Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 73: Screenwriter, the first thing to consider is naturally money!
Zhang Chao saw this "Director He" again after school the next afternoon.

A staff member of Lu Academy told him that someone was waiting for him in the college's reception room and asked him to go there after class.

When Zhang Chao arrived at the reception room, he saw a middle-aged fat man with a gloomy face sitting inside, crossing his legs and smoking.

Seeing Zhang Chao coming in, the dark clouds on his face suddenly dissipated, revealing a smile as bright as the sun. He stepped forward enthusiastically and stretched out his hand, saying, "You must be Zhang Chao, right? I'm He Youde... yes, the one who called last night. I had a little drink at the time, so my attitude was a little bad. I'm really sorry."

Zhang Chao did not comment on his apology, but still reached out and gently touched He Youde's hand with his fingertips.

After sitting down, Zhang Chao asked calmly, "What do you want to talk to me about?"

He Youde didn't seem to care, and continued with a smile: "Student Zhang Chao, you've been very popular recently. Our Director Li sent you an email, but I didn't see your reply, so he asked me to come over. I didn't expect..."

Zhang Chao frowned. He had been online less recently. The dormitory at Luyuan was old and had no network, so he could only take his laptop to the library of Luyuan to plug in the network cable. Time was limited, so he only replied to some emails from acquaintances. He planned to read the rest in detail when he had more free time on the weekend.

So he asked, "I have a lot of classes during this period... Who is Director Li?"

He Youde sat up straight and said in a very respectful tone: "Director Li, that's our director Li Shaohong. The movie "Baby in Love" that was released a few months ago, with Zhou Xun as the leading actress, did very well at the box office. Haven't you seen it?"

Zhang Chao resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Since Li Shaohong was also a well-known director, he decided to give the fat man another chance and asked, "Director Li, what do you want to talk to me about?"

He Youde said, "Director Li has taken a liking to your novel "Youth Like You" and wants to make it into a movie. She is too busy, so she asked me to come and talk to you about the copyright for the adaptation."

Li Shaohong is currently considered a top domestic director, and a rare female director. She graduated from the directing department of the Yanjing Film Academy. She started with movies in the 80s, and in the late 90s, she filmed popular TV series such as "The Ming Palace" and "The Oranges Are Red". If she hadn't failed to make a TV series based on a famous book many years later, her directorial resume would be perfect.

Zhang Chao asked, "Oh, then what are Director Li's specific ideas for adapting this novel? When do you plan to film it?"

He Youde hesitated for a long time before saying, "Director Li... just said that this novel is very good and more suitable for her to shoot... By the way, we are willing to pay 10 yuan for the copyright of the adaptation. This fee is not low!"

Zhang Chao was delighted and said, "It's really not cheap! - But I don't want to sell it!"

He Youde was anxious and said hurriedly: "How about we add a little more - how about 13? Or 15?"

Zhang Chao stood up and left. Before leaving, he said to He Youde, "Go back and tell Director Li that he wants to take away the copyright of my novel. The director's opinion is very important."

He Youde tried to persuade him to stay a few more times, but when he saw Zhang Chao walking away, he put out his cigarette and made a light "Puh" sound.

The next day, He Youde told Li Shaohong the situation in his office at Xinqiao Hotel.

"Zhang Chao is unwilling to come and talk to me?"

"Hey, you didn't see that boy. He's very arrogant. I had to go there twice before I saw him."

"Oh, no wonder. A young man of eighteen or nineteen would be a little flattered with his current fame."

"That's not the case!"

"Then forget about it. I don't have to shoot 'Better Days'. Let's prepare for the next project. Please sort out the scripts you sent yesterday, sort them by plot type, and give them to me."

"Okay!" Zhang Chao naturally didn't know about the conversation between He Youde and Li Shaohong. He didn't regret refusing to sell the adaptation rights to Li Shaohong.

Although Li Shaohong is a rare suitable candidate - as a woman, she is good at understanding and shaping female characters. It can be said that half of Zhou Xun's popularity is due to her; she also has experience in shooting crime films and thrillers, such as "Golden Snake Murder Case" and "Bloody Morning" - a director who possesses these two qualities can be said to be unique.

It would actually be a good choice to let Li Shaohong shoot "Better Days"

But this He Youde left a very bad impression on him. Even if Li Shaohong himself did not mean to do so, Zhang Chao was unwilling to have more contact with such a difficult kid under his command. The world is so big, there is no need to waste time on intrigues with villains.

The theme of today's course is "Film and Television Script Writing". The teacher is of a very high level. She is He Jiping, who graduated from the Department of Drama Literature of the Central Academy of Drama.

After graduation, He Jiping joined the Yenching People's Art Theatre and made a great start. Her first play, Good Luck Mansion, was performed hundreds of times. Then she wrote another play, which became the most performed repertoire of the People's Art Theatre besides Teahouse - The World's No.1 Restaurant.

After marriage, she went to Hong Kong with her husband and began to write scripts for film and television dramas. The script for Xu Ke's classic martial arts film "New Dragon Inn" was written by her.

Although He Jiping was over 50 years old at this time, she was in excellent mental state. She had refreshing short hair and wore a pair of rimless glasses. She looked intellectual and elegant.

The first question she asked in class stumped everyone:

“What should you consider first when writing a movie or TV show script?”

Some students answered: "Stories!"

Some students answered: "Characters!"

Some students answered: "Theme!"

……

Even Zhang Chao threw out an answer: "Contradiction and conflict!"

All the answers were denied by He Jiping one by one. Seeing that no one answered, He Jiping finally gave the answer: "As a screenwriter for a film or TV series, the first thing you have to consider is money!"

Everyone was in an uproar.

He Jiping waited until the noise died down before continuing, "I know what everyone is thinking, but you all misunderstood. The money I'm talking about here doesn't refer to the screenwriter's royalties, but the production costs of the film and television series."

He Jiping turned around and wrote a big "money" on the blackboard, and then said: "Novels, essays, and poems almost completely belong to the writer, but the script does not completely belong to the screenwriter. The script serves the film and television project. It is more like a building drawing, telling everyone on the construction site what to do. It is the result of multi-party coordination.

Therefore, before writing, the screenwriter must know the budget of the play, and then write a wonderful story within the budget. Novelists can be imaginative, but screenwriters cannot. For example, if you rack your brains to write a scene of "burning the Old Summer Palace", and the director says "there is no money, we can't shoot it", then your work will be in vain, and it is useless...

In addition, screenwriters need rigorous logical thinking to sort out the key points of the script from the complicated requirements of investors, directors, and leading actors. From the preparation to the final completion of a script, the screenwriter may have to hold countless meetings..."

As He Jiping's in-depth and easy-to-understand presentation progressed, the fifty or so students present gradually began to understand how writing scripts for film and television dramas is so different from writing novels and essays.

Zhang Chao was taking notes seriously - today's class was finally here!
(End of this chapter)