I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

"No need. If you get involved, who knows what rumors will spread outside!" Li Xiaoran shook her head and refused.

Cheng Sheng thought about it and agreed with Li Xiaoran. If he intervened, it wouldn't be Yan Po pursuing Li Xiaoran, nor would it be Li Xiaoran being a mistress; it would be a love triangle.

Who knows what kind of huge scandal the reporters will create by then?

"Cheng Sheng, can you tell me what this drama I'm acting in is about?" Li Xiaoran changed the subject, unwilling to talk about Yanpo.

"The new drama is called 'Nirvana in Fire,' which mainly tells a story about revenge and vindication, and is set in the Liang Kingdom."

The protagonist, Mei Changsu, is the alias of Lin Shu, the young commander of the Chiyan Army. He returns to the capital to embark on a path of revenge and exoneration.

The story is filled with elements of political intrigue, wisdom, friendship, and love.

"Is this an alternate history?" Li Xiaoran asked curiously.

"Ah."

"Who is the director? Is it Yang Ting, Sun Fei, Liu Meng, or someone from your company? Or is it another director?" Li Xiaoran asked curiously.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Sheng was surprised that Li Xiaoran was so interested in his company, even knowing so much about its director.

“It’s not them. They have their own projects to film. I plan to have Kong Sheng and Li Xue co-direct ‘Nirvana in Fire’,” Cheng Sheng said.

"Kong Sheng and Li Xue? I've never heard of either of them. Have they directed any works?"

Li Xiaoran looked puzzled. Why would Cheng Sheng's company hire some unknown directors to direct "Nirvana in Fire" when they have so many excellent directors available?

Cheng Sheng smiled slightly. Of course, Li Xiaoran had never heard of Kong Sheng and Li Xue, because neither of them were big directors.

But if it were a person from the future, they would definitely give a thumbs up upon hearing the name Kong Sheng.

Because this director is so talented, almost every film he makes becomes a hit.

Some people even said, "As long as you see his name in the director's name, you know this show is bound to be a hit."

From "Parents' Love" to "Nirvana in Fire," Kong Sheng has become known as the "ceiling of the directorial world."

Kong Sheng transitioned from cinematographer to director.

There is a very strange phenomenon in the domestic directing industry: it is quite common for cinematographers to switch to directing roles in the film and television industry.

For example, Zhang Guoshi, Gu Changwei, Zhang Li, Cao Dun, Kong Sheng, and so on, as well as Yan Po, who was also a photographer at first and even won international awards for his photography.

So why is it so common for cinematographers to become directors?

This is mainly due to the inherent connection of professional roles. On set, the cinematographer has long served as the key "director's eye," not only responsible for the visual presentation of the images but also coordinating lighting, camera operation, and other aspects, and having a deep understanding of the overall creative process.

This accumulation of experience gives cinematographers a natural advantage in core directing skills such as composition and pacing. For example, directors of photography often manage multiple technical teams, and their responsibilities partially cover the work of a director.

In addition, photographers have a high sensitivity to visual language and can quickly adapt to the visual narrative requirements of directors, which provides a technical foundation for the transformation.

Changes in the industry environment have also driven this transformation.

As the industrialization of television dramas improves and production standards become increasingly professional, cinematographers, with their technical backgrounds, can more easily integrate into the director's work.

At the same time, the film and television market's increasing demands for visual quality have prompted practitioners to extend their roles from single technical positions to comprehensive creative roles.

However, it should be noted that transformation is not without risk. Some works, due to an overemphasis on visuals, neglect narrative rhythm, exposing the photographer's shortcomings in story construction.

Finally, regarding personal motivation, a photographer may turn to directing out of a desire for narrative creation or due to concerns about hitting a career ceiling.

Film history is replete with successful examples, such as Zhang Yimou, who started as a cinematographer and eventually became an internationally renowned director by continuously expanding his narrative abilities. This path demonstrates that successful transformation often depends on proactively enhancing narrative skills or engaging in deep collaboration with screenwriters.

Overall, the shift from photographer to director is both a natural result of the evolution of professional roles and a reflection of the industry's demand for multi-skilled talent.

However, the success of the transformation depends on the individual's cultivation of narrative ability and the suitability of project selection.

Kong Sheng was not a graduate of a regular school; he had never even attended university.

He worked in a factory and as a factory worker.

But unwilling to settle for mediocrity, he chose to attend night school.

Through hard work, Kong Sheng obtained his diploma in Chinese Language and Literature.

After graduation, Kong Sheng worked as an editor at a small magazine for a period of time.

However, driven by a deep-seated passion, he simply couldn't suppress his impulse.

He has a great sense of the camera. Sometimes when he sees something interesting happening on the street, he will think about how to capture it on camera as he passes by.

Finally, unwilling to be buried in old books, Kong Sheng chose to resign and start his new career as a photography assistant.

From then on, Kong Sheng joined Shandong Film Group and became one of the photographers carrying cameras.

Although he was a latecomer to the field, Kong Sheng embodied the fine qualities of Shandong people: a willingness to endure hardship and a step-by-step approach.

One day, Kong Sheng met his fellow villager Zhang Jiandong.

Zhang Jiandong found Kong Sheng and filmed his first TV series, "Noon Sunshine".

This drama stars Pu Cunxi, Wang Zhiwen, Ding Jiali, Ge You, and others.

These people were definitely top-tier celebrities back then.

This drama mainly tells the story of three generations of the older generation, and the 80s, the setting of the story, became the "midday sun" in their lives.

No one expected that more than 30 years later, this name would become the name of a film and television company.

In the following years, Kong Sheng participated in the filming of many classic films and television dramas.

In 1994, he won the Shandong Outstanding Cinematography Award for his biographical drama "Kong Fansen".

In those years, Kong Sheng's name could be seen in popular martial arts dramas such as "The White-Browed Hero" and "Gan Nineteen Sister".

In 1996, when "Gan Shijiu Mei" was a hit, Kong Sheng, who had been a cinematographer for more than ten years, made his first transition to directing.

He filmed the TV series "Police Officer Cheng Guangquan".

This drama won the second prize of the Feitian Award for TV dramas that year, and Kong Sheng also won the Outstanding Director Award of SD Province.

He transitioned from a liberal arts student to a photographer, and then from a photographer to a director.

Kong Sheng's path as a director is becoming increasingly broad.

As a photographer, you are essentially "the director's eyes." The photographer is responsible for capturing the scenes that the director imagines in his mind.

Therefore, many of China's top directors have experience as cinematographers. (End of Chapter)