They are standing tall at the Shanghai Film Festival with new ideas, and their peers are audience directors, projects, and audiences

Every year at the Shanghai International Film Festival, there is always a spotlight shining on the new director. Participating in venture capital is the first step for many young filmmakers to mature, as they face the first round of authentic testing in front of investors, professional audiences, and peers in the film and television industry.

The training and growth system of "Venture Capital Training Camp" effectively provides assistance for the creative work of young filmmakers, forming a virtuous cycle and giving them a way to truly understand the industry. As the annual recommender and director Xin Yukun said, "Venture capital platforms can bring open and fair opportunities. As long as you get a good story, you can come in. You may meet more friends and be able to reorganize or revise your creative views. Even if the project you ultimately enter venture capital is not realized, you may stay in this industry with different roles."

What do they expect from venture capital

A total of 33 projects were selected for venture capital at the 2023 Shanghai Film Festival, including some that were shortlisted for venture capital during the script stage. This year, they have once again been shortlisted for "under production projects". Many directors, screenwriters, and producers are students from venture capital training camps, as well as many "old friends" who have participated in competitions, exhibitions, and won awards at the Shanghai International Film Festival. This year, they bring their works to venture capital again and start a new creative journey.

On the morning of June 14th, the reporter walked into the "Film Project Venture Capital Negotiation Conference" held at the Kunlun Hotel in Jing'an, and it was difficult not to be infected by the lively atmosphere inside. A half person high temporary "wall" twists and turns to separate small worlds. Young directors and producers sit at a small white round table, with a display board introducing the film project behind them. The two chairs next to them are reserved for the day's negotiation partners. Despite being close to noon, looking around, there were hardly any vacant seats, and everyone's table was filled with negotiation and appointment lists.

Young director Peng Fei has a strong connection with the Shanghai Film Festival. He has served as a mentor for the venture capital training camp at the festival, and his previous work "See Nara Again" was nominated for the main competition unit of the 23rd Golden Earl Awards; This time, his new work "Waking Up and Feeling Loving You" also appeared as a "project in production" in venture capital, and the script stage of the project was also shortlisted for the 2020 venture capital project. "For young directors, there is an opportunity to meet colleagues from various departments of the film industry and find many like-minded friends during venture capital negotiations," said Peng Fei.

"Waking Up and Feeling Loving You" is a less typical biographical film that adopts a three part structure, telling the story of Zhu Shenghao and Shakespeare through three young people who transcend time and space: Shakespeare in 1590, Zhu Shenghao in 1932, and Liu Chi, a young director in 2022. At present, the film has been partially filmed and edited in the UK. Producer Zhu Li told reporters that the project is expected to start filming in China in the second half of the year and participate in venture capital. He hopes to obtain support from post production funds and seek cooperation with producers, advertising sponsors, and domestic and international distribution channels. "Next year, I will strive to bring my works back to the Shanghai International Film Festival."

Time Inn, which tells the story of adult love, won a lot of applause during the screening of the clips. This is a topic that is currently scarce in the domestic market, and several recommenders have even disagreed on whether the film should go through an art cinema or try a regular cinema. However, their consensus is that "such a movie should appear."

"I am more concerned about controlling the budget than the producers, afraid that investors will lose money." Director Zhai Yixiang of "Time Inn" said that the film has been completed by about 80% and hopes to find assistance in post production, music copyright, and distribution at the Shanghai Film Festival.

The film "Farewell, Farewell", which tells the folk customs of Minnan, has reached the review stage. Director Ye Qian came to the venture capital platform to search for promotional resources. Knowing that there were many directors and producers present at the scene, she recommended the lead actress Bao Qijing to the film, saying, "The summer in Fujian is particularly hot. During filming, she stood under the scorching sun for an hour and refused to use a double. I also want to introduce this actress to other colleagues."

"Yesterday we talked about 8, today we talked about 10, two of which were added temporarily, and tomorrow we will talk about 3 more." At the negotiation meeting, Li Dandan, the producer of "First Choice", pointed to the appointment form and told reporters. This film is directed by Iliqi, with a total project budget of 20 million yuan. The script and project approval have been completed, and it has progressed to the financing stage. "We want to make a film that combines youth, comedy, and sports elements, telling the story of a group of high school students who accidentally participate in a dragon boat race after the college entrance examination and ultimately complete their own growth." Li Dandan said that the purpose of participating in venture capital is to use the Shanghai Film Festival platform to find more partners, "which can be helpful in the filming or post release stage, or receive financial support. This project will be relatively easy, lively, and more market-oriented, and is expected to start in August."

Although this is the first time "First Choice" has participated in the Shanghai Film Festival venture capital, Li Dandan's company participates as a market buyer in the festival every year. "From the arrangements, processes, judges, forums, and other aspects of the organizing committee, the Shanghai International Film Festival is very professional and carries weight. For those who work in the film industry, the Shanghai Film Festival is a great opportunity for new works to meet with audiences."

Come to venture capital, what do they get

On the venture capital project platform, the reporter found that many directors who made very good films were not good at speaking. "Just watch the film directly, everyone." During his public statement, Zhai Yixiang was as cautious as gold, and the producer who accompanied him even lowered his head without saying a word. The two people seemed to be competing to see who was more "socially fearful". Zhai Yixiang's works have won awards at many film festivals. When he came to Shanghai Film Festival for the first time to participate in venture capital, he found that many international filmmakers had come. He regretted not adding English subtitles to the preview segments. "For me, every time is a challenge and I need to keep chatting with people," he said

Perhaps it was the morning of negotiations and the constant sitting posture that made people a bit tired. When the reporter saw Peng Fei, he was holding his back against the wall with a "horse stance", as if practicing some kind of willpower. In the previous day's project presentation session, Pengfei did not appear on stage, but was instead narrated by the producer on behalf of the film's genes for cultural exchange between China and foreign countries and the possibility of entering the international market. However, Pengfei, who was sitting in the audience listening, still gained a lot. A recommender pointed out on site that the three time and space cross editing format used in "Waking Up and Feeling Loving You" is too simplistic, and suggested adjusting the structure. "The comments and questions from the recommender also represent the gap in our current creation, which requires careful consideration."

"In the process of promoting a project, it is necessary to have a judgment of the surrounding environment of the movie. Film festivals, competitions, and venture capital are all external platforms." Shanghai director Chen Xiaoming metaphorically compares it to a stage play, which requires elements of theater, actors, and audience. Film art also needs a "theater". "In addition to the theater, there is also the theater of society. If the cinema is facing fans or consumers, venture capital is a social theater. It talks not only about content, but also about your efficiency. There will be good production companies, terminal platforms, domestic film exhibition selectors, and promoters to negotiate, which is a way for movies to enter society." A platform will bring more possibilities to meet with the audience

Chen Xiaoming is from Shanghai and this is his third time participating in a venture capital event at the "Home Gate" film festival. After resigning from the media industry, he began making films in 2017 and wrote and directed his first feature film, "72 Hours in School District". The work was shortlisted for the 2018 Shanghai Film Festival venture capital and was later screened at the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival. He made his debut with his new work "Fate Trading", which was shortlisted for the 2020 Shanghai Film Festival venture capital during the script stage. This year, it is already a "project in production".

Perhaps related to his media background, Chen Xiaoming still cares about people's livelihoods after turning to film creation. "72 Hours of School District Housing" tells the story of education and housing, while "Fate Trading" focuses on education and healthcare. In the film, a piano lecturer embarks on an adventurous "fate trading" in order to ensure the success of his daughter's liver transplant surgery and a hospital caregiver to help his mute brother get into a music academy. "For a movie, it is important to meet the audience in the cinema, and it is equally important to meet with a wider audience outside the cinema. This is also the significance and value of a film festival." Chen Xiaoming said, "colleagues from different perspectives are actually the audience of the movie."

The project presentation stage is a bit like a thesis defense meeting, but the difference is that the recommender does not make a yes or no judgment on your project, but rather helps the creator break out of the trap of being in the game and provide relevant suggestions. Clear positioning is the most common issue they talk about. For example, do not expect a budget for commercial films in literary films; For small market film exhibitions, it is important to consider how to maintain language creativity and low cost. For those targeting the large market, it is important to consider market demand from an entertainment perspective and genre elements. "Having a clear positioning of the project is the fastest way to be seen by the market. Being able to think clearly about this is an important professional progress for directors," said Ulsan, a well-known director, screenwriter, and producer who serves as the annual recommendation chairman.

After playing a preview segment for a project with a long title, Ulsan was puzzled and said, "I have watched the movie title many times but still haven't remembered it. It lacks memory points and typological markers." The producer immediately explained the title from the perspective of content expression, seemingly fluent, but Ulsan suggested not to think unilaterally from a creative perspective. "The creator thinks everything makes sense, but not everyone in the audience can understand. This film may enter theaters in the future, so it's better to think from the audience's perspective about what title to use."

After finishing the interview with Chen Xiaoming, the reporter did not wait for small talk and made an appointment for the next round of negotiations with the film and television company personnel before arriving.

"This is also my first time working as a venture capital recommender, and I found it really difficult to become a new director." Ulsan empathizes with the challenges faced by these new directors. Here, he needs to talk about his project with so many people and be particularly serious, hoping to persuade investors. "Although it's difficult, as a director, one should have the ability to do so."

What does venture capital bring to the entire industry

On June 16th, the movie "Street Children" was officially released nationwide as a venture capital project in 2017. At the Shanghai International Film Festival that year, Guan Hu served as the chairman of the evaluation committee for the venture capital unit, and later became the producer of the film. In 2021, "Street Boys" was nominated for the "One Focus" section of the Cannes International Film Festival. On the afternoon of the 15th, director Na Jiazuo appeared at the event of this year's film project venture capital honor release. He was particularly happy and said, "After going through so many film festivals, I'm back home now. This movie has been 4 years since filming was completed, and I returned to the Shanghai Film Festival the day before its release, which is particularly commemorative."

A few days ago, director Wu Lang's "Snow Cloud" successfully won the honor of "Media Concern Film" in the "the Belt and Road" Film Week of this Shanghai Film Festival. This film also emerged from the venture capital of the Shanghai Film Festival and was shortlisted for the 2019 Shanghai Film Festival Venture Capital Youth Director Program, receiving a special recommendation from the judges. Returning to the Shanghai Film Festival with a film, Wu Lang felt like he was once again returning to his alma mater. "The mechanism of venture capital during the Shanghai Film Festival is a multidimensional assistance for newcomers who are currently filming their first and second films. This assistance is not necessarily just a few minutes on the podium or feedback from recommenders, but it is important for you to be seen by professional investors and filmmakers, which is crucial for film creation." He lamented that in recent years, venture capital has added a training camp, which is a "front-end" to help directors, screenwriters, teams and the film industry truly connect. "The growth of young directors and the completion of a work require everyone's help. Venture capital allows the work to ultimately reach the audience or the screen." He explained that "Snow Cloud" is ultimately scheduled. "The schedule has not been determined yet, but it is expected to meet with the audience this year.

"The diversity of venture capital projects this year is very good, and many works are based on the author's own life experience, and those based on personal life experience have power." Chen Zhixi, the annual recommender and producer, still remembers that when he participated in venture capital project recommendations five or six years ago, he found that 8 out of 10 projects were writing about crime types, with characters often being neurotic, abnormal, or murderers. "When reading those texts, I would be particularly angry. Writing about people who are difficult to encounter in life, I would imagine and fabricate these stories, just because such types are easier to get started with, or because such characters have a high dramatic tension."

Due to cost constraints, in the past, most of the participants in venture capital were suspense, youth, love, and other types. Nowadays, there are also many new types emerging, one of which is the "warm realism" that Ulsan was popularized on site during media interviews. "Warm realism is gradually being summarized and classified, and audiences hope to see movies in cinemas that have a realistic color, while also providing warmth, healing, and courage to live. This is also the type of market preference nowadays." Chen Zhixi said.

"Actually, new directors may not necessarily be young, but there are also people around my age." Ulsan believes that the biggest characteristic of filmmakers who participate in venture capital is that they are "new". As a recommender, he is also particularly happy to see new themes and expressions in these projects. "The challenge facing the film industry today is audience loss. In fact, Chinese audiences are tolerant and watch all types of movies. However, from a global perspective, there are too few types of movies in China, and audiences hope to see different and more diverse types. China needs all types, and most importantly, provides audiences with extremely sufficient reasons to enter the cinema. As long as the audience comes back, all movies have a chance."

In Wu Lang's eyes, the relationship between filmmakers and film festivals is very interesting. Sometimes you come back as a director, sometimes as a judge, and sometimes even as an actor. Everyone constantly changes their positions in the medium of creation, but the ultimate goal is to make a good movie. "The Shanghai Film Festival is like a ruler, measuring the nodes of my growth as a filmmaker. I am like a small tree, slowly growing taller, taking two steps at a time, and slowly moving further. But no matter how far we go or where we go, our roots are in the Shanghai Film Festival, and the seeds are sprouting here."

Attachment: Honorary Release List for 2023 Film Project Venture Capital

Hualin Image Special Focus Project: "Time Hotel"

Mofei Shadow Painting New Voice Follow Project: "She Sits There Like an Ordinary Person"

Special attention project of Tiangong Yicai: "Wake up and feel like I love you so much"

Bad Monkey's 72 Transformation Movie Project Special Focus Project: "Summer in the Cold Winter"

Baina Qiancheng Special Attention Project: "Ashes"

Aimei Film and Television Special Focus Project: "Front Teeth"

Wanda Elite+Program Special Focus Project: "Summer in the Cold Winter"

Alibaba Pictures pays special attention to projects such as "Deskman", "Unknown Stories", and "Summer in the Cold Winter"

Recommended project in production: "Goodbye, Goodbye"

Recommendation: The theme is novel, the film language is distinctive, and the completion rate of filming is high.

Recommended project by young directors: "Idle Clouds and Wild Cranes"

Recommendation: The director's style is clear, the story has strong regional cultural characteristics and ethnic customs, and it is highly executable at the production level.

Creative recommendation project: "Remote Biography"

Recommendation: A mature drama film director creatively integrates the two genres of martial arts and children into the immigrant cultural background of Southeast Asia, which is full of expectations.

Special recommendation from the judges: "Two Time Zones"

Recommendation: The script is solid, and the director's rich experience makes it sharp and accurate in portraying the marital difficulties of middle-aged men. The cost control is reasonable, and the foreseeable completion rate is high.