Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 504 Your perspective is determined by your position, Berlin?
Inside the editing room, the lighting was dim, and several high-performance workstations were running quietly.

Wu Chen stood behind the editing table, his hands in his coat pockets, his gaze sweeping over frame by frame, occasionally pointing at the screen.

"There's a slight shaking during this camera movement; we need to smooth it out when we're color grading later."

"here."

Wu Chen pointed out all the problems, and everyone was full of enthusiasm.

As an editor, one must have a sensitivity to the film; the quality of a film can be keenly perceived during the editing process.
After Wu Chen left, the door closed gently, and the room was quiet for two seconds before hushed conversations could be heard.

"Work hard, and if we do a good job, maybe our names will appear in Chinese film history."

"Director Wu is amazing. Watching this edited version, I feel like I'm the protagonist myself."

"People outside probably don't know what kind of work this is."

"."

While "1939" was still undergoing final processing, the direction of the domestic film industry was also changing.

As two of the most prominent directors in China, Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige have both spoken out.

The former announced plans to film "Under the Hawthorn Tree," while the latter announced that filming for "The Orphan of Zhao" would begin in March.

The publicity team also emphasized that Chen Kaige has been dedicated to the script adaptation and preparation work for "The Orphan of Zhao".

After completing his new film "The Orphan of Zhao", he will collaborate with the Japanese film company Kadokawa Pictures to film the fantasy film "Samurai Kukai", which is set in the Tang Dynasty of China.

The news immediately generated a lot of buzz.

Netizens overwhelmingly supported "Under the Hawthorn Tree," but when it came to "Sacrifice," the comments started to go astray.

"Director Chen, please don't write the script anymore..."

"Great directors all love to write their own screenplays. If they write well, that's fine, but in reality, they're often terrible."

"Just film honestly, stop making a fuss."

"."

Ning Hao laughed on the phone.

"Why can't Chen Kai understand things that netizens can all understand?"

"Perhaps influenced by the 'auteur theory,' I wanted to express things that screenwriters wouldn't have thought of."

Wu Chen said casually, then added jokingly, "Aren't you the same?"

"Nonsense, I usually rely on the screenwriters for help with my movies. I can only say I participate, but I have great respect for them," Ning Hao denied directly, then smiled and changed the subject.

"By the way, we're currently writing a script, and we should have a rough draft by the end of the year. Could you take a look at it then?"

Wu Chen nodded.

The prototype of "The Great Gold Robbery" should have been completed.

Even before the cast for "Love is Not Blind" was confirmed, people were already calling to inquire about the details. Lu Zheng, who had been deeply affected by "The Great Biography of Sun Tzu" these past few days, also called.

Wu Chen didn't pay much attention to the news about the TV series. It was only when Lu Zheng told him that "The Great Biography of Sun Tzu" had been taken down that he realized what had happened and felt a strange urge to laugh.
Lu Zheng's performance is always impressive!
"Mr. Lu, the female lead has indeed been released by Yifei."

Wu Chen didn't hide it; it wasn't a big deal that Shu Chang got the role.

"It's a pity, I thought Tiantian's age was quite suitable."

"Hmm, let's invite Tiantian next time we have the chance. By the way, I remember Starlight is preparing a historical epic, right?"

When this was mentioned, Lu Zheng couldn't help but show a hint of joy.

On one hand, there was Wu Chen's promise, and on the other hand, he was still looking forward to this epic film set in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, so he reciprocated.

"Director Wu, there's something I need to trouble you with. Please leave the special effects for this blockbuster to StarCity Visual Effects."

"Sure, I guarantee I'll handle everything perfectly for Mr. Lu. We even bought a batch of equipment last year; our special effects are absolutely top-notch in China."

Wu Chen wasn't just boasting.

Over the past year, StarChan Visual Effects has been working on top-tier projects, which has not only improved their technical reserves but also enhanced the team's cohesion and resilience.

Time quickly passed and the end of the month arrived.

Under the world's watchful eyes, Avatar broke the long-standing box office record, becoming the number one film in history, and this time, it only took six weeks.

Along with the events documented in "Avatar," there were also rumors of the WTO.

"The 'monopoly' of China Film Group and Huaxia Film Distribution on imported films may be broken. In the future, other private companies, and even Hollywood studios themselves, may participate in the import and distribution of Hollywood blockbusters."

The news caused a stir in the industry. "If they really loosen restrictions, we're going to have a tough time."

"Who knows if these private companies and Hollywood studios care about our survival? We can't let them go."

"We're doomed."

"."

Although everyone criticizes China Film Group and Huaxia Film Distribution for their monopoly on imported films, no one can deny that these two companies have built a series of firewalls for China.

If this firewall is breached now, the first to suffer will definitely be the production companies in the industry.

Therefore, the industry's consensus was to unite in boycotting the company, and their attention unanimously fell on several private giants—Xingchen, Huayi, and Bona. Among them, Xingchen was the most crucial.

Everyone knows that if it really comes down to competing with Hollywood, the only company that can stand up is probably Wu Chen's Starry Night Pictures.

Within Huayi Brothers, Wang Zhonglei was getting restless: "Brother, what will we do if this really works out?"

"Wait for news. It shouldn't be too bad. Besides, everyone is looking forward to Xingchen's success. Let Wu Chen take the lead; his words carry more weight than ours."

Wang Zhongjun remained calm, believing that the taller ones should be the first to bear the brunt of any potential problems.

Although he believes that Huayi Brothers is the first listed company in mainland China, the attitude of the industry speaks for itself: Starry Night Pictures is the real leader among private enterprises.

Before Wu Chen could even call Han Sanping, the latter called, his tone full of confidence:

"They're worrying unnecessarily. Don't worry, this right can only be in our hands. Not to mention Hollywood, even other domestic companies can't get it."

"I understand. Maybe they don't realize that we've never viewed movies simply as commodities."

Han Sanping was taken aback by these words, then burst out laughing.

Yes, this is not just an industrial issue, but also an ideological one.

In China, movies are not just entertainment products; they also have the attributes of propaganda and cultural guidance.

Based on this alone, it's impossible for the core permissions for imported films to be fully liberalized.

"It's good that you understand. The number of imported films may increase in the future," Han Sanping added.

Wu Chen simply smiled upon hearing this.

This is not a problem at all.

With release dates controlled by China Film Group and Huaxia Film Distribution, even if 100 films are imported each year, they can only be crammed into a limited number of release slots. The opportunities to truly compete head-to-head with domestic blockbusters will not be many.
With the State Administration of Radio and Television's deliberate guidance, the industry breathed a sigh of relief.

"Actually, we can control the proliferation of Hollywood movies through film censorship."

For example, before a Hollywood film enters the market, if we suggest that two-thirds of its content violates censorship, then those sections must be cut.

Only then did someone come out and laugh and make fun of it, and at this point, censorship was once again seen as a good thing.

"It really is true that where you sit determines where you think."

After reading it, Wu Chen shook his head with a smile, saying that these were the same people who were most critical of censorship, but when it came to using it to resist Hollywood blockbusters, they were the ones who praised it the most.

February arrived quietly, bringing with it the hustle and bustle of the upcoming New Year, and adding a touch of festive spirit to the air.

The film industry hasn't been idle.

Despite being shown only in 3D theaters, Avatar has been soaring to near the 1 billion yuan mark at the box office, repeatedly breaking the ceiling of box office revenue in mainland China.

The smiles of the cinema managers visibly relaxed.

Meanwhile, another major event is quietly approaching – the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Film Festival.

The second batch of nominees for this long-established European film festival, known for its winter-themed red carpet and austere jury, has been officially announced.

Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" was nominated, and Roman Polanski's "Ghostwriter" was also on the list;
Meanwhile, "My Name Is the Emperor" has arrived from India and is attracting considerable attention.

It's a bit of a shame that neither "Shutter Island" nor this Indian film is participating in the competition.

The list of nominees and screenings is filled with masters, but Wu Chen's "1939" is not among them.

This gap should have given domestic media plenty of reason to speculate, but having learned from the previous "reversal," they were wiser this time and interviewed Wu Chen immediately.

"Director Wu, will '1939' make it to the Berlin Film Festival? Will it be presented as a surprise film?"

Wu Chen smiled slightly and spoke calmly during the phone interview:

"We're still working on post-production, and with over a week until the opening ceremony, there's still a chance."

(End of this chapter)