Jimu News reporter Rong Yu
Dong Yuhui said: "You can always trust Zhang Yimou!"
Zhang Yimou said: "You can always trust Dong Yuhui!"
This is not a "business bragging" in a social setting, but two people in their respective fields. The people of Shaanxi, who have achieved great success, are performing "fellow villagers meeting fellow villagers".
html On the evening of February 2, the famous director Zhang Yimou brought his new film "Article 20" to the online live broadcast room of his fellow Shaanxi fellow Dong Yuhui. One is an internationally famous director and the other is a "top anchor". When the two met, they couldn't stop talking.
"Two terracotta warriors and horses sat in front of me"
In the conversation that night, Zhang Yimou, Dong Yuhui and "Dong Yuhui's boss" Yu Minhong chatted for 100 minutes, allowing millions of netizens to get closer to the artistic life of the internationally famous director. As soon as the live broadcast of
started, Dong Yuhui took the initiative to mention some suggestions given to him by netizens such as Ning Hao and Andy Lau who came to the live broadcast two days ago. However, unlike Ning Hao and Andy Lau's calm atmosphere on the day of the live broadcast, Zhang Yimou, who is very expressive, started chatting with fellow Shaanxi fellows with joy as soon as he sat down. His eloquent and vivid narration was fascinating and also aroused Dong Yuhui's emotions.
Seeing Zhang Yimou and Dong Yuhui chatting happily, Yu Minhong, who was sitting aside, couldn't help but said: "Two terracotta warriors and horses are sitting in front of me." Both Zhang Yimou and Dong Yuhui readily accepted this evaluation and chatted frequently during the conversation. Learn about the common character traits of Shaanxi people and the impact of Shaanxi on them.
Zhang Yimou said that he likes the protagonists in works such as "Qiu Ju's Lawsuit" and "No One Less" because they represent the character of Shaanxi people, "One-minded, very persistent, never look back until they hit the wall. This kind of single-minded behavior and persistence creates drama."
Zhang Yimou analyzed that Shaanxi is a place with strong colors, so his early works also paid special attention to color. This is the impact of the land on people. "I don't like things that are bland and bland. But when it comes to "Article 20", we need to wash away all the limelight and put away the tricks. It is completely opposite to the flamboyant and rich one."
is the director. Don't cherish "feathers" too much
Yu Minhong is very curious. Zhang Yimou's works have been changing styles in the past few years, and he has also started to make comedies. Is this a proactive move or a pandering to the audience?
Zhang Yimou took "Article 20" as an example, "We decided early on that it would be released during the Spring Festival, so we still hope that there will be more laughter and everyone can relax a little more. Another point is that innovation in the film itself requires a mixture of different elements. , we tried it with "River Red"." Zhang Yimou revealed that "Article 20" had previously conducted audience tests and found that the film caused twice as much laughter as "River Red".
is constantly innovating, are you afraid of overturning? Dong Yuhui laughed at himself and said that every time he wanted to innovate during live broadcasts, he would be "rejected" by netizens. Zhang Yimou laughed when he heard this, "I also have overturned times, several of them. Netizens should be more familiar with me."
73-year-old Zhang Yimou shared candidly He said that if a director wants to innovate, he should not cherish his "feathers" too much and "can't create too many self-characters. (I can't say) I have been facing the wall for 10 years. Every film must look very similar and maintain the same level. In this way Only in this way can I match my character. If you have this idea, it is best not to innovate randomly. Innovation is very risky, so many directors make a movie for a lifetime, which is equivalent to making one movie for a lifetime."
The actors are not in harmony Zhang Yimou talks about money
It is no exaggeration to say that actors in the entire Chinese film industry want to cooperate with Zhang Yimou. When talking about how to choose actors, Zhang Yimou said that there are not many outstanding actors in the Chinese film and television industry, so every time he is looking for an actor, he does not have many choices. But once he meets an actor he admires very much, he will He is willing to cooperate many times, such as Lei Jiayin, "Sometimes when I ask him to come, he is surprised. He is very malleable, which is his biggest characteristic, and his performance is very relaxed. He is a good actor.""
Yu Minhong asked Zhang Yimou very directly how those famous actors negotiated cooperation conditions with him. Zhang Yimou did not avoid this question.
"These famous and accomplished actors, if I find them, they are basically right. I respect, trust and appreciate them very much. (Everyone said) All other conditions are easy to negotiate. I would rather come if I can't meet their standards. Zhang Yimou thanked the actors for their trust in him. "A director will feel grateful when he is treated like this by actors, and he will feel that I have to film this character and this story well no matter what, because they treat you well and trust you." , (willing to) get a discount, or even no compensation, no matter how busy you are. This is trust and affection for you, and you have nothing to repay except to do a good job.
Zhang Yimou gave an example. Yu Hewei's role in "Article 20" was very small. "It was only a day or two, but he dropped everything and came over. He didn't talk about anything. He just came to help." I am honored and grateful for a director to be treated like this by an actor. "
Dong Yuhui's acting is definitely a big topic
When talking about the topic of hiring new actors, Zhang Yimou said very honestly that he is a director who is very responsible to investors, so he is afraid of making investors lose money, "I am not that It's like 'I don't care if the investors lose money, I'll just complete my art'... I can't do it, and I would be embarrassed to let others lose money, so I will be more cautious when hiring new people. "
He used the 2022 Spring Festival movie "Sniper" as an example. The film used a large number of newcomers to star, but the final box office performance was not very good, "It is a pity.
Speaking of this, Zhang Yimou suddenly looked at Dong Yuhui and said, "I'll find you!" This is a big topic if I'm looking for you. If you act, it will definitely be a big topic, and many people who come to watch your live broadcast will buy tickets. "
Zhang Yimou also seriously suggested that Dong Yuhui and Yu Minhong write a script to write down the stories of the live streaming industry and the people engaged in this industry. "It's very interesting. I think we can try to write a story. No matter who will act, write it first, I'm in a script shortage right now. "
During the live broadcast, Zhang Yimou did not hesitate to praise fellow Dong Yuhui, saying that he was a "cultural man" and summed up the secret of Dong Yuhui's success, "Being in business but not talking about business, he created a new live broadcast method. "
The filming of "The Great Wall" was "strictly controlled" by Hollywood
Zhang Yimou, who ushered in the era of "blockbuster" films in China, has been more interested in making "small films" in recent years. In this conversation, he also talked about one of his films that was The English blockbuster "The Great Wall" was evaluated by many as a "failure".
Zhang Yimou said that he took over "The Great Wall" just to study in Hollywood, because Hollywood gave a US$200 million film project to a Chinese director to complete. This kind of learning opportunity is very rare. But Zhang Yimou also made no secret that he had good experiences and bad experiences during this study.
"I don't like their system. It has little freedom, is completely industrialized, and must be filmed according to the script. My habit over the years has been to make changes while filming. No one interferes with the director. You have the final say. I thought it was okay (to go to Hollywood). They respected me very much and (thought) you were a great director in the East, which made me misjudge (laughing)..." Zhang Yimou recalled, from the day "The Great Wall" was launched, Two Hollywood staff members followed him until the movie was finished. “They didn’t say anything, they just sat behind me, and they went wherever I went. I didn’t realize it at first, but later I said I wanted to change a word, and they said no, it had to be filmed according to the script..."
This "painful" work experience also gave Zhang Yimou an understanding of Hollywood's highly industrialized management. Dialectical understanding, “If there is another opportunity in the future, I must discuss in advance what I can change.
73-year-old Zhang Yimou will not retire.
Yu Minhong, who is younger than Zhang Yimou, said that at his current age, he wants to "retire" and travel around the world, eating and drinking. However, Zhang Yimou, who is about to celebrate his 74th birthday, said that he likes to be busy and busy. Make him feel fulfilled.
"This stems from my schooling experience and growing up experience. I came from a factory. I had the opportunity to go to college, work in movies, become a director, and combine the work I love with supporting my family. So I feel that I am very lucky, I am a lucky person of the times. I am grateful for the times, and I often think: Don’t be idle, don’t enjoy it, cherish it.” Zhang Yimou joked to himself, “Am I working hard for my life? (I ) Many things are accidental and given by the times, so I don’t want to waste my time.”
Public information shows that Zhang Yimou currently has four directorial works in preparation, including the e-sports themed “League of Legends” that focuses on young audiences. 》. Zhang Yimou retires? nonexistent.
(Picture source: live broadcast screenshots, public information from the film company)
(Source: Jimu News)
