Back to 80: My Literary Life

"I am Wu Tianmin, who are you?"

Wu Tianmin asked quickly.

He didn't use broken English, but Mandarin with a Guanzhong accent.

"My name is Li Li. I now teach comparative literature at San Francisco State University. My hometown is in Xijing. Fang Minghua, the vice chairman of the Qin Provincial Writers Association, is my cousin-in-law."

"Minghua is your cousin-in-law?" Wu Tianmin's tone immediately became enthusiastic.

"Teacher Li, please sit down. Look at the chaos in this room." Wu Tianmin took out a chair from the back room.

"You're welcome." Li Li sat on the chair and looked around curiously.

The rooms in the two-bedroom house were very small, and the living room was full of various video tapes, which looked a bit shabby.

Wu Tianmin poured another glass of water for Li Li, and then asked: "Teacher Li, what do you want from me?"

"My brother-in-law wants to ask you to film a TV series." Li Li got straight to the point.

"Ask me to film a TV series?!" Wu Tianmin was surprised when he heard this: "To tell you the truth, I can't even return to the country now."

"It's not about returning to China, it's about filming in the United States."

Li Li explained the entire process to Wu Tianmin in detail.

"Director Wu, my brother-in-law said on the phone that he hopes to work with you again. When we made "Into the Dust", you all enjoyed working together."

"Into the Dust and Smoke".

That was ten years ago, right?

After Fang Minghua wrote this novel, he felt that it was very good, so he approached Fang Minghua and wanted to buy the film adaptation rights.

Later, he was asked to write the script. Due to the tight filming budget, Fang Minghua generously did not ask for the 2,000 yuan script fee.

During the filming, we went to Minqin, Gansu Province together and stayed there for a winter, and the two formed a deep friendship.

Ten years have passed and he is now living in the United States. Fang Minghua still remembers him and invited him to film a TV series!

"Teacher Li, I agree." Wu Tianmin immediately expressed his stance.

"Okay, Director Wu, my brother-in-law is currently writing the script of "Yanjing Man in New York". After he finishes writing the script and sends it over, how about I come to visit you and discuss how to film it in detail?"

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

"Okay, I won't disturb you anymore." Li Li was about to leave, but suddenly thought of something, took out a check from the small bag she was carrying and put it on the coffee table in front of her.

"Director Wu, this $50,000 is the director's salary that Shengshi Film and Television will advance to you in advance. The specific salary will be discussed after the script is released."

Fifty thousand dollars!

This is simply a timely help.

Why did Shengshi Company pay in advance before the horoscope was even written?

Obviously, it's not because of Fang Minghua?

"Teacher Li, thank Minghua for me." Wu Tianmin looked grateful.

"You're welcome, my brother-in-law said that after you return to China, he would like to watch your new movie." Li Liyou said.

Return home?

I think one day will finally come, right?

After Li Li left, Wu Tianmin couldn't calm down for a long time.

Not only the 50,000 US dollars, but more importantly, I have another film to make!

Although it is a TV series, it is still good.

By the way, I haven’t filmed a TV series yet, so I’ll quickly look for some American TV series videos and watch them.

Not long after, there were footsteps outside the door, followed by the sound of the door being pushed.

"Dad, I'm back."

It’s her daughter Wu Yanyan.

"Dad, what are you having for dinner?" the daughter asked, putting down the book.

"We haven't cooked yet. Let's go. Let's go out for a big dinner. Don't you want to eat Western food from Lockerbie Restaurant? Dad will treat you today!" Wu Tianmin looked generous.

Wu Yanyan was surprised when she heard this: "Dad, what's wrong with you? Western food is very expensive there."

"Don't be afraid, dad is rich now! Look at this!" After saying that, Wu Tianmin took out the check from his body and handed it to his daughter. "

"Wow, fifty thousand US dollars! Who gave it to me?!" Wu Yanyan almost jumped up in excitement.

"Fang Minghua from China." Wu Tianmin briefly explained what happened today.

"Dad, that's great! Your friends in China have not forgotten you!"

"Yes. I haven't forgotten it." Wu Tianmin murmured.

Besides, after Li Li got Wu Tianmin's consent, she called Fang Minghua when she returned to San Francisco.

Song Tangtang also reached an agreement with the leaders of Xiying Film Studio to continue filming this TV series in a cooperative manner. The director is Wu Tianmin who is far away in the United States.

Of course, there is also a management fee of 200,000 yuan for Xiying Studio.

Now Fang Minghua's task is to come up with the script of "Yenjing Man in New York" as soon as possible.

Okay keep working.

Speaking from the heart, the novel "Yanjing Man in New York" is not very good, but the TV series is still good in history. The director and the two leading actors Jiang Wen and Wang Ji are credited for this, and the screenwriter is also indispensable.

The screenwriter made significant changes to the novel,

In the novel, it mainly focuses on Wang Qiming's struggle alone, which is too thin, and the Americans are definitely not polite to you Orientals!

Discrimination is everywhere!

Therefore, Fang Minghua changed the main plot of the play into the battle between Wang Qiming and David, a playboy, in love and shopping malls based on history. Through the fictional character of David, the impact between Wang Qiming, a representative of traditional culture, and American culture is profoundly explained.

OK, that's it.

But it turns out that the ending of the TV series is not as good as the novel.

In the novel, Ningning was kidnapped by the kidnappers. Wang Qiming rode alone to save his daughter, but Ningning was still shot. On her deathbed, she said to Wang Qiming: "Dad, I want to go home, I want to go back to Yanjing."

The sentence "I want to go home" is undoubtedly a wake-up call, which shows that people like them who are Chinese but not all Chinese, Americans but not all Americans are exhausted by the impact of two cultures, and finally choose to return to their hometown after struggling.

But in the TV series, Ningning's fate is not so tragic, but she is missing. According to the hint of the ending words, Ningning did not return to China, but continued to wander.

No, let's follow the original work.

Finally, in mid-March, Fang Minghua completed the script.

As soon as possible, Fang Minghua mailed the script to Li Li in San Francisco on a three-inch plate, and Li Li then found a way to send it to Wu Tianmin in Los Angeles.

At the same time, the crew was also preparing for the film. Zhang Yimou was in charge of this matter. For the sake of his mentor's TV series, he temporarily put aside his preparations for the movie "Raise the Red Lantern" and focused on this matter.

The assistant director was Yang Fengliang, who had worked with him before. The two had worked together on "Ju Dou". When Yang Fengliang heard that he was going to be an assistant to the old director, he agreed without hesitation.

"When I was filming "Old Well", I was an assistant to Director Wu. We had a great time working together!"

Photographer Chen Wancai, editor Chen Dali, art designer Yang Gang.

These are the backbone of the Xiying Studio, and they have worked with Wu Tianmin before.

Of course, Zhang Yimou did not make any requests for the selection of the main actors. Wu Tianmin was the director, and everything was decided by him and Yang Fengliang.

Fang Minghua didn't care about these.

At the end of March, another major event happened in the literary world. The third Mao Dun Literature Award Ceremony was held at the Great Hall of the People in Yanjing on March 29.