Lao Yang Tou is a shadow puppet artist in Huaxian County, Shaanxi Province, and his son is a volunteer who travels all year round.

One day, Lao Yangtou's son came home and brought back a foreign girl and a foreign child, Brooks.

After staying at home for a while, Lao Yangtou's son, as a volunteer, urgently went to Hoh Xil with Yangniu to participate in the Tibetan antelope conservation operation.

Lao Yang Tou was reluctant to take this little foreigner who had no blood relationship with him, but it was a pity that his son had already gone away after cutting first.

In desperation, Old Yang Tou could only take on the heavy responsibility of taking care of Brooks.

During this period, Lao Yang Tou and Brooks excluded and opposed each other in terms of living habits, language forms, behavioral thinking, and cultural concepts, but after tortuous collisions and mutual tolerance, acceptance and love, they finally turned their antagonism into family affection and became friends of all ages.

This is the general plot of the film "Sun Tzu Comes from America".

The core of this film is the emotional progression process between the old and the young, which is interspersed with various contradictions and conflicts, and extends many laughs, tears, and connotations through these contradictions.

Among the many contradictions throughout the film, the most important is the cultural contradiction between the two.

As a veteran shadow puppet artist, Lao Yangtou's most precious thing is a set of shadow puppets that make trouble in the Heavenly Palace.

And Brooks likes the Spider-Man of the American Marvel series.

However, there is no smoke of Monkey King vs. Spider-Man in this play, only the warmth and peace of an old and a young man accepting and tolerating each other in friction.

The whole play goes through the process of running in with the old and the young. To describe the current situation under the collision of Chinese and Western cultures, there are constant laughs. It is also touching and thought-provoking.

This film was filmed by director Qu Jiangtao. At the 22nd Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, he was nominated for the Best Original Screenplay Award, the Best Directorial Debut Award and the Best Children's Film Award.

Although there was no harvest in the end and it was not well-known among the public, in Ding Ning's view, this film is a rare masterpiece among domestic films full of vulgar commercial films, with content, appeals, ideas, themes, and positive significance. There is no shortage of laughter and tears.

This is also an important reason why he chose such a film as his directorial debut.

Of course, it's not the only reason.

There is no great difficulty in shooting, whether it is the shooting technique, picture design, or film language, it is very plain and suitable for newcomers to get started.

The whole film scene only revolves in a few simple small places, that is, small villages and small towns in Shaanxi Province, and there are no two slaps in the face. Don't run around.

There are few characters, almost one old and one young, plus a supporting role as the head of the town cultural station, and there is not even a heroine. Advantageous to navigate.

There are not many big-name actors, and the investment in demand is very low, etc., are all reasons why Ding Ning chose this play.

And to combine these reasons can be summed up in one sentence. That is, this is a good word-of-mouth film with low cost and low difficulty.

Ding Ning believes that no one could have guessed that he would make such a film his directorial debut.

was invited by Ding Ning to be the producer of this play, when Zhu Yan finished reading the script that Ding Ning came up with. I was very surprised: "This is the script you wrote?" ”

"Yes", Ding Ning said, "Teacher Zhu." What do you think of this script? ”

Zhu Yan pondered for a long time, and while flipping through the script, he said slowly: "Since you invited me to be the producer, then I have something to say." The script is a good script, flesh and blood, sour and sweet, the content is quite substantial, and the contradictions are portrayed very well. The language of the characters is also good, quite funny and humorous. The details are also quite thorough, and you can see that you have put your heart into it, and you must have thought about script writing. ”

"However, I don't see much commerciality. The scene is monotonous, the plot is thin, the characters are scarce, and it looks more like a sketch script, and I personally feel that there is no commercial prospect. I think I can understand your original intention in writing such a play, you want people to think that you have content, feelings, culture, and ideas, right? wants to rely on this drama to accumulate reputation. ”

"Yes." Ding Ning smiled embarrassedly.

He chose such a play, really hoping to establish a good image among the public, not vulgar, not commercial, and able to focus on the film itself in a down-to-earth manner, rather than moneymoneymoney can't come out in the eyes of money, just like the folk singers in the eyes of many fans.

With a good image, he will naturally have a good reputation, even if he may only make one such drama in his life, many things will continue for a long time.

It's an investment for the long term, and it's a package.

Everyone has their own mask, and public figures can't do without packaging, Ding Ning is so calculated.

Zhu Yan was silent for a moment and said: "If this scene is changed to a student who has just graduated from the academy, it would be good to use it to make a micro-movie, and it will definitely accumulate a lot of reputation." It's not inappropriate to change your shot, but I think you have to be prepared for a miserable box office. ”

"Now is the era of blockbusters, there are few big stars and small fresh meat, and the audience doesn't buy it, unless you can do it to the extent of Wei Changping. You may think that your popularity is no worse than Wei Changping, to be honest, it is far worse, Wei Changping put out the three words, but it is not only popularity, but also the film scheduling rate. ”

"And your play, I dare to say, when it will be released, the film scheduling rate will definitely be at the bottom by then. If you encounter a schedule with a large number of films, even if you get a word of mouth, the film scheduling rate will not go up, and you will be blind. ”

"And now the publicity and distribution cost of a drama is very high, even if this drama can get a decent box office with your personal appeal, but I think most of the input and output are not proportional. Change to a more down-to-earth script, with the same investment, maybe you can get a box office that is several times higher than this script, and the reputation will not be worse than what such a drama can give you. ”

"Word of mouth, a thousand people applaud is word of mouth, and 10,000 people applaud is also word of mouth. You can make a thousand people applaud this scene, and if you change the script, you may be able to applaud 10,000 people. Which do you think is more rewarding? ”

Zhu Yan's words make sense, but this script was revised by Ding Ning after spending a lot of time and effort. He has made up his mind: "This play is not commercial, I know it from the first word of the script, and it is indeed as you said, Mr. Zhu." I want to accumulate some word of mouth through this play. But the most important thing is that I really want to make this scene. ”

"I want that from you." Zhu Yan smiled and patted Ding Ning's shoulder when he heard this, feeling very relieved.

He said that before, not simply singing about this film, but also wanting to see if Ding Ning persisted.

If Ding Ning didn't insist on it himself and was shaken by his temptation, then he wouldn't be too lazy to do this producer who fell from the sky.

Fortunately, Ding Ning has his own insistence. did not disappoint him: "Utilitarianism is inevitable in doing anything in these years, but it is difficult to come up with good works by putting utilitarianism in the first place." Because you want to shoot, you have to shoot, this kind of intention is very important, otherwise you will soon lose your enthusiasm purely for utilitarianism. ”

"Yes." Ding Ning smiled and nodded.

"However", Zhu Yan paused and said: "My style is not very compatible with your play, and I have been a little busy recently, so I am afraid that I will not be able to spare any time, so I may not be able to serve as this producer." So be it. Let me help you ask if there are any other directors who are willing to be the producers of your film. ”

"Don't worry, I won't leak the script for you easily. If you believe me, I'll help you ask right away, it must be the fifth and sixth generation of great directors. You asked me to be a producer mainly because I wanted to learn art. yes, I'll find someone more suitable for you to teach you. ”

If you can be a director of the fifth or sixth generation, of course, it would be great. Ding Ning thought for a moment and said, "Is it convenient?" Will it cause you trouble, Mr. Zhu? ”

Zhu Yan smiled: "How could it be." It's a matter of effort, and you can help me write a nice theme song in the future. ”

"Then trouble Mr. Zhu." A theme song is not a small case yet. If you can get the guidance of the fifth or sixth generation of directors, let alone a theme song, he will be able to do all of Zhu Yan's plays and theme songs in the future.

……

Ding Ning thought that Zhu Yan would help him contact the director, and it would take a while for him to hear from him, but the next day the famous director Hou Yang called him, saying that Zhu Yan introduced him, he read the script, thought it was good, and intended to be the producer of this play.

After confirming that it was really Hou Yang, Ding Ning was overjoyed.

Hou Yang, like Wei Changping, who is now in the middle of the directorial industry, is a representative figure of the fifth generation of domestic directors.

But compared with Wei Changping, who is smooth, his career is more bumpy, and he was banned from filming for ten years because of a drama that violated the political bottom line.

In the ten years since he was banned from filming, Hou Yang has not been idle, and as a producer, he has participated in the filming of many films, bringing out several well-known directors of the Young Zhuang School.

After the end of the ban, he has been working as a master's tutor at the best Yenching Film and Television Academy in China, and the students he has cultivated are not all over the world, but in the circle, his protégé is definitely a force that cannot be ignored in the domestic film industry, and he is well-known at home and abroad.

Because of this, even if he no longer handles the filming of the film himself, everyone still respects him as the best of the fifth generation of directors.

Such a director is perfect for Ding Ning.

The director, who is also a master supervisor teacher of Yenching Film and Television Academy, has rich shooting experience and superb teaching level, for him, it is like being born in a novice village and meeting a novice village tutor at the level of an old grandfather.

This old man not only carries a ring with him, but maybe he can also teach him the secret of burning, what a good thing.

However, Hou Yang also put forward a condition: "Before filming, I hope you will arrange time on the first of next month to come to Yanying for two and a half months of directing classes, do you have any questions about this?" ”

This matter is a bit difficult, but the opportunity must not be lost and will not come again, anyway, there is no too important arrangement in the future, Ding Ning thought for a while and said, "No problem." ”

Hou Yang said: "That's good, but I have to tell you, these two and a half months of directing classes are in the nature of summer training classes, and they are mixed, they may be stars like you, or they may be gentlemen who don't go out with a lot of money at home, you have to be mentally prepared." ”

"No problem."

Ding Ning has also heard of this summer training class, and it is rumored on the Internet that you can enter after paying money, but in fact, it is not so relaxed, and you generally have to have experience in the industry.

Of course, there are really local tyrants who are not bad for money, even if they are formal students, they can be smashed out, let alone training classes, so the quality of students is inevitably uneven.

Ding Ning didn't mind much about this, anyway, he was a person with a head and a face, and he didn't think that anyone would trouble him, at most he was just enthusiastic about him.

"Hmm", Hou Yang paused, and continued to admonish: "You'd better keep a low profile about this, there is no need to let people know about it." ”

"Okay." Even if Hou Yang didn't remind him, Ding Ning wouldn't publicize it everywhere.

After all, if the news leaks out, it will not do him any good, and it will cause a lot of inconvenience if it is not done well.

Hou Yang said: "Then I'll wait for you in Yanjing." After you arrive in Yanjing, call my mobile phone number, this is my number, you can contact me at any time if you have anything. Of course, don't call in the middle of the night. ”

Ding Ning smiled: "Okay, Teacher Hou." ”

This is called the teacher, and Hou Yang also smiled: "Then I'll hang up first." ”

"Okay, goodbye, Mr. Hou."

Hanging up the call, Ding Ning immediately called Zhu Yan and thanked him sincerely.

Zhu Yan is still the old saying, just remember to help him write a good theme song in the future, which is naturally right.

After hanging up Zhu Yan's phone, Ding Ning sorted out the recent arrangements.

It's June 15th, and "Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust" has been released in China for exactly a week, and it is not far from July 1st.

In this time, he had to get everything done.

There are a lot of things to say a lot, the most important thing is Gu Xixinzhuan, his part will definitely be able to be done at the end of the month, and most of the rest are not troublesome, and many of them can be delayed a little later, so after careful calculation, there are not many things that he must complete in the near future.

This is not much relative, compared to the hardship of running between the two places some time ago, for him, he can sleep peacefully for six hours a day, but he is not busy.

But there is one thing that is trickier and collides with the training time, and that is the soundtrack of "The Family of Gold Powder".

At present, "The Family of Gold Powder" is still in the process of editing, production and dubbing, and according to the plan, Yin Feihong plans to hand over the series to him for the soundtrack in July.

For a full 35 episodes, it takes a lot of time to finish the soundtrack.

Fortunately, the soundtrack of the TV series is not so picky, and he has already done the soundtrack material that should be there, plus he is not fighting alone, if the big guy in "Yin Xiong Haojie" is powerful, he may not be so difficult.

However, this matter is uncertain now, and we can only see when the time comes.

The water comes to cover the soldiers, and the big deal is that he will move the entire "Yin Xiong Haojie" studio to Yanjing. (To be continued.) )