There is no official marketplace for such short film festivals, but the festival's many events and parties provide a good platform for investors to expand their high-quality short films into feature films, or to support the creation of excellent directors.

Today's UCLA Forum focused on a range of issues related to the expansion of short films and the investment of new directors.

The host is Mark Rothman, a professor at the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television, who is also a director and screenwriter.

The main guests were a professor at the same university, and Andrew Nicol, the director of the upcoming North American film Lord of War, who also came to promote the film, a short film director named Rodrigo Cortez, and a screenwriter named Arthur Gordon.

The five sat on stage, with Andrew Nicol and Arthur Gordon promoting their films first.

Saying this, Zhang Yuanjun and Liu Yifei, who were sitting in the audience, realized that Arthur Gordon was the screenwriter of "Memoirs of a Geisha".

"Do you think that's Zhang Ziyi?" Zhang Yuanjun and the others were sitting in the middle and back, and he saw a woman sitting in the first row, very similar to Zhang Ziyi.

Liu Yifei and Xiao Zhao leaned forward and saw half of the woman's face: "It's quite similar." ”

Under the guidance of the moderator, Professor Mark, the four guests discussed the theme of this forum.

Zhang Yuanjun and Liu Yifei listened to it with relish, Zhang Leping was not interested in the movie, and deserted while listening, Xiao Zhao couldn't understand it at all, and his spirit was free.

"Although the cost of shooting short films is low, there is still a lack of investors, and many of our directors can only get investment from some non-profit cultural funds." "I know a lot of good directors, but they can't make a living from short films, most of them work as assistants on set, and they save up enough money to make a film for two or three years. ”

"However, the profit prospects of short films are particularly uncertain, or in other words, short films basically have no other communication and profit channels except for awards."

"Of the 100 short films produced by 100 directors, only two people can get the opportunity to shoot feature films at most, and the feature films shot still can't guarantee profitability."

Rodrigo Cortez spoke out about the pain of short film directors around the world, and received applause and cheers from the directors present.

Because he himself is like this, he makes a short film in two or three years, and participates in awards and evaluations everywhere, hoping to be appreciated by film dealers and investors. So far, he has not been given the opportunity to shoot feature films.

Other guests spoke one after another and expressed their views on the issue of the short film.

After the discussion, it was time for questions from the audience.

For example, a UCLA student asked Andrew Nicol: "I'm a directing student who is about to graduate, but the short films I shoot can only be shown in schools, and I don't get the opportunity to promote them, so I send them to Fox and other studios, but I can't get a reply from them." In the era of monopoly by large manufacturers, how can new directors get formal shooting opportunities? ”

This question was fooled by Andrew Nicol, he said: "I think new directors still have to keep creating, as Rodrigo said before, short film directing is not good, but if you want to be a director, you have to keep creating." The starting point of the directing students is already higher than others, don't think about becoming popular overnight, you are only in your twenties, since the birth of the movie, how many directors have become famous in their twenties? A director's golden period of creation is after the age of 40, don't worry, as long as there are good works, there will definitely be opportunities. ”

Later, five more audience members asked questions to the guests, and the event ended.

Liu Yifei was going to say hello to Zhang Ziyi in the front row: "I'm here, see you." ”

Before Zhang Yuanjun could agree, Liu Yifei waved his hand and shouted: "Teacher Ziyi!" ”

Zhang Ziyi turned around and saw Liu Yifei and others.

She is actually not familiar with Liu Yifei and Zhang Yuanjun, but she does.

When meeting Chinese people in other places, even if Zhang Ziyi is unwilling to meet, he has to greet him with a smile.

"Why are you here?" Zhang Ziyi said in surprise.

"We were on vacation in Los Angeles and we were here for the festival."

Zhang Ziyi glanced at Zhang Yuanjun and Liu Yifei ambiguously, guessing the relationship between the two.

It's not clear yet.

"Oh, no, he's in Los Angeles, I'm in New York, and I happened to run into it." Liu Yifei can't even tell if she has a mouth.

Zhang Yuanjun didn't explain too much, only said: "Sister Ziyi came to promote "Memoirs of a Geisha"? ”

"Yes," Zhang Ziyi said with a smile, "It will be released in a few months, so let's do small-scale publicity first." ”

Speaking of "Memoirs of a Geisha", she was proud.

"How's your movie?" Ask Zhang Yuanjun.

She hadn't met Zhang Yuanjun, but she still knew that "there was a student at the film school who didn't know how to make a movie by himself".

"Almost, it will be on in a month or two." Speaking of his own movies, Zhang Yuanjun is also very proud.

"Then I wish you a smooth start-up." It can be seen that Zhang Ziyi doesn't want to talk to a few people more.

Zhang Ziyi wanted to say goodbye, but at this time, Rodrigo Cortez stepped forward to talk: "Hi, Zhang, what are you talking about?" "As a short film director, Rodrigo Cortez is very good at finding opportunities.

He knew that Orientals were rich, and several of Zhang Ziyi's partners were rich at first glance.

Zhang Ziyi took the opportunity to get out: "This is our famous young actor in China, this Zhang is also an investor and filmmaker, and the movie he invested in is about to start." ”

Rodrigo Cortez was surprised: "Oh my God, you have made investments at such a young age, and the Oriental can really surprise people." ”

"You talk, I still have activities over there, I'll go first." Zhang Ziyi took off.

Rodrigo Cortez took the opportunity to talk: "Zhang, I have always been curious about the mysterious East, but unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to work in China, can you tell me about it?" ”

But Zhang Yuanjun said: "I'm here for a vacation, and I don't have the idea of investing." ”

"It doesn't matter," laughed Rodrigo Cortez, "we'll be friends from now on, and that's my business card." As he spoke, he handed over his business card.

Stretching out his hand not to hit the smiling man, Zhang Yuanjun also gave him the phone number of his hotel.

Of course, Rodrigo Cortez knew that Zhang Yuanjun didn't want to deal with him, otherwise he wouldn't have just called the hotel, otherwise he should at least call his assistant.

But Rodrigo Cortez is an old fritter after all and doesn't care.

If he can pull film investment from this Oriental - whether there are dates or not, what does it matter if he is wronged.

So, in the week after the festival, Rodrigo Cortez came to "harass" Zhang Yuanjun every day.

Call the hotel to contact Zhang Yuanjun, ask him to dinner, ask him to go to a film festival together, and ask him to go to a party together.

During this time, he kept promoting the short films he had already made, as well as the ideas in his head.

Zhang Yuanjun was pulled by him to watch the short films he had made before, and it could be seen that he was a thoughtful director, although the lens language was not very clever, but it was enough.

As he himself said, he just lacked an opportunity.

Therefore, Zhang Yuanjun decided to give him a chance.

On this day, Rodrigo Cortez came to the hotel again and asked him to go to the bar for a drink.

Zhang Yuanjun said: "Don't be in a hurry to drink first, I have an idea here, you can take a look." ”

(End of chapter)