I was just thinking about taking the arts exam and you said I've been playing supporting roles

Chapter 54 The dispute between the Central Academy of Drama and the Beijing Film Academy!
Meanwhile, late at night.

Zhang Yimou's studio.

The office was still brightly lit, and many people gathered around the ping-pong table for meetings.

Except for Pu Lun, the casting director of "The Flowers of War", the cast of "Under the Hawthorn Tree" is basically complete.

Assistant directors Li Shuang and Zang Xichuan, who were in charge of casting at the Nanjing Academy of Fine Arts, have also returned and brought back several actresses who auditioned for the leading female role, Jingqiu. Of course, it is too late today, so the auditions for the leading female role will only begin tomorrow.

"no!"

"She has too much of a prostitute smell. Although Zhao Yumo is a prostitute, she has been wealthy since she was a child, has a high aspiration and is well-educated. She is proud inside..."

"She was able to stand out from the Thirteen Hairpins. She is an outstanding woman!"

"How can you tell at a glance that he's in this line of work?"

"..."

Zhang Yimou leaned back in his chair, his body tilted, looking at the photo of an actress he had finally selected from the Southern Academy of Fine Arts, who could speak both Jinling dialect and English. He kept shaking his head and talking incessantly.

Li Shuang, who was casting on the side, couldn't help but glance at Zang Xichuan beside him, and the two of them shrugged helplessly.

That’s it. The girl in the photo is the only one left.

In order to find a suitable actress for Yu Mo, the assistant director of "Under the Hawthorn Tree" was even involved in the casting, traveling north and south, hoping to discover a girl with potential who was good at English and most importantly, could speak standard Jinling dialect.

It doesn't sound difficult to find. In such a big country, there aren't a few pretty girls?
What's more, English education is so popular that it shouldn't be difficult.

However, Zhang Yimou underestimated his own judgment, and a group of assistant directors also underestimated his strictness in employing people.

There are indeed girls who are satisfied, but speaking Jinling dialect and knowing English are just basic requirements. The most important thing is to fit the role well and have the temperament of the character, which is difficult.

Most casting directors think the film has potential at first glance, but find it boring at second glance, not to mention that it still has to pass Zhang Yimou's test.

And it’s just a test of eyesight, there’s no on-the-spot audition yet!

Many young girls really can't stand scrutiny and taste.

Just looking at this one, who is only 19 years old and has a face full of social experience, is far from the Zhao Yumo in Zhang Yimou's heart.

"Director Zhang, we have already finished the interviews at NAFA!"

“This is the most suitable one!”

Zang Xichuan said this stubbornly, and Zhang Yimou frowned: "So what do you mean?"

"Look at several dance academies in China. Several other art schools in Jiangsu Province have relaxed their requirements. We auditioned at the Nanjing Art Institute before, and the teachers at Nanjing University of the Arts also recommended a few places..."

"One of them said there was a person who fits the bill. He's very good at English and went to school in Jinling since he was a child!"

"So what are you waiting for? Send me the photos!"

“I thought I had run all over it!”

Zhang Yimou suddenly sat up, and Zang Xichuan beside him touched his head. In fact, Zhang Yimou had never considered Nanfang University at the beginning, because he still attached great importance to the school's background.

Nanfang Art School is just a private art school. It opened a branch in Jinling with the help of Communication University of China’s name, but in fact it was privately invested.

The boss Zhang Yimou also knows Pu Shulin of Hua Xia Audiovisual, and Zhang Jizhong's version of "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", "The Return of the Condor Heroes" and other TV series are all produced by this company.

He has extensive connections in this circle and has always wanted to have Zhang Yimou become a professor at NGFW to enhance the NGFW's reputation.

"Okay, then I'll ask Sister Pu to send the photos tomorrow!"

"Yeah, it's almost time!"

Zhang Yimou glanced at the calendar on the table: "Next month, The Hawthorn Tree will definitely start filming. The roles must be decided within this month. The training will take another half a year!"

"The Flowers of War" is not as good as "Under the Hawthorn Tree". The investment is completely not on the same level.

The former introduced North American capital, was preparing for an Oscar, and cast a world-renowned Hollywood superstar; while the latter was just to satisfy Zhang Yimou's unique preference for art films, and while "The Flowers of War" was in preparation, he was itching to make one.

New Picture invested in both films, but did not spend a penny. This is Zhang Weiping's ability to deceive people.

Ever since the release of "Hero", Zhang Yimou no longer needs to spend money for new movie images; people will bring the money to him.

Even after the failure of "Three Guns", "Under the Hawthorn Tree" still attracted third-party capital.

The financial backers behind Tencent, Xiong Xiaoge of IDG Capital, Cao Huayi of New Classics Media, and Zhang Yimou’s most solid comrade-in-arms, Jiang Zhiqiang, with whom he has been working since "Hero"!
This person is the distributor in China that is closest to Hollywood. If a movie wants to go overseas, basically they have to look for him.

The era of blockbuster Chinese films began with his investment. Movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero were all funded by his company Anle. He is known as the first person to distribute Chinese films overseas.

After the meeting, only Pang Liwei and Zhang Yimou were left in the office. "Xiao Pang, did Chen Jin...sign?"

Zhang Yimou stood up and stretched, then asked the assistant who was tidying up.

"It's signed, and the advance payment for the film remuneration has been transferred!"

"I forgot to tell you that Lao Zhang told me that I must use students from Beijing Film Academy this time. Chen Jin seems to have applied for the Central Academy of Drama. Judging from his appearance, I don't think there will be any problem for him to get into the Central Academy of Drama..."

Zhang Yimou frowned. As an assistant who had followed him for more than ten years, the relationship between the two was no longer that of superiors and subordinates, but more like family and friends.

"Yes, he seems to be more inclined towards the Central Academy of Drama!"

"Lulu told me!"

"He is more familiar with Lulu!"

Pang Liwei finished tidying up and looked up, thinking for a moment, "If Chen Jin were to be admitted to Beijing Film Academy, I don't know if he would have any opinions, but his mother would definitely have opinions!"

"Hahaha!"

Zhang Yimou had also met Su Wanyu, and she didn't look like an easy woman to deal with.

"Then we can only let Lao Zhang bleed a little!"

"As an artist in our studio, it's only right that we get some resources!"

If Chen Jin hadn't signed with the studio, Zhang Yimou wouldn't care about this matter, but now that Chen Jin is the first artist of his studio, he must ask for some benefits from his old classmate.

"If he can get into the Central Academy of Drama, we can definitely talk!"

"Lulu said her art exam results seemed pretty good..."

Chen Jin's current agent Pu Lun is not here, so Pang Liwei will take over this position temporarily and must understand the situation of her own artist.

"Then let this kid study hard and then we can snatch a good candidate from the Central Academy of Drama!"

"Mr. Zhang must be so happy!"

When he thought of this, Zhang Yimou was so happy.

The acting department of Beijing Film Academy has actually had a hard time in recent years. Apart from the bad habit of Beijing Film Academy directors selecting actors from the National Theatre of China, which was corrupted by Zhang Yimou, there is also a fact recognized by the industry - the National Theatre of China produces actors, and Beijing Film Academy produces stars.

It may not seem like anything special at first, but upon closer listening, the slogan is so vicious that even the Beijing Film Academy feels like it is a soft article created by people from the Central Academy of Drama.

Praise openly and criticize implicitly.

"Star" is not a good word these days, but actors have always been respected.

Beijing Film Academy obviously couldn't swallow this insult, but it couldn't refute it either.

Because this is indeed true, there are many stars in Beijing Film Academy, but not to mention that they don't have any Best Actor or Best Actress trophies internationally, there are also fewer in China than in the Central Academy of Drama.

Not to mention the Central Academy of Drama, now the actors of Beijing Film Academy are not even as good as those of Shanghai Theatre Academy.

As the dean of Beijing Film Academy, how could Zhang Huijun not know about this?

Therefore, if Beijing Film Academy could snatch a good talent from the Central Academy of Drama, it would be worth it for the media to write about it.

Although this is just a dispute among students, it is a very sensitive incident for many parents of art exam candidates in the circle.

This shows that the Beijing Film Academy is solidifying its directors and selecting students and graduates from its own acting department.

This is a trend indicator.

It is a trigger for many utilitarian parents to change their school choices.

When it comes to resources in the film and television industry, especially movies, Beijing Film Academy has always been the leader in the industry.

The reason why the Central Academy of Drama has been training directors for film and television in recent years and established the TV and Film Department in 02 is actually to break the monopoly of the film circle by directors from the Beijing Film Academy.

So the competition between these two schools is fierce every year.

One is competing for talents in the directing department, and the other is competing for talents in the acting department.

This year, the dean Zhang Huijun personally called Zhang Yimou, which is enough to show how much importance Beijing Film Academy attaches to this matter.

If we don’t pay attention to it, the Performance Department of Beijing Film Academy may really become the third largest!
However, the TV and Film Directing Department of the Central Academy of Drama has already established its position as the second largest in the country!
Many new generation film directors have emerged.

(End of this chapter)