Started as an independent producer in 1988

Chapter 232 The Great Chaos of the Five Dynasties

In the cafe, Xu Feng sighed inwardly.

At first, Cheng Kaige said that Farewell My Concubine was a third-rate novel that he despised.

Now I found a novel that I thought was a first-rate novel, and finally came up with a script like this?
"Kaige, I have known you for several years. Although we have never worked together, I wish you success."

Xu Feng was about to leave as he spoke. Cheng Kaige quickly stood up and said, "The script can be revised. Let's talk."

"Let's make an appointment next time. I have other things to do today."

After Xu Feng finished speaking, he turned around and left.

Cheng Kaige stood silently, filled with frustration.

In his plan, he wanted to build a movie theater in old Shanghai to shoot movies.

That would require a lot of money, and the money he raised in the United States simply wasn't enough.

If he could find support from the factory, there would definitely be no problem, but he couldn't help but feel ashamed.

Cheng Kaige regretted returning to China so late.

It would be nice to come back before Song Zhu retreated. At least he wouldn't have to face Chen Shiping directly.

Cheng Kaige is a very strange person. If you take a closer look at him before he was thirty, you will find that he did not have very strong persistence and self-esteem.

But after filming Yellow Land, getting married, going abroad and getting a green card, I became arrogant.

He doesn't want to let go of his figure, just like a proud scholar.

But his past experience was not like this.

Perhaps only by letting go of the arrogance brought about by the yellow land and the green card can we truly see ourselves clearly.

Cheng Kaige stayed in Xiangjiang for a few more days, looking for investors to invest in him.

It's just that no film company in Xiangjiang will come up with the money to make a movie for him.

There are so many film crews in Xiangjiang who don’t have money to start work. Why do you want to make a literary film for you?

Cheng Kaige, who had found nothing in Hong Kong, returned to the mainland and went directly to the Shanghai Film Studio.

Since you want to build a Shanghai style street, you should be able to find Shanghai Film Studio!
Cheng Kaige still has face in the Mainland and met directly with the director of Shanghai Film Studio.

It's just that when Director Zhang heard that Cheng Kaige wanted to invest, he opened his mouth to say five million and was speechless.

Where can I get so much money to build a house for you?

Cheng Kaige looked at Director Zhang You and said, "The film and television city can be used for a long time after it is built, and it will not lose money."

Director Zhang smiled bitterly and said, "Of course I know what you're talking about. It's just that the factory has no money and has just planned an action blockbuster."

It’s Chen Shiping’s influence again!

Cheng Kaige felt uncomfortable.

Why can't we get rid of Chen Shiping's shadow!

"Beijing Film Studio is not rich, so why don't you go to the factory to ask for money? Your film and television city is well built, so it should support you."

Director Zhang looked at Cheng Kaige with some doubts, wondering why he chose the distance instead of the near.

Could it be that Chen Shiping deliberately suppressed him? I haven't heard any news either.

Cheng Kaige didn't know how to explain, so he had to find an excuse to leave.

Walking on the streets of Shanghai, Cheng Kaige looked at the people coming and going, and finally let out a long sigh.

If you don’t build a house, don’t build it!
If you don’t steam the steamed buns, you’ll lose your reputation!
Cheng Kaige went directly back to Beijing and started preparing for a new movie with his own money.

Chen Shiping was not embarrassed when he found out, and happily asked the factory to cooperate.

Anyway, there is money to be made, so why not cooperate.

But when he learned about Cheng Kaige's new movie, he couldn't help but feel a headache.

This movie has no chance of being released, let alone winning an award.

It’s not like you’re going to be awarded an award for photographing China’s feudal society and the darkness of human nature.

If you only looked at this, Cheng Kaige would have won the award long ago!
Chen Shiping no longer takes care of Cheng Kaige, and will come back when he is exhausted.

He is now looking at his old classmate with a headache.

Yu Hua sat across from him and said, "Zhang Yimo is going to adapt my novel, and he said he would shoot it this year. Look, you've been shouting in the drizzle for several years!"

Chen Shiping smiled awkwardly and said, "I will shoot the new movie after I finish it."

Yu Hua then smiled and said, "It must be filmed this year."

"Shoot! I'll definitely shoot!" Chen Shiping agreed.

It was originally planned to be filmed this year, but it had to wait until True Lies was completed.

Yu Hua looked at Chen Shiping and said, "Zhang Yimo said he wanted to find Lu Wei as a screenwriter, but I still want to find you. Do you have time?"

Chen Shiping shrugged and said, "I really don't have time, just let Zhang Yimo do it himself."

"Okay, then I don't care, but Zhang Yimo is too stingy. The copyright fee is only a few thousand yuan." Yu Hua couldn't help but complain.

"Ask him to add more money. This time it is invested by Era International. They have money." Chen Shiping said with a smirk.

Yu Hua shook his head and didn't intend to ask for money, mainly because he was embarrassed.

The copyrights of mainland novels are worthless these days, so how can he be embarrassed to ask for money?

Cheng Kaige soon learned about the news that Zhang Yimo was going to make a new movie.

For some reason, he suddenly felt stressed.

If Zhang Yimo wins another award and he gets nothing, he really doesn’t know how to face it in the future.

Cheng Kaige, who was full of pressure, originally wanted to ask Gu Changwei to take photos for him.

Just thinking that he had "betrayed" her, she turned to look for Du Kefen.

Cheng Kaige also likes the photography style of Du Kefen, Wang Jiawei's royal photographer.

I don’t believe that I am not as powerful as Zhang Yimo!
In the past, he was just a photographer for himself!

Cheng Kaige was holding his breath and must prove himself.

The factory was extremely busy for a while.

Three great directors, Chen Shiping, Zhang Yimo and Cheng Kaige, are all going to release new films.

Many people are already silently looking forward to the trio's movie.

By the way, Jiang Wen's movie is also about to be finished. If everything goes well, maybe they can participate in the film festival together!

Five generations of directors are in chaos!
It’s exciting just thinking about it!
However, Chen Shiping made commercial films, so it is not easy to compare with them.

This is a bit of a pity, otherwise it would be interesting if all four of them made literary films and participated in the film festival together!

Chen Shiping also heard someone in the factory talking about this matter.

However, I was wondering if I should go faster when I turned back to take pictures of the shouting in the drizzle.

Maybe I can really compare with them.

But foreign film festivals probably won't award him awards.

Even if Chen Shiping takes part in the competition, he will probably be ignored by Hua Hua and deliberately embarrass him.

Therefore, Chen Shiping does not plan to participate in film festivals in the future.

Wait a few years and I’ll have the opportunity to go to the Berlin Film Festival to complete the three major ones.

After the turn of the millennium, the Berlin Film Festival could no longer maintain its quality, and began to favor commercial films to maintain the festival's operations.

When the time comes for me to participate in the film festival, I guess they will be able to hand over the prize.

Now let Zhang Yimo and the others have fun first.

Zhang Yimo and Cheng Kaige completed preparations and started filming.

Cheng Kaige didn't seem so annoyed this time, and he didn't know if Mr. Cheng was watching him from behind.

Chen Shiping also negotiated investment matters with Jiahe at this time and received an investment of 20 million. Guan Zhilin also invested fifteen million, and the rest was paid for by the factory.

Chen Shiping's script was submitted for review for seven or eight days before it was sent back. The approval response was to downplay sensitive issues as much as possible.

This does not mean that it has not been said, and Chen Shiping is not prepared to modify it.

Let’s get started!
The worst thing is that the movie doesn't mention the specific department of the male protagonist or the force of the villain.

When the art department knew that Chen Shiping was about to turn on the camera, everyone was numb.

The fighter model is not finished yet!

The people at the Zhijing branch were also confused. They didn’t find out where there were any bridges to be demolished!
Chen Shiping came to the studio, looked at the fighter plane model that was only half completed, frowned and said:
"It's a bit more sci-fi. It doesn't need to be designed according to current fighter aircraft, so as not to involve other issues."

"Okay, let's redesign based on the existing ones."

Chen Shiping hummed and asked, "Go back and try the green screen a few more times with the people in the technical research room. The effect must be realistic, otherwise you will have to do stunts."

The person from the art team said: "The props are definitely fine, but I can't guarantee it in the technical laboratory."

"Can't you guys handle the conditions like Journey to the West?"

Chen Shiping rolled his eyes at him. He spent so much money and couldn't even make a green screen. What a fool!

This is not a difficult technique. In 1985, Journey to the West could produce good results.

Add so much funding to the Film Technology Research Laboratory and invest in Peking University. If it doesn't work out, all positions will be transferred!

Go to the data room to sort out the information!
Chen Shiping walked around the studio and left.

You have to put some pressure on them.

There would be no technological development without pressure.

But to be on the safe side, Chen Shiping still went to the stunt team.

If the effect of the green screen is not good, you will really have to use the stunt team.

After hearing Chen Shiping's request, the stunt team wanted to find someone from the Film Technology Laboratory to force them to do a good job with the green screen.

Otherwise, it would be too difficult and very dangerous to actually shoot.

Chen Shiping naturally knew that this was difficult, so he relaxed his requirements when choosing young actors.

I want a girl of fifteen or sixteen years old, not thirteen or fourteen years old.

Otherwise, the actors in some scenes would be too young to film.

Mei Juan had already selected a lot of young actors, but she had to start all over again.

There are many difficult moves in the movie, and Mei Juan directly asked people to go to Beijing Dance Theater to choose the actors.

That afternoon the casting people brought back a little girl.

Mei Juan couldn't help but frown when she looked at the little girl who was 1.6 meters tall in front of her.

"How old are you, little girl?" Mei Juan couldn't help but ask.

Li Xiaoran said nervously: "Sixteen, I have good grades and will go to the Oriental Dance Troupe soon."

Mei Juan nodded. She always felt that it was a little too tall, and the little girl was also well developed.

But with a good foundation in dancing, filming is indeed much easier.

Mei Juan was a little unsure, so she took Li Xiaoran to find Chen Shiping.

Chen Shiping was chatting with Lin Fangbing in the office at this time.

The stylist in the factory gave Lin Fangbing a rustic outfit for Chen Shiping to look at.

When Mei Juan came in with Li Xiaoran, Chen Shiping looked a little surprised.

It's quite a coincidence that we found this person.

"Director, this is a new young actor, do you think it will work?" Mei Juan asked Li Xiaoran.

Chen Shiping said speechlessly: "He is still a young actor, so tall."

Lin Fangbing took the initiative to stand next to Li Xiaoran and said, "This is not good enough."

The eyes of several people in the office suddenly lit up. The two people looked a bit alike standing together.

The key is that Lin Fangbing is 1.75 meters tall! Long legs and tall!

Li Xiaoran is really harmonious standing next to her, but she looks more like a sister than a mother and daughter.

Chen Shiping shook his head and said, "No, these are not sisters."

Mei Juan couldn't help but said: "Sister Fangbing is only twenty-eight. Even if she has a child, she is only eight years old at most. She dresses old-fashioned and is in her early thirties at most. Her child is thirteen years old at most. You don't want a thirteen-year-old!"

Chen Shiping couldn't help but laugh. Mei Juan has been very courageous recently!

But she was telling the truth. If the technology in the factory was good enough, he would not adjust the age of the young actors to fifteen or sixteen.

In the final analysis, film technology is still too backward.

The technology is not as mature as Hollywood, but people still use surround screens!

Chen Shiping thought about it and said, "Then change the script. The child belongs to the ex-wife. Cheng Long is older, so it is normal to have a child of fifteen or sixteen."

Everyone in the office couldn't help laughing.

Seeing them laughing, Chen Shiping felt helpless and wanted to change the script!

Although only one character was changed, many plots also had to be revised.

But the problem is not big. The little wife hates her husband who is boring and ordinary on the surface, and then seeks excitement.

The husband of an old man and a young wife has no sense of security, so he suspects his wife of having an affair and then stalks her.

Chen Shiping suddenly felt that changing the script in this way would make it smoother.

Thinking of this, Chen Shiping immediately decided on Li Xiaoran.

Li Xiaoran jumped up happily at that time, pulling Lin Fangbing and Mei Juan to call her sister.

But Chen Shiping said to the stylist: "Let's redesign the clothes and make them fashionable."

The stylist and Lin Fangbing went back to work on the design again, and took Li Xiaoran with them.

You’re all here, let’s design it together.

Mei Juan and Chen Shiping were the only ones left in the office. Mei Juan looked at the expressionless Chen Shiping and quietly took a step back to escape.

If you just made a casual comment, you will definitely be settled by Qiu Hou.

"Where are you going? Pour me a cup of tea." Chen Shiping said without raising his head.

Mei Juan said obediently and went to pour the tea. After placing it on the table, she was about to leave, but she was stopped by Chen Shiping again.

"How was the result of Lao Gu and Zhao Fei's location scouting?"

Mei Juan said immediately: "It's ready. We've negotiated with the local people about renting a venue. When they heard that it was Cheng Long's movie, they said they would provide the venue for free."

Chen Shiping didn't have any surprises, so he said, "Let's get ready. We will officially start filming next Monday."

Mei Juan took the order and left, and breathed a sigh of relief when she got out.

A few days later, Chen Shiping and the crew set off for Xiangjiang.

Just after passing the customs, Jiahe and Cheng Long came to greet them.

It was very grand and a Rolls-Royce came.

How could Chen Shiping be so high-profile? After politely refusing to leave the crew to Cheng Long, he took a taxi to Yindu to visit Mr. Li.

The same goes for Cheng Long and the others. What's the point of sitting on something like Da Lao?

And in front of so many people!
Wouldn’t it be nice to quietly do some flowers while eating in the evening?
Yongsheng also received news that Chen Shiping had come to Xiangjiang. He called Cheng Long directly and wanted to attend the reception banquet in the evening.

Cheng Long didn't want to be the middleman, so he just confused it vaguely.

However, Yongsheng inquired and found out where they were going to eat in the evening, and planned to go directly there.

We must ease relations with the mainland, and we can’t do it without bowing our heads.

(End of this chapter)