The director of "A Lang's Story" was supposed to be Johnnie To, but now Johnnie To is a minority shareholder of Vientiane Pictures. Kang Jianfei rushed to write the script of this movie without any psychological burden at all. It is natural to suppress his competitors anyway.
Moreover, the world has changed too much. If Kang Jianfei had not written "A Lang's Story", then this movie would probably not exist.
Because the creative process of Hong Kong movies is not as standardized as that of Hollywood. Many movies are inspired by someone accidentally, and then combined with other people, they are finally made. Or the producer or director feels that a certain type of
The film was developed, and people were invited to discuss it. In the end, everyone pieced together the script.
The script of "A Lang's Story" was tinkered with by Zhou Runfa and two others, and then polished by Johnnie To. Now that Zhou Runfa and Li Ming have been sent to South Korea by Kang Jianfei to film, how can they have time to write the script? And even if they have time,
When writing the script, it was impossible to discuss it with the original two people, let alone to let Johnnie To participate in the final polishing.
In other words, if Kang Jianfei did not invest in the production of "A Lang's Story", then this good film would never appear again in this time and space.
In the next few days, while filming "Tang Bohu Spots Autumn Fragrance", Kang Jianfei recalled the plot of "Alang's Story" and wrote the script.
Time soon came to the day when the Hong Kong Film Directors Association was established. Kang Jianfei attended the first meeting as a member of the association.
Speaking of it, it is a conference, that is, dozens of Hong Kong film directors gather together to drink tea and chat. The first step is to elect a president. Since Chang Cheh, Hu Jinquan and other old directors have not yet joined the conference. Among the directors present, Kang Jianfei has the greatest achievements and is recognized as the chairman.
Unanimously elected as the president of the association.
Kang Jianfei refused directly because he didn't like having a lot of positions attached to him. In the end, Wu Siyuan, the founder of the association, became the first president.
Since Kang Jianfei is not willing to be the president, then Kang Jianfei will be even more disdainful to be elected as the vice president, executive committee member, etc.
If Kang Jianfei, an international director like him, is an ordinary member, can you let other "official" directors feel at ease? In the end, Kang Jianfei became the "honorary consultant" of the Directors Guild.
After the meeting, Kang Jianfei and Wu Siyuan were drinking tea together and said: "Old Wu, our current association is still too small. Look at the Directors Guild in the United States, which divides film directors, TV series directors, program directors, party directors, and stage play directors into
Involve all the directors. Only in this way can we have influence and challenge the film companies."
Wu Siyuan smiled and said: "You are the boss of a film company yourself. Are you not afraid that if the Directors Guild becomes bigger, it will put your company in a dilemma?"
Kang Jianfei shrugged: "Before becoming a boss, I was first a director."
Wu Siyuan sighed and said: "I have thought about what you said, but the situation in Hong Kong is different. Those stage play directors are okay, but TV drama directors, advertising directors, variety show directors, etc. are all eaten up by television stations.
They can't just join the Directors Guild."
The problem Wu Siyuan mentioned actually existed with film directors a few years ago. At that time, powerful film directors were also tightly controlled by big film companies. It may be said that they are ** directors, but you are disobedient.
It's impossible. It's only with the increase in theater chains in recent years that directors have been able to escape the control of large companies, and only then has the environmental foundation for the establishment of the current Directors Association been established.
Kang Jianfei smiled and said: "The TV station control director you are talking about is probably TVB. My TV series and entertainment program directors are now all signed with Oriental Entertainment Company, and the specific film contracts are signed with Oriental TV Production Company. Completely
They have freedom of entry and exit, and they can join the Directors Guild at any time."
Wu Siyuan asked: "Aren't you afraid that they will join the Directors Association and rely on the strength of the association to get better treatment from you?"
Kang Jianfei said nonchalantly: "If you work in my company, if you are a capable person, he will give him better treatment without asking me. And for those who are incompetent, since you can't create more benefits for the company,
, it’s enough if I don’t fire you, but you still want a salary increase?”
Wu Siyuan finally figured out that Kang Jianfei had no good intentions. The operation model of his TV station and TV production company was very advanced and standardized, while the operation and management of TVB TVB was very rigid and rigid, and they had been exploiting employees. If the TV directors were really included,
If they are attracted into the association, I'm afraid TVB will make a mess. This is just to disgust Shao Yifu and Fang Yihua.
Nowadays, when TVB shoots movies, the boss is the producer. The salary of a bunch of directors below is similar to that of a coolie. Those who have a little bit of ability and opportunity are thinking of changing careers to make movies. If they don’t want better treatment, it’s a lie.
Oriental TV Production Company implements a dual-track system, which not only retains the producer-based model of filming and broadcasting at the same time, but also implements the director-based model of filming and then broadcasting. The former is to ensure that Phoenix TV dramas are broadcast every day.
And to keep costs and losses to a minimum; the latter is to produce high-quality dramas and ensure that the dramas of Oriental Television Production Company can not only be broadcast on Phoenix Channel and Macau Satellite TV, but also be sold to Taiwan, Singapore, mainland China, and even
It’s Japan, Korea, Europe and the United States.
Generally speaking, the supervision system is more suitable for the actual situation in Hong Kong and can reduce costs to a great extent. The cost of filming dramas of Kang Jianfei's Oriental TV Production Company has always been high. If more than 6 dramas are not sold in any year,
If it is concentrated to overseas TV stations, East TV will definitely lose money.
Since its establishment, Oriental TV Production Company has been at a loss for two years, and has made a slight profit at other times. Sometimes it even needs to make up for its performance by filming commercials. However, recently the company is negotiating with Japanese TV stations about the copyright of The Voice. If
If the rights to The Voice are sold, Dongshi will be able to make a huge profit.
Although Kang Jianfei'an had bad intentions, his words were outright and righteous, and he began to guide Wu Siyuan's thinking: "Old Wu, what do you think is the most important role of the Film Association?"
Wu Siyuan said: "Promote the development of Hong Kong films, support new directors, and safeguard the interests of directors."
"That's very good," Kang Jianfei nodded, "If Hong Kong films want to continue to develop, new and outstanding directors must continue to join. Once the Hong Kong film market is in recession, some of the older generation directors will retire.
Some go to Hollywood to find a way out. If new directors lose the environment to grow, then there will be a shortage of directors. Once no new blood joins, then Hong Kong films will be finished. I think supporting new directors is what directors should do.
The association’s most important work.”
Wu Siyuan was a little frightened by what Kang Jianfei said, and said solemnly: "The market for Hong Kong films is in a slump. I'm afraid this situation will not happen easily."
"Just because it doesn't happen easily doesn't mean it won't happen. Didn't Hong Kong films encounter it once in the 1960s?" Kang Jianfei said with a smile. He didn't need to predict the Southeast Asian economic crisis in the 1990s, because Hong Kong films experienced a decline more than 20 years ago.
In the 1950s and early to mid-1960s, Hong Kong films also flourished. At that time, there were more movie theaters in Hong Kong than there are now. As a result, waves of corruption broke out in many Southeast Asian countries, and even the only Chinese university in Nanyang was forced to close.
As a result, Hong Kong movies, literature, and comics in Nanyang suffered a devastating blow.
From then on, Hong Kong films took a full ten years to finally revive, which also led to the rise of Taiwanese films.
The reason why Hong Kong films have been able to revive so quickly is that there has been no shortage of film talent, and a large number of directors who have returned from studying abroad have joined in, which has supported the glory of Hong Kong films in the 1980s.
Kang Jianfei continued: "Where do new directors come from? There are three main ways for new directors in the Hong Kong film industry to get promoted: 1. Returning from a prestigious overseas film school, 2. Working in a television station, 3. Working on the set as a clerk, scriptwriter, and assistant director.
Climbing up step by step. It is not easy for new directors to become famous through these three channels. I think the Directors Association should create more opportunities for them. For example, top-level exchange activities can be held to allow young directors to have the opportunity to communicate with famous directors. What is there?
Good ideas and good scripts can also be made into movies. Even if you can't direct it all at once, it can be an opportunity to be an assistant director or executive director for the director who recommended him. Those advertising directors and karaoke directors may be able to make movies.
They are also talented, and the Directors Guild can definitely provide them with an opportunity to enter."
Wu Siyuan nodded involuntarily and said, "What you said makes sense."
Kang Jianfei said: "As long as the talent pool of directors is sufficient, Hong Kong films will have a better chance of surviving a real crisis."
Wu Siyuan echoed, and Kang Jianfei continued: "Also, don't you think there are big problems behind the current prosperity of Hong Kong films?"
Wu Siyuan said: "What's the problem?"
Kang Jianfei asked: "What type of films are the most profitable and easiest to make in Hong Kong?"
Wu Siyuan thought for a while and said: "Low-cost comedy."
"That's right," Kang Jianfei said with a smile, "Whenever a hit comedy comes out, the good ideas in it will be used by other screenwriters and directors. Anyway, all kinds of jokes are put together to make a movie. Now even if Xu
Brothers' comedies often have a lot of funny jokes put together in them. There are many comedies that have some funny plots that have nothing to do with the main plot. Just because they can make the audience laugh, the director adds them to them. I can't say enough.
To put it nicely, many of these comedies have a funny prelude first, and then let the screenwriter write the script. This is a very unhealthy state for the entire film industry. We must constantly discover new directors and new talents.
Passion brings new ideas, and it will force those already famous directors to not dare to make random mistakes."
Wu Siyuan picked up the tea cup and took a few sips. He felt a little dizzy. He was clearly talking about the future development of Hong Kong films when he was at the Taipei Directors Association.
No matter what, Wu Siyuan still thinks what Kang Jianfei said makes sense. He plans to recruit all advertising directors, TV directors, and stage play directors into the Directors Association in the next two or three years after it gets on the right track. (To be continued.)
