"Fiery Red Years" CCTV Hit: Relive the Construction of the Third Line, Reminiscing Like Water Years

Sichuan's original industrial epic theme TV series "Fiery Red Years" was recently broadcast on CCTV

Relive the construction of the third line reminiscing about the years of water

With the third-line construction as the background, Sichuan's original industrial epic theme TV series "Fiery Red Years" is being broadcast in the CCTV-1 golden file, and has gained good ratings and word of mouth.

"The Fiery Red Year" takes the famous third-line industrial enterprises such as Nineteen Metallurgy, Pangang and Panmei as the story prototype, and through the construction and development of China's first self-designed large-scale steel enterprise - Chuannan Iron and Steel Factory as the main plot line, the panorama shows the third-line construction process of the blue wisps of Yanlu Road, and depicts the ordinary heroes who dedicate their youth in the tide of the times.

Screenwriter spoilers

Most of the characters have archetypes, and many of the plots come from real life

In the 1960s, at the call of the state, hundreds of thousands of builders from all over the world rushed to the Sichuan ferry port (now Panzhihua) and created a miracle in the history of world industry on a barren hillside with the will of steel.

Telling the grand theme of the third-line construction, "The Red Years" spans 40 or 50 years, but does not adopt a grand narrative approach, but starts from the bottom perspective, through the fate of individuals such as workers, students, engineers and other individuals participating in the construction of the Chuannan Iron and Steel Plant in Jinjiang, with living character stories, refracting the progress of the times.

At the beginning of the series, on the 25,000-square-meter hill of Jinjiang, it is necessary to build a large-scale 3 million-ton steel enterprise Chuannan Iron and Steel Plant, which is completely designed by Chinese. Such a complex geographical environment has no precedent to follow in the world, and a vigorous industrial construction curtain has been opened. Workers, cadres, scientific and technological personnel, young students... A large number of idealistic builders came here one after another, the conditions were extremely difficult, living in sheds, sweating and washing their faces, combing their hair, and the battle was in full swing.

Most of the characters in the play can find prototypes in reality, and most of the plot also comes from the real story.

Screenwriter Ge Fei, who started the creation of this theme in 2011, interviewed more than 700 people in Panzhihua in a few years, accumulating 1.2 million words of interview notes. In the interview, for the same story, Ge Fei also supplemented and confirmed each other through the memories of different people, and that period of fiery red years gradually emerged in three dimensions: Xia Fangzhou, Qin Xiaodan, Qiao Jiali, Chen Guomin, Ji Chenggang and a number of other characters were gradually clarified.

The protagonist of the play, Xia Fangzhou, is a talented engineer who graduated from college, and he almost never forgot to look at the drawings, did not need a pen and paper, and relied on the brain to carry out complex deductions and calculations. Different from the image of the delicate intellectuals in many previous TV series, Xia Fangzhou could not only see the drawings, but also get off the construction site, and just arrived in Jinjiang, he competed with the representatives of the technical school students to "jump over the mountain" to see who had the courage to push a cart full of sand and gravel on a high air shelf to successfully reach the other side.

Ge Fei revealed that the image of Xia Fangzhou is a collection of many third-line builders he interviewed. He never forgot this skill when he looked at the drawings, that is, an engineer from the factory where he once worked, "I designed this feature to Xia Fangzhou." ”

Chen Guomin, as a representative of the workers in the play, is the first of the "four king kongs" on the third-line construction site, and its prototype is a veteran of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, who later participated in the third-line construction and became an excellent technical worker backbone.

Shooting difficulties

How to reproduce the big scene of industrial construction in the "hardcore" industrial theme drama

Since its launch on September 25, many professional metallurgical scenes in "The Year of The Fire" have been praised by the audience. In today's TV drama industry, there are not too many industrial theme works, and a large number of professional scenes are presented, but "The Red Years" faces this problem and wants to create a "hardcore" industrial theme drama.

In Nonglongping, with a total area of 2.5 square kilometers, there are many contradictions and difficulties in challenging the world precedent to build a large-scale steel joint enterprise of 3 million tons. For example, in the first episode, the construction team encountered the problem of lifting materials far exceeding the carrying capacity, and in the absence of other equipment, the construction team had to rely on wisdom and strong teamwork ability to solve this problem.

Director Wang Wenjie has directed "Kong Fansen" and "Red Cross Square Team" and other works. In an interview with reporters, he revealed that showing these large industrial construction scenes is the most difficult problem in shooting. "Some of the large infrastructure facilities and equipment of that era are not easy to find now." Wang Wenjie said that there are also natural disasters such as torrential rains coming, landslides, etc., and it is also necessary to find ways to present them one by one.

"The Fiery Red Years" is mainly filmed in Panzhihua. At the beginning of the series, it reflects that in the 1960s, Jinjiang was still a barren land. But today's Panzhihua has long developed into a modern and beautiful mountain city, and it took the crew a lot of brains to find the real scene of the original.

Before filming began, the cast and crew arrived in Panzhihua in advance and went to Pangang and other places to collect style and study. Lead actor Lin Jiangguo, who plays Xia Fangzhou in the play, told reporters that there are a lot of professional terms in the lines, which is the challenge he needs to accept when shooting this drama, to integrate into the plot, not only by rote memorization, but also to find out what the content expressed means. "In filming, you need to check the information frequently, or ask a professional engineer, why is the word so."

Ge Fei said that the reason why this drama chose an engineer as the protagonist, rather than choosing to present it from the perspective of workers, is precisely to hope that this drama can show a scientific attitude - the construction of the third line is not only completed by sweating, but also inseparable from the scientific spirit of seeking truth from facts and the innovative spirit of daring to think and fight.

The main creators are impressed

This drama pays tribute to the fiery youth and also enlightens the present

Wang Wenjie revealed that after reading the script of "The Fiery Red Years", he was very excited and deeply touched by the positive energy and dedication of the generation that was highlighted in it.

In that fiery era, young people participated in the construction of the third line, gave up urban life, and even sacrificed their precious lives. In the play, as the plot develops, there are also some major characters who will be sacrificed for the construction of the third line. Wang Wenjie said that when filming these sacrificial scenes, he also made a lot of effort to ponder. "They left their homes at such a young age to come to such a difficult place, and they did not die before they could achieve fame or see the glorious development of the city." During the shooting, I was shooting many scenes with tears in my eyes. ”

Despite the difficulties of starting a business, a group of science and engineering men live happily at the construction site, making the audience sometimes nervous and sometimes hilarious. At the same time, romantic feelings also grow in this land, and the love story between Xia Fangzhou and Qin Xiaodan makes people feel the romance that belongs to that era.

In the course of half a century, Chuannan Iron and Steel Factory has experienced brilliance from scratch, and later suffered a gradual decline in impact, actively transformed in the face of difficulties, continuously adapted to the development of the times, and finally found a new way for enterprises to innovate and develop, so that the old third-tier enterprises regained vitality and continued to export inexhaustible power for national industrial construction.

Lin Jiangguo revealed that one of the scenes he was most impressed by was the emotion of the protagonist when he reviewed his life course in his old age. "After the whole play, in fact, I have experienced decades of ups and downs with this character." Lin Jiangguo said that when the characters in the play are seventy or eighty years old, they see that their sacrifices and dedications have brought earth-shaking changes to a city or even a country, and they will feel that the efforts of this life are worth it and have no regrets.

"Individual ideals are related to the destiny of the country, and the fate of the country is related to the fate of the individual. This is not a simple talk, but to truly dedicate to the country, to be proud. Wang Wenjie said.

The premiere data of "The Red Years" is eye-catching, and the representative of the producer restores the creative process

Pay tribute to the spirit of the three lines with high-quality works

The TV drama "The Red Years", which is currently being broadcast on CCTV, is jointly produced by CCTV, the Propaganda Department of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee, the Panzhihua Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, sichuan radio and television station, Emei Film Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu Tianyin Qilin Film and Television Co., Ltd., and produced by Sichuan Starry Sky Film and Television Culture Media Co., Ltd.

As another Sichuan original TV series work that has appeared on the golden file of CCTV, the premiere data of "The Red Years" is eye-catching.

This realistic industrial drama with the third-line construction as the background, through real restoration and panoramic presentation, pays tribute to the three-line spirit of "hard work, selfless dedication, unity and cooperation, and courage to innovate", and also shows the dream and glory of Sichuan Panzhihua, a modern industrial city born in the third-line construction and grown up in the reform and opening up.

"Panzhihua is the first special resource development zone in New China. In the 1960s, hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic young people rushed to Panzhihua without hesitation, and used their youthful blood to compose a magnificent chapter of magnificent mountains and rivers, songs and tears. Yang Wenhui, representative of the producer of "The Fiery Red Year" and deputy director of the Propaganda Department of the Panzhihua Municipal Party Committee, introduced that the filming of this drama is also an active exploration of the hard-working entrepreneurial process in the form of literary and artistic works, and to tell the chapter of the Chinese story of Panzhihua in the new era.

Being able to land on a set of golden files on CCTV and continue to broadcast during the National Day holiday shows the quality and quality of this drama. From the establishment of the project to the production, from the front of the stage to the backstage, "The Fiery Red Years" has gathered many forces of Sichuan Film and Television. Whether it is the theme of this drama or the presentation of the smelting and construction industry, it is a breakthrough in the realistic theme dramas in recent years.

Xu Jie, one of the producers of the play and deputy general manager of Sichuan Starry Film and Television, told reporters that when he first came into contact with this script, he was moved by the spirit of the times based on such a real historical theme, "This theme is worth doing, and it must be done well." Therefore, from the very beginning, we have targeted a set of prime time slots on CCTV, and all the work has also been carried out around this goal. ”

The meaningful theme and solid story content also attracted a strong creative team. From the director to the main actor, he is experienced in the presentation of the main theme. In June 2019, "The Year of Fire" was officially launched, mainly filmed in Panzhihua, and in the first few episodes of the broadcast, the familiar scenes of the three-line builders such as Gaojiaping in the West District of Panzhihua City, the Grand Canyon of jinsha River, and the Pangang Base appeared on the screen one by one. During the filming period, Panzhihua had many "Climbing Second Generation" and "Climbing Third Generation", giving strong support to the crew and making cameo group performances in the play.

Xu Jie revealed that before the start-up, the China Television Association organized an expert seminar, and industry experts put forward pertinent suggestions for modification. "At that time, it was only half a month before our expected start-up time, but fortunately, the director and screenwriter were experienced, and the starring team fully supported and cooperated, and completed the revision and optimization of the relevant part of the script synchronously during the start-up shooting, and strived to present a better effect."

In recent years, Sichuan's film and television industry has shown a diversified and enriched development trend. Especially at present, with the return of the audience's attention to the main theme of the work, TV series such as "The Red Years" not only write the past, but also enlighten the present; both transmit positive energy and gain a good reputation.

Third-line builders and strivers of the new era:

Let the three-line spirit be passed on from generation to generation

Since the launch of "The Red Years", a group of third-line builders and strivers of the new era have been excited by the fiery construction picture of the Chuannan Iron and Steel Factory in the play, and moved to tears to see the familiar labor scenes in their memories.

"This drama is about my hometown, my grandfather and grandmother!" "Pan Second Generation" and "Pan Third Generation" also entered the drama with the elders, and were constantly inspired by the fighting spirit of the older generation: "Proud of the third-line people!" "Great, my hero big third line!" "Let the three-line spirit continue to be passed on in our generation!"

In the play, a group of young college students who have just left the campus and the workers start a conference battle together, digging sand and moving bricks, without the slightest complaint. No one has a towel around his neck that is clean, and these simple, plain details deeply touch the hearts of the audience.

Previously, the Panzhihua City Literary and Art Creation and Criticism Office organized more than 20 local writers, artists, critics and literary lovers to hold a premiere seminar to relive the glorious years of the passion of the third-line construction.

Pu Guangquan, a national first-class writer, said that watching "The Fiery Red Years" made him feel as if he had traveled through time and space and returned to the fiery years of the construction of the third line of Panzhihua in 1965. "This TV series reflects Panzhihua's arduous struggle from scratch and from small to large." Pu Guangquan said that as a "climbing second generation", his heart also burned after watching the drama.

Liu Xuerong, a staff member of Pangang, believes that the actors in the play show the passion of that generation of young people to build the motherland, and in that era, whether leading cadres or ordinary workers, the work goals were clear and consistent, and the vigor was all in one place, which fully embodied the spirit of self-reliance and hard struggle.

Cao Hongying, a teacher at Panzhihua Experimental School, said that the TV series "Red Years" can show Panzhihua in the construction of the third line to the people of the whole country, which is of far-reaching significance. "I think it is very necessary to strengthen the children's understanding of the construction of the third line, their understanding of the city of Panzhihua, and then learn the spirit of the third line."

There is love and righteousness, drama and the B side of history

Is "The Fiery Red Years" a mainstream drama or an emotional drama? The play reflects the teacher-apprentice relationship, family affection, friendship, classmates and things, of course, more love. Xia Fangzhou and Huo Maosen's mentoring and apprenticeship are deep and deep, and the teacher-apprentice relationship of workers Chen Guomin, Wu Benqi, and Lin Fulai (even including Ji Chenggang) is simple and distinct. Chen Guomin, Tian Qingnifu singing women, Haizi and Fangwei's green plum bamboo horses, Xia Fangzhou, Xia Zhonglin's father and son's affection; The work-between Chen Guomin, Master Lao Liang (Liang Qianguang), the Four Great Kongs, and the Little Brothers of Wu Benqi; Xia Fangzhou, Qi Guangfu, and Lu Tinglan's classmates were in the same matter. These webs of emotions are tightly intertwined, making life swaying and full of fun everywhere. In addition to the small feelings, there is also the great love of sacrifice and dedication that loves the factory and the country, and the great feelings that are integrated into the great righteousness.

Righteousness is abstract, love is concrete, and there is great righteousness in love. In the midst of the contamination of love, the expression of righteousness has been vividly attached and presented. Revolutionaries like Li Xinmei and Wu Benqi are always young, and the vicissitudes of several generations are thick and gratifying, in the short sense of intimacy and substitution in the parents, the distant history is also close, and the web of these feelings and righteousness is a tailor-made nest for each of us, constituting the blood and muscles and bones of our ordinary people. The more love is stronger than gold, the more you see righteousness deeper than the sea. From the perspective of artistry, with love, there are both sword-rattling struggles, as well as light and witty comedies, and even dance to convey love, scenery to convey love, the narrative rhythm is relaxed, the expression level of love and righteousness is rich and profound, and there is interest in love and righteousness, and there is drama. Conversely, with the drama of natural feelings and righteousness, it is more profound and powerful.

In love and righteousness, all sacrifices are sublimated, and all impurities are refined. This is a big drama with a rich group of characters. The play has a wealth of positive characters, including intellectual conscience, character and backbone Xia Fangzhou, Qin Xiaodan, Li Xinmei... There are the backbones of the working class represented by Chen Guomin and Wu Benqi, who are the most reliable force for national construction; There are Zhao Dianchu, Qi Decheng, Gu Jun and other older generations, and there are Chen Tianhai, Qi Fangwei, Lin Tongbin and other younger generations.

If Xia Fangzhou and others are the A-side of life, then Ji Chenggang is the B-side of life. Ji Chenggang's vitality is also exuberant, and his emotions are also rich, but his feelings are jealousy and hypocrisy, but he is also a member of the great third-line construction and a member of this torrent. Ji Chenggang, a slogan expert, has a pompous and weak, shallow and hypocritical passion, but he is the label of a specific era. An "evil person" also has his fragile soul and grievances, he also has his enthusiasm and dedication, and even he has tears, which allows us to see ourselves from this B-side, and also have sympathy and forgiveness for Ji Chenggang.

Not only is it a Ji Chenggang, but also Cheng Shifeng, who is from the director of the engineering department to the deputy general manager, is also a member of the B side. These rich "bad guys" are the B side of the cause and the B side of human nature, and history, society, and human nature all have this inseparable yin and yang side. Even think about it, Chen Guomin, Qin Xiaodan, these people, not only do they have their own personal problems, but also have their own B-side. With the B side, it is rich and wonderful from the drama, and from the perspective of thought, this also constitutes a human nature exploration drama. History is accustomed to expressing from the A side, and now, the roles of Ji Chenggang and Cheng Shifeng provide the opportunity to stand on the B side to see history, and this examination rises to the height of summarizing history and human nature, making the play have a rich ideological transcendence in addition to the lively scene characters.

About author:Bai Hao is a professor and doctoral supervisor of Sichuan Normal University, and the secretary general of Sichuan Literary and Art Critics Association.