The Rise of Chinese Entertainment in 2008

Even after the short film ended, Xu Bing remained staring blankly at the screen. After a long while, he sighed with a complex expression and glanced at Gu Ning and the other person.

This short film is only seven minutes long, but it offers a wealth of insights and inspirations.

He considered several interpretations, but still felt there was a deeper one.

"Teacher Xu, what do you think of this short film?" Gu Ning asked.

"Although this short film looks simple, it contains many philosophical insights into life and reflects some social phenomena. It is worth watching repeatedly and savoring carefully."

Xu Bing praised, "It's very rare for someone your age to be able to come up with such a short film."

"Teacher Xu, do you think this short film can win an award?" Liu Sanxi asked anxiously.

"I didn't study directing, so I can't really say."

Xu Bing said, "Gu, keep this short film with me for now. I'll take it to Director Li and ask him to contact the directing department. The Berlin Film Festival is currently holding its selection process. If the professors in the directing department also think it's good, we can send it in for a try."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Teacher Xu," Gu Ning said.

"It's no trouble at all."

Xu Bing laughed and said, "If you can actually send your short film in, it will be a great honor for the department."

"Then we'll wait for Teacher Xu's good news."

"Yes, I'll let you know as soon as I have any news."

…………

"Old Gu, it looks like there's a chance."

As Liu Sanxi stepped out of the office, he said excitedly.

"Calm down. You're a rich kid, don't act like you've never seen the world before," Gu Ning said disdainfully.

"Haha, let's go celebrate!"

Liu Sanxi laughed and said, "I'm in a good mood today, so I'll take you to see the world."

"Forget it, I'm not interested in places like that."

Gu Ning knew exactly where it was as soon as she heard it.

Right now, all he wants is to make money. Once he's famous, he can have any kind of woman he wants.

"You're such a spoilsport."

Liu Sanxi asked, "When do you think we'll hear from Teacher Liu?"

"It shouldn't take long," Gu Ning said.

This short film won the Academy Award for Best Short Film.

Although the Oscars are the most prestigious of all film festivals.

But even public relations must be of high quality.

Moreover, for animated short films, no one will spend a lot of money on public relations.

Otherwise, it would be a losing proposition and completely pointless.

…………

After Gu Ning and the other person left, Xu Bing watched the short film three times, and each time he had a different feeling.

He made a phone call to the department head, Li Wei, and then left the office with the USB drive.

A short while later, he arrived outside Li Wei's office and knocked on the door.

"Enter!"

"Director Li."

"Old Xu is here, please have a seat."

Li Wei gestured for Xu Bing to sit down and then got up to pour him a glass of water.

Although he was the department head, Xu Bing was his senior.

Both of them graduated from the Photography Department of Beijing Film Academy; Xu Bing was in the class of '89, and he was in the class of '93.

"You just called to say that a student in our photography department made a short film that might win an award. Let me see it quickly."

Li Wei laughed and said, "If the filming is really good, I'll go find Director Tian and have him take a look."

"Director Tian is getting on in years; don't upset him too much," Xu Bing said with a smile as he handed over the USB drive.

"It's because he said in the last meeting that our photography department wasn't doing its job properly."

Li Wei took the USB drive, plugged it in, and said, "How come our photography department is neglecting its duties? Those guys who studied directing are not as good as us photography students who came from other majors."

Xu Bing was about to speak when he saw that Li Wei had already started playing the short film, so he stopped.

Seven minutes later, the short film ended. Li Wei pondered for a moment and said, "This short film is indeed very good. Although we can't see the student's directing ability, judging from the finished product alone, it is a very qualified work."

When a director makes a film, he uses a lot of cinematic language.

Even if these animated short films have profound meanings, the most important thing is the concept; they require almost no skill from the director.

After watching the short film, you'll be amazed by the concept.

"Does Director Li think this short film has a chance of being submitted to Berlin?" Xu Bing asked.

Li Wei pondered for a moment and said, "In my opinion, the nomination is definitely not a problem. Whether it can win an award depends on the other works in the same period."

"Then I'll have to trouble Director Li to help make the contact," Xu Bing said.

"This kind of thing needs to be handled by the directing department. They have experience with this kind of thing, so that we can ensure the greatest fairness."

Li Wei said, "You don't need to worry about this. I'm going to see Director Tian, ​​and I'll let you know if I have any news."

"Okay, then I'll be going now," Xu Bing said.

After Xu Bing left, Li Wei took the USB drive and went to Tian Zhuangzhuang's office. He knocked on the door, and after receiving permission, he pushed the door open and went in.

"What are you doing here?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang noticed that Li Wei's expression was not very good.

"Director Tian, ​​are you still angry?"

Li Wei chuckled and said, "I didn't say those things, why are you getting angry with me?"

"Speak, what is it?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang's expression softened somewhat.

Ning Hao became famous a couple of years ago with "Crazy Stone". Last year, he started preparing for "Crazy Racer", which has already finished filming and entered post-production.

Therefore, there has been a lot of news about Ning Hao online recently.

What angered him most was that some media outlets actually brought up Ning Hao's identity as a photography major.

Because none of the directing students who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy after 2000 have become famous yet.

Ning Hao is a graduate of the 2001 class of the Cinematography Department at Beijing Film Academy, which means that among directors who graduated from Beijing Film Academy, Ning Hao is the face of the 2000 generation.

But those media outlets didn't mention that Ning Hao studied directing at Beijing Normal University.

This made Tian Zhuangzhuang feel terrible whenever she saw people from the photography department.

"A student in our department made an animated short film, which I think is very good, and I'd like to submit it to the Berlin Film Festival."

Li Wei laughed and said, "Don't you want to ask Director Tian for help?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Zhuangzhuang's face darkened. This wasn't asking for his help; it was clearly an attempt to annoy him.

"If you photography students are so eager to become directors, you might as well change your name to directing department."

Tian Zhuangzhuang said irritably, "A short film, an animation at that, and he wants to go to the Berlin Film Festival? Let him have some fun at the domestic college student film festival."

"Director Tian, ​​please take a look first. If you say it's not good after you've looked at it, I won't say another word and will just turn around and leave." Li Wei handed over the USB drive.

Although Tian Zhuangzhuang has a bad temper, he would never lie through his teeth.

He is very confident in this short film.

Tian Zhuangzhuang took the USB drive with a dark expression, and remained silent after reading it.

"What does Director Tian think?" Li Wei couldn't help but ask when he saw that he hadn't spoken for a long time.

"This student is wasting his talent studying photography. Let him switch to the directing department," Tian Zhuangzhuang said.

"What did you say?"

Li Wei was stunned when he heard this. Why were they even fighting over students?

If you can't beat them, you recruit them, right?

"Director Tian, ​​while this short film is quite good, it doesn't really showcase the director's skills. It only shows that this student has a good ability to conceive a story, but that doesn't necessarily mean he has directing talent, does it?"

"What do you know?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang pursed his lips and said, "Directing skills can be learned, but the ability to conceive a story depends a lot on talent."

Is Chen Kaige a bad director? But his creative ability is simply a mess, and no one will understand it for the next ten years.

I can't even understand it now, how can you expect me to understand it in ten years?

"But they're already seniors, they'll graduate in another year," Li Wei said.

"Never mind then."

Tian Zhuangzhuang said, "Have him send over his personal information later. I'll personally help him contact them about this short film."