In the entertainment industry, everyone has been reborn, but who will be their servant?

Chapter 86 People's View of History
The office is spacious and bright, with dark gray linen curtains hanging on the floor-to-ceiling windows, which filter out the strong light and shines on the desk.

There's a metal file rack on the right side of the desk; on the left are various trophies.

The entire back wall is occupied by bookshelves, neatly arranged with film theory books, from "The Grammar of Film Language" to his own "A Study of Chinese Film Genres".

You could say Wang Hongwei is an expert, so it's not wrong to consult him first. It's just that his next sentence, "You've only made a few films and you're already touching on this kind of subject matter," is problematic.

This somewhat hurt Shen Ao and Wen Muye's feelings, as the teachers still considered them students and not qualified enough.

The film and television industry is also a place that values ​​seniority. If you're so great, how can those old guys survive? So this was Wang Hongwei's subconscious reaction.

None of the major films were directed by new directors.

Even though he filmed two movies before bidding for the Olympics, he didn't direct them himself. To be honest, Qin Xuan isn't qualified.

But Qin Xuan never looked at their seniority and always said that they were capable and could take on important responsibilities.

Even so, Wang Hongwei still picked up the script and started reading. With each page he turned, his eyes focused more intently on the content and story, and his expression gradually became more serious.

Shen Ao and Wen Muye sat opposite each other, watching Wang Hongwei's ever-changing expression, and they were also very uneasy.

They were terrified that the teacher would say things like "This won't work" or "Don't waste your time," which would mean all their previous efforts would be for nothing.

This ordeal was rather long, and the sunlight outside had already begun to slant westward.

After some time, Wang Hongwei's first question was: "Who wrote this script? Did you write it yourselves?"

"No, it's the new power's CEO, Qin Xuan. His name is on the cover." Shen Ao pointed.

Wang Hongwei glanced at the cover; the name was at the bottom. He remembered the name; after all, last year's Lunar New Year film season was still fresh in his mind.

If you're in this line of work and you don't know that a new director has emerged in the film industry, then you might as well quit.

"He wrote it?" Wang Hongwei looked at the two men, somewhat surprised that they weren't cultured people.

Qin Xuan's image in this circle is that of a grassroots, a country bumpkin, which is looked down upon by cultured people.

Like the test-takers in small towns, they carry a certain contemptuous air, which is what is known as the pride of intellectuals!

Both nodded in agreement. Shen Ao added, "Yes, he wrote the core story of the script; we just supplemented the historical materials."

Wang Hongwei silently closed the script, adjusted his glasses, and composed himself. He had thoroughly read the script and was deeply moved by the story.

He organized his thoughts and said, "Let me first comment on this script. It reconstructs a grand history through micro-narratives, closely linking individual trauma with national trauma."

The perspective is excellent; it's not the kind of empty, grandiose style. These kinds of subjects easily overlook the individual and magnify it to the entire nation or country, which makes it seem unreal.

This isn't just good; it's very realistic. Every character is well-developed, especially the ending, which elevates individual struggle to the level of civilizational inheritance, instantly giving the viewer a sense of mission. Excellent!

Even if he looked down on a country bumpkin like Qin Xuan, he had to admit that the script he wrote was good.

Could he possibly lie to students? That would be beneath him. Shen Ao and Wen Muye are not without discernment.

Upon hearing the teacher's words, Shen Ao and Wen Muye exchanged a glance, and a look of joy appeared on their faces.

To receive such praise from the teacher proves that there's nothing wrong with this storybook, and it'll probably pass.

“I see you’ve collected a lot of historical materials; that must have been hard work.” Wang Hongwei picked up the script again and flipped to the back. He saw many black and white photos and historical documents.

“There are official histories and oral accounts. Collecting these has another advantage: it ensures that the props, objects, customs, and architecture are more in line with the era when filming,” Wen Muye said.

“Very attentive.”

Wang Hongwei affirmed the proposal, then added, "But I can't guarantee whether this proposal will pass the review, because it involves many departments and international relations. It's not up to any one expert to decide; even experts can only offer suggestions."

The two men remained silent; their suggestions already gave them considerable authority, while the others didn't even have the right to offer suggestions.

"Let me tell you about something!" Wang Weihong moved her buttocks forward.

Seeing this, Shen Ao and Wen Muye sat up straight and listened attentively, knowing that the teacher was about to say something important.

"For this kind of subject matter, we have to take into account international relations and international impact. If we portray them as too bad and devoid of humanity, it will definitely provoke questions from certain groups and opposition from foreign affairs."

The reasons are of course varied and numerous, but I'll just mention the most typical one that might not pass censorship: this script is not anti-war.

Anti-war films have a unique narrative logic: reflection and empathy. However, this reflection and empathy isn't from the victims, but from the perpetrators or bystanders. Therefore, this type of film is generally called an anti-war narrative. But this script lacks this; it only presents antagonism and hatred.

Wang Hongwei's analysis was spot on, explaining why "Nanjing Photo Studio" later received such high ratings.

The reason it gained such a high level of popularity is because it realistically reflects the facts. There are no villains reflecting on the situation or expressing anti-war sentiments; it's just as it is.

That's what "Nanjing Nanjing" is like; the ending makes Japanese people reflect, which is the mainstream anti-war sentiment.

The same goes for "The Flowers of War," which is a bit better than the movies mentioned above, but it also features a white opportunist who is transformed into a good person to reflect on anti-war sentiments.

Shen Ao and Wen Muye exchanged a glance, their hearts pounding again. This meant their script was unlikely to pass censorship.

"Then the teacher?"

“I understand what you mean. If this script is changed and a foreigner is brought in to oppose the war, the whole tone will be ruined, and the original intention will collapse. It would be better not to film it at all.” Wang Hongwei waved his hand, somewhat agitated.

“Yes, that’s what the propaganda chief said back then: we must maintain a sense of awe, stand at the height of the nation, and film from the perspective of the people’s history, rather than being anti-war,” Shen Ao said.

Wen Muye nodded repeatedly; he had heard it too.

"So, from a national perspective, are you in opposition to other ethnic groups? There was the Eight-Nation Alliance, and that wild boar thing, right?" Wang Hongwei explained the crux of the problem to the two of them as if he were giving them a lesson, so that they wouldn't be unaware of the issues when creating their works in the future.

The two nodded silently, having understood that Wang Hongwei couldn't guarantee whether the case would pass the review.

What I fear most is that there are bad people among the masses.

It was somewhat risky for Qin Xuan to take this script from 25 years ago to 08 for filming. The trend has improved a lot since then. The current trend is: the air in the US is sweet, and toilet water from the script is drinkable...

"How about this, I'll submit it for you. That way, you can explain any problems clearly and avoid it being rejected outright." Wang Hongwei wanted to try and help them.

After all, this script is really good. If it can be filmed, it would be a great boost to the reputation of my two students.

"Thank you, teacher," the two said gratefully.

(End of this chapter)