Huayu: A master director who debuted as a singer

After returning to his rented apartment in Guangzhou, Zheng Hui began to think about how to shoot a music video.

Nowadays, music videos are made by setting up a studio, building some sets, adding some dry ice, having the singer pose for the camera, and then having a female model walk around in the background.

Alternatively, you could go to an outdoor location, find a park, or go to the beach, and let the sea breeze blow your hair.

It's vulgar, slow, and expensive.

If you were to film "Stubborn," this soft and languid style definitely wouldn't work.

While Zheng Hui was thinking, he casually pulled out a newspaper from under the coffee table; it was today's Guangzhou Daily.

He tried to fan himself, but his gaze was drawn to the large print on the front page.

"Despite the financial crisis on the eve of the Bangkok Asian Games, Thailand has pledged that the Games will be held as scheduled."

In December 1998, the 13th Asian Games were to open in Bangkok.

It's early September now, the most crucial time for the national team's training camp, and also the time when the media starts to hype up the news.

Zheng Hui suddenly sat up straight. He had an idea. He planned to use footage of athletes to edit music videos for songs such as "Stubborn" and "Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart".

Not only can the music video be completed in the fastest time, but it can also ride the wave of the Asian Games. Once this kind of music video is made, it will definitely be broadcast by various TV stations.

……

The following morning, Swan Publishing House.

Just as President Wang sat down at his desk, Zheng Hui knocked on the door and came in, spreading newspapers and notebooks in front of him.

"President, I have a plan for the music video. I'm going to make four songs."

President Wang glanced at the headline on the front page of the newspaper about the preparations for the Asian Games, then looked at the song titles circled in red in Zheng Hui's notebook, and said thoughtfully, "The Asian Games? You want to do a sports-themed story?"

"right."

Zheng Hui pulled up a chair and sat down: "President, I don't plan to hire actors or set up a studio. I want to use the most authentic footage. I want to apply to the provincial sports bureau's archives or the Ersha Island training base to retrieve all their training and competition videos."

"I want to make a mashup."

Zheng Hui gestured famous rhythms in the air: "Stubborn" is paired with injuries and perseverance, "Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart" is paired with the roar under extreme physical conditions, "I Believe" is the cheer of winning the championship at the right moment, and "Flying Higher" showcases the pinnacle of competitive skills.

"These four songs will be packaged and sent to the Provincial Sports Bureau and the Asian Games delegation. We won't make ordinary music videos; we'll make official promotional songs as a gift to the Asian Games."

President Wang frowned slightly as he listened. To be honest, he had no idea what Zheng Hui meant by "mixed-cut" editing.

In his mind, music videos were either about handsome men and beautiful women lip-syncing in scenic spots, or short films with a storyline like those produced by Pearl River Film Studio.

If you just piece together a bunch of old news footage, wouldn't that become a documentary? Would it be entertaining?

But the words "Asian Games tribute" and "official promotional song" struck a nerve with him.

Having spent half his life working within the system, he had a keen sense of smell. If this matter could really come to fruition, it would be a way to promote the mainstream ideology, and the TV station would not only broadcast it but also broadcast it repeatedly during prime time.

As for Zheng Hui's request... President Wang considered it in his mind: It's just a few old tapes that nobody watches, right? It's just a matter of making a phone call to an old acquaintance in the Sports Bureau and spending a little time talking to him. It's a win-win situation.

Since we already made it clear yesterday that we would give it our full support, let's just let him give it a try.

President Wang made a decision: If this kid can really come up with something interesting, great; if he makes something that's neither fish nor fowl, I can always shamelessly ask my old friends at the Pearl River Film Studio to step in and shoot some regular footage to get by.

"Although I can't quite picture the scene you're describing..."

President Wang relaxed his brow and picked up the phone on the table: "But the idea of ​​presenting this as a gift to the Asian Games is indeed quite lofty. Xiao Zheng, I'll coordinate the materials you need. As long as it's beneficial to publicity, the company will pave the way for you. Just go ahead and do it, and see how it goes."

Without saying a word, President Wang reached out and grabbed the phone on the table.

"Connect me to the Provincial Sports Bureau and find Director Liu of the Publicity and Education Department."

When the call connected, President Wang's face lit up with a smile.

"Hey, Lao Liu! This is Lao Wang from the White Swan Hotel. Yes, I have some good news."

Our company recently released a new album, which is really inspiring. Since this year is the Asian Games year, I'm thinking of making a few songs into promotional videos and giving them away to our bureau for free, to give our Guangdong soldiers a boost.

Yes, it's free. We just need some materials. Could we borrow some of those old tapes from your archives?

No? Not allowed to lend it out?

In that case, I'll have someone go to your place to choose, and once they've chosen, they'll make a copy there. They won't take an inch of the master tape with them; we'll only take the copy back for post-production.

Okay, okay, it's settled then.

President Wang hung up the phone, opened a drawer, took out a letter of introduction stamped with the company seal, and quickly wrote a few lines.

"Take this to the Ersha Island training base. They have the most comprehensive sports video database in the province. Old Liu has already made arrangements there. Just go directly to the administration building and find Section Chief Zhang in the data room."

……

Ersha Island, Guangdong Sports Training Base.

Inside the courtyard enclosed by red brick walls, towering banyan trees provide ample shade. In the distance, rhythmic whistles and shouts of athletes drift from the track and field stadium.

The Jinbei Haishi van was parked under the shade of a tree in front of the administration building.

Zheng Hui led Lin Dashan and Chen Jianguo out of the car. Lin Dashan was carrying a case of Jianlibao cigarettes he had just bought, while Chen Jianguo was carrying two cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes.

The archives are on the third floor. As soon as you open the door, the smell of old film reels hits you.

Several rows of metal cabinets stood in the room, with labels on the doors: Diving Team, Weightlifting Team, Badminton Team, Fencing Team...

Near the window, there were two monitors and a video editing machine.

A middle-aged man was cleaning a videotape with a brush when he heard the noise and looked up.

"Hello, Section Chief Zhang, I am Zheng Hui from Swan Publishing House."

Zheng Hui handed over the letter of introduction and casually asked Chen Jianguo to put the cigarettes on the table.

Section Chief Zhang took the letter of introduction, glanced at it, and then looked at the Jianlibao cigarettes and other items. His expression softened considerably.

"Director Liu explained that the tapes in this cabinet are all from the provincial team's collection. Some were submitted to CCTV for selection, and some were used by the coaching staff to analyze technical movements; they are all unique copies."

Section Chief Zhang pointed to the editing machine: "The rule is that the master tape cannot leave this door. Look around here, and if you see a section you like, tell me, and I'll transfer it to the empty tape for you. You can only take the copy tape."

Zheng Hui nodded: "Understood, thank you for your help, Section Chief Zhang."

"Let's begin. What kind of company are you looking for?"

Zheng Hui walked to the cabinet, his gaze sweeping over the labels. Guangdong is a major sports province, and Ersha Island is a cradle of champions. There's plenty of material here.

"First, look at the weightlifting team, their training sessions, not their competitions. The tougher and more tiring the better."

Section Chief Zhang pulled out a videotape labeled "Winter Training in 97" from the cabinet and put it into the player.

Zheng Hui moved a chair and sat in front of the monitor, holding a laptop in his hand and staring at the screen.

"stop."

The image freezes.

A young weightlifter is doing a back squat, the barbell almost bending his spine.

He couldn't stand up; the barbell was too heavy, and he collapsed to the ground, the barbell plates hitting the floor with a loud thud.

He lay there, face down, his shoulders twitching violently.

"I'll take this part." Zheng Hui wrote down the timecode in his notebook.

Section Chief Zhang operated another machine to transfer this footage onto the blank tape brought by Zheng Hui.

"Keep looking, the diving team."

The scene shifts to an outdoor diving pool; it's probably summer, with the sun blazing down.

A little boy stood on the 10-meter platform. He must have just joined the team, because his legs were shaking.

The coach was shouting something from below, and the little boy closed his eyes and jumped down.

The splash was huge; it was the sound of water hitting the surface, and it hurt just to hear it.

He struggled to the surface in the water, his back covered in a large red welt.

"This part too."

Zheng Hui spent the entire day in the archives room, while Lin Dashan and Chen Jianguo took turns moving videotapes over and over again.

In the badminton hall, the athletes practiced footwork until they vomited, then rinsed their mouths and continued practicing.

Inside the fencing hall, a muffled groan under the protective gear after being stabbed.

On the football field, he tackled the ball in the muddy water of the heavy rain, his face covered in mud and water, with only his eyes showing.

There's also a close-up of a doctor draining fluid from an athlete's knee in the medical room, with a long, thick needle inserted and the fluid being drawn out.

Zheng Hui worked until 6 p.m., when it got dark outside the window, and he had four transcribed tapes in his hands.

"Thank you, Section Chief Zhang. I'll bring the finished product to you and Director Liu for review after I finish the post-production work."

Zheng Hui stood up and stretched his stiff neck.

Section Chief Zhang waved his hand: "Go ahead, I'd like to see what you can do with these discarded lenses."