader," he naturally couldn't go back on his word and give it to Li Shaohong to film, even if he hadn't bought the film rights to the novel.

Li Shaohong glanced at Chen Aige, who couldn't help but say, "Then let's talk to Jiang Wen. He's currently filming 'In the Heat of the Sun,' and we don't know when he'll be filming 'The Reader.'"

Li Shaohong nodded, looked at Lin Youcheng, and said with a smile, "Then I'll go talk to Jiang Wen."

It seems that Li Shaohong and Jiang Wen are destined to become friends through conflict, and they will definitely have to discuss the film copyright. Fortunately, this time they won't have to go to court.

"Youcheng, who do you think can play the role of Yang Ju in 'The Reader'?"

Lin Youcheng smiled and said, "Liu Xiaoqing told me before that she really wanted to play this role. Besides her, Pan Hong is also a good choice. Oh, and Siqin Gaowa is also very suitable."

Lin Youcheng and Pan Hong have a good relationship, and Lin knows that Pan Hong's acting skills are absolutely beyond doubt. However, he also mentioned Siqin Gaowa, an absolutely talented actress who is also very suitable for the role of Yang Ju in "The Reader". As for her acting skills, they are absolutely superb. In 1983, she won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actress and the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actress for her role as Tiger Girl in the drama film "Rickshaw Boy". Later, in 1985, she won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress for her role in the art film "Like Water Flowing Years", becoming the first mainland actress to win the award. She is definitely a talented actress.

Upon hearing Lin Youcheng's words, Li Shaohong couldn't help but nod, fully agreeing with the author's opinion.

"Youcheng, if I can reach an agreement with Jiang Wen, I'd also like to ask you to be the screenwriter for the film."

Upon hearing Li Shaohong's words, Lin Youcheng couldn't help but smile and nod. He naturally had no objection to Li Shaohong serving as the screenwriter, since if she were to actually make this film, she would naturally want to compete in the three major film festivals.

Although it's not certain what award it will be, just like Chen Aige's "Atonement" which won him a Best Screenplay award later on.

Perhaps Li Shaohong's film "The Reader" could win him a screenplay award at one of the three major film festivals. After all, you never know when it comes to awards, and the story of "The Reader" is absolutely fantastic. Otherwise, why would Jiang Wen, Li Shaohong, and Hou Xiaoxian all want to make this film?

(End of this chapter)