from "Looking for a Gun", "Kekexili" and "Nanjing!" Nanjing! ” to “Nine-Storey Demon Tower”, as well as “749 Bureau” (also known as “749: Rise of Aliens”), which is in post-production, Lu Chuan has always been well-known to the public as a film director. With the recent broadcast of the urban medical drama "Extraordinary Doctor" on Hunan Satellite TV and Mango TV, he has unlocked a new identity as a drama director.
"Extraordinary Doctor" is the first TV series written and directed by Lu Chuan. It has been more than 20 years since he last participated in the creation of a TV series (Note: In the TV series "Black Hole" broadcast in 2001, Lu Chuan served as the director of the TV series "Black Hole". screenwriter). In an exclusive interview with a reporter from the Beijing News, Lu Chuan said frankly that in the past few years, he has watched many excellent short dramas at home and abroad, and also observed that there is an extremely close interactive relationship between the dramas and the audience, and believes that the drama is a A track worth practicing is also a creative direction that a film director must face squarely.
Lu Chuan is used to finishing one movie completely before making the next one. Doing two movies at the same time would make him feel like "spiritual cheating." In the past three years, he has basically solved the funding problem of "749 Bureau" by making money through various "part-time jobs". The film is currently in intense post-production and is expected to be completed by the end of the year and released next year. "This movie contains my own youth experience, and it also contains elements of paying tribute to my old comrades. I have to finish it!" Even if he returns to his job as a film director at the end of the year, he will also take over filming series in between directing movies. Of course, "It is best to have a short series of 6 to 8 episodes."
director Lu Chuan. Picture provided by the interviewee
[Dialogue]
Beijing News: It has been more than 20 years since you last participated in the creation of a TV series. Why are you interested in TV series creation again?
Lu Chuan: Actually, I haven’t made up my mind to enter this industry (TV drama creation) yet. Because the production of long-form dramas is indeed very hard, and the shooting cycle of domestic dramas is very tight. One episode needs to be shot in 3 or 4 days. For people who are used to making movies, it will be very painful if they cannot be very detailed in the images and scene scheduling.
We originally shot 12 episodes of "Extraordinary Doctor", each episode was 70 minutes, but later it became 16 episodes due to broadcast needs. To me, it's not a traditional TV series, it's a short series. I have watched some excellent domestic and foreign short dramas in the past few years, such as "The Long Season", which I particularly liked. Of course, when I filmed this drama ("Extraordinary Doctor") (in 2021), it had not yet broadcast. There are several other short series, which I think are also very good from narrative to production. The hard work of many young colleagues in the short-form drama track is very respectable. They have improved the quality of Chinese drama series, which makes me feel that this track is worth practicing.
"Extraordinary Doctor" stars Zhang Wanyi, Zheng Yunlong and others.
Beijing News: Judging from the style of movies you have directed before, we would have thought that your first TV series would most likely be a suspense theme, but we did not expect it to be a medical theme. Why does this subject attract you?
Lu Chuan: When I was preparing the content with my partners in the drama track, there were indeed suspense themes and anti-gang and anti-corruption themes. The reason why I filmed the medical theme first was because it was approved first. When the project "Extraordinary Doctors" came to me, firstly, I felt that I could try to make a TV series. In addition, it tells the story of the growth of a group of young people, which is very consistent with the direction I want to create; secondly, the medical theme It can reflect current social life and social issues, which is also an area of interest to me. I think creators should express something by making a drama. Some subjects, such as ancient puppets, are unlikely for me to photograph, because I personally don’t believe in them and have nothing to express.
Beijing News: What does the movie "749 Bureau" mean to you?
Lu Chuan: There is a reason for insisting on . This movie contains a very strong expression for me. "749 Games" tells the story of a young man's growth. Of course, this growth story is condensed into one movie and integrated into the character's relatively fantastic experience. I was assigned to Unit 749 right after I graduated from college. That was my first job."749 Bureau" contains my own youth experience and also pays tribute to my old comrades, so I must finish this movie.
Beijing News: What is the current production progress of "749 Bureau"?
Lu Chuan: After three years of working in various jobs, the funding problem of "749 Bureau" has basically been solved, and now we are working hard on the post-production stage. There are approximately more than 1,500 special effects shots being produced by domestic and foreign special effects companies. The production cycle of this film is indeed a bit long, but it will definitely be completed by the end of this year, and it will definitely be released next year.
"749 Bureau" starring Wang Junkai.
Beijing News: When do you plan to make your next movie? What do filming movies and TV dramas have in common?
Lu Chuan: Because "749 Bureau" has not been completed, I am embarrassed to pick up other movies. Movies are like this for me - I feel like I have to finish one and then do the next, and I can't stand in the same boat. If I go to work on the next movie before I finish this one, it will feel like I am "mentally derailed." So as soon as this movie is finished at the end of this year, I can start working on the next movie. What I feel very happy about is that whether I am filming commercials or dramas, I am still creating and doing my best for my own work.
Beijing News: After "749 Bureau" is completed at the end of the year, do you still plan to film dramas in between filming movies?
Lu Chuan: I think drama is a creative direction that a film director must take seriously, because its influence is indeed great. Many people in our crew often put their mobile phones and tablets there while eating, watching dramas while eating, or wearing headphones while riding in the car to catch up on dramas... The series is so close to ordinary audiences. When a cultural product interacts so closely with the audience, you should take it seriously.
It turns out that we are obsessed with the big screen, obsessed with the narrative of the big screen, obsessed with the solemnity of the "black box", obsessed with being immersed in darkness and feeling the impact of the wall of light and shadow in front of us... In the case of dramas, we will feel that in Just plug in some headphones and watch in a noisy environment. But if the drama has enough emotional power, it can still make the audience burst into tears under such circumstances. Movies not only focus on narrative and emotion, but also on expression. TV dramas may require high-concentration emotions and constant suspense plots. Therefore, the drama has very high demands on the script. If it is not done well, the audience will raise their heads, take off their headphones, and leave during the viewing process.
On the other hand, I think series writing is good training for me. I filmed "Extraordinary Doctor" and I thought it was quite worthwhile. I learned a lot and also practiced. During the three years when I was not making movies, I never left my boxing hands and kept learning and exercising.
Beijing News: So you will still create series in between movies?
Lu Chuan: yes. But it’s best to have 6-8 episodes, so that I can really develop some narrative structure and make some interesting stories. The filming of a series of more than 12 episodes is really physically demanding, so we must pay tribute to the directors who have been working on dramas for many years. During the filming of "Extraordinary Doctor", I basically worked 14-16 hours a day, for more than eighty days, until my heart couldn't bear it. As soon as the scene is changed, I can fall asleep even if it only takes 10 minutes. I am so tired. Looking back at the time when I was making a movie, it was such a luxury. It took me several months to make 100 minutes of content, my God! That's not a good job, you really should slap yourself.
Beijing News reporter Yang Lianjie
editor Tong Na
proofreader Wang Xin
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