As a representative figure in the sixth generation of directors, Ning Hao is not from the class of Zheng'er Bajing like Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Gu Changwei and other directors, nor does he have the resources and background of the "Beijing Circle" like Feng Xiaogang and Jiang Wen. He was a true self-made man.
For Ning Hao, who was born in Shanxi, there is no problem that cannot be solved by a bowl of knife cutting noodles, and his life and pursuits were once fully satisfied.
In 1996, Ning Hao graduated from a secondary school in shanxi province in the film category and was assigned to work in a steel factory that could not be beaten by movies at all.
He was not tall, his appearance was unremarkable, and he was no different from the most ordinary workers who threw him in the factory, and he dealt with the machine every day and cultivated feelings with the pliers in his hand. Buy a bottle of soda for the master, and he will learn more survival skills.
The young Ning Hao spent the hardest years of his life in the steel factory, and at that time, I am afraid that the knife cutting noodles could not bring more comfort to his soul. But Ning Hao also did not think that he would one day rise to the top and become one of the most concerned directors in China. Many times he thought that he would never be able to get out of the factory workshop in his lifetime, and from this starting point, he seemed to see the end of his life.
In interviews after he became famous, he recalled himself as a child, he was never a good child in school, and the last thing he liked in the class was the class leader and other students with good grades, because the more excellent they were, the more mediocre they appeared. Parents and teachers will inevitably compare them, which will be a big blow to children who are not yet mentally sound.
When it came to the steel factory, Ning Hao was not the hardest worker, "when a monk hits a day's clock" is Ning Hao's so-called life creed.
Until one day, when he was so tired that he could not get out of bed, he quit his job at the steel factory with his relatives on his back, put on his bag, and boarded the long-distance bus to Beijing.
In fact, in Ning Hao's heart, he didn't have too many extravagant hopes for the future, he just thought of a temporary escape, and what the future would be, he simply didn't have the ability to plan. At that time, Ning Hao's comfort to himself was that he would not starve to death when he was wandering around in Beijing, and that a job was much better than practicing steel in his hometown for a lifetime.
Ning Hao would not have many things, there was not so much steel for him to refine in Beijing, and Ning Hao did not know what to do.
When applying for a job, someone asked him to fill out a resume, he pondered for half a day, at least can not let such a large form are empty, he racked his brains, suddenly remembered, he studied stage design in secondary school, maybe I can still engage in advertising design? If I flicker again, maybe I can still carry the camera?
Anyway, don't worry, just fill it in, even if I am created, I will sleep in the guest house for two days after being recognized, so what can I do.
Ning Hao ate this bowl of rice in such a vacuum, and in 2003 he also won a chance to shoot a DV movie, which won many awards and was well received by people in the industry.
At that time, although few people in the audience knew the big name of the 20-something young man, he had already made a lot of waves in the industry. In order to live, Ning Hao knew that he would eventually have to make a commercial film, so Ning Hao went around and finally impressed Andy Lau in 2006, and he invested 3 million yuan to let Ning Hao direct the later household-known work "Crazy Stone".
It was a phenomenal work that changed Ning Hao's fate, and eventually the film swept most of the film awards that year and earned 40 million at the box office. This gave the then sluggish domestic film market a shot in the arm. Many filmmakers recognize that our films can still be sold for money.
Ning Hao, who won the award that year, did not stand on the award stage with an impassioned statement, but bowed his head a little shyly and said: "Just make such a movie, fooled around for more than half a year, I really thank you."
Everyone is wondering what kind of impact the sixth generation of Chinese directors will have on Chinese cinema. Ning Hao, on the other hand, was a little too calm, and he attributed it all to the word "lucky".
It is precisely because of his overly conservative judgment of himself that he will not forget to smile at all this when he experiences any blow in the future.
After the release of the second work of "Crazy Comedy", "Crazy Racing", Ning Hao joined the Chinese film billion yuan club, and unlike Zhang Yimou and Feng Xiaogang, he used less production costs. Small and broad has become his biggest magic weapon.
But people can not be smooth sailing, in the transition period of Ning Hao in 2009 filmed the movie "No Man's Land", this movie almost exhausted the wealth and inspiration ning Hao accumulated over the years, but the film was not released for various reasons. It wasn't until exactly 4 years later that "No Man's Land" was able to see the light of day and finally meet the audience.
In these 4 years, no one can say exactly what Ning Hao has experienced.
As a director, it was the helmsman of a ship, he was under pressure that ordinary people could not imagine, and when he looked back and told the bitter story of it, Ning Hao seemed very indifferent.
Once, Phoenix's media interviewed Ning Hao: "As a director, you have also experienced many ups and downs over the years, and it is not easy to go all the way, and there are some middle-aged actresses who will complain that there is no role suitable for them, they are gradually marginalized, what do you think."
Ning Hao replied, "In fact, it is a kind of pampering, you have made movies, what else are you lying about?" They shouldn't, I shouldn't as a director, I have a job, I can still make money to live, what qualifications do I have to complain, which industry is easy? Making a movie is difficult to say that it is difficult? What's so hard? What is more difficult than you is that no matter how hard you are, is it difficult for people who can't afford to buy a house? Can it be harder than someone who can't marry a daughter-in-law? Where is it easy for people to live? ”。
Then Ning Hao pointed to the cameraman who had not yet eaten: "You look at these brothers, we sat here and talked for an hour, they stood carrying the machine for an hour, you said we were difficult, but isn't it difficult for them?" ”
Ning Hao's words are thought-provoking, our filmmakers always talk about paying, but never talk about returns. Someone once asked the famous actor Samuel Jackson: Filming Quentin's words, you must have a hard time memorizing lines, right?
Samuel Jackson's answer was very blunt: "If you see the numbers on my paycheck, you won't worry about me having to memorize my lines."
Indeed, is there anything happier than supporting yourself with your hobbies? If you can't enjoy the process, then give it to someone else.