Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 40 [Co-production between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong, the realm of male and female coexistence] Please read
"A co-production?"

"Yes, I think if the mainland and Hong Kong cooperate to produce this charity film, it will also be a good story if it gets out."

"If this is the case, then it would be better for the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong and Macau to co-produce the film, which would have greater national and contemporary significance."

Since 87, when Taiwan allowed veterans to return to the mainland to visit their families, the hostile situation between the two sides that had lasted for decades began to change. Secretary Li Yi knew very well that the two sides would reach the Consensus next year, which would be the closest stage of cooperation between the mainland and Taiwan.

Moreover, this kind of thing will definitely not be accomplished in a few months. I estimate that discussions have already started this year.

The return of Hong Kong in 97, the return of Macao in 99, and the 92 Consensus are also imminent.

At this stage, if we can facilitate co-production of films between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong, it will definitely have a different meaning.

It also brings considerable benefits to Li Yishu personally.

In the eyes of those above him, he was able to rise from a young director who won a big award by donating his copyright to the ranks of outstanding patriotic young directors.

When Xu Su heard Li Yishu's proposal for co-production between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong, he was stunned for a few seconds. Then, he seemed to have discovered something interesting. His eyes immediately lit up and he said:

"Director Li is right. It is more meaningful for this movie to be co-produced by the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong!"

Xu Lu is not just a retired artist, she is also the owner of a film company. Her husband is the founder of the famous Tang Chen Group.

The future Tang Chen Yipin luxury residence in Lujiazui was invested and built by her husband, and next year when Pudong is undergoing a major development, Tang Chen Group will be the first to enter the market.

Following her husband for so many years, Xu Suo has more or less acquired some business acumen. She can naturally see how this proposal of cooperation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong and Macau can bring benefits to their family.

"Then I'll leave the negotiation to Sister Xu."

Li Yishu now also calls her sister, although there is a big age difference between them, Sister Xu is just a respectful title, just like Zhang Guorong's brother.

"Then leave it to me. I'll talk to the Hong Kong Artists Association later."

Xu Suo has a great influence in the Hong Kong circle. He is a veteran artist from Taiwan and now the boss of a film company. He is also backed by the Tang Chen Group, which has been working hard to develop the mainland market.

If she really wants to promote cross-strait co-production among Hong Kong, Taiwan and Hong Kong, her success rate is still very high, at least higher than that of Li Yishu, who now only has the title of a Golden Lion Award-winning director.

Faced with this kind of thing, neither Zhang Guorong nor Gong Li were very interested, or they were not willing to get involved.

Nowadays, the status of actors in the industry is not very high. Even celebrities like Andy Lau and Stephen Chow are restricted by film companies.

The situation in mainland China is basically the same. Under the director-centered system, the director is the soul of the film.

Seeing that Xu Su's interest was distracted by the co-production, Li Yishu took the initiative to say goodbye with Gong Li.

Left the Yanjing Hotel.

When they got to the street outside, Gong Li said, "Yishu, I have been asking around for you these past two days about buying a courtyard house. There are a few people who want to sell it, but their prices are not low."

"The price is negotiable, but what matters most is the quality of the house. I want one with clear property rights, not one of those slums." Li Yishu knows how high the market value of courtyard houses will be in the future. There is no purchase restriction yet, and if he doesn't buy four or five houses at once, he will be wasting this opportunity to make money.

"Don't worry. The properties that can be sold now all have clear ownership. I'll ask around for you tomorrow. If it's suitable, I'll invite someone out and we can sit down and talk."

"Okay, then I'll trouble Sister Gong Li."

"Look at what you said. You already called me sister. This little thing is nothing."

After chatting for a few more sentences, Gong Li originally wanted to send Li Yishu home, but she didn't have a car, so they decided to take a taxi each.

On the way back, Li Yishu was thinking silently in his mind that he should set up a branch in Yanjing.

Although the Art Film Company has a business license in Hong Kong, it is ultimately a shell company.

Li Yishu never thought of keeping it as a shell company. At least it should have an office space and employees.

It will take more than ten years for the domestic film market to begin to take shape.

During this period, in addition to shooting art films and selling overseas copyrights, Li Yishu naturally also wanted to make some commercial films.

With this art film company (Hong Kong), it will be easier to make co-productions in the future.

Li Yishu is not in a hurry about this. After Zhang Guorong and others finish their audition in two days, he will go to Hong Kong in person.

Dealing with HSBC account matters, talking about cross-strait and Hong Kong co-productions, and by the way, chatting with Sister Xu about investing in "Farewell My Concubine".

In Li Yishu's opinion, it is best not to invest in the film industry by yourself, as it is mainly a matter of making a profit. One more investor means less risk.

Even Stephen Chow, one of the two stars of "Chow Yun Fat and Chan", thought he could make a steady profit with his fame and box office appeal, so he set up a Color Star Film Company a few years later and invested tens of millions to independently produce "A Chinese Odyssey". However, he lost so much money that he never thought of investing in production again for many years.

It is true that once bitten by a snake, one will be afraid of ropes for ten years.

Only someone like Lee Ye-su, who has memory of the future, can be sure which movies will make money.

So he had to talk to Xu Xu about it. He couldn't let Xu Xu take on the investment of Farewell My Concubine alone. As a director, he should also bear part of the production risk. The next afternoon.

It was still in the largest suite at the Yanjing Hotel.

Directed by Li Yishu, produced by Xu Suo, and the original author is Li Bihua.

There are also the now well-known Peking Opera female roles Zhang Manling, male roles Song Xiaochuan, and Meipai Qingyi roles Diao Li.

The three of them were specially invited by Li Yishu to teach Peking Opera to the crew, and they are also training teachers for future actors.

An assistant came out from the small room next door: "Director, Zhang Fengyi has finished his makeup."

"Let him come out and see me."

"Ok."

After a while, Zhang Fengyi walked out of the temporary dressing room. He was not wearing a Peking Opera costume today, but a pigtail hairstyle from the late Qing Dynasty.

Who made the image of Overlord in Peking Opera have a black face? Any tall and strong person who puts on makeup can basically match the image.

As soon as he came out, Zhang Fengyi said politely, "Director Li, Producer Xu, Ms. Li."

"Let Sister Gong Li come out and act out this scene with him."

Li Yishu asked her assistant to give the other party a section of the script.

Zhang Fengyi read the script very seriously.

When Gong Li came out, she had already read the script in advance, and she knew how to act after just a quick glance at the content.

After a few minutes, the two began their performance.

The plot is not complicated, it's just about Duan Xiaolou making a scene in a brothel to propose to Juxian. Zhang Fengyi performed very well, not to mention Gong Li, she is very good at this kind of role.

"very good!"

The temperament of Duan Xiaolou was similar to that in his memory. Li Yishu was satisfied and looked at Xu Lu beside him: "Sister Xu, what do you think?"

Xu Su glanced at Li Bihua beside him, and seeing that she was meaningless, he smiled and said, "It's good."

"So it's settled?"

Li Yishu didn't want to drag it out. The original actors performed very well and there was no need to be picky.

Besides, he already has the original clip in his mind, so isn’t it easy to act according to his requirements?

It's not Wang Jiawei, there's no script and the actors can only perform based on their own feelings.

"Well, it's settled."

Since he chose Li Yishu to be the director, Xu Lu naturally believed in his vision.

Besides, Duan Xiaolou and Juxian are only important supporting roles, the real main character is Cheng Dieyi. She is looking forward to whether Zun Long's appearance in the future can surpass Zhang Guorong.

Both Zhang Guorong and Zun Long had to put on Peking Opera makeup, which took quite a while, so it took more than half an hour for them to finish their makeup.

"Let the honor..."

Before Xu Suo finished speaking, Li Yishu interrupted and said, "Why don't you come out together and let the teachers see whose look is more suitable for Yu Ji?"

"Okay." Xu Lu didn't think much about it. If the two of them came out together, they could have a comparison.

Soon after Zhang Guorong and Zun Long came out of the small room, everyone at the scene couldn't help but be dazzled.

The appearance of Yu Ji played by these two people in Peking Opera is quite unique.

When Zun Long was a child in Hong Kong Island, he studied Peking Opera under the tutelage of Hong Kong Island Peking Opera master Fen Juhua, and systematically learned the singing, reciting, acting and fighting of opera.

Regardless of whether she had performed the Farewell My Concubine scene before, at least the appearance of Concubine Yu was absolutely stunning.

Although Zhang Guorong had never studied Peking Opera, before coming for the audition, he invited a Peking Opera master in Hong Kong Island to teach him some simple hand-raising movements and walking postures for Yu Ji. Although he learned it on the spot, he still looked pretty good.

"Director Li, what do you think?"

Xu Su was very satisfied with Zun Long's appearance, and quoted a line from the play; it reached the stage where the person and the role were indistinguishable, and where androgynous characters coexisted.

It has both the masculine figure of a man and the softness that is unique to women.

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(End of this chapter)