Chapter 379 Making an independent film?

"Of course I'm happy!"

Speaking of this, Xu Qingdong looked at Cao Zhiqiang with a sigh on his face: "President Cao, I have done such an unreliable thing, and you are willing to continue to let me direct this drama regardless of past grudges..."

"Wrong!" Cao Zhiqiang said expressionlessly, "I will be the director and you will be the assistant director to assist me in filming this movie."

Xu Qingdong hesitated, then forced a smile and said: "President Cao, frankly speaking, the script you wrote is really good, very good, and your image is also good. You can definitely be a good screenwriter and actor, but when it comes to being a director, this

Well……

I don’t mean anything else. It’s purely a career in directing. The technical threshold is quite high. It requires mastering all aspects and requires a lot of knowledge reserves and practice. And you have never been a director before. Suddenly you have to be a director. I’m afraid it’s not possible.

It’s so suitable.”

Cao Zhiqiang smiled slightly: "Director Xu, let me tell you frankly, as a person, I either don't do something or do something, and I like to control everything by myself.

The threshold for the profession of director is indeed very high, but in the final analysis, it is about expressing the story in the script in the form of a movie.

This story and script are all mine. No one knows this story better than me, and no one knows better than me how to shoot and present this film.

What I lack are just some technical issues, such as how to grasp the timing of shooting and how to control the shooting angle.

Therefore, I came to you and asked you to be my assistant director by way of appointment.

To put it simply, if a film crew is an army, I am the commander-in-chief and you are my chief of staff.

I am only responsible for making decisions, deciding how to play and how to shoot.

But it’s up to you to decide how to shoot and how to shoot.

Of course, during this period, I will also learn from you how to be a director.

After all, no matter how much theory there is, it is not as fast and better as practice.

Many directors in Xiangjiang became monks halfway, becoming actors first and then becoming directors after they became familiar with them.

Why can’t I?”

"This..." Xu Qingdong frowned, then shook his head, "This is still not appropriate, because in this case, what if there is a conflict between us?"

"It's simple." Cao Zhiqiang said.

“I have the final say on the entire story flow of the film, but you have the final say on how to shoot it.

I will explain the play to you in detail, and I can even draw you a scene-by-shot drawing to give you a detailed concept.

We usually discuss it carefully during filming. If there is still a conflict, then I have the final say.

But under normal circumstances, I don’t think it’s the case, after all, I’m easy to talk to, don’t you think?”

Xu Qingdong frowned again and said nothing, obviously not happy.

Looking at Xu Qingdong's expression, Cao Zhiqiang smiled slightly and raised two fingers.

"Well, Director Xu, if you agree to be the assistant... no, co-director of this film, I'll be happy to give you this number."

"Two hundred?" Xu Qingdong frowned.

"Two thousand!" Cao Zhiqiang shook his head.

"Two thousand?" Xu Qingdong immediately stopped frowning and opened his eyes wide.

Indeed, two thousand yuan was a lot of money at this time.

You know, at this time, domestic directors usually received a salary. Even if they had filming, they could get filming subsidies, but their actual income was not high.

For example, Yang Jie, the director who later made the 1986 version of Journey to the West, made only 90 yuan per episode.

This is still the treatment of a large-scale production by CCTV, and each episode of the 1986 version of Journey to the West is about the same as a movie.

If you watch ordinary TV dramas and movies, it’s hard to say what your income will be. There may be no subsidies at all, just wages.

As for ordinary directors, if they are making movies, such as ordinary feature films, and the director is not a famous first-line director, the salary for a movie is usually two hundred to three hundred yuan.

Only those famous directors who make a big-budget movie may earn a little more, but generally it will not exceed one thousand yuan.

Fortunately for Cao Zhiqiang, the movie hasn't even been filmed yet, so to give Xu Qingdong, a little-known new director, a salary of 2,000 yuan, which is indeed very high.

To put it bluntly, if Cao Zhiqiang were to find a director at this price, even if he was just an assistant director, there would probably be a lot of people competing for the job.

Although it is said that directors in the 1980s had more character, they mostly made what they wanted to make, not for money.

But actually that's all nonsense.

Who wouldn’t be happy to make more money?

But today's national conditions and general environment are like this. The funds of big film studios are tight, let alone small film studios.

The income of domestic directors during this period was generally not very high.

Of course, this is not too high. It is compared with directors from Hong Kong and Taiwan and their subsequent income.

Comparing the same period, directors' wages are still much higher than those of other workers.

As for attracting investment and sponsorship, at this time in China, almost all are state-owned enterprises and collective enterprises. If they have money to invest, they will not just wave their hands and add money to a director.

So you can’t say that people like Cao Zhiqiang don’t exist in China at this time, but they are definitely rare.

"Really two thousand?" Xu Qingdong narrowed his eyes again and stared at Cao Zhiqiang's face, for fear that the other party would regret it.

"Of course." Cao Zhiqiang smiled, "I can give you one thousand first and another thousand afterwards."

After a pause, Cao Zhiqiang added: "In addition, I will reimburse all your food, accommodation and transportation during the filming. They are all of a high standard. If you have a hotel, stay in a hotel, and if you have a plane, take a plane. I won't treat you badly."

Xu Qingdong was a little hesitant: "Actually, I don't care about money, I just like this story very much and want to film it..."

"I know." Cao Zhiqiang said, "Well, in the movie subtitles, your name can appear as a co-director, but the main director must be me, and your name will be after mine.

You have to know that I wrote the script of this drama, I am the lead actor, and I am the investor, and I was cheated of 100,000 yuan by you before..."

"That's not my fault." Xu Qingdong said immediately, "Who knew those people at Beijing Film Studio..."

"Okay, the matter is over, I don't want to worry about it anymore." Cao Zhiqiang waved his hand, "I only know that since you messed up the matter, you have to listen to me in everything."

After a brief pause, Cao Zhiqiang continued: "Actually, I had planned to give up filming this movie, but I really couldn't bear the thought of all my hard work going down the drain.

At the same time, I was afraid that other people would not be able to film well and deviate from my original intention, so I decided to write, direct and act myself, to film the story in my mind.

Of course, I also admit that I really don’t know much about directing, so I need a director to actually help me complete it.

In short, regardless of whether this movie is a hit or not, I will let this movie appear in this world.

To be clear, this is a little willfulness of mine, do you understand?"

Xu Qingdong sighed: "I understand, I completely understand, but..."

"But what?" Cao Zhiqiang asked.

Xu Qingdong said: "Beijing Film Studio will definitely not be able to shoot in the short term. They don't have photography equipment for us. Although I applied, I still have to queue up, and the money I paid cannot be refunded to you immediately.

Have to wait."

"Then don't wait!" Cao Zhiqiang said calmly.

"I re-invested in my own name, starting with 200,000 yuan. I also provided the photography equipment and film.

As for you, you just need to find another film studio for me. I want one that can start filming right away and doesn't require queuing.

Anyway, they don’t need to provide photography equipment, people, or money.

They just provide a platform so that my film can be released normally."

"Wait a minute!" Xu Qingdong suddenly said, "You said you want to invest in the filming yourself, even the photography equipment? Do you have a camera?"

"Of course." Cao Zhiqiang nodded.

"Can I take a look at the camera first?" Xu Qingdong asked.

"Well..." Cao Zhiqiang paused for a moment, "It's possible, but the origin of these equipment is a bit... not so legitimate. Can you keep it a secret?"

Xu Qingdong blinked and immediately thought that Cao Zhiqiang's batch of photographic equipment was smuggled goods.

"Don't worry." Xu Qingdong laughed, "I only care about whether the things are good or not. As for where they came from, that's not what I care about, and I won't talk about it everywhere."

Cao Zhiqiang nodded: "Okay, come with me, I will show you the goods."

Cao Zhiqiang took Xu Qingdong and left the Peking Hotel, then drove himself and took Xu Qingdong straight to Hongguang Publishing House.

The reason why I went there was that Cao Zhiqiang could not think of any other place to store his photographic equipment.

Almost all the houses Cao Zhiqiang has purchased so far are occupied by other people, and he himself stays in hotels.

After signing up for the photography equipment, he originally planned to buy a bigger house, but it was not too late.

Moreover, Hongguang Publishing House itself occupies a large area, and there are many empty rooms in the office building alone.

That's all. The key point is that not long ago, Vice President Chen Jiabang had just negotiated the purchase price with the original glass factory, and purchased several other plots of land, as well as the old factories and warehouses above, for 800,000 yuan.

Directly expanded three times.

Of course, no matter how much expansion is done, it will still be industrial land, and it can only be bought and sold from public to public. Private individuals cannot buy it, and the nature of the land cannot be changed at will, unless the government changes it.

Therefore, it is impossible to build houses in the old glass factory for sale.
To be continued...