[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr":3,"chapter-the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-5":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Academic Director: Reborn in the Film Industry",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2297005,4493,"Chapter 5: Be a Human Being","the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-5",5,"\u003Cp>These days, making a movie requires more than just money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1997, the gates were opened; individuals could participate in film production through funding or investment, thus breaking the monopoly of the 16 state-owned film studios.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some things are well-intentioned, but as long as no specific documents have been issued, the boundaries of implementation are hard to control, and reviews become a constant source of trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, \"selling the studio label\" became the optimal solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So-called \"selling the studio label\" is similar to \"selling book numbers\" in the publishing industry: paying a film studio that possesses production qualifications in exchange for their studio label to shoot a film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn't be until 2002, marked by the issuance of the new \"Film Administration Regulations,\" that the production, distribution, and screening of domestic films would fully open up to private capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Beijing Film Academy has its own school-run enterprise, the Youth Film Studio. As a student in the Directing Department, it was only natural to prioritize getting the credentials from the Youth Film Studio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking of the Youth Film Studio, its original purpose was to coordinate with the teaching plans of various departments, complete students' film assignments and production internships within the teaching curriculum, and serve as a place for the academy's faculty to engage in creative practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In these years, funds were tight in every aspect, and the Youth Film Studio only had so much budget per year. It mainly focused on shooting short films; being able to fund three or five feature films was the absolute limit. Countless professors, directors, and teachers with ideas in the school were watching and waiting in line with eager eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you were to ask the Youth Film Studio to invest in a film by an undergraduate who hasn't graduated yet—the kind costing hundreds of thousands—even if you were the principal's illegitimate child, it would be impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But conversely, if you don't ask the Youth Film Studio for real money and only want the studio label, then it’s a green light all the way, and everything is up for discussion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the prerequisite is that you must be a teacher or student of the school and can help them complete their teaching and practical plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After coordination, Cao Yang's film was classified under a \"new model for exploring school-enterprise (individual) cooperative practical film production,\" counting as part of the teaching plan. The enterprise (individual) provides the capital, and the school provides all photography equipment and personnel, excluding film stock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding copyright, domestic copyright is shared with a 10% share of the domestic box office, while foreign copyright belongs exclusively to the enterprise (individual).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang was fairly satisfied; who the hell needs domestic copyright for an art-house film? The box office revenue is peanuts, and he isn't making a sequel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The school, however, valued this highly. Holding the domestic copyright, even if shared, costs them nothing. If it happens to achieve success, they can righteously tell the outside world (and their superiors) that this is a practical film shot by undergraduates under the school's guidance—a political achievement that no one can erase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the film is shot well, this model can certainly continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the film is shot well, if there is a possibility of winning awards, especially at the three major European film festivals, the school will certainly be more proactive than Cao Yang in finding ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the school, an award won by an undergraduate versus one won by a graduate are both honors, but in essence, they are two different things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the film's scale was small and there weren't many scenes, Cao Yang only requested one assistant director, one producer, one stylist, one lighting technician, one sound recordist, and one script supervisor from the Youth Film Studio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't ask for a cinematographer; Tian Zhuangzhuang was there, and he was guaranteed to be useful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang selected the people, set the schedule, brought the assistant director and producer, and began to work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this film's plot, there is a segment where the female lead cannot handle the pressure of public opinion, escapes abroad to clear her head, and meets a friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang had initially planned to go to Germany for location shooting, but after thinking about it, there are plenty of places in China with European and American architectural clusters; why spend that wasted money?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After his and the producer's field inspection, the Badaguan area on Ludong Island in Lu Province was quite good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Built in the 1930s, Badaguan is also known as the \"Museum of International Architecture.\" Here, you don't need to go abroad to appreciate the architectural styles of over twenty countries, including those in Europe and America. Whether it's the buildings or the park paths, everything here perfectly meets the requirements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ludong Island is also a coastal city with plenty of beaches, allowing for the convenient shooting of beach-related scenes nearby. It really is killing many birds with one stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not having to go abroad, plus finding a very cheap female lead, saved over a hundred thousand in the shooting budget, which was something Cao Yang hadn't expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this money cannot stay in his hands; it must be spent. If the budget isn't spent, it's actually a troublesome matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mr. Cheng, upgrade the crew's food and accommodation during the shooting period by one level.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rent a villa by the sea on Ludong Island. It must have a beach where one can take walks. The fewer people, the better, but pay attention to safety.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Call Li Xiaoran and have her go there as soon as possible. Don't think about saving money; buy her a plane ticket. All expenses go through the crew's account.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rent her some videotapes like 'Waterloo Bridge,' 'Casablanca,' 'Ghost,' 'Gone with the Wind,' 'Edward Scissorhands,' 'Titanic,' 'The Bridges of Madison County,' and 'Roman Holiday.' Rent plenty, let her watch them every day, and when she's tired of watching, have her stroll on the beach to find the feeling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't just rent European and American ones. Include domestic ones like 'Farewell My Concubine,' the Japanese 'Love Letter,' and from Xiangjiang, 'A Moment of Romance,' 'Comrades: Almost a Love Story,' 'Eighteen Springs,' 'City of Glass,' and the recently released 'In the Mood for Love.' Any film about tragic love will do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking for a moment, he added: \"Don't let her bring anyone—no agents or assistants. Just have her stay there twenty-four hours a day. Find someone to deliver her meals on time, try not to disturb her, keep conversation to a minimum, and create an atmosphere of loneliness. For safety, rent a small house next door and hire two security guards with military backgrounds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Remind me in a month. I'll go see her state and coach her on the acting. Hmm, rent the house for three months first. I estimate she'll be in the right state in two months, so keep one month as a buffer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Producer Cheng Jianye gasped after hearing Cao Yang's instructions. Although he knew this was to get the female lead into character early, wasn't it a bit inhumane?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching those heartbreaking, tragic love movies every day—he wasn't afraid of driving the girl into depression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, I'll go arrange it right away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Also, have someone buy some more sad love songs—the sadder, the better. Get her a portable player, and when she's not watching movies, have her wear it and listen. And don't be afraid to boast; tell her that if this film succeeds, she'll be a top-tier leading actress. Make her proactive; don't let her think it's just a vacation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Jianye couldn't help but glance at Cao Yang. This young man, who looked like a sunny, handsome boy next door, was truly not human!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sigh, better just listen and work hard; such a person must never be offended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish sighing, he heard Cao Yang mutter to himself with some regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I feel like just listening to songs and watching movies is still a bit too singular. If I could really find a married old man to be intimate with her and then abandon her, this film would be perfect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Jianye stumbled and almost tripped, squeezed a wrinkled smile onto his face, and fled in a disheveled state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the rough-hewn Brother Zhuangzhuang were here, hearing this, he would say: Cao Yang, I beg you, act like a human!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xiaoran, who thinks she's going for sun, sand, and a big villa, and wants to experience a luxurious life at public expense, will likely find the process to be quite twisty and bizarre.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wonder if she will regret it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1446,"2026-06-20T05:36:32.009Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","457fce0b0cc7a519e7ede1a38286218eff9f06e27f1f4f0b334f8c2afab728dc","the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-6","the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-4",411,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-cover.jpg"]