The Rise of Chinese Entertainment in 2008

Gu Ning paused for a moment and said, "I am somewhat self-aware. I am far from being good at camera work and visual effects. I can handle commercial films, but I'm afraid I can't handle art films."

Is it really because he doesn't want to make art films?

Life is nothing more than fame and fortune. Making commercial films makes money, but if you want fame, you have to make art films and win awards.

The reason why Zhang Yimou and Chen Dashi have such high status in the industry is simply because they have won the three major awards.

In a few years, many directors with high box office returns will emerge, but their status will still be incomparable to that of directors like Zhang Yimou.

Many people have the misconception that directors who make good commercial films can also make good art films.

The only thing missing is a good story.

In fact, these are two completely different concepts. Commercial films are not that difficult to make; for art films, the story is only one aspect.

Art films have very high artistic requirements, much like the difference between a literary author and an online novelist writing the same story.

For art films to win awards, a good story is just the most basic requirement; they also need to have unique elements in narrative, visuals, and soundtrack.

Those films that win awards might not win awards if they were directed by someone else.

Of course, there are other factors at play as well as the three major international factors.

But compared to Hollywood, it's definitely fairer.

Gu Ning's artistic skills are subpar, so off-field factors are even less of a concern.

If he really had that ability, his basic directing skills would be extremely strong, and he wouldn't have had to struggle for so many years before finally making it big in his previous life.

"It's good to know your shortcomings, because that's how you can improve."

Tian Zhuangzhuang was very satisfied with Gu Ning's attitude and said, "It's not like I'm asking you to go straight to the top three. There are plenty of film festivals, both domestic and international."

You are still young; this is the time for you to learn and develop.

He encouraged Gu Ning to make art films because he felt Gu Ning had the potential.

Other directors often find it difficult to secure large investments at the beginning, so they have to find ways to raise money to shoot some low-budget art films, and then participate in film festivals to win awards in order to prove their abilities.

Only in this way can we attract more investment.

Gu Ning's first feature film was a commercial film, and it achieved very good box office results.

Even if you were to make an art film at this point, there would be no shortage of investors.

Although there is a big difference between commercial films and art films, art films require relatively less investment, and there are plenty of people willing to sell Gu Ning a good one.

"Director Tian, ​​how about I write a script and you direct it? I'll be your assistant director and learn from you," Gu Ning suddenly said.

"Um?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang was taken aback when he heard this. He was advising Gu Ning, so how did it become Gu Ning advising him?

"After all, I didn't study directing. Although I attend classes regularly, I still have a lot of shortcomings in the basics. They say that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. Working with Director Tian on a film might make more progress than I did in several years of schooling," Gu Ning flattered.

He was being half true and half false. One reason was that he was learning from Tian Zhuangzhuang, and the other was that making art films could actually be quite profitable.

The domestic box office market is still too small. He lacks fame, so it's difficult for his films to achieve high box office returns.

Unless it's a big production, it'll only gross a hundred or two hundred million at most.

A movie with an investment of tens of millions of yuan only grossed 100 million yuan at the box office, and the production company only received a little over 30 million yuan.

Even after deducting costs, he only made around 20 million. In the end, he received even less.

If an art film can win one of the three major awards, in the current climate, the revenue from selling its copyrights may not be worse than that of some theatrical releases.

This way you can learn and earn money at the same time.

He also meant to repay Tian Zhuangzhuang.

If it weren't for Tian Zhuangzhuang, the school's attitude towards Lu Chuan's situation would have been quite different.

"I just finished filming a movie recently, and I'm still busy with post-production, so I don't have any plans to make movies for the time being," Tian Zhuangzhuang said, shaking his head.

Gu Ning didn't try to persuade him any further after hearing this. Tian Zhuangzhuang's refusal was likely due to a lack of confidence in his script.

After all, apart from "Lost in Mud," Tian Zhuangzhuang wouldn't like any of the other scripts he's written so far.

Perhaps in Tian Zhuangzhuang's eyes, he might be able to write commercial film scripts, but not necessarily art film scripts.

Moreover, it was a spur-of-the-moment idea. He would write the script and bring it over later. As long as the script was good, he didn't believe Tian Zhuangzhuang wouldn't be tempted.

If you really want to help Tian Zhuangzhuang win a prestigious award at one of the three major competitions, then he should owe you a favor in return.

We'll make him more art films and let him earn money for us.

Tian Zhuangzhuang and Gu Ning chatted about the postgraduate recommendation process, and then Gu Ning said goodbye and left.

As Gu Ning drove away from Beijing Film Academy, he kept thinking about which script to give to Tian Zhuangzhuang to film.

.........

Shu Chang carried the dishes out of the kitchen and saw Gu Ning sitting on the sofa, lost in thought.

"Sissi is only going for about half a month, and you're already that reluctant to let her go?"

Gu Ning snapped out of her daze and laughed, "If I didn't know you were from the Northeast, I would have thought you were from Shanxi Province."

"?"

Shu Chang looked puzzled, not quite understanding what she was hearing.

"That's why you always have such a sour tone when you talk."

"Who's being so sour?"

Shu Chang rolled her eyes at him: "I've been so distracted since you came back, haven't I?"

"I'm thinking about the script."

Gu Ning stopped teasing her and got up to help serve the dishes in the kitchen.

Shu Chang's cooking skills are quite good; the dishes she makes look very appealing.

"How does it taste?"

"It's quite delicious."

Gu Ning praised, "It tastes much better than those restaurants."

"It's not that good."

Shu Chang looked at Gu Ning, who was wolfing down his food, and was momentarily dazed.

Since her mother passed away, she has been living either at her uncle's house or her aunt's house.

Her uncle and aunt treated her very well, but couples inevitably have some conflicts in their daily lives.

Shu Chang is quite sensitive. Even if she knows it's not directed at her, she can't help but overthink it and feel very uncomfortable.

Therefore, I moved out after I became an adult.

Having dinner with Gu Ning at home at this moment brought her a long-lost sense of warmth.

Why aren't you eating?

Gu Ning looked up and saw Shu singing in a daze, and asked with some confusion.

"I've been thinking about some things."

Shu Chang snapped out of her daze and saw that Gu Ning's bowl was empty, so she got up and took the bowl from his hand.

"I'll get you some more rice."

A moment later, she brought out the food and handed it to Gu Ning.

"Thanks."

Gu Ning took the food and continued eating.

"By the way, it's a waste to leave the house next door empty. Why don't you let me live there?" Gu Ning said.

Shu Chang quickly refused, saying, "No, my uncle knows about that house."

The reason she bought the house next door was because "Magic Phone" was so popular after it aired last year.

Many reporters followed and secretly photographed her, leaving her with no privacy at all.

After the reporters found out where she lived, they were able to tell whether she lived there or not just by whether the lights were on in her house at night.

Shu Chang was getting fed up with the constant nagging and started thinking about buying another house elsewhere.

Coincidentally, the house next door was for sale, and she bought it on her uncle's advice.

Her uncle said that if they changed where they bought it, the reporters would eventually find out.

The balconies next door and this side can be connected, making it difficult for reporters to notice.

That's when she got her uncle to buy the apartment next door and connect the two balconies together.

She plans to move next door when her work becomes popular, so that reporters can't tell if she lives there by looking at the lights in her house.