Directed by Yu Ding and starring Liu Tao and Wang Lei, the Cantonese drama "Chasing Dreams" is being broadcast on CCTV in a set of nightly prime files, and is simultaneously broadcast on iQiyi, Youku and Tencent Video. Set against the backdrop of 40 years of practice in the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, the drama shows the spirit of Shenzhen entrepreneurs' tenacious struggle and innovation by telling the story of a family working together to the forefront of the times.
Since the launch of "Chasing Dreams" on November 10, it has set off a wave of ratings. The gripping plot has satisfied the appetite of the audience, and the setting and modeling full of the sense of the times have aroused the youthful memories of many viewers. According to Kuyun data, on November 11 and 12, the drama ranked first in the national TV drama ratings with live broadcast attention of 1.1051 and 1.2894 respectively.
How can this Cantonese drama, which was invested and produced by Guangdong enterprises and filmed in Guangdong, artistically reproduce the great achievements of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in the past 40 years? Liu Tao, Wang Lei, You Yong and other old and young actors co-starred, what kind of sparks were rubbed out in front of and behind the scenes? Riding on the east wind of the construction of the Humanistic Bay Area, how can Guangdong film and television people continue to carry forward the "spirit of the special zone" and polish the signboard of "Cantonese opera"?
Southern Daily and Southern + All Media reporters recently had an exclusive interview with Sun Hongtao, the chief producer of the drama and a national first-class actor.
【Biography】
Sun Hongtao, Deputy Director of Rocket Force Television Art Center, General Manager of Guangdong Radio and Television Station Film and Television Production Company, Executive Director of Guangdong Southern Film Engineering and Technology Research Institute, Vice Chairman of Guangzhou Filmmakers Association, National First-class Actor. Film and television producer. He has participated in the creation of more than 70 film and television dramas, played the male number one role in more than 30 works such as "Peng Xuefeng", "Ji Hongchang", "Guandong Fishing King", "Nan Ge", etc., served as the chief producer in more than ten works such as "Sister Love", "Cao Cao", "Ji Hongchang", "Military Doctor", "Nan Ge", "Chasing Dreams" and so on, and won many national awards inside and outside the military such as "Feitian Award", "Golden Eagle Award", "Golden Star Award", "Five One Project Award" and "Golden Phoenix Award".
Talk about creation
It took more than two years to create a realistic theme masterpiece
South +: How did the topic of the TV series "Chasing Dreams" brewed?
Sun Hongtao: This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, and the broadcast of "Chasing Dreams" is a commemoration and gift of the 40-year development feat of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. This drama was planned very early, and it began to brew in 2016, and leaders and propaganda departments at all levels from the central to the local level attach great importance to it and gave great support. To this end, after two years of preparation, the crew spent nearly 11 months to complete the script creation, the episode outline revised more than ten drafts, started in Foshan on April 8, 2018, and went to Guangzhou, Taishan, Huizhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and other places to shoot, which lasted nearly 120 days, and the post-production was repeatedly polished for more than two years, which should be said to be sincere.
South +: How to concentrate high-quality creative forces to create realistic dramas?
Sun Hongtao: As artistic workers, we have the responsibility to create a high-quality drama that vividly records the great history of the development of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, tells the story of the Greater Bay Area, and inherits the "spirit of the Special Economic Zone". Everyone is gathered together with such a mission and goal, so "Chasing Dreams" brings together the top creative teams and cast members in the industry.
My partner, Dun Qi, another chief producer of "Chasing Dreams", has created many popular dramas such as "Happiness Is Like a Flower", "Golden Marriage", "Obstetrician", "The Biography of Zhen Huan", "We All Have to Be Good" and so on. Director Yu Ding is very good at directing dramas with realistic themes, representative works include "Chicken Feathers Fly to the Sky", "A Generation of Heroes", "Warm Love", etc., which have won the Best Director Award of Magnolia; the chief screenwriter Wen Haojie has written "Ordinary World" and "New Water Margin", and has won the "Golden Eagle Award" and "Golden Bull Award" for Best Screenwriter; the styling director Chen Minzheng has served as the styling director of many films and tv series such as "The Biography of Zhen Huan" and "The Legend of Mi Yue"; wu Yang, director of photography, has presided over many classic works such as "The Great Cause of Building the Army" and "Distant Distance". In terms of actors, "Chasing Dreams" brings together three generations of powerful actors from the old, middle and young, in addition to the male and female protagonists Wang Lei and Liu Tao, as well as You Yong, Huang Pinyuan, Li Yixiao, Ren Donglin, Sun Kan and other powerful actors to join.
South +: How does "Chasing Dreams" truly and vividly reflect the grand theme of Shenzhen's 40-year development in terms of creative techniques?
Sun Hongtao: "Chasing Dreams" describes the development of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone from point to point, and the plot spans 40 years, which is a linear narrative. We hope that through the story of the growth of a three-generation entrepreneur, we will serve as a microcosm of the group of entrepreneurs in the special economic zone, reflect the changes of the big times from the perspective of small people, and intersperse some important events and nodes in Shenzhen's 40 years of development. For example, important historical moments such as the birth of "Shenzhen's first stock" were revisited, and the achievements of reform and opening up such as the "International Marathon" and the "World University Games" were also presented in the play.
Due to the tight time and heavy tasks, in addition to Wen Haojie, we also gathered more than 10 screenwriters to participate in the creation of this work, and they concentrated on 6 months of in-depth research in Shenzhen. The screenwriters spent half a year reading a lot of material, in their words, looking at a few sacks of material. At the same time, the screenwriters did a lot of interviews, such as visiting employees involved in the construction of the Shekou Industrial Zone, interviewing a number of infrastructure engineering soldiers, experts from the local Museum of Culture and History, and many "new and old Shenzhen people".
In order to maximize the restoration of reality, more than 95% of the real scenes in the play are shot, and many of them are specially customized. The real-life shooting is very difficult, we used a large number of extras, and the entire drama cost 200 million yuan to shoot and produce.
South +: Also a reality drama reflecting reform and opening up, Yu Ding's "Chicken Feathers Fly to the Sky" is widely acclaimed. What do you think is the characteristics and novelty of the play "Chasing Dreams" compared with Yu Dao's previous works?
Sun Hongtao: These two plays depict the growth stories of small people at the grassroots level on the road of reform and opening up, but the regions are different. The story of "Chasing Dreams" takes place in Lingnan by the sea, and I found that director Yu Ding carved it very lingnanally. For example, the nouns and props used when Du Fang sells casserole porridge are very authentic. "Shrimp Boy" and "Oyster Boy", these names know that they are Lingnan people. In addition, the director's requirements for art are also very high, and our photography teachers and art teachers have visited many Lingnan villages to survey the scenery, which well restores the history and Lingnan style, such as the Arcade Building and other characteristic buildings, which the audience can see in the play.
Talk about deduction
"Wang Guangming is not a negative character, but a negative teaching material"
South +: Why did you choose Liu Tao and Wang Lei, the two leading actors?
Sun Hongtao: Liu Tao lived in Guangdong for a long time in the early days of entering the industry, and she has life experience here, and she is very familiar with the land of Guangdong and has feelings. Liu Tao's acting skills have also been affirmed, and more importantly, her temperament is also very suitable for playing our Lingnan girls.
Although Wang Lei is a boy in the northeast, he is from a military family and grew up in a compound, which is suitable for Wei Dongxiao's identity as a demobilized soldier, and can also show his sunny and upright spirit and indomitable spirit. Wang Lei was particularly serious, entering the group more than ten days in advance to experience life and study the script, and many scenes were prepared by him personally. There is another reason for choosing them, Wang Lei and Liu Tao are particularly tacit old partners, this is their third cooperation, playing a couple who have been in the same boat for decades is very convincing.
South+: What's interesting behind the scenes of the filming of the two lead actors?
Sun Hongtao: Liu Tao participated in "Chasing Dreams" during the squeeze period, and she personally told me that after nearly 20 years of acting, "Chasing Dreams" is a drama that she is particularly concerned about. The scene where she and "Oyster Boy" meet is really touching. Liu Tao's crying drama was very well grasped, and after the play was performed, everyone couldn't help but applaud. In addition, Liu Tao and Wang Lei had a lot of improvised lines on the scene, for example, there was a scene where the two of them quarreled, and the two jumped out of a lot of lines that were not on the script, and everyone was happy at the scene.
South +: You also played an important role in the play, Wang Guangming, which seems to be different from the heroic image you have created in your previous film and television works. Why did you choose such a role?
Sun Hongtao: Yes, the character of Wang Guangming will be "reversed" and "blackened" later. The role of Wang Guangming is a demobilized soldier, I am also a 35-year-old "veteran", just returned to Guangzhou from the army in 2017, when I chose this role, I felt that the military temperament of this character was closer to me, and it is also a memorial to my many years of military career. I have played Many heroes such as Peng Xuefeng in "Peng Xuefeng", Jiang Wei in "Heroes Without Regrets", Chen Geng in "Huangpu Soldier", but I have never played a "stained" hero, which is indeed a big challenge in my acting career.
△ Sun Hongtao played Wang Guangming in "Chasing Dreams".
I don't think the character of Wang Guangming is a negative character, but he is a negative teaching material. He was honest and kind by nature, and he was once a good cadre. This character has flesh and blood, affection and righteousness, and his cuteness. He is not the kind of hedonistic person who is hunted in the mall by people who are greedy for profit, and he does not resist the temptation, and the horse loses its front hoof and loses himself. I think that in the process of reform and opening up, in the current era of rapid economic growth, this role is a very typical character, which is worthy of deep consideration by the audience.
△ The role of Wang Guangming has been "reversed" in the subsequent plot.
Talk about growth
"Guangdong is the birthplace of my film and television career"
Nanfang +: You have lived and worked in Guangdong for many years, what kind of understanding do you have about this frontier of reform and opening up?
Sun Hongtao: I have very much affection for this land in Guangdong. I joined the army at the age of 16, was admitted to the Journalism Department of Jinan University at the age of 18, and became a former information officer of the Guangzhou Military Region after graduation. I studied and settled in Guangdong, got married and had children, and also entered the film and television industry in Guangdong, filming the first TV series "Ye Jianying", and later starred in "Heroes Without Regret" and "Peace Years".
△ Sun Hongtao has played a heroic character in many film and television works.
Before transferring to Beijing, I lived in Guangdong for 25 years, until I returned to Guangdong from the Rocket Force Television Art Center in 2016, when I happened to be preparing for the filming of "Chasing Dreams". I have always felt that I have a deep relationship with Guangdong. I often joke that the three big dramas I shot in Guangdong just string together my mental journey: chasing dreams in peacetime, heroes have no regrets.
△ Sun Hongtao served as the chief producer and starred in the film "Nan Ge" at the Cannes Film Festival in France and distributed overseas.
South+: How do you understand the "Spirit of the Special Zone"?
Sun Hongtao: In my opinion, people living in this hot land of Guangdong have a remarkable trait - pragmatic and hardworking, open and inclusive. This trait of being tolerant and daring to break through is the core of the "spirit of the special zone", which has created the earth-shaking development of the special zone 40.
The formation of this spirit is, in my opinion, in line with Guangdong's unique geographical location and the development of marine culture. Since ancient times, Guangdong has been an important trading town, thriving towards the sea. During the Qianlong period, Guangzhou Thirteen Lines was China's only foreign trade port and a place where cultures at home and abroad converged. Shenzhen, which is adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao, has benefited from the policy dividends of reform and opening up, and has opened its arms to recruit talents from all over the world.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Guangdong was indeed the "golden land" that many people dreamed of, bringing together all kinds of good news, good things, good prospects, full of hope and vitality. I still remember that at that time, we often went to Sha Tau Kok and Zhongying Street to buy the latest electronic watches and toad mirrors. That period of history is the collective memory of our generation, and it is also a very important and great historical memory in the history of our country's development.
Talk about development
Preparation for the establishment of the Guangdong Southern Film Engineering and Technology Research Institute
Nanfang +: Standing at a new starting point for the construction of the Humanistic Bay Area, how do you think the development of Guangdong's film and television industry can seize major opportunities and create brilliance again?
Sun Hongtao: The development of Guangdong film and television has had a good tradition and foundation in the past, but it is undeniable that the pace of development in the past two decades has indeed not kept up with the level of economic development. It is gratifying that departments at all levels have attached great importance to the revitalization of Guangdong's film and television industry in recent years, and there have been a series of major actions: such as building a southern film and television center, and deeply promoting the reform and revitalization actions of Guangdong Satellite TV and Zhuying Group. Recently, Guangzhou introduced Bona Pictures to Nansha, and also established the Guangzhou Filmmakers Association, a series of measures to boost the confidence inside and outside the industry, and strive to polish the "Cantonese opera" brand.
At present, I am working with a number of units in Beijing and Guangdong and colleagues in the industry to establish the Guangdong Southern Film Engineering and Technology Research Institute, hoping to provide technical support and intellectual support for the industrialization of the film and television industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in the future.
Nanfang Daily, Nanfang + all-media reporter Bi Jiaqi
【Author】 Bi Jiaqi
【Source】 Southern Press Media Group South + client
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