Just Let It Fly One Day More (II)

Hi Art March Issue, 2011

The final movie box office results of 2010: Avatar, RMB 1,378,700,000; Aftershock, RMB 665,050,000; both If You Are the One 2 and Let the Bullets Fly exceed RMB 500,000,000; Inception, RMB 499,900,000; Alice in Wonderland, RMB 226,400,000; Sacrifice, RMB 180,000,000; Under the Hawthorn Tree, RMB 144,000,000. The total box office of the year is RMB 10,172,000,000. The box office consists of every ticket the audience, like democratic election, one ticket is a vote. Take Avatar as an example, at least one hundred million people bought tickets and saw the movie. Of course, someone may watch it twice or even three times, but half of the box office of nearly RMB 14,000,000,000 cannot be false.

The article goes after the far-away at the expense of the near-at-hand. Talking about Chinese contemporary movie is because I am at a far distance from it and can see it more clearly with my standing in another circle, and in the meantime I have my interest in it. The art circle seems more and more blurred to me and I become more and more confused. I am unable to bring up any topic about it, so I don’t want to involve in it. Last time I talked about the status of Chinese movie in 2010 and the differences between movie and painting creation. And I also introduced what movie is and the birth of Chinese movie. Today let’s move our focus on the production, distribution and screening process of Chinese movie, and the true level of Chinese contemporary movie and the future of Chinese movie.

Domestic movies have maintained strong momentum in recent years. In 2009, the number of domestic movies reached four hundred fifty six, and the box office exceeded RMB 6,200,000,000. In 2010, the number increased to five hundred and the box office topped RMB 10,000,000,000, with a record growth rate of over 60%. At present there are five thousand screens across China. At the beginning of the century, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television issued documents several times that a project can be brought up based on a single screenplay and both private and state-owned enterprises can invest in film-making. A movie can begin to be shot as long as one page of screenplay outline is approved which means that once you have an idea, you  can build a group to select actors and accept media interviews. Starting the business before thinking the next step.

Movie equipment companies, small or large, from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Europe and America including Cinerent began to land on Chinese market in succession. They provide good services and reasonable prices. You can pay the bill after making movie. Basically these companies provide a complete set of service, you almost don’t worry about anything except you need to bring your actresses. It is heard that some companies are also responsible for resolving disputes.

For example, if you have extra cash and don’t want to deposit it because of depreciation, and neither you want to invest it into stock market for worrying about economic ups and downs. It is also impossible for you to join a business with others and to buy a car plate number. And still you may have bought several houses. For fear of catching up with the policy directly, the best way now is to make a movie. It ensures stable yields for you. Even if you lose money on it, at least you have satisfied your craving and it does not sound terrible.

First you need to think out an idea, or get an idea from others, in the worst case, you spend forty yuan to buy an idea from others. The outline is easy to write for primary school level is enough. The plainer the outline is, the better the chance is for it to pass. Then you can register a company with the address of your own house or your rented house. The sounder and more majestic the name is, the better the effect is, such as universe, earth, international, continental, brothers, father and son, mother and daughter. It would be best that upon hearing the name, people would be surprised to death. Then you find a girl who is your favorite type in street and appoint a director. In this way, you have already entered the film industry. After that, the director will bring you with him to find a movie and TV city or a base in Huairou or Changping of Beijing which provide all-round services including food, accommodation, laundry and travel. Someone will recommend the best equipment to you before you ask. Field workers will take charge of the maintenance of the equipment and you don’t have to worry about that. In case of a spy or psychological movie, you even can finish shooting without going out the film studio. The screenplay can be created impromptu while shooting. Don’t be shy of doing like this, many Hong Kong and Taiwan movies are made in this way including those of Wong Kar-Wai. Each day the whole crew is in attendance and sits there facing one another to plot the screenplay. Before the shooting comes to an end, a number of post-production companies will naturally come to the door and ask to help you make light-match, color-adjustment, effects and synthesis. After completing the shooting of all the materials, the crew is announced to be dismantled, except the director. If you want to save money, you can also drive the director away on the spot.

So far taking account of all the private and state-owned movie companies with a distribution capacity in mainland China, such as China Film Group Corporation, Huayi Brothers, Polybona and China Film Group China New Rural Digital Film Screening Co., Ltd in north China, shanghai Film Group and Media Asia in south China, all of them have distribution rights. As long as the quality is passable and the price is reasonable, distribution is not a problem. (To be continued)

Zhu Wei

Sunday, February 13, 2011

让它再飞一天（中）

《HI艺术》2011年三月刊

二零一零年最终电影票房：《阿凡达》十三亿七千八百七十万。《唐山大地震》六亿六千五百零五万。《非诚勿扰II》、《让子弹飞》票房均在五亿以上。《盗墓空间》四亿九千九百九十万，《爱丽丝漫游仙境》两亿两千六百四十万，《赵氏孤儿》一亿八千万，《山楂树》一亿四千四百万。全年总票房一百零一亿七千二百万。电影票房是由观众的每一张票组成的，就像是民主选举，一票就是一票，比如《阿凡达》最起码有一个亿的人买票看了这部电影，当然可能有人看了两遍，还可能有人看了三遍，近十四亿的票房不可能有一半是假的。

这篇文章舍近求远，白话中国当代电影，是因为离着远，隔着行看得清楚，同时也有兴趣。美术圈的事越来越看不清楚，越来越不知所措，没法下嘴，也就不趟浑水了。上回书聊了二零一零年的中国电影现状，谈了谈电影与绘画创作的不同之处，又介绍了一下什么是电影，以及中国电影的诞生。接下来咱们着重聊聊中国电影的制作，发行，放映过程，以及中国当代电影的真实水平，中国电影的未来。

国产电影近年势头很旺，二零零九年国产电影达到四百五十六部，票房超过六十二亿人民币。二零一零年达到五百部，票房突破一百亿元人民币，增长率达到创纪录的百分之六十以上。目前全国银幕数量五千块。新世纪初国家广电总局多次发文，允许单本立项，民营国营齐上阵，一页纸的剧本提纲通过即可开拍，意思就是说刚有一主意就可以建组拉班子选演员接受媒体采访，先整起来再说。

包括先力在内大大小小的中、港、台、以及欧美电影器材公司陆续登陆，服务周到价格合理，先拍后结帐。这些公司基本上做到了一条龙服务，除了女演员自己带着，基本上前后期吃喝拉撒根本不用操心，听说有公司还负责铲事。

如果假如比如你有点闲钱，不想存银行等贬，又不想投股市揪心上火掰着指头过日子，搭帮入伙又谁都信不过，买车号老摇不上你，买房可能已经好几套了，怕直接赶上政策，眼下最好的方法就是弄一电影。旱涝保收，即使赔了，最起码还听个响过回瘾，听起来也不难听。

首先先想一主意，或者顺耳朵听别人一主意，实在不行花四十块钱买别人一主意。提纲会写吧，小学水平就行，越朴实越好，容易过。然后以自己家的门牌号，租的房子也行，去申请注册一公司，名字越响亮的越好，气势越大的越好，什么宇宙，地球，国际，洲际，兄弟啦，父子啦，母女啦，最好一听名字就能把人拍死。接着去街上找一喜欢类型的姑娘，再划拉一导演，这就算进入电影圈了。然后让导演带着你，找一影视城或者基地什么的，北京怀柔昌平有的是，连吃带住，旅游，洗衣服做饭，全包。没等你张嘴就会有人向你推荐哪家器材公司最好，器材都有场工跟着保养维护，用不着你亲自操心。如果是谍战心理勾心斗角片，连屋子都不用出就能拍完。本子边拍边想，别不好意思，港台很多电影就这么拍的。包括王家卫在内，每天剧组人员全体到齐，坐在那儿大眼瞪小眼现想。没等拍摄接近尾声，自然就有多家后期制作公司找上门来，要求帮你配光、调色、做效果，合成。全部素材拍摄完毕，宣布剧组解散，除了导演。如果想省钱，导演也可以当场轰走。

中国大陆目前为止能发行电影的公司民营公营全算上，比如北方的中影、华谊、保利博纳、中影新农村数字电影发行公司，南方的上影寰亚等等，都有发行权。只要质量过得去，价钱又谈得合理，发行不是问题。（待续）

朱伟

2011年2月13日星期日