Jimu News reporter Rong Yu
Dong Yuhui said: "You can always trust Zhang Yimou!"
Zhang Yimou said: "You can always trust Dong Yuhui!"
This is not a "business blowing to each other" in a social occasion, but two Shaanxi people who have achieved great success in their respective fields, staging "fellow villagers see fellow countrymen".
On the evening of February 2, the famous director Zhang Yimou brought his new work "Article 20" to the live broadcast room of his Shaanxi hometown Dong Yuhui. One is an international famous director, and the other is a "top anchor", the two met, and they couldn't stop the car when they chatted.
"Two terracotta warriors sit in front of me"
In the conversation that night, Zhang Yimou, Dong Yuhui and "Dong Yuhui's boss" Yu Minhong chatted for 100 minutes, allowing millions of netizens to get close to the artistic life of international famous directors.
At the beginning of the live broadcast, Dong Yuhui took the initiative to mention that Ning Hao and Andy Lau came to the live broadcast two days ago, and netizens gave him some suggestions. However, unlike the calm atmosphere of Ning Hao and Andy Lau's live broadcast on the day, Zhang Yimou, who has strong expression skills, chatted with his fellow villagers in Shaanxi happily as soon as he sat down.
Seeing Zhang Yimou and Dong Yuhui talking happily, Yu Minhong, who was sitting on the side, couldn't help but say: "Two terracotta warriors and horses are sitting in front of me." Zhang Yimou and Dong Yuhui both gladly accepted this evaluation, and frequently talked about the common character characteristics of Shaanxi people and the influence of the land of Shaanxi on them during the conversation.
Zhang Yimou said that he likes the protagonists in works such as "Qiu Ju's Lawsuit" and "No One is Missing", because they represent the character of Shaanxi people, "a tendon, very persistent, do not hit the south wall and do not look back, this kind of tendon behavior, stubbornness that has always been insisted on, has produced drama." ”
According to Zhang Yimou's analysis, Shaanxi is a place with strong colors, so his early works also pay special attention to color, which is the influence of the land, "I don't like things that are light and light. But this time, in Article 20, it is necessary to wash away the lead and put away the means, which is completely opposite to the ostentatious and rich one. ”
As a director, you can't cherish "feathers" too much
Yu Minhong is very curious, Zhang Yimou's works have been changing styles in recent years, and he has also begun to make comedies, whether this is taking the initiative or catering to the audience.
Zhang Yimou took "Article 20" as an example, "We have long set it to be the Spring Festival, so we still hope that there will be more laughter and everyone can relax a little." Another point is that the innovation of film ontology requires a mixture of different elements, and we tried it when we were in "Man Jianghong". Zhang Yimou revealed that "Article 20" had previously done audience tests and found that the film caused twice as many laughter as "Man Jianghong".
Dong Yuhui laughed at himself and said that every time he wanted to innovate during the live broadcast, he would be "politely rejected" by netizens, Zhang Yimou smiled when he heard this, "I also have times when I overturn, there are several of them, netizens should be more familiar than me." ”
73-year-old Zhang Yimou frankly shared that if a director wants to innovate, he can't cherish "feathers" too much, "I can't do too much self-design, (I can't say) I have been facing the wall for 10 years, and each part must be very presentable, and I must maintain a level, so as to meet my personality." If you have that idea, it's best not to go back and forth with innovation. Innovation is very risky, so there are many directors who make movies for a lifetime, which is equivalent to making a movie for a lifetime. ”
The actors don't talk about money with Zhang Yimou
It is no exaggeration to say that actors throughout the Chinese film industry want to work with Zhang Yimou. When talking about how to select actors, Zhang Yimou said that there are not many excellent actors in the Chinese film and television industry, so every time he looks for actors, there are not many choices left for him, and once he meets an actor he admires very much, he is willing to cooperate many times, such as Lei Jiayin, "Sometimes he is surprised when he is called." He is very malleable, which is his greatest characteristic, and his performance is very relaxed, he is a good actor. ”
Yu Minhong asked Zhang Yimou very directly how those famous actors talked to him about the conditions of cooperation, and Zhang Yimou did not avoid this question.
"These famous and accomplished actors, if I look for them, basically they all respect me very much, trust me very much, appreciate it very much, (they all say) other conditions are easy to talk about, and I would rather not meet their standards, but I am willing to come. Zhang Yimou thanked the actors for their trust in him, "A director will be grateful when he is treated by actors like this, and he feels that I have to shoot this character and this story well no matter what, because people are good to you, trust you, (willingly) discount, and don't even get paid, no matter how busy you are." This is the trust and affection for you, you have nothing to repay, you can only do the work well. ”
Zhang Yimou said, for example, Yu Hewei in "Article 20" has very few scenes, "It's only a day or two of scenes, but he throws everything over and doesn't talk about anything, just to help." I am honored and grateful for a director to be treated like this by an actor. ”
Dong Yuhui's acting is definitely a big topic
When talking about the topic of using new actors, Zhang Yimou said very honestly that he is a director who is very responsible for investors, so he is afraid of making investors lose money, "I am not the kind of 'I don't care if the investor loses, I will finish my art'...... I can't do it, and I'll be embarrassed to let people lose money, so I'll be more cautious when hiring new people. ”
He used the 2022 Spring Festival movie "Sniper" as an example, saying that the film used a large number of newcomers to play the starring role, but in the end the box office performance was not very good, "It's a pity." ”
Speaking of this, Zhang Yimou suddenly looked at Dong Yuhui and said, "I'll look for you! If I'm looking for you, this is a big topic." If you are acting, it must be a big topic, and many people who come to watch your live broadcast will come to buy tickets. ”
Zhang Yimou also seriously suggested that Dong Yuhui and Yu Minhong write scripts and write down the stories of the live broadcast industry and the people engaged in this industry, "It's very interesting, I think I can try to write a story, no matter who will play it, write it first, I am a script shortage now." ”
In the live broadcast, Zhang Yimou did not hesitate to praise Dong Yuhui, a fellow countryman, calling him a "cultural person", and summarized the secret of Dong Yuhui's success, "In business without talking about business, creating a new way of live broadcasting." ”
Filming "The Great Wall" was "strictly controlled" by Hollywood
Zhang Yimou, who created the era of China's "blockbusters", has been more keen on making "small films" in recent years, and in this conversation, he also talked about his English blockbuster "The Great Wall", which was evaluated by many people as a "failed work".
Zhang Yimou said that he took "The Great Wall" at that time to go to Hollywood to study, because Hollywood handed over a $200 million film project to a Chinese director to complete, and such a learning opportunity was very rare. But Zhang Yimou also made no secret of the fact that there were good experiences and bad experiences in this study.
"I don't like their kind of system, they have little freedom, they are completely industrialized, and they have to be made according to the script. My habit for so many years has been to change while shooting, no one interferes with the director, you have the final say. I thought it was okay (to go to Hollywood), they respected me very much, (I think) you are a great director of the East, let me misjudge (laughs) ......" Zhang Yimou recalled, from the day "The Great Wall" started, there were two Hollywood staff members who followed him until the movie was finished, "They didn't speak, they just sat behind me, where I went they went." I didn't realize it at first, but then I said I wanted to change a word, and they said no, it had to be done according to the script......"
This "painful" work experience also gave Zhang Yimou a dialectical understanding of Hollywood's highly industrialized management, "If there is still a chance in the future, we must negotiate in advance, which ones I can change." ”
The 73-year-old Zhang Yimou is not retiring
Yu Minhong, who is one round younger than Zhang Yimou, said that he wants to "retire" at this age, travel all over the world, eat and drink, but Zhang Yimou, who is about to celebrate his 74th birthday, said that he likes to be busy, and busyness makes him feel fulfilled.
"It comes from my school experience and upbringing, I came out of a factory, I had the opportunity to go to university, I had the opportunity to work in film, I had the opportunity to be a director, I had the opportunity to combine the work I love with raising a family, so I feel very lucky, I am the lucky one of the times. I am grateful for the times, and I often think: don't be idle, don't enjoy it, cherish it. Zhang Yimou joked to himself, "Am I working hard? (My) many things are accidental and given by the times, so I don't think I want to waste my time." ”
According to public information, Zhang Yimou currently has 4 directorial works in preparation, including the e-sports theme "League of Legends", which focuses on young audiences. Zhang Yimou's retirement does not exist.
(Image source: screenshot of the live broadcast, public information of the film party)
(Source: Jimu News)
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