Chapter 544 Wu Tianmin shoots "Yanjing People in New York"
"I am Wu Tianmin, who are you?"
Wu Tianmin asked quickly.
He did not use broken English, but Mandarin with a Guanzhong accent.
“My name is Li Li, and I now teach comparative literature at San Francisco State University. My hometown is in Xijing, and Fang Minghua, the vice chairman of the Qin Provincial Writers Association, is my cousin-in-law.”
"Minghua is your cousin-in-law?" Wu Tianmin's tone immediately became enthusiastic.
"Teacher Li, please sit down. Look at the mess in this room." Wu Tianmin took out a chair from the back room.
"You're welcome." Li Li sat on the chair and looked around curiously.
The rooms in the two-bedroom house are very small, and the living room is full of various video tapes, which looks a bit shabby.
Wu Tianmin poured another glass of water for Li Li, and then asked: "Teacher Li, what do you want from me?"
"My brother-in-law wants to ask you to film a TV series." Li Li got straight to the point.
“Ask me to film a TV series?!” Wu Tianmin was surprised when he heard this: “To tell you the truth, I can’t even return to China now.”
“It’s not going back to China, it’s filming in the United States.”
Li Li explained the whole process to Wu Tianmin in detail.
"Director Wu, my brother-in-law said on the phone that he hopes to work with you again. When we made "Into the Dust", you all enjoyed working together."
"Into the Dust".
That was ten years ago, right?
After Fang Minghua wrote this novel, he felt that it was very good, so he approached Fang Minghua and wanted to buy the film adaptation rights.
Later, I asked him to write the script. Due to the tight shooting budget, Fang Minghua generously did not ask for the script fee of 2,000 yuan.
During the filming, we went to Minqin, Gansu Province together and stayed there for a winter, and the two of them formed a deep friendship.
Ten years have passed and he is now living in the United States. Fang Minghua still remembers him and invited him to film a TV series!
"Teacher Li, I agree." Wu Tianmin immediately expressed his stance.
"Okay, Director Wu, my brother-in-law is currently writing the script of "Yenjing Man in New York". After he has finished writing the script and sends it over, I will come to visit you again to discuss how to film it in detail. ?"
"Okay, I'll wait for you."
"Okay, I won't disturb you anymore." Li Li was about to leave, but suddenly thought of something and took it from the small bag she was carrying. Write a check and place it on the coffee table in front of you.
"Director Wu, this fifty thousand US dollars is the director's salary that Shengshi Film and Television has paid you in advance. The specific salary will be discussed after the script is released."
Fifty thousand US dollars!
This is a timely help.
Why did Shengshi Company pay in advance before the horoscope was even written?
Obviously, it’s not because of Fang Minghua?
"Teacher Li, thank Minghua for me." Wu Tianmin looked grateful.
"You're welcome, my brother-in-law said that after you return to China, he still wants to watch your new movie." Li Liyou said.
Return to China?
I think one day will finally come, right?
After Li Li left, Wu Tianmin couldn't calm down for a long time.
Not only the 50,000 US dollars, but more importantly, I have another film to make!
Although it is a TV series, it is still good.
By the way, I haven’t filmed a TV series yet, so I quickly found some American TV series videos to watch.
Not long after, there were footsteps outside the door, followed by the sound of the door being pushed. .
"Dad, I'm back." It's her daughter Wu Yanyan.
"Dad, what are you having for dinner?" the daughter asked, putting down the book.
"I haven't cooked yet. Let's go. Let's go out for a big dinner. Don't you want to eat Western food from Lockerbie Restaurant? Dad will treat you today!" Wu Tianmin looked generous.
Wu Yanyan was surprised when she heard this: "Dad, what's wrong with you? Western food is very expensive there."
"Don't be afraid, dad is rich now! Look at this !" After saying that, Wu Tianmin took out the check from his body and handed it to his daughter. ”
"Wow, fifty thousand US dollars! Who gave it to me?!" Wu Yanyan almost jumped up in excitement.
"Fang Minghua in China." Wu Tianmin briefly told what happened today.
"Dad, that's great! Our friends in China have not forgotten you!"
"Yes. I have not forgotten you." Wu Tianmin murmured.
Besides, after Li Li got Wu Tianmin's consent, she called Fang Minghua when she returned to San Francisco.
Song Tangtang also reached an agreement with the leaders of Xiying Film Studio to continue filming this TV series in a cooperative manner. The director is Wu Tianmin who is far away in the United States.
Of course, 200,000 yuan will also be paid to Xiying Studio for management fees.
Now Fang Minghua's task is to come up with the script of "Yenjing Man in New York" as soon as possible.
Okay keep working.
Coming from my heart, the novel "Yanjing Man in New York" is not very good, but the TV series is still good in history. This is due to the director and the two leading actors Jiang Wen and Wang Ji. The screenwriter also deserves a lot of credit.
The screenwriter made major changes to the novel.
In the novel, it mainly focuses on Wang Qiming's struggle alone, which is too thin. Moreover, the old Americans are definitely not polite to you Orientals!
Discrimination is everywhere!
So, Fang Minghua changed the main plot of the play into the battle between Wang Qiming and David, a playboy, in love and shopping malls according to history. Through the fictional character of David, the impact between Wang Qiming, a representative of traditional culture, and American culture is profoundly explained.
OK, that’s it.
But it turns out that the ending of the TV series is not as good as the novel.
In the novel, Ning Ning was kidnapped by kidnappers. Wang Qiming rode alone to save his daughter, but Ning Ning was still shot. When she was dying, she said to Wang Qiming: "Dad, I want to go home, I want to go back to Yanjing."
The phrase "I want to go home" is undoubtedly a wake-up call, saying that China like them Not all people are Chinese, and not all Americans are Americans. The marginalized people are exhausted physically and mentally under the impact of the two cultures. After struggling, they finally choose to return to their hometown.
But in the TV series, Ning Ning's fate is not so tragic, she just disappeared. According to the hint at the end of the film, Ning Zi did not return to his country, but continued to wander.
No, let’s follow the original work.
Finally, in mid-March, Fang Minghua completed the script.
As soon as possible, Fang Minghua mailed the script to Li Li in San Francisco on a three-inch disk, and Li Li then found a way to mail it to Wu Tianmin in Los Angeles.
At the same time, preparations for the film crew are also in progress. Zhang Yimou is in charge of this matter. For the sake of his mentor's TV series, he temporarily put aside the preparations for his "Raise the Red Lantern" movie and concentrated on this matter.
The assistant director was Yang Fengliang, who had worked with him before. The two had worked together on "Ju Dou". As soon as Yang Fengliang heard that he would be an assistant to the old factory director, he agreed without saying a word.
“When we were filming "Old Well", I worked as an assistant to Director Wu, and we had a great time working together!"
Cinematographer Chen Wancai, editor Chen Dali, and art designer Yang Gang.
These are the backbone of Xi Film Studio, and they have collaborated with Wu Tianmin.
Of course, Zhang Yimou did not put forward his own requirements for the selection of the main actors. Wu Tianmin is the director, and everything is decided by him and Yang Fengliang.
Fang Minghua didn't care about any of this.
At the end of March, another major event occurred in the literary world. The third Mao Dun Literature Award Ceremony was held on March 29 at the Great Hall of the People in Yanjing.
(End of this chapter)