Recently, the four-day Hong Kong International Film and Television Exhibition came to an end on the Victoria Harbor, attracting more than 750 exhibitors from more than 25 countries and regions, including the cast and crew of "Flowers" from Shanghai and more than 60 Shanghai film and television companies. Participating in the exhibition, film and television practitioners in Shanghai and Hong Kong seek cooperation and development.
At the film and television exhibition, the reporter had an exclusive interview with Tian Qiwen, the former president of the Hong Kong Federation of Film Workers, who came to the exhibition. We started with "Flowers" and talked about his views on Shanghai-Hong Kong film and television cooperation.
Reporter: Have you seen "Flowers"? How to evaluate?
Tian Qiwen: I have watched a few episodes and thought they were very good. Whether in Hong Kong or the Mainland, seeing a drama that reaches a high level has always been what we look forward to. Some reviews say that this drama has raised the ceiling of TV dramas. I think the greater significance of the success of "Flowers" is to let investors see that the market is still willing to pay for good content, because sometimes investors have a rather limited and short-sighted vision, and they tend to follow the trend for speed, rush in, and save money. You have to make money, which is very difficult to do. "Flowers" is a good example. It creates a new concept and proves that as long as you are willing to invest in good content and take the time and effort to produce it, you will have good market returns. This is what practitioners in the film and television industry need to do. strive for.
Reporter: "Flowers" tells the story of Shanghai, but it has many Hong Kong elements. What do you think of the relationship between Shanghai and Hong Kong?
Tian Qiwen: "Flowers" describes the story of Shanghai during the reform and opening up in the 1990s. Director Wong Kar-wai used more than 50 old songs to connect the plot, many of which are Hong Kong hits. This is a very clever method. This also shows that there are many "treasures" in Hong Kong's cultural resources, which can not only connect Shanghai and Hong Kong, but also achieve wider coverage. The key issue is how to cooperate and how to use these resources.
Reporter: Could you please tell us about your personal relationship with Shanghai?
Tian Qiwen: I have a deep connection with Shanghai. The first movie I shot in the mainland was with Shanghai Film Studio. At that time, we called it a co-production. This kind of cooperation made me very happy. I joked that I should still have "feet hair" in the Chedun Film and Television Base. Therefore, I have a very deep affection for Shanghai. Among the mainland cities, Shanghai is my favorite place to go. Its vibrant atmosphere and tolerant environment attract me very much. Reporter
: Shanghai has come to Hong Kong to participate in film and television exhibitions for many years. How do you think Shanghai and Hong Kong can strengthen cooperation in the film and television industry?
Tian Qiwen: As far as film and television cooperation is concerned, I think the first thing to consider is regionality. Cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong is not a simple imitation, nor is it just copying whatever is successful. What is more important is to see the other party’s What are the shortcomings and what is missing? Then carry them forward and complement each other. It is not possible to use it directly, it will cause a waste of resources.
Reporter: I noticed that the Hong Kong Film Workers Federation, where you are, has set up 14 branches, covering all aspects of film shooting. Many film and television practitioners have mentioned that Hong Kong’s mature film industry system is worth learning from the mainland. What do you think?
Tian Qiwen: We can’t just see the results but not the process. In fact, Hong Kong did not have so many branches at the beginning. It slowly increased to the current number. As the industry continues to improve, it is gradually subdivided. The purpose of this is to provide representative professionals for different subdivided types of work, who can set norms and standards for the industry, make suggestions for industry progress, and at the same time coordinate the contradictions between different types of work in different industries to achieve a certain balance.
So I have always had a wish to bring our basic and professional industry standards to the mainland and establish corresponding standards so as to judge the level of industry workers instead of just relying on seniority or self-talk. . Now we are conducting similar training in the Greater Bay Area to let participants know that this industry is not just a casualty, but has real industry identity and must meet standards.
Reporter: How is the progress of this training plan now?
Tian Qiwen: The mainland is so big that it is difficult for it to bloom everywhere at once.At present, we are trying to build a training base "template" in the Greater Bay Area. We will train whatever the mainland film and television industry lacks. Looking at it now, there is no shortage of good actors in the mainland, but there is a shortage of professional staff, because there are no specialized schools to teach many types of jobs in the film and television industry. Therefore, we adopt the method of special classes and specialized teaching to strengthen the pertinence of the training. The teaching is not based on theory, but on practical operation. We adopt the model of master leading apprentice, and we have to go to the filming site to learn. Reporter
: In this regard, I think the staff in Hong Kong have done a good job. They have a strong sense of professional pride.
Tian Qiwen: In the film and television industry, because the conditions in Hong Kong and the mainland are different, the implementation methods are also different. Because Hong Kong is a small place, it doesn’t need so many people. One person can do the work of three people, so it requires strong personal ability. In the Mainland, there may be hundreds of people in a crew, and on average, personal investment and pride may be less. . But I think what’s more important is that everyone in the Hong Kong industry has formed a consensus and atmosphere to help each other, because the barriers to entry are high and if you don’t have a good reputation, you can easily be eliminated. A movie is not made by one person, nor is it the halo of the director alone. It is interconnected. There is no "one-person hero". What we want is the spirit of unity.
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