The new crown pneumonia epidemic in early 2020 pressed the pause button for the domestic film and television industry, the theater was shut down, and the crew was suspended, and this sudden disaster gave filmmakers a heavy blow. However, many domestic filmmakers have not been hit by the epidemic, and many young directors have regrouped and prepared for the epidemic while recuperating.
The Beijing News reporter interviewed 6 young film directors Zhang Dalei, Wang Yichun, Zhou Ziyang, Pengfei, Song Taijia and Lahuajia, all of whom disrupted their work plans at the beginning of the new year because of the epidemic, but adjusted their status to actively respond to the epidemic in a timely manner. They recharge their batteries in purposeful film watching and in-depth reading, and at the same time they feel the brilliance of humanity in some warm news about the epidemic, and while reflecting on some issues, they begin to excavate and create appropriate news deeds.
In the interview, they almost all believe that the cycle required for epidemic prevention and control is bound to have a huge impact on the Future Chinese Film Market, although the schedule of the film market in the second half of this year is confusing, but they said that the difficulties will eventually pass, and they must face their respective situations positively, as one of the young directors said, "After the epidemic, we will become stronger."
From top to bottom: Zhang Dalei, Peng Fei, Wang Yichun, Zhou Ziyang, Song Taijia, Lahuajia.
6 young directors stopped filming and did not stop working
As the young guards in the director group, these 6 directors have new works with different styles to produce and promote during the epidemic: "August" director Zhang Dalei guaranteed that the film "Blue Train" that was launched in 2018 will definitely be on this year; Wang Yichun, the director of "What's in the Black Place", just raised investment in the new film "Kidnapping Maohu" a few years ago, "Yunjian Group" during the epidemic period, and talked about shooting plans with Belgian photographers every day; "Old Beast" director Zhou Ziyang just finished his new work "Wuhai" at the end of last year. During the epidemic period, through online office, coordinate local staff to carry out post-production work; Song Taijia, the Tibetan director of "Ala Ginger Color", took inspiration from the news to create a new script, indicating that after the end of the epidemic, two film projects began filming and immediately entered a state of tension; The Tibetan director of "Wangza's Rain Boots" Lahuajia is also currently creating a new script at home, which may start shooting this year; Peng Fei, the director of "The Taste of Rice Flowers", has just finished at the end of last year. We are now communicating with Chinese producer Jia Zhangke and Japanese producer Naomi Kawase through video linking on post-production.
【Zhang Dalei】
His representative work: August (2016)
Pending Film: "Blue Train"
The new work is basically finalized, and it will definitely be on this year
After Zhang Dalei finished filming "August" in 2016, his new film "Blue Train" was actually completed as early as 2018. Starring Liang Jingdong and Hai Qing, the film tells the story of Ma Biao, a labor prisoner who escaped from prison in the early 1990s and returned to his hometown on the border between China and Russia in the northeast, and experienced the cold and warmth of the world in the process of finding the Soviet lover bar singer Karina. After the filming of "Blue Train", it has undergone countless revisions and adjustments in the middle, and now the final version is basically in line with Zhang Dalei's own requirements. However, because of the epidemic, there is no way to go to the computer room, and there is still a little post-production work in the film that cannot be carried out.
Zhang Dalei said that the original "Blue Train" was planned to be released in the first half of this year, before the release of the film want to participate in some domestic and foreign film festivals, but due to the epidemic reasons the plan has been disrupted, but many film festivals have also been postponed, or hope to have the opportunity to participate in the film festival first, and then consider the release of the matter, the first half of the release can not be released, the second half of the year, "anyway, this year will definitely be on, the time is too long, will affect the following creation, after all, a thing has not been done, always placed there, can not devote themselves to the following things." ”
Stills from "Blue Train".
Although the failure to find the release of the previous work will have an impact, during the epidemic period, Zhang Dalei is also writing a new script, "This script is basically the idea of being born with "Blue Train", and the characters are related. I have four films around Blue Train, all about these people who are passionate about life, full of vitality, but very humble, easily forgotten, hoping to form a world that belongs to them. ”
【Wang Yichun】
Masterpiece: What's in the Black Place (2015)
Preparation film: "Kidnapping Mao Hu"
During the epidemic period, we will rely on online discussions on shooting plans
In 2018, Wang Yichun's second film script, Kidnapping Mao Hu (aka "Stranger's Sugar"), won the most valuable investment project at the Shanghai International Film Festival, and the story is different from the pure reality theme, slightly absurd, telling the story of a nanny and her newly released boyfriend who kidnapped the owner's child. At the end of 2019, the film just raised investment funds, and originally thought that it would start recruiting after the end of the year, and filming began in March and April this year, but because of the epidemic, the whole can only be pushed back.
Now "Kidnapping Mao Hu" can only be prepared piecemeal, Wang Yichun has some anxiety, the current actors are not sure, because the actors have not finished filming a few years ago, and now they do not know when they can be filmed, they can only push back, and what file period can be won for "Kidnapping Mao Hu" in the future, it is even more uncertain. But for Wang Yichun, there are also unexpected gains, such as the staff, especially those large departments, who had originally talked about the schedule before, and now suddenly there is a schedule. During this time, Wang Yichun's daily work arrangement, sometimes changing two scripts, and then maintaining communication with people in various departments. At present, the crew has set up a Belgian cinematographer who has just filmed a new drama "Viper" for the BBC and Netflix, which is now in post-production. Wang Yichun and the photographer in Belgium every day at a fixed time of about 5 p.m., through the line, a venue over the shooting plan.
【Zhou Ziyang】
Masterpiece: The Old Beast (2017)
Film to be screened: "Wuhai"
Now I most want to find a big screen to see a rough cut new film
In December 2019, Zhou Ziyang just finished filming his new film "Wuhai", starring Huang Xuan and Yang Zishan, the story tells that Yang Hua encountered ups and downs in his career, and the accumulated contradictions between him and his wife broke out, in order to smoothly cross this difficult period, Yang Hua almost woven some bizarre events, but finally the plan was terminated, Yang Hua's family conflicts were finally resolved, and he also had a huge understanding and growth during this period.
Director Zhou Ziyang and actors Huang Xuan and Yang Zishan were on the shooting scene of the film "Wuhai".
At the end of last year, "Wuhai" was also cut almost, and it was originally planned that the film would be post-production after the Spring Festival in 2020, including sound, color grading, composition, etc., so the impact of the epidemic on the post-film work was not very large, and all departments were working at home, basically network communication, and promoting work every day. However, on the whole, the speed is still slightly slower than normal, after all, there is still no direct meeting and communication, "such as color grading, sound, special effects, etc., can only be described by phone or voice, because the staff are scattered everywhere, when assigning tasks, first submitted to them internally, and then submitted to me, it will affect some efficiency, but the big progress is still orderly forward."
At present, the first version of the film's post-progress is basically completed, Zhou Ziyang wants to find a big screen recently, look at the details, such as special effects, color grading is not still need more refined processing, he wants to finally complete the post-production work around May. Because of the emergence of the epidemic, there are currently a large number of films that will be pressed behind the release, for the release plan of "Wuhai", Zhou Ziyang has no clear idea, and may need to be readjusted.
【Pengfei】
Masterpiece: The Taste of Rice Blossoms (2017)
Film to be screened: "See You Again in Nara"
The cost of cross-border production communication has increased significantly
At the end of November 2019, Peng fei's new film "See You Nara Again" was completed, and after a short break, he began editing work in early December. Affected by the epidemic, work was stopped for a period of time, the editor returned to Taipei for the New Year, and wanted to come back to the fifth day of the first year to continue cutting, but the epidemic suddenly broke out, the work turned to network connection, the efficiency became low, and sometimes it was necessary to wait.
Around the fifteenth day of the first month, in order not to delay the work, the younger editor still flew to Beijing to continue cutting films, and then she worked, ate and lived in it, and never went out of the editing room again. Pengfei once posted a photo of his work at that time in his circle of friends, two people wearing masks across the glass door, communicating on the phone on both sides. "Until today, she is only out of the community for the first time, and it is really very hard and not easy."
Director Peng Fei and two executive producers, Jia Zhangke, communicated online with Naomi Kawase about the production of the film "See You Nara Again".
The executive producer of "See You Nara Again" is director Jia Zhangke and Director Naomi Kawase in Japan, and the epidemic has also made it more difficult for director Pengfei to communicate with the two producers. After everyone was well protected, they connected to Japan for a meeting, and they also needed another production colleague and translator in the United States. In addition to adjusting the time, several square video also have to keep trying to see the picture, it is not easy to have an image, and because the mobile phone and the tablet are placed in different directions, resulting in one person facing up and one person facing down, "everyone shakes their heads left and right like Indians to say hello, and adjusts back and forth like a rubik's cube, and it takes a lot of time to keep the head unified upwards." ”
Because the music of the film needs to be made in Japan, and the small animation in the film needs to be completed in Changchun, these can only be carried out by the Network connection, and the work is delayed a lot, but Pengfei said that everyone is still working hard to present the best effect.
【Shotaka】
Masterpiece: Ara ginger color (2018)
Film to be screened: Ram and Gabe
There are still two projects on hand
Director Song Taijia originally planned to return to Beijing after the Spring Festival in 2020, but after the outbreak of the epidemic, all plans were disrupted. Last year's "Ram and Gabe" completed by director Song Taijia has no specific release plans, but the director said that it will definitely be on this year.
Song Taijia said that he still has two film projects to shoot, one is a 40-minute short film, and the other is a script without Tibetan elements written last year, these two plays were originally filmed after the Spring Festival in 2020, but they were delayed due to the epidemic and could only be postponed.
【LaHuaga】
Masterpiece: "Wanza's Rain Boots" (2018)
Film to be screened: "Wanza's Rain Boots"
Take advantage of the "long holiday" new work to complete the first draft of the script
Director Lahuaga's debut film "Wanza's Rain Boots" has been produced in 2018, and it was previously announced that it was scheduled for July 19, 2019, but it was withdrawn, and there is no news about the release schedule. After "Wanza's Rain Boots", Lahuaga had another story idea, just taking advantage of the long holiday during the epidemic, wrote the first draft of the script, and thought of better ideas to change it. The theme of the new film, the director is not convenient to disclose for the time being. As for the filming plan of the new film, Rahuaga said that it also depends on the situation of the epidemic, and if normal work can be resumed before June, filming may start in August and September this year.
Stills from "Wanza's Rain Boots".
- Outside of work
I gained a lot by reading and watching the film
"Home office" allows them to have relatively more time to read and watch films, write new scripts, reflect on the original intention of creation, reread the "old tower" to motivate themselves, and the director has found a new direction for future inspiration in Liu Cixin's science fiction works, "I really hope that one day I can make science fiction films."
Zhang Dalei: Reread "Carving Time" of the old tower
During this time, Zhang Dalei said that he had gained a lot, he read 5 books at home, 3 of which were novels written by friends, which had not yet been published, so it was not very convenient to say the title of the book, which was originally planned to be published this spring, but it was also delayed due to the epidemic, but the book was particularly good. There are also two books that Zhang Dalei repeatedly turned out and read, that is, Russian director Tarkovsky's "Carving Time" and "Time in Time", although I have read it many times, but every time Zhang Dalei will find something new from it, "he can always wake me up some problems." In particular, "Time in Time" has a great influence on Zhang Dalei, "Seeing the whole creation of the old tower is actually some of the mental processes of his life when he was alive, and I think his life and creation are one, and it will especially motivate himself." ”
Recently, Zhang Dalei has seen more scattered films, he has seen a short film by Kazakh director Dakhjan Omirbayev before, during this time he has found all the films of the director, "ECG", "Black Boy", "Kayha" and so on, and has gained a lot. He used to particularly like Czech director Illy Manzo's "Capricious Summer", and this time he watched his "Snowflake Festival", "Fantastic, it is my harvest".
Wang Yichun: Most of the films are watched to prepare for the movies
During this time at home, Wang Yichun did not see the movies that made her particularly shocked, or it may be because she recently watched the films with purpose and utilitarianism, for example, in order to find an art for the new film, she specifically went to see the art of this film, not too much for interest to watch, not in the pure appreciation, pure viewing of the feeling.
Zhou Ziyang: I have watched a lot of good films in the awards season
When I interviewed director Zhou Ziyang, he had just returned to Beijing from his hometown of Ordos. Because he has two children, during this time in his hometown, in addition to dealing with work matters, he also has to take children with him a little. His original plan was to take advantage of the long vacation to write the script of the third film, a story of two families in the south, because he had already written a draft before, and wanted to change it again, "Finally found that he was interrupted by various things every day, and did not have the energy to devote himself to a new creation, so the script was basically not written." ”
Because of the "home office", Zhou Ziyang, who has more parent-child time, can only take time to watch books and movies. The most impressive books he had read most recently were The Creation of Japan, as well as Descartes' basic philosophical books. He also watched some of last year's awards season hits, two of which he liked the French film Portrait of a Burning Woman and the Taiwanese film Sunshine.
Pengfei: Reading Da Liu's books, I also want to make science fiction films
"Seeing a lot of creators say that this period of self-isolation is actually a great period of screenwriting, I agree very much. You can quiet down and write or think about things, or think about nothing and relax a little. ”
During this time, Pengfei was at home, reading books, playing games, cooking, and unexpectedly found that his cooking skills were not bad. He also read Yu Hua's "Brothers", Liu Cixin's "Ball Lightning", "Supernova Era", re-watched "A Brief History of Time", and "Blood Plague - The Story of Ebola", which was pushed to the top ten by the kindle list because of the epidemic.
He described Yu Hua's "Brothers": "Too humorous, and very magical, the unique cycle of comparison sentences is very enjoyable, the first half of the laughter is more tragic, the second half is magical enough to laugh and dare not laugh out." (Because I am afraid that I will not pay attention to the author's deep meaning) "Da Liu's book makes this literary and art film director have the sigh of "I really hope to make a science fiction film one day".
Sontaiga: Watched the films of Villeneuve and Haneke
During this time, Song Taiga read a lot of books, such as the original novel "The Story of Your Life" from the science fiction film "Arrival", and watched some early works such as Dennis Villeneuve's "Border Killer" and "Love" by German director Michael Haneke.
Stills from the film "Love".
--About anti-epidemic movies
Feel humanity from the news with temperature
Out of professional sensitivity, as observers of life and leaders of film creation, they also have a new understanding of some warm news during the epidemic, and these insights are likely to be translated into their new works in the future.
Zhang Dalei: I haven't thought of a good angle for the time being
During this time, Zhang Dalei was also paying attention to the news of the epidemic every day, and there was a news that made him remember it very deeply. On the night of the Lantern Festival, a doctor on duty stood in front of the window of the department, looking at a particularly close high-rise building opposite, she told reporters that her home was only five minutes walk from here, and she could see her window from the department window, but she could not go back to see her daughter at such a close distance. I haven't been home for more than half a month since before the Spring Festival, but this doctor spoke particularly calmly, and Zhang Dalei said that this matter was very touching to him.
"I may be slower to react. Maybe in a few years, or even a decade, when I look back, there might be something I want to grasp. Yes, it is after it has become history", Zhang Dalei said that he is not very good at grasping some of the current problems, "or like it to look back after it is old, look back at the taste, may see more clearly." In that case, the feeling of memory will be greater than the event itself."
Wang Yichun: Volunteer "Dalian" is particularly joyful
Wang Yichun saw a news some time ago, saying that it was a post-90s Dalian guy who took the high-speed rail to Changsha, but got off the wrong car to go to Wuhan, the yin and yang were wrongly stranded in Wuhan, the hotel did not let the accommodation, had to go to the hospital as a volunteer, responsible for cleaning every day, the doctors and patients in the hospital called him "Dalian". Wang Yichun feels that this story has both comedy and temperature, and can make a film that is not so gray and humorous. However, she is now full of thoughts about the preparation of new films, and does not think deeply about other creations, and when everyone thinks that this is a good subject, is it already done by someone, and it is difficult to make too much novelty. "I can only wait until I finish 'Kidnapping Maohu' before I have the heart to calm down and enter the next creation."
Pengfei: We will become stronger after the epidemic
"The epidemic has shown a lot of glorious aspects of humanity, and of course it has also exposed many problems that need to be reflected. I think there are still a lot of good subjects to create. We will become stronger after the pandemic. ”
——Industry observation
What you want to see after the theater reopens
For the future resumption of theaters, they prefer to see literary and artistic films like "Marriage Story" in theaters, or arrange for easy comedies to be released, because "comedies will give the market and audience confidence." ”
Zhang Dalei: I would most like to see some author-type movies
In the future theater resumption, Zhang Dalei still hopes to see some author-type movies first. He felt that if a movie, you just watch the plot, there is no need to go to the cinema, you can just watch it anywhere, you know what it says. But only by watching you in the cinema can you see things outside the plot and feel the information that is given to us outside the plot. I wanted to see those author-type films.
Zhou Ziyang: Looking forward to "Marriage Story"
Zhou Ziyang hopes that after the theater is re-screened, he can see films such as "Marriage Story", "The original plan seems to be released during this time, including some films in the domestic Spring Festival file, I am still looking forward to it, whether it is excellent foreign works, or these originally released in China, if the movie is released, I will definitely go to see it immediately." ”
Pengfei: Comedies will give the market and the audience confidence
After experiencing the sudden epidemic and under the pressure of work, Pengfei admitted that he most wanted to watch comedies and lighter films in the theater after the resumption of work, relax, laugh freely, and give the market and the audience a little confidence.
Matsutaiga: I hope to see more literary and artistic films released
For the future theater resumption, Song Taijia still hopes to see more literary and artistic films released. However, he feels that after returning to work, he may not have time to watch the film, because the next workload may be particularly large.
Beijing News reporter Teng Chao Li Yan
Edited by Huang Jialing Proofreader Lucy