Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 296 Doubts and Experts
"I think it's a great thing that there are directors in China who are willing to try hard science fiction. It also provides a path for emerging directors in the future. Directors of every era should have the responsibility of their time."

Unlike Chen Kaige's silence, Zhang Yimou, who was in Venice, took the time to give an interview to domestic media and solemnly expressed his support for Wu Chen.

At this moment, Zhang Yi's call also reached Wu Chen's mobile phone.

"That's quite a leap for you," Zhang Yimou's voice came through the receiver, seemingly tinged with a hint of感慨 (gan3kai3, a complex emotion encompassing both admiration and a sense of wonder). "Why did you suddenly decide to make a sci-fi film?"

“I had an idea, so I filmed it. Besides, as you said, every director of every era should have the responsibility of their own time,” Wu Chen replied with a light laugh.

"Hmm." Zhang Yi paused for a moment, then said, "You have quite a few supporters, but you also likely have a lot of doubters and opponents. Be prepared."

When he made "Hero," not to mention other industries, even the film industry itself was full of doubts. Now that Wu Chen is directing a hard science fiction film, not to mention the film industry, there are unpleasant voices popping up everywhere else.

The following morning, the buzz surrounding "The Martian" remained unabated, and the news had spread beyond the film industry to include academic circles, science fiction communities, and aerospace enthusiasts.

While scrolling through the news, Liu Yifei leaned over to Wu Chen and said with a smile, "Hey, junior brother, look, an author from Science Fiction World has come out to support you."

"Oh? Who is it?" Wu Chen raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Let me see, it's by Liu Cixin, I think it's called 'The Three-Body Problem,' and it's still being serialized."

Wu Chen was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, never expecting that his science fiction film would actually bring Liu Cixin to the forefront.

However, Liu Cixin had not yet become a household name at this time, because "The Three-Body Problem" was still in the writing stage.

Before she could finish speaking, Mu Deyuan called: "Remember to report tomorrow. Don't forget, you can skip class, but you still need to show your face."

"I'm fine, but Xiang Zhuo and Song Ri don't seem to have returned yet. Will that cause any problems..."

"It's alright, they've taken leave, we can make up for it later," Mu Deyuan explained with a smile. "By the way, Principal Zhang called me, I need to go to his office tomorrow, it's probably related to 'The Martian'."

Wu Chen couldn't guess why Zhang Huijun wanted to see him, so he nodded in agreement.

As the discussion surrounding "The Martian" continued to grow throughout the day, questions from so-called experts and industry insiders also emerged.

Are domestic directors currently capable of making hard science fiction films?

[Mainland Director's Defiance of Large-Scale Sci-Fi Film: A "Prestige Project" Destined to Lose Money?]

[A letter to director Wu Chen: Instead of focusing solely on special effects, why not learn from "Misplaced" and explore technological ethics through metaphor?]

China Film Group should not use taxpayers' money to give Hollywood a dowry.

Some experts also have valid reasons:

There are no such courses in film and television colleges in mainland China, and the domestic science fiction film industry is extremely barren. There are even very few special effects companies. What does Wu Chen have to make for a hard science fiction film, which is not a suspense film that relies on plot and atmosphere to move people?
There were many sarcastic and cynical voices, especially from some experts who offered very insightful analyses, ranging from domestic aerospace to the education of directors in the film and television industry.

Of course, there are also supporters, even though it's a Sino-US co-production, Wu Chen's move fills a gap in the field of hard science fiction blockbusters by Chinese directors.

Many people immediately retorted.

"What kind of expert is this? What's wrong with that? Why can't mainland directors make hard science fiction films?"

"Damn, Universal Pictures has already invested money, and they've even hired NASA and Space Administration as technical advisors in both China and the US. And you guys are more knowledgeable than Universal Pictures?"

"What a joke! Are investors all idiots? Does Universal value their reputation more than their money? Besides, Universal has already invested, and you, this 'expert,' are still here predicting the worst. I don't think you're even in the film industry, yet you know so much."

Various voices converged, and a heated discussion ensued.

"What kind of lousy experts are they? They're all dragging things down!" Han Sanping cursed as he looked at the online reports.

On the contrary, Lu Xun, who was filming "Nanjing! Nanjing!" in Nanjing, was particularly happy to see it. He liked to specifically look for these professional reviews and reports that were pessimistic.

"Universal Pictures is such a fool to let Wu Chen direct a sci-fi film. Looks like they didn't lose enough money on Waterworld back then," Lu Xun muttered to himself, a gloating smile on his face.

Science fiction is definitely one of the most cautious genres in Hollywood, because there are very few successful examples, and quite a few failures.

If Wu Chen's blockbuster fails, his status in Hollywood will plummet, and he will never be as successful as he is today.

Meanwhile, Wu Chen returned to the Beijing Film Academy, only making a brief appearance in the cinematography department, which drew considerable cheers.

The news spread quickly, reaching other departments as well.

The most excited students were from the photography department and the performing arts department.

In the 07 acting class, students gathered in groups, chattering away excitedly.

"I wonder when Wu Chen's big film will be casting? Do we have a chance? I heard he's really good to his own people."

"Do you think he'll be impressed if I jump in front of Senior Brother Wu Chen later?"

"Your idea is a bit dangerous. I don't know if it will leave a deep impression, but it will definitely give him a big shock."

“Tian Tian, ​​you can give it a try. Your chances are definitely better than ours. You just finished filming ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’.”

Everyone looked at the quiet yet strikingly beautiful and elegant girl beside them, their faces filled with envy.

Meanwhile, in Zhang Huijun's office, the autumn air outside the window was slightly cool, and the aroma of tea lingered in the air.

"The online comments didn't affect you, did they?" Zhang Huijun put down his teacup.

His tone carried a hint of worry, after all, Wu Chen's career had been smooth sailing since his debut, but this time, because "The Martian" involved hard science fiction, there was a lot of criticism.

"I didn't go to see it, and I didn't have time to go." Wu Chen smiled, looking relaxed.

"Just don't look at them. Those are all fake experts. Top experts are writing internal reports, and first-rate experts are involved in the analysis of specific industries. Those who can come out and comment casually are mostly the kind who hang a title to gain some traffic."

Mu Deyuan's analysis was incisive.

“Your teacher is right about this.” Zhang Huijun smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. Then he changed the subject, “By the way, the main reason I called you here was to ask if ‘The Martian’ could collaborate with the school on a social practice project so that students could participate.”
As you know, although those experts exaggerated somewhat, it's undeniable that our courses in this area are inadequate.

Mu Deyuan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then a flash of understanding appeared in his eyes.

Zhang Huijun's meaning is obvious:
Through Wu Chen's project, students at the school, especially those majoring in post-production, management, photography, and visual effects, can have the opportunity to see real international projects. Even just taking a look around is better than spending half a day learning in the classroom.

After all, this is a big-budget production costing 100 million US dollars, and it's a typical hard science fiction film.

"Okay!"

A glint of light flashed in Wu Chen's eyes.

On the one hand, Beijing Film Academy is known for producing post-production talent; on the other hand, the company's development also requires behind-the-scenes talent. It's possible that these students might actually be part of Starry Night Pictures' own team.
(End of this chapter)