Generation Z Artists

Chapter 277 Seminar

Even the head of the online trolls was surprised to learn that a film seminar could be held in this way.

It was a fairly large activity room, with a conference table in the middle arranged in a square frame, and about 200 chairs around it. I wonder how many people would come to such a small, run-down meeting.

Fang Xinghe arrived 5 minutes early, just in time. When he turned around, he was surprised to find that he didn't recognize almost anyone at the conference table, but he knew almost everyone sitting on the benches around him.

In the cast and crew of "Hero", Zhang Yimou, Wei Ping, and Fang Xinghe sat at the table, while the rest of the members sat on the side.

Jay Chou went back to Hollywood to film a new movie and didn't come. Li Jie and Zhang Ziyi (Zhao Xiaoding) each had a notebook and put them in the front row, pretending to be well-behaved.

Among the familiar faces in the first row were the poet couple, Xiao Gangpao, the head of the directing department at Beijing Film Academy, Xie Jin and four or five other big names, several well-known directors from those two islands, Xiang Huaqiang, Emperor Entertainment Group's Yang, Chai Zhiping and other entertainment tycoons.

It can be said that almost all the well-known and prominent filmmakers from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong were present.

Looking at the nameplates on the conference table, you can see the top leader in the cultural sector, the third-ranking leader in the propaganda sector, several leaders in charge of international and cross-strait affairs in the diplomatic sector, the head of the film bureau, the current head of China Film Group and Vice Chairman Han, the top leader of Shanghai Film Group, the presidents of the three major universities... Everyone who has any connection to the topic is here.

Director Fang is known for his humility and low-key demeanor. Wearing black-rimmed glasses, he quietly follows behind Wei Ping and Zhang Yimou, like a little follower.

However, the attendees dared not really treat him as a mere follower.

From the moment they arrived at the door, the people inside started getting up one after another.

"Director Zhang!"

"Director Fang!"

"A resolute plan!"

"Xiao Fang!"

Greetings rose and fell, and Fang Xinghe and Mou Zi were evenly matched.

As for Wei Ping... hardly anyone paid him any attention; at most, they would just nod.

After a brief greeting, the formal greeting began.

Zhang Junhui, the principal of Beijing Film Academy, smiled broadly, pulling over the principals of the Central Academy of Drama and Shanghai Theatre Academy to introduce them—this was somewhat of a reversal of the natural order, as Fang Xinghe should have been the one to step forward and greet them.

But Lao Zhang wasn't happy about it; he insisted on dragging two colleagues along to join in the fun with so many people.

"Come, come, Xiao Fang, meet your two mentors... Old Li and Old Sun, see our Beijing Film Academy's natural genius, isn't he quite different in person from the movie?"

Principal Li and Principal Sun are disgusting.

One bit down hard on the cheek, while the other panted heavily, but was held tightly by the 1.8-meter-tall Old Zhang like a pair of pliers, unable to move, and could not be dragged away.

In an effort to salvage their remaining image, the two principals offered words of encouragement with forced laughs.

"He's even more handsome in person! He has the elegance of a scholar and the spirit of a warrior. Good boy, good boy!"

"Xiao Fang has brought glory to the country, truly remarkable! The emergence of a genius like you on the land of China is a blessing for China, a blessing for the nation, and a blessing for the cultural industry!"

Despite their praise, these two didn't mention the Beijing Film Academy at all.

Who do you think you are?
Did you train someone who has never attended a single class?
shameless!

Old Zhang really had no shame and continued to stab them in the chest.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry! I don't know how it happened. I became the principal without even realizing it, picked up Xiao Fang without even realizing it, and somehow turned the Beijing Film Academy into a world-class institution..."

Look at the mess this has made! The boss keeps calling me to meetings to share my success stories, but what experience do I have?
Unlike you two, who work diligently and conscientiously in running the school... I still have much to learn from you!

puff!
These two principals were like diaphragms, spewing blood in anger, their blood sugar and uric acid levels skyrocketing, wishing they could punch the big boss right in front of him.

They didn't make a move, but suddenly a muffled thud came from next door.

Ren Dong, the chairman of Shanghai Film Group, has made his move.

He was in an even worse situation. Han from China Film Group, Wang from Changchun Film Group, and Fu from Xi'an Film Group were all not good actors. These three of them kept arguing and making things difficult for Chairman Ren.

Han Sanping: "Old Fu, you have a keen eye for talent!"

Old Wang chuckled and waved his hand: "Hey, hey, how would I know anything about that? Who knew he'd be so successful? It's mainly because he's my own kid; no matter how worried I was, I had to bite the bullet and support him. He just stumbled upon it, purely by chance!"

Old Fu immediately chimed in, "Well, I just happened to be lucky. I'm really not familiar with Xiao Fang, but Yi Mou insisted on using him. What right did I have to object? Well, I just lay there and let a film record hit me on the head!"

The two brothers suddenly gave each other a thumbs up: "When it comes to having a keen eye for talent, it has to be Chairman Han! You provided great support with great courage and ultimately reaped great rewards. I think you're not far from a promotion."

With a casual wave of his hand, Han Dong sent the throwing knife swiftly piercing Ren Dong's chest, whose eyes were red.

"Hey, what's my bit of courage compared to Chairman Ren? I'm just lucky, lucky, that's all!"

There's a reason for this statement—there were some unsavory issues when the two major film groups were first established, not to mention the subsequent division of responsibilities.

It seems that the two of them were still secretly plotting something until about 10 years ago, but people of their level are concerned about their reputation and influence, so they didn't expose it to the outside world.

Today is the day Old Han can finally hold his head high.

Mr. Ren was so upset by being squeezed out that he gritted his teeth and slapped his good colleague twice, then went to the children's table with a sullen expression—and mingled with Mr. Xiang and Mr. Yang from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

They were already familiar with each other, and now that they are both in the same group of down-and-outs, they naturally have common topics to discuss.

Seeing the lively scene of everyone surrounding him, Albert Yeung was the first to sigh.

"ε=(ο｀*)))Alas!"

Once this was started, all around were sighs and groans.

Gong Li, who was not far away, turned her head and quickly covered her mouth, almost unable to hold back her laughter.

A group of once-big shots—Hong Kong and Taiwan directors, film industry veterans, entertainment tycoons—stared wide-eyed at the younger brother, their emotions a mixture of envy, resentment, and regret. It was quite a show.

In fact, they are now big shots, controlling a lot of resources that others envy, and they can command a large following and have influence.

But none of that matters in front of Fang Xinghe now.

Just by looking at the attitude of the leaders on site, you can tell what level Brother Fang is at now.

"Xiao Fang, you need to give a good talk about the topic of cultural independence today! Your article abroad had a huge impact!"

This is the local official from the cultural sector, smiling as kindly as a father.

The word "high" is emphasized, which carries a deeper meaning.

"Xiao Fang, you're very inspiring, but you've also given us a lot of problems..."

This was a leader from the diplomatic department. He smiled wryly while patting the boy's shoulder affectionately.

Blame? Absolutely not.

The reasons are open to interpretation, and the results need not be mentioned again.

"Xiao Fang, our publicity work isn't good enough. Please give us more feedback and urge us to improve..."

The leader of the propaganda department spoke earnestly and with a hint of apology. The domestic public opinion environment has never been good, and even the official media is quite divided. Opinions about Fang Xinghe within the system are also mixed.

As a leader of a certain level, the person attending the meeting was from the affirmative side, and therefore felt apologetic about the current situation.

However, Fang Xinghe did not accept the other party's apology.

"You are serious."

He casually brushed aside the topic, feigning modesty: "I'm just a student, far from being able to say I've done very well..."

These words weren't meant to be sarcastic, but they still made some people uncomfortable.

If you don't do a good enough job, then what are we?
Are they a bunch of worthless idiots?
The seminar began in this sour atmosphere. In fact, this kind of abstract meeting was quite boring. The cultural sector kept talking about lofty ideals, the propaganda sector kept talking about values, and the film bureau kept talking about humility. An hour and a half passed by in a daze.

The only meaningful thing is probably the various data summarized by the authorities.

As of February 25th, two months after its release, the fate of "Hero" has largely settled, except for a few markets with long-term value.

It grossed a total of $6.48 million worldwide, currently ranking second in the 2003 global box office chart.

It is not only the best film in Chinese film history, but also the only non-Hollywood film in the top 20 of global film history.

Unlike other Hollywood blockbusters, the most impressive thing about "Hero" is its balanced global market presence.

With $1.92 million in North America and $4.56 million in overseas box office, it is a global blockbuster that transcends cultural barriers.

What's even more unusual is that the world's largest single vote bank is not North America, but Japan.

The film "Little Days" contributed $1.63 million, second only to "Spirited Away," and far surpassing "Titanic" and "The Lord of the Rings," demonstrating Fang Xinghe's extraordinary influence in Japan.

When reporting, the leaders of the Film Bureau specifically pointed out that the figure was the allocated revenue, that is, the revenue that the production company could receive.

To estimate the box office figures using a standardized method, it is necessary to multiply by a factor of 1.677, which brings the total to approximately 2.73 million.

This number is even higher than the combined total for North and South America.

Of course, the North American market has special circumstances—it's pursuing an Oscar run—so it's not currently releasing at full capacity to boost box office sales. The real settlement date should be before the start of the summer season.

If it wins the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and then adds another mid-level award with enough hype, "Hero" could rake in at least another $8000 million at the box office.

The film bureau leader was talking animatedly at this point, probably fantasizing about 7 million...

7 million still won't get it into the top 10 of film history, but it's definitely enough to hold onto around 15th place. That's an achievement, sounds pretty good.

The final box office in South Korea was also quite astonishing—it surpassed 10 million viewers, a first in South Korean film history, directly revitalizing the entire South Korean film market and even leading to protests in Chungmuro.

Hmm, while basking in the glory of being a remnant of the Korean revolutionaries, they protest that "Hero" is squeezing out the healthy development of their domestic film industry. That's very Korean.

As for the other market segments, France is number one, the United States is number two, and Italy is number three...

Fang Xinghe didn't pay much attention to the European market, but once the craze started, no one could control it.

These days, Europe and America haven't even begun to be wary of China, or rather, they're somewhat wary, but not much; it's purely based on ideological contempt.

Compared to the situation where "Ne Zha 2" had no screenings and no promotion, "Hero" received a much better treatment.

If you need screenings, you get screenings; if you need promotion, Fang Ge (a popular online figure) handles it.

The cultural leaders specifically praised Fang Xinghe's influence in the literary world, saying, "Comrade Fang Xinghe's work in the literary world has greatly expanded the image boundaries of China's new generation, thereby realizing the rectification of Chinese culture, Chinese tradition, and Chinese consciousness in the international world, and providing an important window for foreign friends to understand, be curious about, and admire China..."

Wow, our Brother Fang is really doing well now, he's even being called "comrade" now!
Of course, such high praise has made some people increasingly unhappy.

During the ensuing "discussion," the tone suddenly became sarcastic and veiled.

The first to express disdain was the poet.

"When making commercial films, we should also pay attention to the depth of the core and the aesthetic of the consciousness. I know it is difficult to pursue a higher level of spirit in kung fu films, but difficulty is not a reason for us to be timid, much less to be complacent about it..."

His wife tried to pull him from behind, but no one could stop the poet in his excitement.

"If you ask me to film it, blah blah blah..."

"Scheduling for specific scenarios, blah blah blah..."

"The final lines between Nameless and the King of Qin were too straightforward, losing that profound charm, blah blah blah..."

The leaders present felt extremely uncomfortable, as if they were sitting on pins and needles, their backs as red as flowers... They smiled like flowers, yet were completely stiff.

But it's not easy for anyone to criticize the poet.

It's a seminar, why shouldn't people be allowed to speak?

Moreover, the poet's current status justifies such harsh criticism—even Xie Lao wouldn't dare say he's firmly ranked ahead of the poet, given the exceptionally high artistic achievements of his films.

Even Fang Xinghe himself could only listen patiently for the time being.

It's no exaggeration to say that even without mentioning "Farewell My Concubine," "Yellow Earth" alone could overshadow Fang Xinghe, who is currently just an assistant director.

This film burst onto the scene in 84 and can be described as a revolutionary artistic masterpiece.

So when a poet talks about art instead of business, everyone has to shut up and listen.

After Kai Zi had had his fill of fun, the venue fell silent for a while.

Then, Huayi Brothers subtly stirred up trouble: "Hero is definitely a flagship film for Chinese cinema in terms of commercial success, but there's one thing I think might not be so appropriate—"

New Pictures and Starry Sky directly took on all the investments, which did nothing to change the weak state of the industry as a whole, and even made the situation of other small and medium-sized film and television companies more difficult.

We have another film, *Hero*, which makes the public happy, but in reality, Chinese films remain the same. This enthusiasm for watching movies will likely subside in a few months. I wonder if the bureau has any thoughts or measures regarding this?

Upon hearing this accusation that Fang Xinghe was hogging the benefits, all the Hong Kong and Taiwan people present felt a pang of sympathy.

Wei Ping was already quite independent, but Fang Xinghe was even more so.

Not only did no investment come out, but the staff also completely rejected Hong Kong and Taiwan, which put immense pressure on the entire Hong Kong entertainment circle.

As the box office of "Hero" continued to explode, resentment accumulated and intensified, which, combined with fear, led to a widespread breakdown in defenses.

Now, in front of all the leaders, those shameless bastards immediately started to show off their skills.

"The insistence on creating a hierarchy among compatriots, distinguishing who can cooperate and who cannot, artificially builds a divide between the two regions. The more successful 'Hero' is at the box office, the more it fails in the grand scheme of things!"

"We Taiwanese filmmakers have always been devoted to our motherland, maintaining close ties and extensive collaborations with the mainland. We have contributed both merit and hard work to the country's economic development and cultural progress. However, with Director Fang's growing influence, the negative impact of some previous minor frictions has spread globally, causing significant damage to our reputation and casting a shadow over the future of cross-strait relations..."

"Hero is a very successful commercial blockbuster, but is it possible that it could have been even more successful?"

"Director Fang's brilliant writing has conquered the world, but it has received more criticism than praise in Taiwan. If we are to talk about Chinese consciousness, we cannot exclude our compatriots in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Are we not Chinese?"

"I have no complaints about 'Hero' or Director Fang, only admiration. I only hope that in the next project, we can have some opportunities to follow and learn from them. One flower blooming alone does not make spring!"

Do you think they're afraid of Fang Xinghe? Yes.

But should these words be said? Yes.

If not now, when?

Continuing to work in the newspapers will obviously not bring any benefits.

Crying and complaining in front of your superiors can at least put pressure on them and get some comforting words from their parents.

However, before the parents could speak out, Fang Xinghe, who had been engrossed in writing and drawing, suddenly looked up, picked up the microphone beside him, and tapped it.

dong dong!

After two muffled thuds mixed with the sound of electricity, he slowly looked around, raised an eyebrow, and spoke.

"Since you've mentioned me, let me say a few words and make a statement."

The room suddenly fell silent, and hundreds of eyes focused on the boy's face.

I'll just say a few words, really just a few words.

It begins with the first and ends with the second.

It silenced the entire audience in awe...

(End of this chapter)