1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 540 "Individual Violations of the Regulations"

Japan, Tokyo.

"Isn't it just a son-in-law marrying into the wife's family?"

So what if he marries into the family?

Only young widows know how to cherish men.

At the Tokyo International Film Festival, a group of judges from all over the world were captivated by a seemingly "rustic" Chinese film on the screen.

The film is called "Old Well". The story is very simple: in a water-scarce mountain village in the Taihang Mountains, generations of villagers have dug 127 wells without a water source.

More than 60 people died while digging wells, but the tradition continued from generation to generation. The protagonist, Sun Wangquan, had been digging wells for generations. Because of this, his second uncle went mad, his father was blown up, and his brother was crushed to death.

Until January 9, 1983, the first mechanical well in Laojing Village was completed, with a water output of fifty tons per hour, and Laojing Village bid farewell to the history of not being able to drill a well.

Of course, if it were just such a simple story, foreigners probably wouldn't be very interested.

It's mainly because it's a gimmick.

Yes, it's a gimmick.

Although the movie is called "Old Well", the movie poster shows Zhang Yimou and Liang Yujin embracing each other. Zhang Yimou is shirtless and is gazing affectionately at Liang Yujin, with one hand stroking her cheek.

The movie poster alone is enough to make anyone blush, and below it is a line of eye-catching red text: "The male and female leads make love in a well; never before depicted in film history."

"Director, they seem quite engrossed in watching," Lü Liping whispered.

She was wearing a dress borrowed from the factory and sat with Wu Tianming and several other members of the "Old Well" crew.

Zhang Yimou, as the male lead, should have been present, but due to filming commitments for "Stories from the Editorial Department," he was unable to attend and was forced to miss the Tokyo International Film Festival.

The Tokyo International Film Festival is undoubtedly a major event in the Asian film industry, and is basically the largest and most watched film festival in Asia.

However, this film festival is relatively new. The Japanese only established the Tokyo International Film Festival two years ago, which is held every two years, and this year marks its second edition.

To be honest, Zhang Yimou had a tough time. In order to play the male lead well, he lost 20 pounds in two and a half months. While losing weight, he also had to try his best to get closer to the character. So every day he carried stones and rubbed sand on his body to make his skin as rough as possible.

After enduring so much hardship, his film was sent to the Tokyo International Film Festival in a grand manner, but Jiang Xian, the male lead, was detained in China and refused to let him go.

As the day at the film festival came to an end, Lü Liping returned to his hotel, reflecting on everything that had happened that day, his mood unusually different.

As expected of an international film!
Thanks to the participation of "Old Well" in this competition, she had the opportunity to get in touch with the international community in advance, which broadened her horizons.

Just as Jiang Xian said.

The domestic film industry is too limited.

If you develop your career domestically, that's all you'll ever amount to; you won't reach any real level. An actor with aspirations should set their sights on the international stage.

It was precisely because of what he saw and thought today that Lü Liping became even more determined to do what he was going to do next.

Shanghai Film Studio.

"How dare these actors be so audacious these days?" Zhang Ruifang said angrily.

She's a veteran artist; she played the role of Li Shuangshuang in the nationwide hit TV series "Li Shuangshuang," and now she's in charge of the Shanghai Film Studio's Actors Troupe.

"What's wrong? Please don't get angry," someone nearby said.

"Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!"

Zhang Ruifang looked at him with a face full of disappointment and frustration, "Do you know a minor actor named Lü Liping?"

"Lü Liping? I know her. She's a very young girl. She just starred in the Xi'an Film Studio's 'Old Well,' and she acted very well. She's very talented."

“Talented? Even if you're talented, you can't just keep making mistakes,” Zhang Ruifang said.

"What did you say? What happened to her?"

"Hey, see for yourself."

Zhang Ruifang handed over the documents in her hand, and the other person glanced at them and was startled.

The document concerns an investigation into Lü Liping, stemming from the fact that Wu Tianming's film "Old Well" won the Grand Prize, the Special Prize from International Film Critics, and the Tokyo Governor's Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival some time ago.

As a supporting actress in the film, Lü Liping was invited to an interview, during which she made a very inappropriate and bizarre statement.

She said, "Only when I came to the international film festival this time did I see the true art of film! Forgive me for speaking frankly, but the so-called big directors in China haven't even touched the threshold of cinematic language."

"Most of the films produced by our Shanghai Film Studio only have superficial aesthetics. It is difficult for masterpieces of the level of the works nominated for this film festival to be produced on the screen. After all, they can't even achieve the most basic sense of realism."

"Most of the winning works in the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards, which we organize ourselves, are of very poor quality. In particular, there was a film last year whose editing was as slow as an old woman's foot binding cloth, and whose script was full of logical loopholes, yet the audience still applauded? The fact that such a third-rate work can win awards proves that we only have third-rate directors."

"."

In short, these words thoroughly criticized Chinese films, especially since they came from someone who spoke ill of their own country in front of foreigners.

After reading the document, the person who had just been trying to reason with Zhang Ruifang understood why she was angry.

If it were him, he would get angry too.

He really wanted to ask Lü Liping if she was stupid. How could an interview have offended everyone at the Chinese Film Festival? And it seemed that the girl herself didn't seem to realize this either.

"This is outrageous, absolutely outrageous!" Zhang Ruifang exclaimed. "This is utterly despicable!"

"So what should we do now?" asked the person standing nearby, who was more concerned about this.

"The matter has been suppressed for the time being and hasn't been leaked out. If it had, the audience would probably have blocked our Shanghai Film Studio and wouldn't have been satisfied until they personally beat up Lü Liping," Zhang Ruifang said.

"."

The other party thought about it and realized that it had to be the old regimental commander, who was shrewd and calculating, and thought things through very deeply.

"So what do we do now?"

Zhang Ruifang hesitated for a few seconds, then said, "Give them a disciplinary action and order their dismissal. How can we use an actor like that? Besides..."

She explained coldly, "If word gets out later, wouldn't the people be angry? They'd be pointing fingers and cursing at us, the Shanghai Film Studio, and we'd have to bail out Lü Liping. So, in my opinion, it's better to be proactive than passive."

"Dismissed for such a thing?" The other party was startled and felt that the punishment was a bit too harsh. They couldn't help but plead for Lü Liping, "She was a first-time offender and it was her first time going abroad. She was probably too excited and said something reckless. She didn't even think about that when she was being interviewed."

“It’s not just the interviews, didn’t you see? It’s written in the survey that they also contacted Japanese advertising companies and filmed two commercials while in Japan.”

"."

The man was speechless.

If what Zhang Ruifang said is true, then Lü Liping is indeed extremely guilty and deserves to die.

Because now there are individuals who violate the regulations, once an actor engages in film business or organizes film festivals or provides films to participate in overseas film festivals without approval, they will be prohibited from engaging in related film business for 5 years.

In other words, actors are not allowed to take on private jobs.

Lu Liping did not take on any private work, but without the factory's permission, he agreed to the advertising shoot without even handing over a note or giving a heads-up.

To put it bluntly, this would be considered a violation of personal regulations and could be subject to a five-year ban.

Five years is perhaps the entirety of an actor's film and television career. If those five years are wasted, then Lü Liping's career is essentially over.

"Where did you get this information? It can't be fake, can it?"

“How could that be? This is a directive from above, and everything has already been investigated,” Zhang Ruifang said.

"So what's the story with this child actor?"

"How incredibly insensible!"

"That's right, that's right." "Does anyone know her? Find her for me right now, I need to talk to her," Zhang Ruifang said.

Lü Liping was quickly summoned.

Faced with Zhang Ruifang's questions, Lü Liping readily admitted his mistakes, but his attitude was not one of admitting and correcting them; it seemed as if he was determined to go down a dark path.

“Young man, are you deliberately going against the factory?” Zhang Ruifang found it strange.

"."

Caught off guard, Lü Liping visibly tensed up, but having already made her decision, she had no reason to hesitate and simply said:
"Yes, I want to be a self-employed actor. I don't care if the factory punishes me or fires me."

"."

Zhang Ruifang sighed and offered a few more words of earnest advice. From her perspective as a senior, she believed that Lü Liping was clearly blinded by greed.

Unfortunately, Lü Liping's attitude was terrible and she wouldn't listen to reason. It's inevitable that she'll be punished for this incident. As for her personal violation of regulations, since Lü Liping has this attitude, there's no need to show her any leniency.

Beijing.

On the set of "Stories from the Editorial Department".

Mr. Hou Yaohua, dressed in a suit and tie, pushed open the door carrying a large box. "Oh, Sister Niu, you haven't left yet?"

"Hmm," Tong Zhengwei replied, who was writing at his desk.

"What are you doing? Working overtime? Doesn't seem like it. Hmm? Is there another coup at home?"

Teacher Tong Zhengwei, with an upright and incorruptible expression, said, "With Old Chen not around, I have to keep a close eye on things. What coup? You're really making this up! What kind of nonsense is this?"

Tong Zhengwei stood up, and Teacher Hou Yaohua took out a mineral water bottle from the packaging box.

"This one, look, it's a mineral water jug."

"Mineral water bottle?"

"Bailong Mineral Water Jar, this is for making mineral water."

As Hou Yaohua spoke, he pointed up and down, "Put tap water in here, and it will flow out as mineral water."

"Ouch."

"Well, the manufacturer wants to advertise here, so we brought one back to try it out first."

Does Old Chen know about this?

"Old Chen asked me to get it."

"Wow, Old Chen is really something."

Tong Zhengwei was very curious when he saw the unusual object. "But I've never actually drunk this water before."

"Ah."

Hou Yaohua raised an eyebrow. "I remember, the first time I drank less, I drank too much and started burping."

“Excellent, excellent.” Sun Yingui watched with great satisfaction. “Comrade Jiang Xian, your actors performed so vividly, and your script is also excellent. It is truly an honor and a great honor for our Bailong Mineral Water Bottle to have a piece of advertising written by such a great writer as you. Oh, thank you so much.”

"You're too kind, Mr. Sun." Jiang Xian smiled calmly. "If we just put your mineral water bottle in the editorial department, it will always be on camera. When the actors are saying their lines, they can use the bottle to fill up with water, and that will be filmed. It will definitely pique the curiosity of consumers."

"Good good."

Sun Yingui smiled so much that wrinkles appeared on his face. "To be honest, it would hurt to ask me to spend so much money to invest in a TV series. But after seeing your arrangements today, I think it might be worth it. Um, Teacher Jiang, I don't mean anything by it. I just want to confirm again, is it really possible for your TV series to be broadcast on CCTV?"

"Well, I'm a businessman, so I like to be upfront about the unpleasant aspects. Your TV series is good, I believe it's very good, but if it can't be broadcast on CCTV, its influence will definitely be greatly reduced."

"Do not worry."

Jiang Xian patted Sun Yingui on the shoulder, "If you can't get on, I'll give you your money back, okay?"

"Oh dear, that's not what I meant," Sun Yingui said politely.

Then comes signing the contract and transferring the money.

The people on the "Seahorse" side were completely dumbfounded.

Jiang Xian negotiated the 30 yuan investment so easily?
That move by the boss was too ruthless!
Oh dear, they've brazenly incorporated advertising into a TV drama, so viewers get to watch both the drama and the ads.

Black, too dark!
It's so heartless!

Wang Shuo and the others all felt it was strange. How could Jiang Xian's brain be so foreign? Otherwise, how could he come up with such a bourgeois trick?

However, I also sincerely admire him.

What's that saying again? It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat.

Who doesn't have ideals? Who doesn't want to make a good TV series?

What about money?

How can you talk about ideals or good dramas if you don't have money?
Regardless of the circumstances, Jiang Xian solved the crew's urgent problem, and in such an ingenious way.

In the eyes of the people at "Haima," Jiang Xian is truly a Zhuge Liang of our time.

"Don't just talk about the ad. Besides the ad, the plot of this episode is also interesting, boss."

"You've read the boss's script?"

"After reading it, wow, this is so vivid and lifelike, it's miles ahead of what I write."

"Really? Where's the script? Let me take a look."

Meanwhile, Lü Liping found Jiang Xian and told him with a relaxed expression that she had been successfully fired from the Shanghai Film Studio. Then she subtly asked Jiang Xian when she could "go to the United States".

"Let's do it as soon as possible," Jiang Xian said casually.

He was serious about helping Lü Liping go to the United States.

Since she likes that place so much, he is very happy to help Lü Liping realize her dream ahead of schedule.

Because he had too much faith that Lü Liping was the kind of actor who wouldn't be affected even by a storm in America.

She's not even as good-looking as Chen Chong.

Thinking about it carefully, most of Lü Liping's classic roles on screen are incredibly rustic.

She can succeed in China, but what about in the US? Getting roles is a problem for her.

"Teacher Jiang, what are you laughing at?" Lu Liping asked.

"Nothing, nothing."

Jiang Xian waved his hand.

Of course, he couldn't tell Lü Liping.

The thought of endless plates and toilets waiting for her made him almost lose his composure.

Actually, if conditions allowed, Jiang Xian would prefer Lü Liping to go to Germany rather than the United States.

Don't those who study abroad all say:

Studying in Germany for three years, if you study diligently, you'll find that five years will fly by, and these will be the most unforgettable seven years of your life.

(End of this chapter)