1979: The child's mother is a celestial being.

Chapter 124 Building a Team (Please Subscribe!)

Because China Film Group is responsible for the import and export of films, it was quite sensitive to the trip to China by Marc, the Venice International Film Festival's film selector, and there was a lot of discussion about it within the studio.

Yu Yuxi, who had just returned to the factory that day, heard everyone discussing the matter as soon as he got back. Without even having a sip of water, he hurriedly went to the Film Bureau.

……

At this moment, at the entrance of the Film Bureau.

As a bus stopped at a nearby station, three people got off.

Three young men.

They are Chen Kaige, Zhang Yimou, and Zhang Jianya.

The three of them were all somewhat confused about why they had been called over.

So we've been discussing it the whole way.

"What do you think Director Chen meant by summoning the three of us separately?"

"What's the point of us guessing here? We'll know once we meet Director Chen."

"Yes, the Film Bureau has arrived. Let's go in."

After registering at the entrance, the three of them went into the Film Bureau.

At that moment, Chen Fusheng was in a meeting when he noticed that Tong Jiang at the door seemed to have something to discuss with him, so he came out through the back door.

"what happened?"

"Team Leader Chen, three students from Beijing Film Academy have come downstairs. They say they're looking for you."

"Oh, it's Chen Kaige and the others, right? Then take them to the group meeting room for a while and tell them I'll come down to see them after my meeting."

"Ok."

About ten minutes later, Chen Fusheng finished the meeting and walked into their group meeting room.

When he entered, the three stopped talking and stood up to greet him, saying, "Director Chen x3!"

"Please sit down." After entering, Chen Fusheng gestured to the three of them with his hand, then apologized, "I'm sorry, I was in a meeting and kept you waiting."

"No, no, it's nothing..."

After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Fusheng found a seat, smiled, and got straight to the point:

Do you know why I called you here?

The three looked at each other, shook their heads in unison, their eyes filled with confusion and anticipation.

Seeing this, Chen Fusheng then asked:

"You guys are going to be seniors soon, right?"

"Yes, Director Chen."

"Do seniors still have classes?"

"I heard that many seniors will go out for internships, so I guess the students who stay on campus will mostly be studying."

Chen Fusheng nodded and then asked, "Have the three of you found internships yet?"

"No x2".
These two voices came from Zhang Yimou and Zhang Jianya.

Chen Kaige hesitated for a moment before answering, "I... I can intern at the Beijing Film Studio."

"Indeed, Beijing Film Studio is a good organization!"

"At least in this era..." Chen Fusheng added in his mind.

Then, after looking at the three of them, he decided not to keep them in suspense any longer and revealed the purpose of his summons.

"Here's the thing, given that the three of you have performed quite well on set, and since you're all seniors and don't have classes, you need to find internships, so I'd like you to join the film revenue-generating working group for further internships. I wonder if you'd be willing?"

As Chen Fusheng finished speaking, he noticed the surprised expressions on the faces of the three people.

The reason why Chen Kaige and the other two were so surprised when they heard this news was because when Chen Fusheng went to the school to recruit them, he repeatedly emphasized that he would only provide internship opportunities in the film crew and would not solve employment problems.

But now they're being recruited into the film revenue-generating task force for further internships. Isn't this supposed to solve their employment problem? We can't just send them back after their internships, can we?
Chen Fusheng did indeed 'change his mind,' or rather, it couldn't be called changing his mind, because what he said at school back then was perhaps a test.

As for why he recruited these three people into the film revenue-generating team, the reason is actually quite simple: he planned to cultivate his own team.

After all, how can a director not have his own film crew?
It is true that on both occasions, Chen Fusheng was able to produce films with hastily assembled crews through his personal abilities and prestige.

But if given a choice, which director wouldn't want to use a team they're familiar with?

Why did Wu Tianming go to the Xi'an Film Studio to film "The River Without Beacon"?
When Han Sanping was filming "Cow," it was his first time directing independently. In terms of both directing skills and experience, he was probably still more immature and inexperienced than when he filmed "Andhadhun." So why didn't anyone cause any trouble on the set back then? Why did problems arise only after using the crew provided by Shanghai Film Studio?

Therefore, the crew is very important for a director.

Even Chen Fusheng couldn't guarantee that he could manage a film crew if given one.

Especially if he's going to shoot a big-budget, large-scale production later on, with a crew of hundreds or even thousands of people, it won't be so easy to get the crew working together if it's just a hastily assembled group. He needs a familiar team; otherwise, what the director wants to shoot and what is actually shot might be two completely different styles. Because with a large production, it's impossible for the director to personally relay orders to every single person—that would be exhausting and impractical.

It must be relayed through layers of intermediaries, and in this process, if the person is not a trustworthy acquaintance, a perfunctory response could mean something else entirely.

Returning to the present, Zhang Yimou was the first to recover from his shock and the first to provide an answer.

"Director Chen, I am willing to come. Thank you for recognizing our internship with your crew and for giving us the opportunity to continue learning from you. I cherish this opportunity and will continue to work hard to live up to your expectations."

Zhang Yimou's excitement was palpable when he said these words.

The reason for this was twofold: firstly, he hadn't expected Chen Fusheng to gather them together today and give them such a big surprise.

Secondly, he was the oldest of the three and had no connections here. It would be virtually impossible for him to stay and develop his career in the capital after a year, so he desperately needed this opportunity.

Following Zhang Yimou's statement, Zhang Jianya also made his own choice.

"Director Chen, thank you for your recognition of us. I am also willing to join."

In the end, only the little poet remained.

Before the young poet could speak, Chen Fusheng said, "Director Huai Kai has worked at the Beijing Film Studio for many years and has built up a lot of connections. So if you, Kai Ge, choose to join the Beijing Film Studio, it might not be a bad choice. You can go back and think it over carefully, and then give me your answer."

"No need, I've already thought it over." Chen Kaige had indeed wavered in his mind just now, but after seeing that Zhang Jianya and Zhang Yimou both agreed, a voice in his heart told him that if he refused today, wouldn't he regret it too late if he watched these two classmates take off in the future?

Therefore, he also decided to stay.

As for the Beijing Film Studio, Chen Kaige had an internship experience in the Chen Fusheng film crew, and with his father's connections, it wouldn't be difficult for him to get in after graduation.

But he was a second-generation heir who grew up in the Beijing Film Studio, so he knew all too well the rules of operation there. As a newcomer, even with his father's help, he couldn't have any say in the crew without first gaining three to five years of experience.

If I'm lucky, and persevere for another three to five years, I might get a chance to be a cameraman.

Of course, the young poet's speculation was based on his understanding of the operating rules of the Beijing Film Studio in the past and present. He did not know that the film studio would undergo major reforms, and that these young people, the new generation cultivated by the Beijing Film Studio, would be the focus of the state's efforts to cultivate them.

"Have you thought about it?"

Seeing that Chen Kaige had also agreed, Chen Fusheng was both surprised and not entirely surprised.

But I still asked one more question.

"Yes, I've thought it through, and I'm willing."

“Alright, since you’ve all agreed, I’ll let your school know later. As for what to do next, if you don’t have anything else to do, report to Director Ling Zi’s ‘The Cotton Robe’ film crew tomorrow. Just do whatever she tells you to do.” Chen Fusheng asked, “Any problems?”

"No!" "No problem."

Chen Fusheng nodded and continued, "Alright, that's all I wanted to say. Do you have any other questions?"

"Director Chen, I have a question," Zhang Jianya said, raising his hand.

"Okay, go ahead and say it," Chen Fusheng said, looking at the other person.

"Do we get paid for our internships?"

"There is no salary, but there is a basic living allowance. If you join the team, the allowance will be higher."

After answering everyone's questions, Chen Fusheng heard that a female colleague surnamed Yu from China Film Group was looking for him, so he sent the three of them away.

"Comrade Yu, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"No, no, it was I who disturbed Director Chen's work."

While Chen Fusheng and Chen Kaige were still answering each other's questions, Yu Yuxi had already learned from Tong Jiang that the film selected by the Venice International Film Festival yesterday was Wu Tianming's "The River Without Beacon," not Chen Fusheng's new film. Therefore, she was no longer as anxious as she had been when she arrived.

"Did Comrade Yu need something from me?"

Yu Yuxi didn't keep anyone in suspense and revealed her role as a Chinese selector for the Berlin International Film Festival, as well as the extra recommendation spot given to her by the organizing committee chairman Moritz before she returned to China.

Chen Fusheng first congratulated the other party on becoming a selector for the Berlin International Film Festival, and then asked, "Comrade Yu, is there only one spot available?"

"What does Director Chen mean by that?" Yu Yuxi asked warily.

"Well, our group has three films this year..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yu Yuxi interrupted, "Director Chen, to be honest, I only have two spots available. One is for you, which is perfectly reasonable. But don't even think about the other one. If I give them both to you, it wouldn't be fair to other films in China, would it?"

"Comrade Yu, you've misunderstood me."

"Uh... Director Chen, don't you want my other spot?"

"You said it yourself, you only have two spots, while I have three movies, so there's not enough to go around."

"Then what do you mean?"

Chen Fusheng said, "I would like to trouble Comrade Yu to submit all three of our films to the Berlin Film Festival and see what they say."

"This...this won't do, will it?"

"Whether it works or not, we'll only know after we try."

(End of this chapter)