Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 130, Page 129: Film Series

The factory meeting concluded amidst excitement and anticipation.

As Wang Sheng walked out of the conference room, the crowd surrounded him, their words filled with eager anticipation for the new project.

Wang Sheng wore a humble smile.

He called out to Shi Dongming, who was about to return to the Arts Office, at the corner of the corridor.

"Uncle Shi, I have an urgent job."

Wang Sheng said succinctly: "We need to get this TV movie series going. Immediately notify the screenwriters at each film studio and assign them a task: each person, or each group, should conceive an overall series framework centered on the idea of ​​'a series of TV movies that can be filmed in multiple installments,' and write a detailed story outline for the first installment. The subject matter is not limited, the key is that it must have extensibility, the characters must be believable, and the story must be captivating. Next Tuesday, at this time, right here, we'll have a meeting to discuss this."

Shi Dongming nodded: "Understood! I'll go and inform them right away, and I'll make sure the requirements are conveyed properly. Those writers have been itching to get started, they'll be busy now."

……

Time flies, and it's Tuesday, April 8th.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the factory's conference room was packed.

The long conference table was crowded with people, and many more chairs were added at the back. The air was thick with smoke, and the aroma of tea mingled with the smell of cigarettes.

Over a hundred screenwriters from thirty film studios and the Beijing Film Studio headquarters gathered together, each with a manuscript of varying thickness in front of them, their faces showing anticipation, nervousness, and a hint of competition.

Wang Sheng sat in the main seat, next to Shi Dongming and other members of the Arts Committee, who were mainly responsible for assisting in reviewing script risks, as well as several meeting recorders.

"Distinguished teachers, please quiet down." Wang Sheng tapped the table, and the meeting room quickly fell silent. "Today is the first script discussion meeting for the 'Series of TV Movies' project. Thank you all for your hard work over the past week. Without further ado, let's get straight to the results. Director Shi, let's begin."

Shi Dongming picked up a list: "In order of registration, please briefly explain your series concept and the outline of the first story. Each person has ten minutes. Let's start with the first one, Mr. Li Jianjun from Changchun Film Studio."

A middle-aged man wearing glasses stood up, looking somewhat nervous: "General Manager Wang, Factory Director Han, leaders and colleagues, I've conceived a 'Northeast Knights' series, set in Northeast China during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. The first book, 'Heroic Souls of the Snowfield,' tells the story of a hunter who lives in seclusion in Changbai Mountain, fighting against a Russian expedition that encroaches on the forests and oppresses the local people, as well as local bullies. It will highlight the regional characteristics and chivalrous spirit of Northeast China."

Wang Sheng nodded: "Good idea, distinct regional characteristics. Pay attention to the balance between historical background and national sentiment. The action design should be robust and realistic. Next."

Next, the screenwriters took turns explaining their ideas:
"The Blade's Cry in the Border Town" series (Xi'an Film Studio): Set against the backdrop of the Northwest frontier, this series blends Western Region customs with suspenseful detective stories. The first film, "The Lone Smoke in the Desert," tells the story of a constable who has been demoted to the frontier and solves a series of mysterious caravan disappearances.

The "Legends of Tianjin" series (Tianjin Film Studio): Focusing on the dockside world of Tianjin during the Republic of China era, the first film, "The Battle of the Nine Rivers," depicts the open and covert struggles between various forces for control of the Grand Canal, with a strong sense of local life and comedic elements.

The "Lingnan Boxing King" series (Zhuhai Film Studio): Based on Southern Fist martial arts, the first film, "Tiger and Crane Double Form," tells the story of how a young man from Foshan revitalized his family's martial arts school and resisted foreign provocations in an era when traditional Chinese martial arts were declining.

These proposals all reflect the characteristics of film studios in various regions, but Wang Sheng felt that some more universal and commercially appealing types were still lacking.

At this moment, a young screenwriter from the Beijing Film Studio stood up. His name was Zhao Xiaobei. He was usually inconspicuous, but his eyes revealed a cleverness.

"Mr. Wang, I've come up with a 'Fake Magistrate' series. The setting is a fictional ancient county town, similar to the Ming Dynasty. The first book, 'The Confused Magistrate's Clever Case Solving,' tells the story of a street urchin who accidentally impersonates the real magistrate, who is murdered on his way to his post. Forced to take up court and solve cases, he relies on his cleverness and a stroke of luck to solve numerous bizarre cases, creating countless laughable situations, but also gradually learning about responsibility and justice." That's a good idea.

It's a period comedy with elements of suspense and detective work, featuring contrasting character settings, strong comedic effect, and easy to turn into a series.

Wang Sheng nodded slightly: "This idea is very good. The characters are interesting, and there is a lot of room for comedy."

It's important to note that the jokes shouldn't be too vulgar; they should be based on the characters' personalities and the coincidences in the plot.

The crime-solving process could be designed to be more ingenious, making the audience feel involved. This is a key area for development in this series.

Other screenwriters continued to produce their works.

"The Escorts Across the Land" series (Emei Film Studio): Set against the backdrop of a nationwide chain of escort agencies, each film tells the story of the dangers and treachery encountered while escorting different valuables, showcasing the integrity, bravery, and wisdom of the escorts. The first film is "The Dragon Pattern Escort Box".

The "Detective Pu Songling" series (a collaboration between Shandong Film Studio and Beijing Film Studio): This series portrays Pu Songling, a Qing Dynasty writer, as a part-time detective who uses elements of supernatural tales from "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" and logical reasoning to solve a series of seemingly supernatural cases. The first film is "The Painted Skin Mystery".

"Urban Night Owls" series (Zhuhai Film Studio): A modern-themed series focusing on taxi drivers operating late at night in a metropolis. Through his observations and experiences, the series showcases the diverse lives of urban night owls, with each episode featuring a heartwarming or suspenseful short story. The first episode is titled "Midnight Radio."

"..."

……

The entire morning was filled with the clash of ideas and the sparks of inspiration in the conference room.

Wang Sheng listened attentively to each proposal, sometimes asking questions, sometimes commenting, and sometimes offering affirmation or suggestions for improvement.

Shi Dongming and others also chimed in from time to time, offering their opinions from the perspectives of policy and production.

Ultimately, after initial screening, eight key project series were selected for the first phase of development:

The series includes: The Imposter Magistrate, The Escorts, The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang, Justice Bao, The City Night Owl, The Swordsman of Northeast China, The Blade of the Border Town, and The Legend of Tianjin.

"Today's discussion was very successful!"

When summarizing, Wang Sheng had a satisfied smile on his face: "These eight series cover a wide range of themes, including period dramas, martial arts, modern dramas, comedies, and suspense, which is in line with our strategy of 'multiple approaches and series-based attacks'."

Next, project leaders and screenwriting teams, based on the opinions discussed today, will further refine the outline of the first part and begin writing the script.

Director Shi will coordinate resources to assemble the respective production teams as soon as possible. Our goal is to start filming the first installment of each series by mid-month at the earliest, and by the end of the month at the latest! Meeting adjourned!

The meeting ended, and the screenwriters left with a sense of accomplishment and excitement.

(End of this chapter)