On July 4, 2024, a news about the appearance of modern elements in the costume drama "The Prosperous Age of the Tang Dynasty" sparked heated discussions on social media. Netizens said that in the 15th episode of the show, not only did they see a palace maid wearing a camisole but also a minister wearing a mask. This series of goofs aroused strong dissatisfaction from the audience, and they complained that the producer "took the audience as fools".
Goofs are nothing new, but with the continuous advancement of film and television production technology, the audience's requirements for the quality of the work are getting higher and higher. However, the goofs in "The Prosperous Age of the Tang Dynasty" seem to have opened a Pandora's box of time and space travel, which makes us think: Is this an accident or a unique visual feast?
Let's first take a look at what wonderful episodes have been staged in this "visual feast through time and space". In addition to camisles and masks, attentive viewers also discovered more ironic details. For example, in a scene where the emperor summons a minister, the air outlet of a modern air conditioner appears in the background; In a scene where a military general went on an expedition, the sword in the general's hand actually flashed with LED lights. These goofs seem to tell the audience: Hey, we're not filming a costume drama, we're creating a fantasy world that blends the ancient and the modern!
In the face of these "high-tech" goofs, the reactions of netizens can be described as varied. Someone angrily said: "This is simply an insult to the intelligence of the audience!" Some people humorously ridiculed: "I didn't expect the Tang Dynasty to have such advanced technology, no wonder it can become a prosperous era!" Others simply began to open their minds: "Could it be that the screenwriter hinted that this is actually a science fiction drama that tells the story of modern people traveling back to the Tang Dynasty?" ＂
In the face of the audience's doubts, the production team of "The Prosperous Age of the Tang Dynasty" also had to respond. Director Li Ming said in an interview: "While we pursue historical authenticity, we also hope to bring some freshness to the audience. The appearance of these modern elements is actually a bold attempt by our team, hoping to make the audience have a wonderful feeling of time and space intertwined in the viewing process. ＂
This explanation undoubtedly labels the goofs as a "creative". However, this explanation does not seem to be accepted by the majority of the audience. A senior film critic pointed out: "Innovation is important, but we must also grasp the scale. If we pursue the so-called 'freshness' too much and ignore the basic historical knowledge and the audience's acceptance, it will be counterproductive. ＂
However, what is interesting is that these goofs have brought unexpected attention to "The Tang Dynasty" to some extent. On social media, #大唐盛世穿帮#的话题阅读量迅速突破了1亿, related spoof videos and memes are also emerging. Some netizens even began to spontaneously organize the "Goofs Check-in Challenge" to see who can find the most goofs details in the play.
This phenomenon has also sparked the thinking of scholars. Professor Zhang, an expert in cultural studies, said: "In today's fast-paced information age, any topic can become a flashpoint. Although the goofs in "The Prosperous Age of the Tang Dynasty" brought negative effects at first, it also invisibly created a new cultural phenomenon. This phenomenon reflects the contemporary audience's demand for a sense of participation and interactivity in film and television productions. ＂
As the discussion deepened, some viewers began to reflect: Are we too demanding of film and television works? A user with the online name "Rational Drama Watcher" published a long article, he said: "Although goofs do affect the viewing experience, we also need to understand the complexity of film and television production. Instead of blindly complaining, let's think about it from another angle: can these goofs also become a window for us to understand the film and television production process? ＂
There is also some support for this view. Someone said: "Seeing these goofs made me interested in working behind the scenes." For example, how did they recreate ancient scenes? What difficulties did you encounter during the shoot? ＂
As the discussion heats up, the producers of "The Prosperous Age of the Tang Dynasty" also seem to realize that this is a rare opportunity. They began to post some behind-the-scenes footage on their official accounts, showing the filming process and special effects production skills of costume dramas. This move not only eased the dissatisfaction of the audience, but also unexpectedly increased the topicality of the series.
At the same time, some entrepreneurs are sniffing out business opportunities. Soon, peripheral products with the theme of "The Prosperous Tang Dynasty" goofs appeared on the market, such as T-shirts printed with air conditioners and LED sword patterns, and "Tang Dynasty Minister" figures wearing masks. As soon as these products were launched, they were sought after by young people, and they became popular products on the Internet for a while.
In the face of this unexpected development, the producers of "The Prosperous Age of the Tang Dynasty" also began to adjust their strategies. They announced that they would add some "easter eggs" to future episodes, inviting viewers to look for them together. This interactive experience immediately aroused the audience's interest, and everyone said that they wanted to "keep their eyes open" to watch the drama.
However, this practice has also raised some questions. Some people worry that this will affect the coherence of the plot and the authenticity of history? In this regard, screenwriter Wang Xiaoming explained: "We will grasp the scale well to ensure that these elements do not affect the main plot. It's more of a way to interact with the audience, hoping to let everyone get some light-hearted experience while learning about the history. ＂
As the discussion deepened, people began to think about the future development direction of film and television production. Some experts predict that with the development of VR and AR technology, future costume dramas may bring a more immersive experience to the audience. Viewers may not just be watching the play, but will be able to "travel" to ancient times and experience historical scenes firsthand.
At the same time, it has also been suggested that AI technology can be used to assist film and television production, such as developing a "goofs detection" system that can automatically identify possible goofs in post-production. This not only improves production efficiency, but also greatly reduces the possibility of goofs.
Some people also imagine that future film and television works may pay more attention to audience participation. For example, the audience can vote to decide the direction of the plot or participate in the creation of the script. This interactive creative model may bring new vitality to the film and television industry.
In general, although the goofs of "The Prosperous Age of the Tang Dynasty" brought negative effects at first, it also unexpectedly became an opportunity to trigger industry thinking and innovation. It shows us that in this era of rapid information dissemination, any "mistake" can become an opportunity, and the key lies in how to respond and take advantage of it.
Finally, let's get back to the title: "Wear suspenders and forget it!" I also put up with the blood transfusion, the one who wears the mask really takes the audience for a fool." This sentence certainly expresses the audience's dissatisfaction, but from another point of view, isn't it the audience's desire for high-quality content? Perhaps, this is what drives the industry as a whole to keep improving.
In the future, we look forward to seeing more well-crafted and well-researched film and television works. At the same time, we also hope to have more innovative attempts to bring a fresh and interesting viewing experience to the audience. After all, isn't the charm of film and television works that it can take us through time and space to experience different lives?