Chapter 287

"Primary credit" is a modest way of putting it.

Everyone understands that a circulation of 600,000 is the baseline for "Harvest," and Wei Ming's serialized novel doubled that circulation.

Even Wang Wang Anyi expressed her gratitude to Wei Ming when she invited him for coffee, thanking him for letting her novel be seen by at least 1.2 million readers.

She didn't believe that readers would spend a huge sum of one yuan and then throw away a copy of "Harvest" after finishing "The Righteous Path: Part II." As long as it was a magazine they bought with their own money, they would definitely read through the other works as well.

Wang Wang Anyi's reputation as a newcomer to the literary scene was also recognized and acknowledged by more people following the super-hot circulation of this issue of "Harvest."

She also told Wei Ming: "Just a few days ago, I received a letter from the 1978 Directing Department of the Beijing Film Academy, requesting to adapt my 'Locked Records of the Small Courtyard' as their graduation project."

Wei Ming knew about this; after all, it starred his own Sister Lin, and it could be considered a record of her early, green imagery.

"That's a good thing. When you go to Beijing to write the script, I'll treat you to another meal."

This coffee was treated by Sister Wang Wang Anyi; Wei Ming had come to Shanghai to revise the final part of "The Righteous Path."

The two met at the Shanghai Writers Association and were invited out by Sister Wang, who insisted on letting him taste the flavor of Shanghai.

Drinking coffee was secondary; the main thing was to chat about literature. Wang Wang Anyi also longed to write long-form novels and wanted to learn from Wei Ming.

After chatting for more than two hours, Wei Ming pointed to his empty cup: "I'm particularly sensitive to this stuff; there's no way I'll be able to sleep tonight."

Wang Wang Anyi laughed: "Isn't that just right? You can revise more of the manuscript."

Wei Ming smiled and shook his head; revising the manuscript—not happening!

When he returned to the old Western-style house at 12 Huating Road, Sister Xue was packing her luggage; she was leaving.

Wei Ming hugged Sister Xue from behind and acted spoiled: "I just got here and you're already leaving."

They say old people are like children, and Sister Xue was also helpless: "It's work, there's no other way."

"A Love of My Life" had also officially started filming. They shot a few scenes in Shanghai first, and next, they were going to Beijing to shoot the indoor scenes.

Wei Ming came to Shanghai yesterday, and Sister Xue was leaving tomorrow. Moreover, she hadn't had time to accompany him these past two days. At this time, "Midnight" was released, and the two didn't even have time to go see a movie.

Wei Ming: "Then I'll revise the manuscript quickly and go to Beijing to reunite with you when the time comes."

Gong Ying turned around, held Wei Ming's hand, and said seriously: "You don't have to rush, and I don't want to see you when I'm filming."

"Why?"

"I don't want you to see me looking crazy."

"Just that?"

"Also, it's not easy for me to get into character, but as soon as I see you, my emotions get messed up. It's too painful to jump in and out," Gong Ying comforted little Wei, "So it's better to miss each other than to meet. After I finish filming this movie, I'll accompany you properly."

What she said made sense. For this movie, this role must be thoroughly immersed in. Gong Ying was filming it as her life's representative work, consuming a lot of energy. Even when making love with Wei Ming, she was thinking about whether she would get pregnant and then give birth to a little gourd.

"Alright then, then leave me here alone to guard the empty room," Wei Ming said resentfully.

Gong Ying let out a "pfft" laugh. She laughed because it wouldn't be an empty room for long, as Zhu Lin was coming to Shanghai soon.

"Joyous Reunion" was a Shanghai Er Yingchang production. After filming the location scenes in Shandong, they still had to come to the Shanghai Er Yingchang to shoot the indoor scenes. Zhu Lin had informed her of this when they were corresponding, something even Wei Ming didn't know.

However, Gong Ying insisted on comforting her little man tonight, otherwise, he would go crazy before Zhu Lin arrived in Shanghai. Twenty years old is the age when boys are at their most ferocious.

Yet Gong Ying never expected it to be this ferocious. Don't you need to sleep!

Wei Ming: If you want to blame someone, blame Wang Wang Anyi. Who told her to insist on treating me to coffee.

The next day, Wei Ming watched the exhausted Sister Xue leave home. The weather was nice, and Wei Ming didn't stay cooped up at home working. Thinking that he hadn't gone to the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang to take a look last time he came to Shanghai, he set off.

The "Legend of Sealed Book" project had been underway for a year. Because it was a key project for earning foreign exchange, it concentrated the backbone of the entire studio and drew a large number of personnel, so the progress was quite good. At this time, he could already see film segments that could move.

That's right, this is the flavor. Even because of the participation of foreign capital, the production was more exquisite. This was for export.

When Wei Ming arrived at the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang, he was still received by workshop director Wang Wang Bairong, who optimistically stated: "If our film goes fast, it can be released next year."

Because the process of haggling with the British side was reduced, it was indeed faster than the 1983 timeline in the original space-time.

"Hello, Director Wang." Afterward, they found the film's director, Wang Wang Shuchen, who led them on a tour and gave explanations.

He told Wei Ming: "We have communicated with the BBC. If we can finish filming before May next year, we will take the film to Cannes. If we can finish before September, we will take the film to Venice. If we can't finish filming next year, we will wait for Berlin in '83."

The overseas copyright outside of Asia belonged to the British side. They also hoped that "Legend of Sealed Book," which had invested so much capital, could sell for a good price globally. At that time, the expenses for Chinese personnel to go overseas for promotion would also be borne by the BBC.

Wang Wang Shuchen was hinting to Wei Ming that he might also be able to go abroad with them.

Going abroad, Wei Ming was of course willing. There are many opportunities abroad, and only by going out can there be more opportunities to earn foreign exchange.

However, it would be best to go in '82. He was afraid that if he went out in '83, he wouldn't want to come back.

He originally came over low-key to take a look, but he didn't expect that the studio director, the old gentleman Te Wei, heard that Wei Ming had come and specifically came to the workshop to see him.

In the workshop, a young worker who had just entered the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang through his parents' connections and joined the "Legend of Sealed Book" crew looked at Wei Ming, who was surrounded by several big figures in the studio, and said to his colleague next to him: "Who is this person? So awesome."

Colleague: "You don't even know this? The author of 'Legend of Sealed Book,' Wei something."

"He's so young?"

"That's right. This is already the third work of his that the studio has filmed. I heard one script is worth over a thousand yuan, and his works are also watched by many people abroad. He can earn foreign exchange."

At this time, an old master said to the young worker who had just entered the studio: "Lou Ye, stop chatting, hurry up and work."

Urge, urge, urge, all they know is to urge. The unconvinced Lou Ye looked at Wei Ming and had the thought, "A great man should be like this." In the future, he would also film many works for foreigners to watch, earn foreign exchange, and make these big figures revolve around him!

Director Te Wei was the first director of the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang and had been in charge of the studio for more than twenty years. His representative works include "The Proud General," "Where is Mama," and "The Herdsman's Flute," pioneering the animation form of ink-wash animation that belongs uniquely to the Chinese people.

Director Te Wei came to find Wei Ming today actually to talk to him about his fourth collaboration with the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang.

"I heard that your 'The Lion King' has a large audience abroad, and Mr. Why is famous in Europe and America," Director Te Wei asked. At this time, they had already arrived at the cafeteria's private room, and there were only the four of them.

Wei Ming didn't act humble: "After all, it's based on Shakespeare, and Macmillan is also an international publishing company, so the sales in the UK are currently quite good. It should be able to rank in the top three for the year in the children's book category."

Te Wei laughed: "What do you think about our Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang adapting it into a movie?"

Wei Ming didn't think much of it. The Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang was not the most suitable partner for "The Lion King," and the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang had always filmed traditional subjects, and the story backgrounds were basically all in China. The later "Lotus Lantern" did have an international perspective and increased the African scenes, but it was severely criticized.

So he said: "As far as I know, the popularity of 'The Lion King' in China is far less than my other works. You want to film 'The Lion King' should also be for the consideration of earning foreign exchange."

Te Wei nodded: "If we invest ourselves and sell it to the world ourselves, perhaps we can earn more foreign exchange than cooperating with foreign institutions."

The country is currently too short of foreign exchange, and the old gentleman is wholeheartedly for the public good. There is nothing to say about this, but Wei Ming still had to persuade him a few words.

"If we want to film it and have it welcomed by the whole world and make them pay for it, then it must be made into a boutique. We must also jump out of the shackles of our local creative style. First of all, the crew must go to Africa to collect materials for a period of time, collect the mountains, rivers, landscapes, and animal styles of Africa. So many people have to take planes, and they have to take the risk of getting sick or even sacrificing due to acclimatization. Then the soundtrack must also adopt African musical styles, and perhaps we have to invite foreign musicians to participate. The costs involved are enough to make several 'Legend of Sealed Book' films."

He was not alarmist. Starting from the late 80s, Disney began to make "The Lion King," and the cost was 45 million US dollars. In this era, it was not a small or medium-sized investment movie.

The cost of "Jurassic Park" in the same period was only 60 million US dollars, which was already a rare big production in the early 90s.

Even if it were changed to the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang at this time, labor is cheap, even if it is one-tenth of the cost, 4.5 million US dollars is always needed. Don't talk about 4.5 million US dollars, even if it is 4.5 million RMB, the country cannot afford it.

For a movie, or an animated movie, to spend so much money, the person in charge may be held accountable.

You know, CCTV only gave 3 million for the TV version of "Journey to the West."

And even if so much money was given, Wei Ming didn't think the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang could film the flavor of Disney that swept the world. High artistic content does not mean that it can also succeed in the market.

Director Te Wei knew that the difficulties Wei Ming mentioned objectively existed, but the fact that "The Lion King" was sought after abroad gave him hope for the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang to move towards the world, so he mentioned it.

Of course, it is impossible to film it now, because the next movie plan of the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang has been determined. It is "The Golden Monkey Subdues the Demon," which tells the story of the White Bone Spirit in "Journey to the West," and it is personally led by Te Wei. It can be considered another "Journey to the West" subject that inherits the late Master Wan's "Havoc in Heaven."

If the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang wants to film the next feature film, it must wait until "The Golden Monkey Subdues the Demon" is finished. Neither personnel nor funds support the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang to operate two big projects at the same time.

Although Wei Ming was not optimistic about the combination of "The Lion King" and the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang, he still hoped to continue to cooperate with the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang in the remaining days and film more boutiques.

The so-called childhood of the 80s and 90s generations is nothing more than the two types of animation: Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang animation and foreign animation. And Wei Ming is the man who wants to contract their childhood and childhood goddesses!

"Director Te, I don't know if the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang has any plans to film TV animation." Wei Ming mentioned during the meal.

"Is it like 'Astro Boy' and 'Jiminy Cricket'?"

"Yes." The former is Japanese, and the latter is American.

Since the beginning of the year, "Astro Boy" has been occupying the golden time before CCTV's News Broadcast, bringing a brand-new animation experience to small audiences and even large audiences across the country, and popularizing the term "horsepower" across the country.

When Wei Ming was tossing Sister Xue last night, she also said that Wei Ming had "ten horsepower." That was the supreme encouragement to Wei Ming, and the result was that after three battles, there was a fourth battle.

Te Wei said: "This has to be discussed with the TV station for cooperation. After all, it will be broadcast on TV after it is filmed. However, the number of TV sets in our country is still small."

At this time, the coverage of TV is not as good as movies.

"But the growth rate is fast. At the end of last year, it was 9 million units, and now it is already 10 million. The country attaches great importance to TV. Recently, the Central Radio and Television Bureau even decided to hold a national excellent TV drama award every year."

This award is the predecessor of the Flying Apsaras Award, renamed in 1992.

Next, Wei Ming began to paint a picture for them, and finally successfully led the topic to "Black Cat Detective."

"'Black Cat Detective' has now written 9 stories, independent chapters that are interrelated. It is very suitable to be filmed as a TV animation, and it can be said to be the favorite group of stories of my little readers. Every time a new story is published, I can receive hundreds or thousands of reader letters. My home is almost unable to hold them," Wei Ming said in a Versailles way.

At the beginning of the month, the first volume of the physical book "Black Cat Detective" was published, gathering the first five stories. The first printing of 500,000 copies was easily digested by markets at all levels. It is estimated that it will need to be reprinted before the second volume is published.

Te Wei and Wang Wang Bairong looked at each other, obviously a little moved. Now the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang's continuous animation story is only "Afanti," which is a low-cost puppet animation. There is really no traditional animation series.

They have also paid attention to stories like "Black Cat Detective." Each episode is a story. In addition to the police catching bad guys, they can also popularize some knowledge of the natural world. It is entertaining and educational. No wonder it is welcomed by children.

The images of Black Cat Detective and One-Eared designed by Wei Ming and Liu Liu Rulong have spread through so many issues of "Children's Literature," and they can be considered deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. They can even be used directly, and it can save the trouble of character design in the early stage.

Perhaps we can film a few episodes first to test the water.

However, calculated at 20 minutes per episode, if it is five episodes, that is 100 minutes, which is equivalent to the length of a movie. It will definitely crowd out the production plans of other short films. This still needs to be discussed at the meeting and asked for instructions from the superior leadership department.

Returning home from the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang, Wei Ming, who was empty and had no one to talk to, could only start working. First, he revised the manuscript, and when he couldn't sleep at night, he took out the manuscript of "Jurassic World" and wrote it. It was almost finished.

Before coming to Shanghai, he also told A Long to draw a few illustrations for himself.

After another two boring days, without even an acquaintance to accompany him to watch "Midnight," Wei Ming ran to the Shanghai Er Yingchang to chat with Xie Dao Jin.

Xie Dao had just finished filming "Legend of Mount Tianyun Mountain" and was doing post-production. At the same time, he had already thought about what to film next.

"Since you are reluctant to part with 'Spring in the Sheep Class,' then I have to go film 'Qiu Jin'." Xie Jin shook the script in his hand, and the feeling was like shaking a wine bottle.

Wei Ming knew about this film. It can be considered one of the films with the lowest popularity and the worst reviews of Xie Dao. It is not too successful and is a bit rigid.

Wei Ming also knew that this film had delayed Sister Xue for a year. Originally, Sister Xue was set to play Qiu Jin. For this, Sister Xue practiced body conditioning, practiced calligraphy, memorized poetry, and learned swordsmanship from He Weiqi, a martial arts coach at the Shanghai Gymnasium.

Finally, she was replaced before filming started. The reason was that Gong Ying was still too thin, her appearance and temperament were too weak, and Li Xiuming was finally chosen.

So Wei Ming asked: "Since it is filming Qiu Jin, then the actress who plays Qiu Jin is the top priority. Have you thought about who to find to play it?"

Xie Jin thought for a while: "I think Gong Ying's plasticity is still quite good."

Wei Ming: "She is too thin."

He could throw her up and down at will.

"You can supplement with food. If you gain another ten pounds, it will be about right."

Wei Ming shook his head: "I still think Li Xiuming is more suitable, even Liu Liu Xiaoqing is more suitable than her."

Xie Jin was very surprised. He didn't expect Wei Ming to be so public and private, and he didn't speak against his conscience because he had a good relationship with Gong Ying.

From the appearance, these two seem to have more of the flavor of the heroine of Jianhu, and they are more worthy of the two words "Jingxiong."

Of course, this is just a talk now. The complete script has not been produced yet. Xie Jin is adapting it based on Hai Xia Yan's play script "Biography of Qiu Jin."

Wei Ming: Speaking of Elder Hai Xia, where is my original manuscript now?

Domestic peers learned that he wanted to film Qiu Jin and expressed unconditional support. Ke Ling, editor-in-chief of "Popular Cinema," also took out his own script of the same name for Xie Jin's reference, and Xie Jin found Huang Zongjiang to adapt it.

Today Wei Ming came, so he had to chat with him.

Xie Jin had wanted to film Qiu Jin for a long time because their family and Qiu Jin were family friends. His grandfather worked with Qiu Jin and had close contact with Xu Xilin, so he had heard the story of Qiu Jin from his grandfather since he was a child.

It is precisely because of this relationship that the version he filmed was too serious and rigid. The whole film looked like two words—dull.

It belongs to the kind of "classic old movie" that Wei Ming mentioned before that can be praised by sliced short videos, but if you really don't fast-forward, you definitely can't watch it.

So unless Xie Jin's creative thinking is changed, it is difficult for this film to have great achievements.

The two were talking when suddenly someone came to the door. It was Zhu Zhu Shimao.

Zhu Zhu Shimao came to visit Xie Dao, and it was a surprise to meet Wei Ming.

Wei Ming was surprised and happy: "Did you come back by yourself, or is the 'Joyous Reunion' crew coming too?"

Zhu Zhu Shimao said truthfully: "Our crew has returned to Shanghai to shoot indoor scenes."

Hearing this, Wei Ming immediately got up and said: "Xie Dao, you have guests, so I'll leave first."

Old Mao looked complicated. Does Teacher Wei not like me anymore? Why did he leave when he saw me coming?

Wei Ming: Because I like Sister Lin more!

He immediately ran to the Shanghai Er Yingchang guest house and sure enough found Zhu Lin.

"Oh my, little Wei, you are also in Shanghai?"

In front of other crew members, Zhu Lin greeted and chatted with Wei Ming generously, as if they were just ordinary friends. It was completely impossible to see that they had rolled on the bed and carpet.

Well, Wei Ming nodded, his acting skills have improved, a very natural and life-like performance.

Wei Ming also got to know the actors who played her sister-in-law, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law. They all knew Wei Ming's great name. Gong Ying can now be mentioned in the same breath as actresses like Zhang Yu and Li Xiuming, thanks to Wei Ming's "The Herdsman."

Then Zhu Lin asked Wei Ming if he had eaten, and then naturally transitioned to: "Then Sister will treat you. Let's go, let's find a northern restaurant."

The two walked out of the Shanghai Er Yingchang like this and went on a date.

Zhu Lin knew that Wei Ming was living in Gong Ying's old Western-style house at this time. She was thinking about how to find him, but she didn't expect him to hit the muzzle of the gun himself.

Wei Ming: It was clearly you who hit the muzzle of the gun.

Zhu Lin was not very familiar with Shanghai, so naturally, she needed Wei Ming, the Shanghai expert, to lead the way.

"There are many Western restaurants in Shanghai. Let's go eat at Deda first."

Zhu Lin: It seems he has eaten with little Xue.

She guessed right. Even the service staff at Deda still remembered Wei Ming. After all, he came to eat with Gong Ying, and he was also very handsome.

This time, he changed to another big beauty. Is she also an actress?

Zhu Lin and Wei Ming had eaten at Lao Mo in Beijing, and they skillfully picked up knives and forks to start cutting steak.

"Then I won't be polite to you. The crew is very enthusiastic, and the fellow villagers are also very good, but the food is really not very good. I can't see any meat every day. What I miss most is actually the local pancakes wrapped in green onions and green onions dipped in sauce."

Wei Ming: "Then I have to try if there is a green onion flavor later."

"Hate it." Sister Lin kicked him directly under the table.

This kick woke Wei Ming up. He adjusted his sitting posture, the cerebellum commanded the cerebrum, and began to think about whether he could bring Sister Lin back to Sister Xue's house. There were no photos of Sister Xue on the first floor.

But it seems a bit beastly.

Then what about at the Shanghai Er Yingchang guest house?

The experience is too poor, and the sound insulation is not good.

It's really worrying.

"Where do you live now? Is it still the Writers Association guest house?" Zhu Lin asked seemingly casually.

"Oh, I'm staying at a friend's house." Wei Ming replied instinctively.

"Then don't the people in that friend's house mind you disturbing them?"

"That's their old house. No one usually lives there, so they lent it to me."

"Oh~" Zhu Lin took a sip of soup to cover her smile. She didn't ask what kind of friend was so generous, because she knew that little Wei must not feel good about lying to her.

After eating, Zhu Lin suggested: "Why don't we go see where you live."

"Ah?"

Zhu Lin: "Not welcome? Then I'll go back to the guest house now."

Wei Ming hardened his heart. If he's a beast, he's a beast: "Welcome, let's go, let's take a taxi."

Zhu Lin had to go back to the guest house at night, and time was limited, so when they arrived at that two-story old Western-style house, Zhu Lin didn't even have time to look carefully before being dragged into a clean little room by Wei Ming.

Wei Ming hugged her head and kissed her. Because they also ate ice cream dessert at the end of that Western meal, this kiss was milky, which made Zhu Lin think of the cake cream that little Wei wiped on her body on her birthday.

Thinking of that day and that scene, Zhu Lin softened directly, while Wei Ming was the opposite.

"Old Dai, Old Dai."

Inside the Shanghai Animation Er Yingchang area, Wang Wang Bairong called to an old man with glasses.

Dai Dai Tielang pushed his glasses: "Little Director Wang, what's the matter?"

Wang Wang Bairong: "The director is looking for you to discuss something. Let's go, let's go together."

(January 4000 monthly tickets, 5000 monthly tickets added! The bottom guarantee is in the evening~)

(End of chapter)