Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 291 Cultural Export Opportunity, Letter of Appointment
In August, the atmosphere of midsummer was intense in Beijing.

Rumors about "The Martian" gradually swept through the film and television industry like a heat wave, and everyone was eager to find out more, with all sorts of speculations circulating.

Everyone knows that if the news is true, Wu Chen's project with Universal, China Film Group, and Shanghai Film Group is no ordinary project, but the specific details have not yet been uncovered.

However, compared to these undercurrents in the film and television industry, at this moment, a truly important meeting is just beginning at the Beijing Organizing Committee headquarters for the Olympic Games.

The main conference hall of the Organizing Committee was brightly lit and filled with people.

Experts and celebrities from the film and television industry, the cultural and artistic circles, and even the sports, architecture, music and dance circles gathered together, creating a lineup so impressive that it inspired awe.

Wu Chen and Ning Hao sat together in the area mainly occupied by the directing and cinematography departments of the Beijing Film Academy, with Xie Fei, Tian Zhuangzhuang, and Gu Changwei beside them.
Chen Kaige even temporarily suspended filming of "Mei Lanfang" to appear at the meeting.
Ning Hao looked around, then leaned close to Wu Chen's ear and whispered, "This is quite a spectacle today!"

Wu Chen nodded slightly: "It concerns the opening ceremony plan for next year, so we will definitely be extremely careful. Nobody wants any mistakes to happen at the opening ceremony of next year's Olympics, which is understandable."

His gaze shifted to the seat of Zhang Yimou on the podium, his expression grave.

At this moment, Zhang Yimou had a thick draft of the proposal in front of him, his gaze silent and focused. Sitting next to him were several important administrative leaders, all with serious expressions, seemingly under heavy pressure.

"The contents of this meeting are confidential. Please take a look and offer your opinions," a leader on the podium said in a deep and powerful voice.

Everyone picked up the plans in front of them and quickly began to browse through them.

Wu Chen's gaze fell on the proposal paper, the contents of which were roughly the same as what he knew before:
Zhang Yimou's opening ceremony plan was visually striking and artistic, with a grand collectivist visual presentation as its core, showcasing the splendid civilization and magnificent momentum of China over thousands of years. However, it was precisely because of the excessive pursuit of a grand narrative that some people were worried.

There are also some well-collected creative solutions later.

Wu Chen flipped through the pages and accidentally stumbled upon his own original draft. A slight smile appeared on his lips. Seeing his own creative proposal at this moment was truly delightful, as it proved that the proposal had been recognized and was worth including in the reference collection.

"Yours?" Ning Hao blinked repeatedly, because the signature on one of the proposals was Wu Chen.

Wu Chen chuckled softly, "Who else could it be?"

Seeing Wu Chen's smug look, Ning Hao couldn't help but feel jealous: "I should have put some serious effort into developing a plan back then. I regret it!"

"."

Soon, experts from various industries began to speak out:
"While Director Zhang's proposal is visually stunning, it overemphasizes artistic expression. Can ordinary viewers and the general public internationally understand it?"
I think the latter suggestion makes some sense. The original plan is too artistic and lacks some elements that are more relevant to daily life. Could we add some of those?

"After all, the opening ceremony is geared towards a global audience, so the selection of cultural symbols should be more careful. We can't leave foreign audiences confused; internationalization is very important."

"Could we add more interactive elements to bring the audience and performers closer together?"

……

Different voices rose and fell, and opinions were varied, but the Beijing Film Academy seemed quite united.

Xie Fei spoke first: "I think Director Zhang's proposal is very mature in terms of art, taking into account both visual impact and cultural depth. There may be some minor issues, but the core is still excellent."

Tian Zhuangzhuang and Gu Changwei nodded in agreement.

Surprisingly, even Chen Kaige, who was not selected as the chief director but became the artistic advisor, unusually echoed this sentiment in a low-key manner:

"Artistic expression, especially on an international stage like an opening ceremony, is inherently inclusive and diverse. I think Director Zhang has achieved a sufficient balance; minor adjustments are all that's needed."

Upon hearing the unified support from the Beijing Film Academy, Zhang Yi's expression softened considerably.

After the older generation finished speaking, it was natural for the younger generation, including Wu Chen, to also give their remarks.

"Director Wu Chen, feel free to share your thoughts," a leader from the external publicity department on the stage said with a smile.

Wu Chen was no stranger to this leader, because he had talked to him when he went to the external publicity department to give a speech during the Oscar incident this year.

Zhang Yimou and the administrative leaders on stage were somewhat curious, after all, Wu Chen and Li An were the new art consultants they planned to invite after the meeting.

All eyes turned to him, and the scene fell silent for a moment.

Wu Chen looked around and continued calmly, "Actually, everyone's concerns are not wrong. There is indeed a certain natural contradiction between art and popularization." "But I think what we need to be clear about is that this is a globally watched opening ceremony. The primary purpose is not merely to cater to so-called 'popularity,' but to let the world feel the profound heritage and magnificent momentum of our Chinese civilization."

Like the third proposal at the back of the booklet proposal, that was my idea.”

Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Haha, it's so good to be young!"

"Young people are great; since you've achieved something, don't be afraid to mention it!"

"."

Zhang Yimou and the leaders on the podium couldn't help but smile.

"Actually, when I was writing it, I was following the same path as Director Zhang. Since it was selected, it proves that everyone's ideas were the same at the beginning."

While being easy to understand is important, what we need even more is grandeur, a powerful impact. For example, the romance of France, the grandeur of Russia, and the dynamism of America all embody strong cultural confidence.

Wu Chen paused, his gaze sweeping over the experts, and said firmly, "Director Zhang's proposal perfectly blends the grandeur of our culture and the weight of our history with modern artistic techniques. The impact of this artistic expression is, in itself, the best international language!"

In the meeting room, everyone looked thoughtful.

Wu Chen added, "I don't believe that appropriate innovation or abstraction will necessarily lead to audience misunderstanding. On the contrary, this is an excellent opportunity for cultural export, allowing audiences around the world to experience and explore the charm of our civilization."

The administrative leaders on the podium listened to Wu Chen's resounding words and showed some approval on their faces.

Wu Chen's words were supported by solid evidence, as reports from both domestic and international media outlets recently praised the Eastern artistic aesthetics of "Black Peony."

Wu Chen continued with a smile: "Director Zhang's plan doesn't actually need many adjustments, and there's no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater and try to please everyone."

"What we need to do is figure out how to implement good ideas more precisely in the best way, so that the solution can shine the brightest on the world stage."
Of course, this is just my humble opinion!

After he finished speaking, the conference hall fell silent, followed by bursts of applause.

Sitting to the side, Xie Fei sighed at Tian Zhuangzhuang, "Wu Chen is quite confident in his idea. The school has indeed nurtured a good talent. It's a pity that your directing department hasn't produced any outstanding individuals."

Tian Zhuangzhuang could only manage a bitter smile after hearing these hurtful words.

Over the past few years, he's heard it enough. Every time there's a meeting or an awards ceremony, as soon as Wu Chen's name appears, the directing department inevitably gets dragged out to be used as a foil.

At this moment, several administrative leaders sitting in the same row as Zhang Yi also began to whisper among themselves, clearly very interested in Wu Chen's views.

"Wu Chen's opinion is indeed good. Young people dare to speak their minds and have a great international perspective."

"Yes, that makes sense; we should have confidence in our culture."

Let's listen to everyone's thoughts.

"."

The people on the stage began to discuss quietly, and Zhang Yi's expression finally relaxed a lot. It seemed that the pressure in the future might be reduced a lot, especially since Wu Chen was about to be selected for the art advisory group, on which they were in agreement.
Subsequently, the meeting gradually moved into the summary stage, and more people began to express their recognition of the artistic merit and cultural confidence of Zhang Yimou's proposal. The previously sharp voices gradually softened.

After the meeting, recruiting new members is an essential part of the process. Bringing in so many people is not just for the meeting itself, but also to supplement the Olympic team with talent.

Wu Chen was naturally invited by Zhang Yi to join the art advisory group.

"It's my duty, but I'm worried about potential time conflicts. Whether it's 'Black Swan' or a Sino-US co-production I have on hand, it will take a lot of time," Wu Chen said as he accepted the letter of appointment, feeling a greater sense of responsibility.

"Don't worry, the advisory committee is in place, and considering everyone's special circumstances, you can participate online. We won't force you to come unless there's a special reason," Zhang Yi explained with a light laugh.

"The future depends on you."

(End of this chapter)