"1944" is the director of "The Ming Dynasty 1566" and " The Righteous Way in the World Is Vicissitudes of Life" "" and other word-of-mouth dramas, the first spy drama is directed by Zhang Li. The screenwriter Wang Xiaoqiang is good at suspense and espionage themes, and is good at digging deep into human nature from various conflicts. He has representative works such as " rival " and " mask ". .
What kind of sparks can these two create?
In an exclusive interview with a reporter from Red Star News, Wang Xiaoqiang called director Zhang Li a "master of atmosphere" who has extremely strict control over details. The performances of the two leading actors are also remarkable, "Whether it's Qin Hao or , Yang Mi , their performances were definitely something I never expected when I was writing the script. "
一
As a leader among domestic Mesozoic screenwriters, Wang Xiaoqiang is good at writing dramas with different themes. He has produced high-profile spy dramas such as "The Rival" and "The Mask", as well as the feature film " County Party Committee Courtyard " which won last year's Magnolia Best Screenplay Award.
Screenwriter Wang Xiaoqiang
The initial inspiration for "1944" came from the spy war drama "The Secret Envoy" created by Wang Xiaoqiang more than ten years ago. At that time, he also used an idea from a twin, "but it was relatively lazy. "It's a coincidence that the elder brother disappeared as soon as he came out, and the younger brother came to do a lot of things." Lu Lunchang, the director of "The Secret Envoy", is also the director of "The Rival", "We have talked before about writing or filming the story of "The Secret Envoy" again. "We will definitely not do that."
As a lover of spy novels and dramas, Wang Xiaoqiang usually watches a lot of spy dramas at home and abroad. One strong feeling is that everyone is seeking innovation and change. "This The track is already very crowded, and everyone is trying their best to design some new narrative angles. ""1944" had the concept of twin brothers from the beginning, but Wang Xiaoqiang did not want to repeat the past, and he wanted to retain the twins. Identity, some innovations need to be done.
Song Zhuowu and Song Zhuowen in Wang Xiaoqiang's works can be said to be two different sides of the same person. The elder brother Zhuowu is a revolutionary, but has a bad temper and will take action whenever he disagrees; the younger brother Zhuowen appears to be a railway policeman, but is actually an underground party member. , careful thinking and strong action. The series does not have the plot in previous spy dramas of the same type where the elder brother or younger brother sacrifices and the other party continues to complete the cause. Instead, the series is a two-person team-up to complete the cause. Each has its own shortcomings and problems, and in a series of dangerous predicaments. Justify yourself and walk on the edge of the knife.
二
After the success of "The Rival" in 2021, many production companies approached Wang Xiaoqiang and invited him to write a sequel to "The Rival", or to apply the character relationships in "The Rival" to another era, but they all suffered When Wang Xiaoqiang declined, "This is a rather flattering creation, and I don't want to repeat it."
Wang Xiaoqiang's "Rival"
After decades of writing scripts and novels, Wang Xiaoqiang felt more and more that a mature Screenwriters must write characters well. He mentioned that the spy novel "The Fall" had the greatest influence on him. The complexity and depth of human nature are clearly visible in this novel. "I love the spy novel more. It tortures human nature more than ordinary dramas involving crimes." It will be more profound, and the lamentation about fate will be more subtle and complicated. In the past few years, I have become more and more interested in the uncertainty of the fate of characters."
So, after having the design of the twin brothers, Wang Xiao Gun set the story in Harbin in 1944, placing the characters at a subtle historical point. “Looking back now, Japan surrendered in 1945, but at the beginning of 1944, the characters in this period of history actually I don’t know, I may feel it, but it may not be that obvious.A year later, at the beginning of 1945, I believe that many people in this story, whether they are positive or negative characters, can feel this change in the tide of the times. The mentality of these characters will definitely change dramatically in just over a year. I think the changes in these characters are interesting. "
In "1944", Wang Xiaoqiang portrays many characters with different personalities. In addition to the Song brothers, the female villain Guan Xue is cruel and ruthless, always in doubt and anxiety; the sick Pan Yue seems to be weak and weak. , but he was thoughtful and said the cruel words "life is worthless" in the most nonchalant tone... "There are many people in the Secret Service Section, and there is a principle - everyone is not a good person, they are all complicated. ”
Wang Xiaoqiang likes to create group portraits, because only when there are more people, the differences of each person can be revealed. When creating, one cannot be the same person, even if it is a small character, try to have complete character clues, and finally The core point is that this character wants the audience to believe, "Everyone hears many incredible things in life, such as a person who died after falling while riding a bicycle, and someone who fell from the sixth floor and was fine. ...There are many similar things, without reason or logic. Drama needs to convince the audience and explain how this person became like this and how he did such a thing. Therefore, the screenwriter must pay attention to foreshadowing, logic, etc. The core is that the character must stand up, which must be richer and more three-dimensional. . "
Wang Xiaoqiang mentioned that, for example, Guan Xue, she is different from many male spy leaders. She will use her female identity to express grievances, show weakness and even act coquettishly on the surface, but all these are performances to show to the people around her. You see, it’s true and false, false and true, she just wants to use these people. Pan Yue is also a complex character. The plot of him going to see a psychiatrist is to give this character more support to engage in this kind of work. People with blood on their hands will also have psychological problems.
三
"1944" is the first time Wang Xiaoqiang has collaborated with director Zhang Li, and it is also the first time he has collaborated with Qin Hao and Yang Mi. Director Zhang Li is an "atmosphere master." "Whether it is a horror novel or a suspense novel, in fact, the plot is not the most important, the atmosphere is the most important. I think this is more advanced. The so-called atmosphere is actually literary. Uncle Li (Zhang Li) is a very literary director. "
Yang Mi and director Zhang Li
Wang Xiaoqiang still remember that when they visited the crew, they saw that many of the props were real. The sticks were very heavy when lifted and were made of solid wood. Director Zhang Li was very strict in details. For example, when filming Japanese soldiers walking through a muddy field, he required that the sewage on the ground in the close-up should have blood streaks and a sticky feeling. "Later, the director said that the blood was caused by him and the art department adding some glue to the sewage, so there would be Such a texture. "
Regarding the two leading actors, Wang Xiaoqiang told the Red Star News reporter that when writing scripts, screenwriters rarely can completely follow which actor. They all write according to a literary image, so whoever plays the role is very important to the creator. It’s all new to me, “Whether it’s Qin Hao or Yang Mi, their performances were definitely something I never expected when I was writing the script.
The actor Jiang Qiming who played Tian Xiaojiang impressed Wang Xiaoqiang deeply, "He is indeed different from the character I imagined. He is indeed crazier than I imagined. This is the way he performs." "Wang Xiaoqiang said that the script provided a literary image, but Jiang Qiming exaggerated Tian Xiaojiang's powerful and fierce character.
In the interview, Wang Xiaoqiang specifically mentioned , in fact, screenwriters, directors and actors are all the same. They all convey their understanding of characters to the audience through their own different creative methods. Screenwriters use words, actors use performances, and directors use lenses. Well, we can’t just create whatever the audience likes. We should cater to them with whatever kind of stories and characters the audience likes. Catering is never better than impressing yourself first and then impressing others.”
Red Star News reporter Qiu Junfeng editor Li Jie Pictures according to stills
