Chinese Entertainment: Academic Director

Chapter 385 Art Films Are Getting Harder

Apart from the Best Film award, which was a surprise and considered a major upset, the other awards at this year's Golden Rooster Awards were all within expectations.

Cao Yang's "Black Swan" received six nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Screenplay.

They won four awards: Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Cinematography, making them the biggest winners.

Jia Zhangke's "Still Life" received four nominations, but only won the Best Screenplay award, missing out on the Best Picture award that many people were optimistic about.

This left Jia Zhangke somewhat disappointed.

Wang Quan's "Tuya's Marriage" can also be considered one of the winners, after all, it beat two Golden Lion films, "Black Swan" and "Three Good Men," to win Best Picture.

The seven technical awards—Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup, Best Sound Recording, and Best Music—were not considered any upsets.

These seven awards were won by four big-budget productions: "Curse of the Golden Flower," "The Banquet," "A Battle of Wits," and "The Promise," which was as expected, given that these films excelled in costumes, props, and visuals.

Overall, this year's Golden Rooster Awards were a great success.

This can be seen from the feedback on the second day.

The movie channel's broadcast of the Golden Rooster Awards achieved the highest viewership ratings in the history of the broadcast.

The audience feedback was also very positive, with many leaving comments online saying that they finally "understood" this year's Golden Rooster Awards, and that the winning films were no longer those movies they had never heard of before.

Actually, the main reason for the high viewership of this year's Golden Rooster Awards was the participation of many big-name directors and stars, something everyone knew from the beginning.

However, the audience feedback that followed was what Cao Yang, Lao Hou, and Lao Han valued most.

Fortunately, the reform of the Golden Rooster Awards did not disappoint. It was a good start and laid a solid foundation for the future.

After the Golden Rooster Awards, Cao Yang took Cheng Long and several others to Canada. They planned to film "Manchester by the Sea" there for 10 days, with most of the scenes being Cheng Long's.

Lao Tian actually wanted Cao Yang to stay a couple more days before going to Canada. Pietà was going to be released nationwide on November 1st, and he wanted Cao Yang to stay and attend the premiere before leaving.

Cao Yang refused without hesitation.

Just kidding, "Love in the Seaside City," also known as "Manchester by the Sea," is going to be screened at the Berlin Film Festival next February.

It's already the end of October, time is tight and the task is heavy. We will definitely have to work overtime to finish filming, and we also need to do post-production, submit it for review, etc. What if we can't make it to the Berlin Film Festival?
Of course, this is just Cao Yang's surface explanation.

The real reason was that Li Xiaoran, Gao Yuanyuan, Dong Xuan, Pang Bing, and Yu Feihong had all sent Cao Yang messages saying they would be staying in Suzhou for the next day.

Cao Yang chuckled.

Do you think I don't know what you mean? You just want me to spend time with you guys tomorrow... right? I can create clones, can't I?
Counting birds, counting birds.

I don't have the ability to be in two places at once, how could I possibly let you all share in the glory?

slip away.

The film is in production, the studio in Canada has already been booked, the crew there is already in place, and it will be participating in the Berlin Film Festival next February... etc., etc., these are all reasons that are reasonably plausible.

Then, to show his "sincerity," he even called each person to ask if they wanted to go to Canada with him.

Li Xiaoran, Gao Yuanyuan, Dong Xuan, and Pang Bing all have work to do and definitely can't go to Canada with him. As for Yu Feihong, she can go if she wants to. As the female lead of the movie, no one will think much of it if she goes.

Fortunately, everyone's work had been arranged in advance. Taking a day or two out of their schedule might not be a problem, but going to Canada would definitely take more than a day or two, so no one went with them.

Even Yu Feihong, who didn't have any scenes to film in Canada, didn't go with them after some consideration—because the added experience of getting into character made her feel lost every day, and she liked to stay at home alone and wallow in self-pity.

Cao Yang genuinely wanted Yu Feihong to go with them; Yu Feihong's condition wasn't right, and he was afraid something might happen to her.

Before going to Canada, Cao Yang set aside an evening to spend with Yu Feihong.

He's starting to regret it now, realizing that this isn't how you get into character. If you really want an actor to be "superhuman," you can gradually add scenes when the actor is already in the role.

For example, when filming Yu Feihong's scenes, you can give her a "just right" immersion experience the night before, but when filming the scenes where she needs to "explode," you can give her even more immersion experience.

The advantage of doing this is that even if you get more immersed in the role, the negative off-screen impact of that immersion will likely be minimized after the emotional release during the "explosive" scenes.

Sigh, the development of the immersive experience is still inadequate.

Next time, try to change your previous harsh approach—although directors often treat actors as "tools," they can't be so inhumane.

Okay, I'll try to treat them like human beings next time.

Due to Quebec's tax credit policy, many Hollywood film companies particularly like to film there.

As a result, many photography studios have been built here.

Cao Yang chose Columbia's studio here.

Actually, if you don't want to rent the studios built by the big film studios here, you can rent some private houses, renovate them, and use them for filming.

However, while this method seems cheaper than renting a photography studio, in practice it is not only not cheaper, but also adds countless troubles.

For example, you might have to spend time choosing a suitable house, but the house might not be willing to be rented to you for filming.

In addition, we need to find local workers and actors, and rent filming equipment and supplies. If filming requires closing roads, we also need to apply to the city hall for approval. The approval process takes time, and even if it is approved, filming can only be done during the specified time periods.

It's all just trouble.

Renting a photography studio is much simpler; you can modify it yourself to suit your shooting style, or you can entrust them to deliver the finished product.

Alternatively, if the requirements are not too high and there is no special meaning, you can choose an existing street or house and simply move suitable furniture into the room.

Furthermore, extras or featured actors, filming equipment, and so on are all available here.

Because this is a photography studio, filming the street closures only requires coordination and has nothing to do with the city hall; there's no need to apply to or report to them.

Another important point is that renting a photography studio for shooting eliminates many hassles and saves a lot of time.

Moreover, given Cao Yang's relationship with Columbia Pictures, shooting at their studio would not only offer discounts but also guarantee other aspects, making communication and coordination incredibly fast.

Most importantly, Colombia can assist you in applying for tax credits, saving you a lot of trouble and maximizing the use of the tax credit policy. Don't underestimate this; those unfamiliar with the process will simply follow the rules when applying for tax credits, while Colombia can maximize benefits within the stipulated provisions, and all of this is legal.

The more comprehensive the laws or provisions, the more "legitimate" profits can be generated.

That's why there are so many lawyers in the West.

Western lawyers, in essence, are adept at exploiting loopholes in laws or regulations to make things or situations that are not necessarily reasonable or morally sound, yet still legal.

Under these circumstances, the filming, which was expected to take 10 days, was completed in just 7 days.

When Cao Yang returned to Beijing with his crew, "Saint's Lament" had already been showing for more than a week.

Nowadays, with the expansion of the domestic film market and the increase in the number of films released, especially with many blockbusters released every year, it is no longer the era when audiences could only watch whatever the cinemas showed.

The audience now has a choice.

Putting aside other things, just three or four years ago, any art film that could win an award at one of the three major European film festivals, or even one that only made it into the main competition, could earn at least tens of millions of yuan at the box office in China.

The three major European powers were still considered "sacred" at that time.

The main audience for the film is mostly "petit bourgeois," mostly born in the 60s or 70s, many of whom believe that the moon in Europe and America is "rounder."

There was no other way; movies were so scarce back then, and there weren't many blockbuster films to watch. The three major European cinemas were the best advertisements available.

Therefore, at this point, any film that makes it into the three major European competition sections will have a high box office if it is released domestically.

But things haven't been working out in the last two years.

With several top domestic directors starting to make "blockbusters," with the increase in the number of imported Hollywood blockbusters, and with Hong Kong and Taiwanese filmmakers moving north—they are hardly making any art films anymore.

Now there are many more options.

Art films – most represent dullness and oppression, and generally don't have happy endings.

Commercial blockbusters, to put it bluntly, are designed to stimulate your senses, make you feel excited, and simply put, provide you with emotional value and make you feel "good".

Therefore, the box office revenue of domestic art films has not only failed to grow along with the growth of the film market, but has instead begun to decline, and by a significant margin.

Audiences no longer "recognize" awards, but have started to "recognize" directors and stars.

Take "Still Life," which won the Golden Lion, the highest award at the Venice Film Festival, as an example. If this film had been released around 2000, with the prestigious Golden Lion award, it would have been guaranteed a box office of at least 2000 million.

What was its box office performance after its release in 2006?
30, not in US dollars, but in Chinese yuan.

Could you have imagined this a few years ago? A Golden Lion-winning film only grossed 30 yuan at the domestic box office.

Of course, while the reputation of the three major European countries may not be as "effective" domestically, it still works very well abroad, especially in Europe.

According to Cao Yang, the film "Still Life" earned more than 4000 million yuan just from selling its overseas rights.

With more films being released, audiences have more choices and are more inclined to choose directors or actors they believe have a guarantee of film quality.

Just like Jiang Wen's "The Sun Also Rises," which was released last month, almost all ordinary viewers who saw the film said they didn't understand it...

Even so, because this was Jiang Wen's first film after his "comeback," many people were still willing to believe in him, even though the film returned empty-handed from the Venice Film Festival.

According to Yu Dong, chairman of the distributor Polybona, they originally predicted that Jiang Wen's first film after his comeback would gross 1 million yuan, but it only achieved 3000 million yuan.

Yu Dong may have exaggerated the box office figures, but even if he was just bragging to promote the film, even if the figures were cut in half, it would still have grossed 1500 million.

This domestic box office is far, far greater than Jia Zhangke's "Still Life," and the two are almost incomparable in terms of domestic box office revenue.

Of course, even if "The Sun Also Rises" does gross 3000 million, it will still be a huge loss, as the film's production cost was 5000 million.

In addition, because the film did not win an award in the main competition at the Venice Film Festival, its overseas rights could not be sold for a good price.

In comparison, "Still Life," with a production cost of less than 600 million yuan, made a fortune, while "The Sun Also Rises" lost money even with overseas copyright revenue.

Cao Yang is the top "brand" among domestic directors; his films, even art films, can be huge hits.

Even if Cao Yang were the producer and screenwriter of "Pieta" instead of Lao Tian, ​​the box office performance would only be mediocre.

Old Tian's "brand" is a bit outdated. Although winning the Golden Lion Award has boosted his status, his box office appeal is still far behind that of Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Xiao Gangpao.

Of course, even if he is a bit "outdated", Lao Tian is still much more famous than Jia Zhangke.

"Pieta" has grossed 12 million yuan in its first seven days. Whether it can break 30 million yuan in total box office will depend on its performance in the second week.

Cao Yang thought the box office was so-so, but Lao Tian was very satisfied.

When has he ever had a film with such "high" box office? Old Tian is already very satisfied with the box office performance of an art film.

Despite its mediocre domestic box office performance, "Pieta" sold its overseas rights much better than "Still Life" because it won the Golden Lion Award and was produced and written by Cao Yang.

It's only been a little over two months since the 64th Venice Film Festival ended, and Pietà has already sold its European rights for $800 million.

This doesn't even include the copyrights that are currently being negotiated in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and North and South America.

So even though the three major European film studios may be declining in popularity, the copyright fees for their award-winning films can still fetch a good price.

After returning to Beijing, Cao Yang gave the film crew a day off.

Now, most of the filming for "Love in the Seaside City" has been completed, with only two important scenes and two scenes that are expected to be somewhat difficult to film remaining.

Two important scenes: one is when the male protagonist encounters his ex-wife pushing a stroller on a street corner. This scene is very important and sets the tone for the entire film.

One scene involved a nephew opening the refrigerator, seeing frozen chicken legs, and remembering his father who was still "frozen" in the morgue. He could no longer maintain his composure and broke down.

The two most challenging scenes were those between the "nephew" and his two girlfriends, played by Da Tiantian and Da Mimi respectively.

Big boobs might be easier to handle, but big, sweet... that's quite a challenge.

(End of this chapter)