Huayu: A Commercial Director

Chapter 56 Art is never defined by oneself
"Chen, why don't you stay in Hollywood? Your talent should be there. It has the world's largest film market," Walker pleaded with Chen at the airport.

He felt that Chen Shouzhe was very talented and should stay in Hollywood to develop his career, or join their Columbia Pictures.

A top-tier commercial director is the darling of all investors.

If actors prefer art-house directors, then capital seeks out commercial directors.

Because commercial directors can bring them money, and they even train actors to make money.

As the world's largest capital market, Chen Shouzhe has demonstrated his earning power through two films, and his investment in special effects films has made him a favorite of countless Hollywood companies.

Recently, many Hollywood production companies have invited Chen Shouzhe, and Chen Shouzhe has not been polite. He said, "If you invite me, I will go to your company to visit and learn."

"Walker, I came to Hollywood to learn from Hollywood and to make China another Hollywood. I will come back, but I will also take what I have learned back to my motherland to make domestic films better," Chen Shou said.

"Luckily you're not a scientist. If you were, the FBI would have taken you away immediately if you had said that back then," Walker said with a laugh, patting Chen Shouzhe on the shoulder.

“Next year, I will return to Hollywood with my science fiction film. Walker and Columbia will still be my partners,” Chen Shouzhe said.

“I’m really looking forward to it. By the way, your movie is called ‘Kung Fu.’ I’ll arrange for its distribution.”

"Thank you, Walker."

Chen Shouzhe hugged him, and then hugged Lu Sen as well.

The two watched as Chen Shouzhe and a group of people boarded the plane and left.

“I heard you’ve made a lot of money,” Walker said to Luxem.

“I’m grateful to have a boss who knows how to make money,” Luxen said with a shrug and a smile.

"That's insane! $50,000, $350 million at the box office. I heard Chen isn't popular in your country."

“You should know that there is an old saying in our country: ‘A person who is not envied is mediocre.’ He is a genius, so he will be envied.”

"I still want him to join Columbia, is there any way to do that?"

"It's hard."

……

The plane took off and arrived at Kyoto International Airport more than ten hours later. Chen Shouzhe brought a large group of people back. Everyone was very excited. After being abroad for several months, they were finally able to return to China.

It's unclear whether his voyage was leaked, but as soon as he set off, he was spotted by many reporters who surrounded him.

Chen immediately surrounded the reporters, forming a human wall to protect him.

"Everyone, please don't block the way here. Let's go outside and chat. We just had a long flight and are a bit tired. We can answer a few questions, but please don't block other people's way, okay?"

Upon seeing so many reporters, Chen Shouzhe hurriedly clasped his hands in greeting.

When the reporter heard that Chen Shou was willing to be interviewed, he followed them to a corner of the lobby.

"Director Chen, I'd like to ask how much money you made from that movie?"

"What do you think of Director Chen's evaluation of your graduation thesis from Beijing Film Academy?"

"Director Chen, will you respond to the claim that special effects movies cannot be called movies?"

When will Director Chen's film be released in the country?

"Director Chen, do you have any new film plans since you came back?"

"Everyone's questions came one by one. First of all, how much money did you make? You can calculate that yourself, I won't go into details. A graduation thesis is a graduation thesis, what else can it do? It doesn't represent anything. As long as I graduate, that's fine. Actually, I was worried that I might not be able to graduate, since I don't attend classes at school very often."

Special effects movies are definitely movies. Technology serves the purpose of movies, presenting visual effects through technology. That's what movies are all about, there's no difference. As for film art, art is defined by people. If I think it's art, then it's art. Art is never defined by the author, but by the consumer. If someone is willing to pay the price for a work, then it's art.

My godfather once said something that I think makes a lot of sense: art can be broken down; if you sell your skills, that's art. If I painted a picture and said, "This is art, and you have to pay a billion dollars to buy it," would you buy it? Even the richest man isn't stupid, right? So art is never defined by individuals, but rather by the people who consume it—they think it's art, and they're willing to pay for it.

Why are luxury goods so expensive? Is it because of their superior materials?
That's not necessarily true.

But if someone is willing to pay for it, then it becomes art. If no one is willing to pay for it, and you think it's art, then you can just appreciate it yourself.

As for when the movie will be released, I will communicate with China Film Group to find out how it will be released in China.

As for the new movie, it's already in the works. I plan to make a science fiction film; the script is finished, and I'll submit it to the Film Bureau for review in a few days. Everyone should be able to see it then.

Chen Shou then answered a few more questions, and then led his men to the company car that had come to pick them up and return to the company.

The interview content quickly appeared on major media portals or Weibo.

"Well said. Art films are not something you can just call art films. They are left to the market and the audience. If I pay money and I think it's art, then it's art. I love listening to Guo Degang's crosstalk. As long as he doesn't break the law and makes me laugh, that's enough for me."

"Why should I be lectured when I watch a movie? It's not like I'm uneducated. Haven't I been educated enough? Do I need you to tell me how to live?"

"Movies are initially meant for entertainment and relaxation. Only when a story is added do they become what we call art. It's not the people making the movies who give them art. Filmmakers should put all their effort into creating a work, while the audience is the one who pays for the work."

"According to Chen Shouzhe, only what can be sold is art, and what can't be sold is S."

"He's just as disgusting as his godfather, spouting nonsense."

"What kind of art is this, that's so low-class?"

You need to learn to remain calm and composed online. Unless you have access to curated content, there will always be discordant voices.

Many people know that Chen Shouzhe has returned to China, and many have seen his interviews. However, people in the film and television industry have focused their attention on Chen Shouzhe's last question.

He's going to make a new movie, and it's a science fiction movie.

His last sci-fi film made history, but what about his current sci-fi films?
For a while, everyone was trying to call Chen Shouzhe, but they couldn't get through, so they all called Tao Le.

Chen Shouzhe returned to the company first. When Tao Le saw Chen Shouzhe, he took out his phone and laughed, "They've all started calling me."

"Ignore them, has the location been chosen?" Chen Shou asked.

"It's already been chosen, in Huairou," Tao Le nodded.

“Okay, it doesn’t matter if it’s a bit far,” Chen Shouzhe nodded.

"I almost thought you were finished this time, but you gave everyone a pleasant surprise." Tao Le breathed a sigh of relief.

The uproar a month ago was huge, sweeping through the entire film and television industry, and even many foreign entertainment media outlets reported on it.

Many people thought that the mainland Chinese film market would become like Taiwan's, closed off, eventually collapsing and opening up to Hollywood, resulting in almost no domestic films being released.

Many film and television companies have stepped in to criticize art-house film directors, arguing that if the market is handed over to foreign films while domestic productions only focus on art films, these film and television companies will be the first to fail.

Because they all know what the audience likes to watch, and when faced with other people's special effects blockbusters, what can they use to compete?
Although Han Sanping is domineering and many people in China criticize him, they will find that it is precisely because of his domineering nature that the domestic film market has been protected. Otherwise, it would have become someone else's box office like other places.

"It doesn't matter. This time, I've seen some people's true colors. Have you helped me get in touch with them?" Chen Shou asked.

“We’ve already made contact. They said they need to see the script first,” Tao Le nodded.

"We're not bringing them this time," Chen Shou said.

"Is this okay?" Tao Le exclaimed.

"Want them? Let them come to me. To be honest, I don't need them now. They're useless in a critical moment. They just want benefits."

Tao Le didn't know what to say, so he could only do as Chen Shouzhe said.

(End of this chapter)