Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 221, Page 219: Filming Begins

As we entered mid-March 1999, spring was gradually arriving in Beijing. The poplar trees along the North Third Ring Road East began to sprout tender green buds. Although there was still a hint of coolness in the air, the harsh desolation of winter had already faded away.

On the ninth floor of the Jingxin Building, in the office of the general manager of Shengying Media, Wang Sheng had just finished reviewing the final draft of the script for the "Red Flag" project.

Led by Zhou Fang, the head of the historical drama team, and under the core creative framework provided by Wang Sheng, the team combined solid historical research and artistic processing to successfully condense the story of the group of behind-the-scenes heroes who fought to ensure the smooth raising of the first five-star red flag of the new China on the eve of the founding ceremony in 1949 into a 50-minute TV movie script with a tight structure and sincere emotions.

The script centers on engineer Lin Heng, and revolves around the search for alternative metal materials, overcoming technical difficulties in the automatic flag-raising device, and uniting various forces. It vividly showcases the amazing wisdom, unwavering faith, and sincere patriotism of ordinary individuals behind the grand historical narrative.

The script is rich in detail and the characters have well-developed arcs, combining the tension of tackling technical challenges with a touch of simple and moving human warmth.

"President Wang, this is the final version revised based on your feedback last time. All historical details have been repeatedly verified, and the relationships and emotional arcs of the characters have also been strengthened." Zhou Fang stood in front of his desk, his tone carrying both exhaustion and pride after completing a major task.

Wang Sheng quickly flipped through the key chapters and nodded: "Thank you for your hard work, Team Leader Zhou. The script is very good overall and meets expectations. Submit it for review immediately according to the procedure, and indicate that it is one of the works we planned as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China."

"Understood, I'll submit it to the TV and Film Division immediately."

Zhou Fang took the script from Wang Sheng and left the office with light steps.

……

Just as the script for "Red Flag" was being submitted for review, a highly anticipated opening ceremony was being held in Hengdian, Zhejiang Province, thousands of miles away.

In mid-March, Hengdian was already bustling with activity.

The epic martial arts drama "The Legendary Twins," produced by Enlight Media, a subsidiary of Shengying Media, and co-produced with Taiwan Zhenglong International Communication Co., Ltd., officially began filming at Hengdian World Studios after months of closed training and meticulous preparation.

Choosing Hengdian as the core filming location was a joint decision made by Wang Sheng, Li Guoli, and Cai Yinong.

At this time, Hengdian was not as large as it would be in later years, but scenic spots such as "Ming and Qing Palaces" and "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" had already taken shape. They were especially suitable for building and filming classic scenes full of ancient charm and slightly strange colors, such as Yihua Palace and Evil Valley, which were needed for "The Legendary Twins".

At the opening ceremony, banners fluttered and incense tables were set up high.

Director Li Guoli and producer Cai Yinong led the entire cast and crew to the event.

The two male leads, Lin Zhiyin (Xiao Yu'er) and Su Youpeng (Hua Wuque), dressed in their costumes, one lively and spirited, the other aloof and ethereal, instantly attracting the attention of numerous media cameras.

Actresses such as Fan Xiaopang (Tie Xinlan), Gao Yuanyuan (Su Ying), and Li Bingbing (Yaoyue Palace Master) also have exquisite makeup and hair, each with their own unique charm. Standing together, they are already a beautiful sight, foreshadowing the complex and entangled emotional threads in the drama.

Wang Sheng himself did not attend the event in Hengdian, but he sent a senior company representative (Cai Yinong) to attend and delivered a flower basket and his blessings.

……

On Hong Kong Island.

There was also a piece of news that shocked the industry.

"King of Comedy" grossed approximately HK$3110 million in its first month, surpassing Jackie Chan's "Gorgeous" and becoming the biggest winner of the Lunar New Year season. Given the dismal state of the Hong Kong film market, this achievement is enough to secure its place as the year's box office champion (excluding imported films).

Upon learning this news, Wang Sheng was also somewhat confused as to whether it was the chain reaction brought about by "30 Days" or by Cecilia Cheung that caused "King of Comedy," which originally had a total box office of over 2700 million, to suddenly increase by nearly 400 million.

Thanks to joint efforts by China Film Group and other departments to combat film smuggling, pirated DVDs of "King of Comedy" have become wildly popular in mainland China.

Cecilia Cheung is still inundated with commercial performance offers this month.

The money she earned was dozens of times more than what Li Xiaoran, nicknamed "Big White Salted Fish," had earned after running around doing commercial performances for a few days and feeling exhausted.

After buying a villa this month, Li Dabai lost his goal in life.

His daily activities included going to the school, checking on the renovation progress of the newly purchased villa, or coming to the company to develop office scenes with Wang Sheng.

There's no way around it, being a couch potato is just too great.

Oh, right, Cecilia Cheung has already enrolled her younger brother in an international school in Beijing. Her mother didn't come; she prefers the living environment on Hong Kong Island.

……

In late March, the project approval for "Red Flag" was successfully passed, and relevant departments of radio, film and television affirmed the creative direction of the drama in promoting the main theme and focusing on historical details.

Wang Sheng immediately ordered the formation of the "Red Flag" production team.

As for directing, he personally took the lead, serving as the executive producer and chief supervisor, and grasping the overall direction and artistic tone.

The executive director is Huo Jianqi.

After winning the international award, Lao Huo resigned from the Beijing Film Studio and came to serve Wang Sheng.

In terms of casting, a group of talented actors with solid acting skills and images that fit the roles were selected, including many veteran actors from drama troupes such as the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

All departments of the production team quickly took their positions, and the costumes, props, and art direction were prepared in strict accordance with the style of Beiping in the late 1940s.

Wang Sheng specifically requested that core props such as flagpoles and electric devices must strive to recreate a sense of historical authenticity.

Preparations are proceeding intensively yet systematically.

By the end of March, the pre-production work for the TV series "Red Flag" was all completed, and filming was just waiting to begin.

In early April, spring fully unfolded in Beijing.

The soundstage at Beijing Film Studio (formerly Beijing Film Production Company) exudes a solemn atmosphere unlike that of commercial film crews.

The television movie "Red Flag" (adapted from "My People, My Country: The Eve"), which was filmed with an investment of three million yuan and using a 32mm film camera, held a simple yet grand opening ceremony here.

There weren't many entertainment media present; instead, there were mostly industry colleagues and representatives from relevant organizations.

Wang Sheng, dressed in a dark suit, stood at the forefront of the creative team.

Beside him was Han Sanping, Vice Chairman and Deputy General Manager of China Film Group and General Manager of Beijing Film Studio, who had been specially invited to attend.

Han Sanping's appearance undoubtedly adds significant weight to this project.

He represents the newly formed China Film Group, as well as the continued close cooperation with Shengying Media.

At the opening ceremony, Han Sanping delivered a brief speech.

He first affirmed the ideological and artistic merits of the script "Red Flag," emphasizing that reviewing history and remembering the struggles is of special and important significance on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

"Comrade Wang Sheng and Shengying Media were able to keenly capture such a subject matter and create a film and television adaptation with a rigorous attitude and innovative perspective, which reflects their sense of social responsibility and historical mission as film and television workers."

Han Sanping spoke in a loud voice, his gaze sweeping across the entire audience: "Using television films, a format that is close to the masses, to tell the untold and touching stories behind the flag of our Republic is an excellent way to pay tribute. China Film Group and Beijing Film Studio fully support this!"

Han Sanping's speech undoubtedly provided a highly valuable "official endorsement" for the "Red Flag" project and for Wang Sheng himself.

This is not only an affirmation of the project, but also a recognition of Wang Sheng's continued adherence to mainstream values ​​in his creative work even after leaving the Beijing Film Studio system.

In his subsequent speech, Wang Sheng thanked Han Sanping and leaders at all levels for their support, and thanked all members of the production team for their hard work.

He reiterated the original intention of making "Red Flag": "What we want to do is not only to restore a piece of history, but also to awaken an emotion, a deepest respect for the motherland, for the flag, and for those who have made silent contributions. We hope that this work can become a sincere gift to the Republic on its birthday."

Subsequently, witnessed by Han Sanping, Wang Sheng, and the main creators of the production team, the red cloth covering the camera was lifted, marking the official start of filming for the TV movie "Red Flag".

(End of this chapter)