"In Shanghai, even a foreign daughter-in-law like me who bought a burnt house understands that the house is a person's face. The upper corner, the lower corner, the inner ring, the middle ring, the outer ring, the commercial housing, the affordable house, the demolition house, what kind of house to buy, is what kind of person. ”
This monologue of Feng Xiaoqin, a daughter-in-law from abroad, on "The House" opened the prelude to the TV "Heart Residence" with mixed tastes. With delicate and realistic shots, an old Shanghai family, generations of Shanghainese with different characteristics, complex family structure, delicate sister-in-law relationship, near-paranoid attachment to the house, and warmth, idealism and tenacity integrated in trivial daily life, are slowly unfolding in an intricate picture of the city style.
Haiqing as Feng Xiaoqin
On March 17, the TV series "Heart Residence", adapted from the novel of the same name by Shanghai writer Teng Xiaolan, was broadcast on Zhejiang Satellite TV and Oriental Satellite TV, and iQiyi was broadcast exclusively on the whole network. Through the miniature social ecological perspective of small people "buying houses" and "selling houses", "Heart Residence" tells the story of Shanghai's indigenous people and interlopers, who are trying to take root in Shanghai and integrate themselves into Shanghai.
The drama is directed by Teng Huatao, with the original author Teng Xiaolan as the screenwriter, Haiqing, Tong Yao, Zhang Songwen (in alphabetical order) as the lead actor, and Feng Shaofeng specially invited to star. The project has been strongly supported by the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Radio, Film and Television, and has been declared a key TV drama topic selection planning project during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period of the State Administration of Radio and Television. The original works, scripts and TV dramas have all been funded by the Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation for major literary and artistic creation projects.
Cheng Wu, producer of "Heart Residence", vice president of Tencent Group and CEO of Yuwen Group, said: "Shanghai is not only a city, but also a vivid window of the times. Although teng Xiaolan's work, starting from an ordinary big family in Shanghai, is about a series of events related to 'house' such as 'buying a house' and 'selling a house', it shows the "heart" of ordinary people, the diligent yearning and ardent pursuit of a better life. In fact, the life of the people of Shanghai is also a microcosm of the comprehensive construction of a moderately prosperous society and the beginning of a new journey of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, and is the melody of the times under the rapid changes of society. ”
The original author and screenwriter Teng Xiaolan said: "This peace of mind is my hometown, and "Heart Residence" is mainly about the relationship between people and people. Because most people are constantly working hard for what they want, living and struggling tenaciously. Although it is a small day, it is a big taste. Small people also have big feelings. I want to be able to write this meaning as much as I can. ”
Writer Teng Xiaolan: Writing about the lives of the people in Shanghai, the house is a point that cannot be bypassed
The novel "Heart Residence" was published by Beijing October Literature and Art Publishing House in October 2020. This is a long new work by Teng Xiaolan, a writer of the Xinhai School and winner of the Lu Xun Literature Prize. As soon as it came out, the book attracted a lot of attention with the highly topical theme of "house".
The novel "Heart Residence" is set in Shanghai at this moment, a city inhabited by urban residents who were born and raised in Si, old Shanghainese who tossed half their lives only for the roots of falling leaves, and new Shanghainese who did not want to become transparent and worked hard. In the metropolitan era of Nisshin Rijin, the people of Shanghai, represented by the three brothers and sisters of the Gu family, derived a variety of tragic and happy life experiences around the house. Through the vicissitudes of life, they longed for a richer material life, and also spared no effort to find a safe place for their souls.
"At present, to write about the lives of ordinary people in Shanghai, the house is a point that cannot be bypassed." Teng Xiaolan said. At a book launch in 2020, she admitted that she also had the experience of buying a house. Today, the house is no longer just a house, for Shanghainese, it represents "a kind of value trade-off", containing "a lot of extended things." ”
Stills from "Heart Dwelling"
The title of the novel is called "Heart Residence", the heart is the heart, the house is the house, Teng Xiaolan said: "I put the 'heart' in front of the 'house', the house is the entry point, I want to write more about the relationship between people, to the Gu family such a big family derived from all kinds of people, their hopes for the future, and how they fight for what they think in their hearts and wishes in their hearts, to live hard. ”
When it comes to the film and television adaptation of "Heart Residence", Teng Xiaolan believes that good literary works provide templates for film and television, and film and television are presented in a more diversified, rich, and wider audience, which is a process of "mutual achievement".
From novels to TV series, the adaptation of "Heart Residence" has undergone "second creation". For example, the novel opens with the Gu family's Saturday dinner, the eldest brother and sister-in-law, sister-in-law, nephew and niece, together with their own sons and daughters-in-law, grandchildren and old mothers, 13 people gathered in Gu Shihong's home, the round table was set open, the various characters twittered on the stage, the topic was unconsciously pulled to the house, and from the house pulled out a thousand strands of parents short.
"Such an opening is definitely not good in the script. If the TV series came up with so many people at once, it would be impossible to 'report to the family' through the author's narration like the novel. A lot of things will be more concentrated in the script. Moreover, the novel is relatively casual and the pace progress is slower. Teng Xiaolan said.
Sure enough, at the beginning of the TV series "Heart Residence", the bridge sections such as buying a house to borrow money and sending fake LV scarves filled the drama of the Gu family's daily life. Feng Xiaoqin's rivalry with Gu Qingyu is also a soldier to cover up the water, fighting wits and courage, which is very beautiful. Just in response to a sentence of Feng Xixi in the novel: "Outsiders are actually not bounded, and the routines are all used on their own families." ”
Teng Xiaolan admitted that the script has made major changes to the first few episodes of the novel, and the main creative team has repeatedly looked for the entry point of the story, "There must be such a core, so that the audience can quickly understand what you want to show him." ”
In addition, some of the things in the novel that have been brushed up in the novel have made a clearer explanation of the causes and consequences in the script. Teng Xiaolan repeatedly substituted for the role, "thinking about each character thoroughly" and understanding the motivation behind his words and deeds. "The novel is more emotional, and the script is a little more rational thinking. Moreover, the novel is the creation of an individual, and the script is the result of the discussion of the main creative team. ”
Tong Yao as Gu Qingyu
Feng Xiaoqin, played by Haiqing, and Gu Qingyu, played by Tong Yao, set the tone of the two heroines of the TV series "Heart Residence". Feng Xiaoqin, a foreign daughter-in-law, married a somewhat cowardly Shanghai husband, Gu Lei. Gu Qingyu is Gu Lei's identical twin sister, the book writes that she "eyebrows are clear and beautiful, do not lose her heroism", and work in foreign companies, strong and courageous style, twenty-three or four years old bought a lake view house in wanziyuan in the city center, moved out to live alone. Feng Xiaoqin married into the Gu family, gave birth to a son, and squeezed into the three-bedroom and two-hall built 20 years ago with her father-in-law Gu Shihong and her grandmother, who is more than 80 years old.
"At first glance they have a natural hostility," Mr. Teng said. One is a "sister" who says one thing and the other is a foreign daughter-in-law who is left and right, "Falling in Gu Qingyu's eyes, this sister-in-law seems to be particularly capable and has a lot of ideas." ”
Although one is a sister-in-law and the other is a sister-in-law, at the beginning the starting point of both of them is "for the good of this family", Feng Xiaoqin's mouth of "Sister A" is called cordial and solemn, Gu Qingyu also looks at Feng Xiaoqin's efforts in his eyes, and everything is less to worry about. But slowly in life, "things rush", and the contradiction between the two deepens.
In fact, each of them just wants to achieve an ideal state of life in their minds, and they are constantly working hard for the goal, but they do not want to touch others and infringe on the interests of others. It is only in such a process that it is inevitable to intersect and conflict with others. I think all the characters in this play are like this, and none of them are bad people in the traditional sense. Teng Xiaolan said.
Dong Qing as Ge Yue
Sun Anke as Feng Xixi
In addition to Feng Xiaoqin and Gu Qingyu, Ge Yue and Feng Xiqian in "Heart Residence" are also wonderful and profound female characters. In the process of pursuing their dreams, some of them have worked hard, but they have failed, and some have exploded with extraordinary vitality at the turning point of life. "Vitality is also a key word here," Teng Xiaolan said, "women are full of vitality." No matter what the situation, no matter what kind of personality the woman, at a certain time there will be her choice, the choice of her life value, that is the embodiment of her vitality. ”
As for the seemingly innocent emotional line in "Heart Residence", Teng Xiaolan said that there is no need to forcibly form CP for the two heroines and engage in love reunion. Love just goes with the flow, and both Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin have gained their own value in "other places." They entered the mature stage of life, reconciled with themselves spiritually, with the world, "found their own life, listened to the arrangement of the heart, and found the abode of the heart." ”
The IP of the realist theme is the rich mine of film and television development in recent years, and the works that reflect the life of the times have attracted more and more social attention. When it comes to the creation of realist literature and film and television works, Teng Xiaolan believes that the most important thing is to grasp the balance between authenticity and drama. "On the one hand, I certainly hope that it is very real, and readers and viewers will say that they are right after reading it, and this is the life we live now. On the other hand, as a drama, it definitely needs to be conflicting and dramatic. How to be both real and able to arouse the interest of the audience, there is a balance between the two. ”
Director Teng Huatao: Focus on portraying different classes of contemporary cities
"For many years, I have not found a novel that can represent the real city and record life." Teng Huatao said, "Because of the realistic theme of the works, in fact, I have seen a lot over the years, but none of them are more in line with my creative direction."
Nearly 10 years after leaving the small screen, "Heart Residence" is the first realist TV series re-directed by Teng Huatao. Previously, Teng Huatao has directed several similar urban theme works, some of which have a high degree of social attention because they directly hit the pain points of people's livelihood. He said that unlike works such as "Wang Gui and Anna" and "The Age of Naked Marriage" more than a decade ago, "Xinju" "focuses on portraying different classes of contemporary cities."
"These classes have differences, they have common ground, there are some contradictions, and there are some commonalities. The novel uses Shanghai as a representative of the Chinese city, and presents all kinds of typical characters in the city in a panoramic manner. Among them, the most prominent one is an urban white-collar Kochi class woman represented by Gu Qingyu, and the other is a woman from an ordinary social family represented by Feng Xiaoqin. ”
In order to make the "positioning of the class more clear", the details of the characters of different classes have been accurately polished, and their eating, wearing, living, workplace, and consumption habits are clearly distinguished and highlighted in the TV series. In order to understand the life and workplace of White-collar workers in Shanghai, Teng Huatao and the team interviewed women working in Shanghai's finance, investment banking and other fields, "Not talking about work, we are not a workplace drama, mainly to understand the aspects of life, temperament, and talk about her own family, etc., so as to find some feelings." ”
Under the solid details, the contradictions and conflicts between the classes are also really settled. "The novel itself is not levitating, and I am not deliberate." Teng Huatao said. "Characters in different positions and different classes will have some different perspectives and ideas, and these differences will naturally bring contradictions." But he also stressed that the biggest core of "Heart Residence" is to focus on the warm and well-intentioned side of life and human nature.
Feng Shaofeng as Shi Yuan
This is a story written by a Shanghai writer about Shanghainese, and the city of "Shanghai" itself is the hidden protagonist of "Heart Residence". Before shooting, Teng Huatao also led the team to collect style many times, repeatedly seeking verification and deliberation, and striving to show the most authentic Shanghai style.
Teng Huatao mentioned that the filming particularly emphasized shanghai's unique tolerance and mixing as an international metropolis. "It has that kind of very tall and petty bourgeois place, and there are also very local, grounded places, and the two are mixed together." Not twenty or thirty kilometers apart, but only fifty or one hundred meters apart. We want to emphasize this characteristic of Shanghai more. ”
"'Heart Residence' is a realistic work that can restore the shanghai style, and can make people who are struggling with the quagmire of life feel the strength." Teng Huatao said.
Haiqing and Tong Yao, who played the role of the double heroine this time, have both created unforgettable screen images in urban women's TV series. Haiqing, who has the reputation of "national daughter-in-law", has had a successful cooperation with Teng Huatao more than ten years ago. In recent years, Tong Yao has also shined with works such as "Big Rivers and Great Rivers".
In Teng Huatao's view, the two heroines are very good actors, able to control the role skillfully and freely, and the communication is also very smooth. "I think that in terms of acting, the actress is in her thirties and forties, which is a relatively golden time, because a lot of her experience, including a lot of her own performance skills, is actually more complete. It is true that actresses of this age should get more opportunities. ”
Zhang Songwen as Zhan Xiang
Actor Zhang Songwen played the role of holding several apartments in "Heart Residence" and has long realized the display of financial freedom. This very light-hearted, comedic and healing character, some people say he is "earthy", some people say he is "comedic", no matter how eye-catching in the play. Teng Huatao revealed that inviting Zhang Songwen to join the crew is to give the audience some freshness. "Because Mr. Songwen's acting ability is here, I think he is also very much in line with the state of this character."
Although "Heart Residence" revolves around the topic of houses and has attracted public attention because of the topic of houses, on this topic, Teng Huatao said that he did not "carry private goods" and tried to instill a certain concept into the audience. "I myself am actually more of an objective record and an objective presentation, and I also ask the creator not to interpret and express it with his own special point of view."
Lu Siyu as Gu Xin
"Heart Residence" allows people to see the "Lizi" of an ordinary family in Shanghai, and tells the true appearance of Shanghai people's lives in a calm lens language. There are pains in the story, but there is no indulgence in pain; there is the pressure of urban society, and there are also the efforts of the characters to improve themselves. "What I want to do is to really pay attention to the times, take root in life, and sincerely show the brilliance of human nature." Teng Huatao said.
Chief Producer Ma Hao: "Heart Residence" is a Shanghai-listed well style painting
"Teacher Teng Xiaolan's work is a different perspective in The Haipai novel, and she has always paid attention to the group of people in the middle of the pyramid, including the author himself, who is also a person of this class in the middle of the pyramid. Therefore, she has always narrated the novel "Heart Residence" in a calm tone. Maybe it's also my personal aesthetic, and I like this kind of novel with a strong sense of life. Ma Hao, chief producer of "Heart Residence", told reporters.
Speaking of the implementation of this project, Ma Hao introduced that from the copyright of Teacher Teng Xiaolan to the adaptation of the play, to the post-filming, and then to the broadcast, the whole process is relatively close and smooth.
When the novel was not yet finished and published, Ma Hao took a stack of printed manuscript paper and found director Teng Huatao. "The director is very familiar with the Shanghai story, very familiar with the Shanghai theme, and he is also one of the best directors to shoot the Shanghai theme." Fortunately, Teng Huatao was very excited after reading the novel and immediately took over the task.
In Ma Hao's eyes, Teng Huatao is a director with a very high aesthetic and creative outlook on the sense of narrative life, "His parents' short, chai rice oil and salt, and day and night transitions will make you feel real, which is actually the difference between "Heart Residence" and the current works of women's themes or urban love themes and family ethics. ”
In addition, the TV series "Heart Residence" also pays more attention to the shaping of character strength and the construction of the entire family relationship. "You will find that "Heart Residence" is a big family story, which has sisters-in-law, parents, children, etc., it is a close connection of family life, I think the director put this sense of life and reality, and presented Shanghai very well."
It is reported that the TV series "Heart Residence" and the movie "1921" released on July 1 last year and the blockbuster drama "The World" at the beginning of 2022 and called the "Melody of the Times Trilogy" of Tencent Pictures and Yuwen Film and Television.
Ma Hao revealed that "Human World" and "Heart Residence" were developed at about the same time, and "Heart Residence" was slightly later. She said: "The novel "The World of Man" has a strong sense of depth, telling the life history of the Chinese people in the past 50 years, whether from geography, from the northeast to Guizhou, or from the working class to intellectuals and government officials, it is a very socialized and panoramic work from the perspective of our topic selection." "Heart Residence" is more of a Shanghai-listed well style painting of a Shanghai metropolis, the former is a panoramic sense of depth, and the latter focuses on reflecting the cross-section of society. Because the metropolis of Shanghai has a variety of life, it can gather the epitome of the current people in Chinese society. ”
Nandu reporter Huang Qian