To target millions of people, Huang Jianxin: Avoid self indulgence in movies
"When the focus of a movie is on the millions of people, the picture of the times and history will become richer and more vivid." Huang Jianxin, Chairman of the Beijing Film Association and famous director, said at the Beijing Cultural Forum "Cultural People: Literary Values and Social Life" held today.
He presented a set of data: from January to August 2023, the box office of Chinese films reached 42.8 billion yuan, with 9 films exceeding 1 billion yuan, of which 6 exceeded 2 billion yuan. "Chinese movies have formed a good ecosystem with diverse themes and genres."
Huang Jianxin proposed that portraying characters, conveying imagery, expressing emotions, and conveying spirit are the basic conditions for telling a good story. Movies should not be self indulgent. If you want the work to be down-to-earth and deeply ingrained in people's hearts, you must persist in seeking the people-oriented character in the work. Creators need to delve into life, familiarize themselves with and showcase the natural state of life at each stage, skillfully convey rich emotions, and create vivid characters.
Huang Jianxin uses "mainstream", "warmth" and "craftsmanship" to summarize how to produce high-quality films.
He said that mainstream works can activate the audience's collective consciousness through mature artistic means, inspiring each audience's deep emotional attachment. As an important mass art medium for promoting culture and conveying value, movies should be committed to creating films that people like. To make a movie with reverence, blend macro rationality with subtle and touching emotions, and release the hidden emotions in the audience's hearts during the process of appreciating the movie, achieving harmony.
When filming the movie "Lake Changjin", he chose a historical narrative method that revolves around a group of warriors throughout the entire process, using the fate of a company's life and death to bring the audience closer to history. By focusing on several young and lively soldiers, we establish a close emotional relationship between the audience and them, so that their attention always follows their every move. The film meticulously depicts the selfless and fearless process of several soldiers, defending their country and heroically sacrificing themselves, thus bringing out a grand historical process and significance, and generating great empathy with the audience.
"The more people demand warmth, the stronger their desire for true love." Huang Jianxin proposed that movies are an art form closely related to the soul. "Those who move the heart should not start with emotions.". In the process of creating the movie "1921", he constantly explored the charismatic personalities, ideals, and beliefs of "pioneers", "patriots", and "creators". On the other hand, he worked hard to present their spirit in a more vivid way through detailed life scenes, subtle play details, and the familiar "smoke and fire atmosphere", crossing the times and resonating with young people today.
Huang Jianxin stated that the film shots still need to be aimed at the people, especially ordinary people, to express their emotions, stories, and charm of life. In the overall design of the movie "Me and My Motherland", each protagonist in the seven stories is imperfect and has minor flaws. However, these ordinary people who work in ordinary positions bravely move forward at critical moments of danger, disregarding themselves, and shining with the brilliance of life.
When talking about "craftsmanship", Huang Jianxin stated that the development of Chinese cinema requires skilled craftsmen, and called on Chinese filmmakers to dare to challenge themselves and shoot more world-class Chinese films.
He also believes that the touching aspect of a movie is not only in the plot, but also hidden in the details. When designing the plot for the movie "Lake Changjin", the creative team consulted a large amount of historical materials and paid great attention to details such as the texture of a photo, the wear and tear of a rifle, and the degree of wear and tear of a military uniform. "These are all channels for the audience to enter history and important elements that affect their cognition," said Huang Jianxin.
