Chapter 848 Hallelujah, praise Lin Weimin!
More than half a month after the publication of "Don't Knock on the Door Tomorrow", the sales of "Contemporary" skyrocketed.
The novel has aroused a very strong response in the domestic literary circles and among readers, and has received rave reviews.
Readers may curse as much as they like, but if they didn't love the novel, why would they take the initiative to submit articles to newspapers criticizing Lin Weimin?
In late March, He Qizhi held a work seminar for "Don't Knock on the Door Tomorrow" in the name of "Contemporary".
A seminar was held less than a month after the novel was published, which shows He Qizhi's inner urgency.
After waiting for more than a year, we finally published such an influential work. Contemporary magazine must show its presence in the contemporary literary world.
Lin Weimin was very happy to organize work seminars when he was the editor-in-chief.
Every work seminar represents that the publications and publishing houses have produced a good work that they can be proud of.
But his willingness to hold seminars on other people's works does not mean that he is willing to do so himself. He can't remember when was the last time he attended a seminar on his own work.
The standard of this works seminar was not low, and Lao He almost put in all his strength.
Lin Weimin didn't want to participate at first, but he couldn't resist He Qizhi's constant nagging, so he had to go through the motions.
After the seminar, Lin Weimin returned to his work pace and no longer paid attention to the outside world's discussion of "Don't Knock on the Door Tomorrow".
At the beginning of March, "Hero", jointly produced by Wenhua Film and Television, Yan Film Studio, China Film Corporation, American Film Group, Columbia Pictures, and Hong Kong Thompson Films, had completed its intensive filming.
There are still four months until July 1st, and there is not much time left for the post-production of "Hero".
The completion of filming is only a stage victory for a blockbuster like "Hero", and the post-production of the film is also crucial.
As early as the early stages of filming, two American special effects companies, Tweak Films and The Orphanage, had already been involved in the film's CG special effects production.
"Hero" is a costume historical blockbuster. Although most of the shots are real, in order to pursue beautiful visual effects, CG special effects are still indispensable.
Because it is a blockbuster, the post-production level of "Hero" must be constantly improved. After the filming was completed, Zhang Yimou led the post-production team to the United States without stopping. At present, only the level of film industry there can 100% meet the producer's requirements for this first Chinese commercial blockbuster.
In fact, the level of film and television production in Hong Kong is not bad, but for the sake of safety, Zhang Yimou still chose to go to the United States.
This decision also caused the production cost of "Hero" to overspend by 20 million yuan, making it the first film in the history of domestic films to have a production cost of over 100 million yuan.
During the filming in the past, a huge burden was placed on Zhang Yimou's shoulders, and he wanted to give up countless times.
But thinking of the huge investment in the movie and Teacher Lin's high expectations of him, he finally managed to hold on.
Entering the post-production stage, the pressure on Zhang Yimou was even greater than before, and he was frequently on the verge of collapse.
It was very difficult to shoot, but at least I was free to think and do things without any scruples. But when it came to post-production, I just embroidered on the basis of the shooting.
Zhang Yimou, who was directing a commercial blockbuster for the first time, had no experience in this area and had to figure everything out on his own, just like a middle school student facing high school exam questions. Every step he took to solve the problem was a challenge to his existing technical reserves.
Being in a foreign country and being the person in charge of the project, Zhang Yimou couldn't find anyone to talk to.
In the end, he couldn't bear it anymore, so he called Lin Weimin and treated him as someone to confide in.
The difficulties faced by Zhang Yimou are the same difficulties that the first person to try something new must face. Not only do they have to take greater risks than others, they also have to endure pressure and pain that ordinary people cannot bear.
Only after going through such a painful experience, like the shedding of a cicada's shell, is Zhang Yimou qualified to stand at the top of the world film scene and look down on his peers.
Giving chicken soup to Zhang Yimou has always been Lin Weimin's forte. Given Zhang Yimou's current situation, it would not hurt to drink some chicken soup appropriately.
Of course, Lin Weimin is not like other leaders who can’t help at all except giving chicken soup and making big promises.
Within a few days after Zhang Yimou called him, the great director Steven Spielberg came to the studio responsible for the post-production of "Hero".
When it comes to making movies, Steven Spielberg may not be much better than Zhang Yimou, but when it comes to special effects, if Zhang Yimou is compared to an elementary school student, then Steven Spielberg should be considered a doctoral student.
After all, this guy made a science fiction film "Firelight" when he was 16, and the movie "Jaws" when he was 28. Although the horror element accounts for a large proportion of this film, its success is also inseparable from the blessing of realistic special effects.
Compared with Zhang Yimou, who has always been on the art film route, Spielberg's attainments in film special effects are much stronger. His arrival has brought great help to Zhang Yimou.
After Spielberg spent two days helping Zhang Yimou sort out some of his post-production problems, he retired with his work accomplished.
Before Zhang Yimou could recover from the shock, another famous director came into the studio.
Like Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola was also commissioned by Lin Weimin to help Zhang Yimou solve the problem.
Spielberg's strength is in special effects, while Francis Ford Coppola's strength is in plot and editing.
Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola may not be much better than Zhang Yimou in terms of aesthetic vision, but the two have been in Hollywood for decades, and their advantages in directing techniques for big-budget and commercial films are far beyond the reach of Zhang Yimou.
With the help of these two people, the post-production of "Hero" finally got rid of the initial bumps and became smooth.
Director Zhang Yimou also gradually got rid of the anxiety he had when he first came to the United States and began to become calm.
The arrival of Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola was naturally due to Lin Weimin's request. In the past, although Lin Weimin knew the two, he might not have had enough face to ask them to waste a few days to volunteer to help Zhang Yimou.
But after "Farewell My Concubine" and "Life is Beautiful" achieved unprecedented success worldwide, Lin Weimin's reputation in Hollywood has indeed become increasingly important, so much so that directors of the level of Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola can come to help guide him.
Just after Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola extended a helping hand to Zhang Yimou, the 69th Academy Awards was officially held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 24, Los Angeles time.
At this year's Academy Awards, Zhang Yimou's "If You Are the One" was selected by the domestic film bureau as a nominee for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Zhang Yimou, who was busy with the post-production of "Hero", took time out of his busy schedule to attend the Oscar awards ceremony.
This is his second time attending the Oscars, and it is also the second time that his work has been nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. The last time he was nominated for the award for Raise the Red Lantern.
However, although he was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Award, Zhang Yimou was very clear that today's award had nothing to do with him.
"The winner of the 69th Academy Award for Best Actor is Roberto Benigni for Life is Beautiful."
"The winner of the 69th Academy Award for Best Original Score is Nicola Piovani, "Life is Beautiful"."
"The winner of the 69th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film is Life is Beautiful."
"The winner of the 69th Academy Awards for Best Picture is Life is Beautiful."
…
Zhang Yimou sat in the audience and witnessed "Life is Beautiful" and Roberto Benigni sweeping the Academy Awards.
Best Actor, Best Original Score, Best Foreign Language Film, and Best Picture, one film won all four awards at this year's Oscars, making "Life is Beautiful" the biggest winner at this year's awards ceremony.
When Al Pacino, the guest presenter of the most important award, "Best Picture", said the name "Life is Beautiful" on the stage, Roberto Benigni, who had stood on the podium several times, jumped excitedly onto the back of the chair of his colleague next to him.
He stood swaying on the back of a chair, opened his arms wantonly, and enjoyed the thunderous applause from the audience.
At this moment, he seemed to be crowned king!
Everything is wonderful!
After a brief celebration, he stood on the back of the chair and was about to fall. Fortunately, Spielberg beside him supported him and he avoided embarrassment.
Roberto Benigni walked onto the stage under the gaze of countless eyes. This was his third time standing on the stage today. He was still as excited and excited as the previous two times, but he did not talk incessantly like the previous two times.
After being stunned for about ten seconds, he said into the microphone in the funny Italian accent: "I made a serious mistake. I have used up all the English I know!"
There was a burst of laughter at the scene.
Roberto Benigni's words were certainly joking, but it was completely unexpected for him to go on stage for the third time to accept the "Best Picture" award. He had only prepared two acceptance speeches before, and now that he was speaking for the third time, he really didn't know what to say.
The cameras on the scene were still facing him. He hesitated for a moment and finally spoke.
“Filming Life Is Beautiful was a wonderful journey for me. About ten years ago, I first read the original novel of the film, Life Is Beautiful, and I fell in love with it.
Because my father had the same experience as Garyan in the novel, but when he told me about this past event, he was full of optimism, just like what was written in the novel.
At that time, an idea popped into my mind that I wanted to make this novel into a movie.
Later, by chance, I met Mr. Lin Weimin, the author of this novel. When I made this request to him, he told me the unfortunate news that the adaptation rights of this novel had been bought by a big Hollywood director..."
When Roberto Benigni said this, the cameras on the scene all cut to Spielberg, and Spielberg couldn't help but smile bitterly.
The fact that Spielberg bought the copyright to "Life is Beautiful" but did not film it was not news in Hollywood. As "Life is Beautiful" swept the film industry when it was released last year, the matter became known to everyone through the publicity of various media.
This kind of thing is actually very normal in the film industry, but after he gave up the film adaptation of "Life is Beautiful", the adaptation rights of the novel were handed over to Roberto Benigni. Roberto Benigni perfectly restored the plot of the novel, received countless praises and super high box office, and both of them participated in this year's Academy Awards ceremony at the same time.
It all seemed to be destined, allowing Spielberg to witness Roberto Benigni sweeping the Oscars with "Life is Beautiful" on the spot, and also allowing him to witness what an excellent masterpiece he missed out on that year!
Spielberg's wry smile made the guests on the scene laugh even louder. The audience in front of the TV were also infected by this scene and couldn't help but feel gloating.
On stage, Roberto Benigni's speech continued.
"Fortunately, after many twists and turns, Mr. Lin finally gave me the adaptation rights for the novel. I am very grateful to Mr. Lin for his trust in me. The success of Life is Beautiful is based on the original novel, and also on Mr. Lin Weimin's trust and help in me."
At this point, Roberto Benigni opened his hands again, his face full of piety, and shouted: "Hallelujah! Praise Lin Weimin!"
(End of this chapter)
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