Time Network News The movie "The Beneficiary" starring Dapeng and Liu Yan is currently in theaters. A few days ago, following the two starring roles of Dapeng and Liu Yan (exclusive interview with the male and female starring Dapeng & Liu Yan in "The Beneficiary"), the director of the film’s Olympic bid and producer Ning Hao also accepted an exclusive interview with Time.com to talk about the behind-the-scenes story of the film.
"The Beneficiary" is another new work in the "72 Change Plan" initiated by Ning Hao's Bad Monkey Pictures. Previously, Lu Yang's "Xiu Chun Dao II Shura Battlefield" and Wen Muye's "I'm Not the God of Medicine" all came out of this plan. Director
’s bid for the Olympics is the first time he has directed a feature film. Prior to this, he only had experience in short films and commercials. He was selected by Ning Hao for his potential and talent. Ning Hao also devoted himself to the creation of this film as a producer. So although it is a new director's new work, "The Beneficiary" is quite mature in some aspects. At present, the film has a box office of 120 million, with a score of 7.4 by Mtime.com, which is already very good in domestic films.
, as Ning Hao's "professional disciple", placed "The Beneficiary" in Ning Hao's blessed land, Chongqing, where the famous work "Crazy Stone" was filmed. This turbulent, pyrotechnic city gives these two works of similar genre a lot of comparison. After the success of "Crazy Stone" in the past, many imitators have followed suit, and similar works will come out every year, many of which come from new directors. There are too many shots, and it is inevitable that the audience will feel the same. "Beneficiary" cuts into this hot topic through live broadcast, which can be regarded as bringing a trace of new ideas to this genre. Director Ning Hao, who promoted "I also like to watch Douyin Kuaishou's live broadcast," said, "You must dig out your most unique care and perspective from the most contemporary parts. At the time when the director of the Olympic bid told me about this story , I can vaguely smell that in this story theme and this character background, I can unearth a very humanistic perspective. It is not just a comedy."
Mtime: Where did the inspiration for the story of "The Beneficiary" come from? Here?
Olympic bid : When I am preparing the film, I will collect a lot of social news. Then find a more interesting relationship between people and do some interviews. Then we discovered that there were many similar cases, so we took out the interesting parts of several cases and turned them into a new story.
Mtime: For example, some time ago, there was a news about a tourist killing his wife and cheating insurance in Thailand. Did you find inspiration from such news?
Olympic bid : Yes, similar, but the incident in Thailand happened after we started the machine.
Mtime: Live broadcast is also a very important content in this movie. How did you think of adding live broadcast to the movie?
Olympic bid : I like watching it.
Mtime: What kind of live broadcast do you like to watch?
Bid for the Olympic Games : When I was advertising, suddenly one day I found that the actors were all in the dressing room, not resting or sleeping. They were all talking. One person, one channel. I don't know what they are doing, and I had a deep chat with them, only to find that the form is that they are speaking to countless people alone. Then I was very interested, and asked them what they broadcast every day and chat.
Mtime: In order to make this movie, did you investigate the live broadcast industry?
Olympic bid : Of course, I went to interview a lot of girls who are professional anchors, because my role is a girl. Then I found a lot of places that were different from what I imagined. In fact, I always thought this job was easy, because the so-called anchors I had contacted before were all part-time jobs, and they just used fragmented time to do this, but the real professional anchors work much more hours per day than office workers. They have to work for more than ten hours, day and night, and they have to stay in shape and practice new skills.
Mtime: Director Ning Hao doesn't look like the kind of person who often watches live broadcasts. How can he support the director to deconstruct the story from this perspective?
Ning Hao (laughs): Why do you think I don't watch?
Mtime: What kind of live broadcast do you usually like to watch?
Ning Hao: I also like to watch the live broadcast of Douyin Kuaishou. When I first decided to make the 72 change plan, I kept talking to everyoneWhat I have repeatedly emphasized and talked about is to be local enough and contemporary enough. Things from this perspective are all I support.
Mtime: Black and humorous crime movies are shot every year. It is inevitable that there will be similarities. How to find new ways to play in this genre?
Ning Hao : The film has been shot for 100 years, and there are many different types. How to give it a newer or more current thing is actually the most important thing. From the most contemporary parts, dig out your most unique care and perspective. When the director of the Olympic bid was talking to me about this story, I could vaguely smell that, in the context of this story and this character, I could dig out a very humanistic perspective. I think that angle is actually quite valuable, not just a comedy.
Mtime: Coincidentally, both "The Beneficiary" and Ning Hao's "Crazy Stone" were filmed in Chongqing. Is it a tribute?
Olympic bid : There must be a tribute. I like "Crazy Stone" very much. Then Chongqing is also a very suitable city for filmmaking. When we initially selected the scene, we did not choose Chongqing, but a neighboring city, but the logistics support there was not yet mature, and the transportation and transportation of catering was not convenient. The film and television industry in Chongqing is quite complete, with complete supporting facilities, and the local people have an idea of the film crew, so they decided to change to Chongqing. Of course,
should be distinguished from other movies shot in Chongqing. In fact, we didn't shoot in a place that was too landmark. We basically shot it in a town called Guangyang Town, which is nearly two hours away from the center of Chongqing.
Mtime: Many domestic films have been filmed in Chongqing, such as the "Youth You" currently being screened. What unique charm does Chongqing have for filmmakers?
Olympic bid: I think the most convenient thing is that it is green all year round. In many cities, it cannot be photographed in winter. Then Chongqing has a lot of styles and features. It has high-rise buildings, all of which are straight into the sky, and the urban track is perfect. It is the appearance of an international first-tier metropolis, with water systems and the Yangtze River. But it also has a lot of alleys, especially the folk fireworks, which are well preserved, teahouses and mahjong halls. We filmed a tea house, the one where Director Ning Hao filmed "Crazy Stone". Even the tables and cups have not changed.
Mtime: Did you shoot it on purpose?
bid for the Olympics : I don’t know, I didn’t know when I was selecting the scene.
Mtime: Speaking of fireworks, the shape of the Dapeng this time is particularly earthy, and then let him go begging on the street to experience life?
bid for the Olympics : No, it was his own fooling. Basically, when we were waiting, Brother Peng went out with his hands behind his back. He wanted to go deep into the people, and he wanted to be with the people and spark some sparks. We were actually right there to prepare. He took a fast food box and wandered around to see if he could be recognized.
Mtime: Has it been recognized?
Olympic bid : No, never. He told others that I was Dapeng and they left.
Mtime: "The Beneficiary" is your first feature film. Director Ning Hao is the producer. What kind of help did he provide?
Olympic bid : The most important thing should be the script. In fact, I have no experience in script creation. Although I have had a lot of experience in live shooting and writing short films before shooting commercials, the creative methods and ideas are completely different. From Director Ning, he basically compressed his more than ten years of film understanding, knowledge, experience, and tricks into a two to three year process, and taught it to me. I think it is very beneficial.
Mtime: In the finished film of "The Beneficiary", what are the things that Director Ning Hao suggested to change to what they are now?
Olympic bid : I remember very clearly, he said if your protagonist is innocent and sympathetic. In fact, our former protagonist was not innocent enough or sympathetic enough. We have to spend a lot of effort to screw it over, but no amount of screwing can not make the audience love this character. There is another very important change before starting up.
Mtime: In addition to the script, did you learn anything from Ning Hao in terms of directing drama?
Olympic bid : There are many. Let's just talk about a specific example. In fact, when Ning Hao went to Chongqing to explore the squad, we were about to film the underwater fight scene. When writing the script, he gave me a suggestion. He said that if your topic and the combined topic are the same topic, I don't quite understand it. He just said that you can't be the beginning of a romance movie, and finally merge into the title of an action movie, which is wrong. If you start emotionally, you have to return to emotions.
The last scene I wrote at the time was to fight back and forth. He said that this is the end of an action movie, so I wouldn't be good at it. Later, he lost four words to me, Wuxi Wenpai, and left after speaking. Then I told Dapeng what it was called Wuxi Wenpai, and we both started to wonder. Wuxi Wenpai, that is, don't take it as an action, you just talk while playing, let's guess. As a result, it was found that the lines and actor's performance in that scene did override the action design, but the effect was better.
Mtime: What is your way of being a producer? Will you help guide at the shooting scene?
Ning Hao : I always think that there should not be two directors on the scene, because I am a director myself. If there is always another director on the scene, or a so-called leader, it will be very troublesome. That is trouble, not help. So when I go to the scene, I usually look at the editing to see how the previously filmed things are, how the finished things are, and what they might look like. Then when the director finishes work, I chat with the director and say it is possible What kind of problems will there be. I will never do something that involves going to the scene.
Mtime: "The Beneficiary" and "Crazy Stone" are very similar in genre. Do you think there is something similar between these two movies?
Ning Hao : When it comes to similar types, you can't really say that. Every director has his own special and special things. The director of the Olympic bid is more humanistic and warmer than my work. On the surface, they are all in Chongqing and there are crimes, but the difference is still very big.
