Unlike Xu Qingdong's excitement, Cao Zhiqiang was not at all excited after hearing the proposal to make the country's first independent film.
"Don't be stupid." Cao Zhiqiang shook his head calmly. "Director Xu, why are you more naive than me?
Instead of finding a studio, make your own independent film? What are you thinking about? This is not a foreign country!
Don’t you know that in our country, only film studios can make movies, and private individuals are not allowed to make movies? "
Indeed, it is no wonder that Cao Zhiqiang is so cynical. In fact, in China at this time, individuals simply cannot make movies.
Because during this period, the country basically had a planned economy, and the same was true for movies.
If you want to make a movie, it can only be made by a film studio. If a film studio wants to make a movie, the superiors will make a plan and then set up the project. After the project is set up, they will ask for funds. Once the funds are obtained, they will calculate it. After the calculation is completed, the funds will be allocated. , and then prepare the film crew to officially start shooting.
The whole process is so cumbersome that many movies may have been approved long ago, but by the time they are officially shot, one, two or even three to five years may have passed.
Even if the film is shot, it must be reviewed by the film bureau. After review, it will be handed over to China Film to purchase your film. China Film will then make copies of the film and distribute them to various local projection units according to administrative regions, that is, various cinemas.
This review and issuance process is also very cumbersome. If there is a problem anywhere, it may last for several years.
In other words, even if Cao Zhiqiang raises his own funds to write, write, and direct his own scripts, and even provides his own photography equipment, if he wants to make a movie, he must at least find a film studio to be affiliated with.
Moreover, after you have made a movie, if you want it to be released and distributed, you have to ask the affiliated film studio to come forward and submit it for review. After review, it will be acquired by China Film, and China Film will arrange for your film to be released according to its own plan.
But when it will be released, it is still not you who has the final say, but the leaders of China Film and Television.
Of course, if you have great connections and background and can directly find the leaders of the Film Bureau or even China Film, then everything will be easy to talk about.
The Film Bureau is now under the Ministry of Culture. If we can find a more powerful leader of the Ministry of Culture, we can also talk easily.
For example, it's okay to sneak in and play at a good time in advance.
It can be said that if you want to make a movie and distribute it in China, what matters is not whether you have money, but whether you have connections.
If you have connections, even if you don’t have money, your employer will take care of it.
For example, this Xu Qingdong, how did he know Cao Zhiqiang?
Xu Qingdong wanted to make the first musical film in China and was short of money, so he asked Director Liu, his old boss at the Art Bureau of the Ministry of Culture, for help.
Director Liu wanted to make progress, and for the sake of Xu Qingdong's parents, he wanted to help Xu Qingdong and gain a good impression, so he invited Cao Zhiqiang, a newbie in the Beijing circle, to invest?
Of course, Director Liu is not a free man. When he seeks investment from Cao Zhiqiang, he also has to do things for others.
Arranging jobs for Cao Zhiqiang's so-called friends is Director Liu's reward.
Therefore, it can be seen from Xu Qingdong that if you want to make a movie during this period, the key is to have connections.
This relationship can be established by you from scratch, such as those famous directors; or it can be based on the relationship between your parents, such as Xu Qingdong.
Anyway, no matter what, in China at this time, if you want to make movies freely, you must first have connections, otherwise, you will have to slowly gain qualifications.
Independent films are actually personal films, which is exactly the situation that is simply impossible to happen in China at this time.
"Who said private individuals can't make movies?" Xu Qingdong suddenly laughed, "Which law or regulation says that private individuals are not allowed to make movies?"
"Huh?" Cao Zhiqiang was stunned.
"Obviously, right?
Doesn’t the Film Bureau have film management regulations that stipulate that only film studios can make films? And before making a film, don’t they have to obtain a film production license before they can make a film? "
Xu Qingdong frowned, then laughed: "I don't know where you heard all this nonsense.
Film regulations? I have never heard of such a thing in a film bureau, but each film studio has its own factory regulations.
As for the film production license, this is even more unresolved.
In our country, each studio decides on its own what movies to make, and then submits them for review. If the film fails to be submitted for review, it will not be allowed to be released. No license is required at all.
Therefore, we can completely make movies in our own name. After the movie is shot, we can submit it for review.
I have a pretty good relationship with Director Liu of the Ministry of Culture, so I’ll find someone else when the time comes. There won’t be much of a problem with this film’s censorship.
As long as it passes the review, it will be purchased and distributed by China Film Group Corporation. So, is it a film studio's work? What's the problem? "
Speaking of this, Xu Qingdong rubbed his hands: "Furthermore, reform is being talked about everywhere now, and many of the original regulations can be relaxed.
As long as our movie is good, it will definitely be no problem for us to find a relationship together! "
Upon hearing this, Cao Zhiqiang shook his head: "Forget it, it's too risky to make an independent film by yourself, so I'd better not do it."
"Oh, what a pity." Xu Qingdong sighed, "This could very well be history. It would be a pity not to do it."
Cao Zhiqiang smiled slightly: "I'm not you. My family has a big business and I can't afford to take this risk."
Speaking of this, Cao Zhiqiang suddenly rolled his eyes: "Wait a minute, tell me, if we set up a film studio ourselves and make films under the name of our own film studio, would it be possible?"
"Establish your own film studio?" Xu Qingdong was stunned, "This, this..."
It was obvious that he couldn't keep up with Cao Zhiqiang's thinking.
"That's right." Cao Zhiqiang nodded, "Let's set up a new film studio first, and then use the name of this film studio to make my movie. Wouldn't that be enough?"
Xu Qingdong shook his head: "It's possible, but it's not that easy to set up a film studio."
"It all depends on people." Cao Zhiqiang smiled, "My publishing house is also a state-owned enterprise. I am applying to open a film studio in the name of the publishing house. Do you think it is okay?"
"I'm afraid not." Xu Qingdong shook his head, "There are many indicators for setting up a film studio. At the level of a publishing house like you, it may be difficult to open a film studio. After all, you are a business, and film studios are all public institutions."
"That's not necessarily true." Cao Zhiqiang said, "Not all are public institutions. If you look at factories, aren't they?"
"Factories are a special situation." Xu Qingdong said, "And even state-owned enterprises can set up film studios, but your other indicators cannot.
A film studio is not that easy to set up. It requires more than just equipment. The most important thing is that you have to have enough film practitioners. "
"That's it." Cao Zhiqiang touched his chin, "Yes!"
After finishing speaking, Cao Zhiqiang raised his head: "My publishing house is too small and it is really not good, but I am still a member of Hongguang Machinery Factory.
Our Hongguang Machinery Factory is a unit directly under the Ministry of Metallurgy. In terms of level and qualifications, we are definitely qualified.
Moreover, the tertiary industry of our Hongguang Machinery Factory is very large, with its own cinema and film team, as well as its own art troupe.
Although our factory’s cinema and film team only have a few employees, just over a hundred, our art troupe has enough employees.
The Hongguang Art Troupe of our Hongguang Machinery Factory includes more than 300 people including vocal group, performance group, logistics group, etc.
Strictly speaking, these people have something to do with filmmaking.
It should be no problem to integrate these people and form a film studio affiliated with Hongguang Machinery Factory, right?
Yes, definitely no problem!
Hahaha, I am such a genius!
Just a random idea can accomplish multiple things with one stone, hahaha! "
"This..." Xu Qingdong frowned, "President Cao, although your idea is good, when will it take until you establish the film studio? Why don't we shoot the film first and then think about it slowly? "
Cao Zhiqiang looked at Xu Qingdong: "You mean, kill first and then show off?"
"That's right!" Xu Qingdong touched the Panavision camera again, "With this, no matter how rich and scripted you are, you don't have to worry about making movies.
As for other problems, I can ask my old friends for help and they should be able to solve them.
While it's summer, let's shoot this movie first. After the shooting is completed, it won't be too late to slowly think about the ownership of the movie. "
Cao Zhiqiang frowned and began to think about the possibility of this matter.
Indeed, if there is no so-called film shooting license at this time, then we can really start filming first.
And it seems that there is no precedent for this kind of personal filmmaking in China's history.
Because he suddenly remembered that there was a movie in his previous life, which was shot in the 1980s, and it was a movie shot by himself, not through a movie studio.
The name of that movie is "Father and Son". It is a comedy movie starring Chen Qiang and his son.
The reason why I have an impression is that this movie is not only the only personal film made in the 1980s, but also the only personal film in domestic history that can be officially released in theaters without a factory label.
When Chen Qiang made this movie, he initially approached Xiying. Unfortunately, Xiying was not interested in his comedy and refused to invest in the film.
Chen Qiang later went to many film companies, but was declined by all of them.
In the end, Chen Qiang was also the boss. The film company didn't want to film it, so he relied on his old face to find a private company to invest. Then, without any film studio, he prepared a film crew and filmed it by himself.
It is said that while Chen Qiang was filming this movie, the film bureau warned him that he was not allowed to make movies privately and that it was best for him to be affiliated with a film studio.
In fact, they had good intentions. After all, with Chen Qiang's popularity at the time, it was easy to find a movie affiliation.
But Mr. Chen just refused to do it. He insisted on filming it himself, but he was not affiliated with it. He even went to the film office in person to slap the table and glare at others, arguing with others.
In the end, there may be no clear laws and regulations prohibiting private filmmaking, and Mr. Chen is famous and well-connected, so in the end the matter dropped.
The film was finished, but China Film Group did not dare to accept it because the film was shot by an individual without the participation of a studio.
As a result, the old man once again went to China Film Company to slap the table and make a fuss, and asked China Film Company to agree to the acquisition, but the price was very low. It was basically a cost price acquisition, and it did not follow conventional acquisition practices at all.
In this way, "Father and Son" was released by China Film Company, becoming the only commercial film that year and the only commercial film in China that could be released and released in theaters without a studio label.
It is said that this movie was a milestone event. Since then, the independent producer system of movies has begun to arouse discussion and become a historical benchmark.
Later, when the film system was reformed, it was said that this film would always be used as an argument.
In this era, Mr. Chen also exists and is still famous, but he hasn't thought of doing that yet.
After all, strictly speaking, Mr. Chen's ability to do this is also characteristic of the times.
Because when he filmed "Fathers and Sons", it was already 1986, and the country's reforms had already deepened at that time.
Among other things, at least during that period, individuals were allowed to open private companies, and private individuals were also allowed to open film production companies.
However, there were not many individuals who actually established private film companies back then, and most of them were short-lived and gradually disappeared after the 1990s.
However, it is now 1983, and it is not even allowed to open a private company, let alone a private film company.
Moreover, today's film studios are basically public institutions affiliated with various cultural bureaus, and they are not transformed into state-owned enterprises as they were later.
The large-scale separation of government and enterprises only happened after October 1984.
However, Cao Zhiqiang has an advantage, that is, he is an employee of a state-owned enterprise and a leader who can make decisions.
Not to mention the three state-owned companies directly controlled by Cao Zhiqiang: Hongguang Publishing House, Huaxia Audio and Video Company, and Hongguang Department Store.
Let's take the Hongguang Machinery Factory, the headquarters of these three companies. Although Cao Zhiqiang's superficial position there is not high, he is just the deputy director of the Third Industry Office, but he is a person who can really make decisions.
At the same time, he is now still the main person in charge of the tertiary industry department of the Machinery Factory.
Hongguang Machinery Factory has many tertiary industry employees, more than 5,000.
Among them, in addition to the Security Section and Transportation Section, which have the largest number of people, the third largest one is the Hongguang Art Troupe.
Due to its special nature, Hongguang Cultural Troupe itself is a department-level unit, at the same level as the Publicity Department, and is not a subordinate unit of the Publicity Department.
In its heyday, the Hongguang Art Troupe was said to have more than a thousand members. Even now, there are still more than 300 people. In terms of numbers, it is not inferior to some art troupes of large factories and large units.
Nowadays, various units are laying off redundant employees, among which cultural troupes and the like are the first to be laid off.
If nothing unexpected happens, once the Hongguang Machinery Factory is annexed and rectified, this kind of art troupe will definitely be the first department to be abolished, just like the army art troupe where Hao Shuwen once worked.
Although Cao Zhiqiang has launched a convenience kiosk project before, and this project is in full swing.
However, this project is targeted at those logistics support personnel in the tertiary industry, such as warehouse managers, and the actual number of people it can absorb is very limited.
In other words, before the convenience kiosk project is officially fully promoted, judging from the current experimental promotion, the number of people absorbed is quite limited.
And even if it can be fully promoted, those in the art troupe may not be willing to work as salespeople at convenience kiosks.
But if there is no annexation, there will be no excuse for immediate abolition. If there is no abolition, these people will have to find a job.
Now it seems that applying to establish a film studio on the pretext of finding a way out for these people should not be a big problem.
Although the large-scale government-to-enterprise transfer of film studios took place only after 1984, it was not impossible to do it in 1983.
After all, as Xu Qingdong said, today is an era of change, and everything is possible.
Thinking of this, Cao Zhiqiang suddenly laughed.
He thought of his original intention of building Hongguang Publishing House.
At first, he just didn’t want the publishing house to take the lion’s share of the work he created, which was destined to be a best-seller, but he had no say at all.
That’s why he wanted to set up a publishing house where he at least had the final say, so that he could give himself a high royalty share.
This is exactly what happened.
After he finally founded Hongguang Publishing House in the name of a machinery factory, the first thing he did was to publish his own book "Jiang Hu Xing", and by publishing this book, he directly entered the millionaire club level.
When he later came up with the idea of recording, he first set up a Huaxia Audio and Video Company, and then used the company's name to produce records for himself, also giving him a high commission for his work.
Just imagine, if he was not a talker in these two companies, no matter how talented he was and how best-selling his works were, he would never be able to get a high sales share and could only be bought out at a low price.
In the same way, now that he wants to make his own movies, he has to find a way to open a movie studio first.
It’s true, in order to eat that jealousy, you have to make dumplings first.
Thinking of this, Cao Zhiqiang suddenly sighed.
"It turns out that this is the tail end of those passionate years, this is the prosperous 1980s!"
