Chapter 473: Director Xie's Shock

Chapter 473: Director Xie's Shock

Shanghai.

An elderly man was worrying about the funding for a film.

This elderly man was none other than the renowned director of "The Opium War."

Originally, Director Xie had no plans to direct "The Opium War." However, last year, he received a letter from a friend, who mentioned that the return of Hong Kong to China was imminent, and the Chinese film industry should not remain inactive in the face of this great historical event.

It was this one sentence from his friend that deeply moved Director Xie, inspiring the idea to film "The Opium War."

As everyone knew, Hong Kong was ceded to Britain due to China's defeat in the Opium War.

With Hong Kong about to return, filming "The Opium War" to commemorate this great historical event was indeed a very meaningful endeavor.

However, these were the most difficult years for the domestic film industry. A big-budget production costing hundreds of millions was beyond Director Xie's financial means, and even the strongest state-owned film studios—Beijing Film Studio, Changchun Film Studio, Shanghai Film Studio, August First Film Studio, and others—lacked the resources to undertake such a project.

On January 5, 1993, to implement the decision to accelerate the development of the tertiary industry, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television issued the "Several Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Film Industry Mechanism" and its detailed rules, commonly known as the "No. 3 Document."

This document changed the previous system of unified purchase and sale of domestic films to direct sales by production studios to 32 provincial distribution companies.

In terms of production, the previous system where the competent authority allocated funds according to each studio's annual plan was abolished. Starting with the No. 3 Document, no one provided funding anymore.

The good old days of waiting for, relying on, and demanding funds from the authorities were gone for good. The studios had to learn to set their own plans, raise their own funds, and operate on a market basis, bearing their own profits and losses.

According to statistics from the "National Film Industry Development Special Fund" in 1991, the fund planned to invest 20 million yuan in 1992 to produce 19 story films, with an average production cost of just over 1 million yuan per film, which was far less than the budget for a Hong Kong-Taiwan co-production.

By 1995, Beijing Film Studio planned to produce 14 domestic films with a total investment of 28 million yuan, averaging only 2 million yuan per film.

Under these conditions, Director Xie knew better than anyone that trying to produce "The Opium War" with a budget of a few million yuan within the existing system and production model was simply a pipe dream.

From the moment he decided to film "The Opium War," he had been plagued by funding and location shooting issues.

In fact, the project to film "The Opium War" did receive support from many provincial leaders. From May of this year to the year before the film's production, relevant departments held five coordination meetings for "The Opium War," listing the film's preparation and production as a major cultural and artistic project in Shanghai, providing financial support.

Such an operation was unprecedented in the history of Shanghai cinema.

However, up to this point, the company had received only one donation from Guangzhou Zhuhai District, amounting to 199,771 yuan, which matched the date of Hong Kong's return.

Additionally, they received a personal donation of 100,000 yuan from a Hong Kong entrepreneur and a member of the National People's Congress.

While these funds carried the donors' high hopes and expectations for "The Opium War," they were a mere drop in the bucket compared to the massive fundraising needed.

Before announcing the production of "The Opium War," Director Xie knew that raising tens of millions of yuan would be very difficult, but he never imagined it would be this challenging.

Just as Director Xie was feeling anxious and frustrated, he received a call from Guangxi.

The next day, Director Xie and a few key creative team members headed straight to the airport.

While waiting for their flight, an old friend couldn't help but ask, "Old Xie, why are we flying to Guangxi? You look so excited, could it be that the funding issue is finally resolved?"

Director Xie, recalling the call he received the previous night, said with excitement, "That's right. If everything goes well in Guangxi, we won't have to worry about funding anymore, and we'll also have a lead on the locations. I'm not sure about the details, but we'll know once we meet the right people in Guangxi."

The other key creative team members also felt relieved and happy.

They had seen their old friend become increasingly worried about the funding and locations, and it pained them. Unfortunately, they were limited in their ability to help with such a large sum of money. Now that they saw a breakthrough in the fundraising, they were naturally delighted for him.

"Old Xie, stop being mysterious. Who are we going to meet in Guangxi?"

"Come on, Old Xie, tell us. We need to be prepared."

"Tell us, let us share in your happiness."

"..."

Director Xie smiled and, no longer keeping them in the dark, said, "Last night, I received a call from the CEO of Naye Film Company, inviting me to discuss the investment in 'The Opium War.'"

"Naye Film Company?"

"This film company's name sounds a bit unfamiliar. Have you heard of it?"

"I haven't heard of it."

"Neither have I."

"We haven't heard of it, so it must be a small company, right?"

"Old Xie, are you being tricked by someone?"

"..."

"This Naye Film Company is a newly established film company, so it's normal that you haven't heard of it."

At this point, Director Xie changed his tone and laughed, "However, although you haven't heard of this film company, you must have heard of its parent company."

"Old Xie, what's the parent company?"

"Deng's Group."

Upon hearing this, the old friends were all taken aback and instantly understood why Director Xie was so excited.

Deng's Group was a well-known private enterprise in the country, with extremely strong financial backing. Raising tens of millions of yuan for the production of "The Opium War" was a daunting task, but for a company with such a powerful backing, it was just a small matter.

...

3:00 PM.

Director Xie and his team arrived in Nanning.

Since they had contacted in advance, the CEO of Naye Film Company, to show his respect, came to pick them up personally.

"Director Xie, welcome to Nanning."

"CEO Huang, you are too kind to come and pick us up personally."

After exchanging pleasantries, Huang Zonghan said, "Director Xie, let's get in the car first. I've already arranged a hotel for you. Tonight, the CEO of our group, Mr. Deng, will personally host a welcome dinner for you."

"Thank you, Mr. Deng and Mr. Huang for your hospitality."

Despite receiving support from many high-ranking leaders since the start of the production of "The Opium War," most of whom were provincial or city-level leaders who treated him with great respect, Director Xie was still somewhat taken aback to hear that the CEO of Deng's Group would personally host a welcome dinner for him.

At the same time, he felt a sense of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. After all, if the CEO of Deng's Group was personally involved, the funding issue that had been troubling him for so long should no longer be a problem.

The other main creative team members also felt reassured upon hearing this.

Thus, the group got into the car and headed to the hotel.

...

6:00 PM.

At the Nanning Hotel, Director Xie and his team finally met the CEO of Deng's Group.

After the initial pleasantries, once the wine had been poured and the dishes had been served, they got down to business.

Deng Shirong spoke first, "Director Xie, I heard that you are preparing to film 'The Opium War' to commemorate the return of Hong Kong, a great historical moment. As a Chinese, I fully support your idea. Therefore, upon learning about this, I have been eager to contribute. After some preparation, I am now ready to discuss the collaboration with you. How much funding is still needed for 'The Opium War'?"

Director Xie, hearing this, replied with a slightly awkward expression, "Mr. Deng, to be honest, we haven't raised a single cent so far. We have only received a few hundred thousand yuan in donations."

Deng Shirong smiled, "Funding is not a problem. Whatever amount you need, our film company will provide it."

Although he had been mentally prepared for this, Director Xie could not help but feel a surge of excitement at Deng Shirong's straightforward response. After all, he had truly experienced the difficulty of raising funds over the past few months.

Given the immense difficulty of raising funds, Deng Shirong's promise was particularly valuable.

"Mr. Deng, I would like to toast you."

Director Xie raised his glass and said solemnly, "I cannot make any promises about the film's success, but I assure you, Mr. Deng, that I will do my utmost to make it a high-quality film. I hope that when the film is released, the box office will not disappoint your trust."

Deng Shirong raised his glass and clinked it with Director Xie's, laughing heartily, "Director Xie, you are too kind. Don't burden yourself with any worries. The film should be made according to your vision. Focus on the creative process and don't worry about the box office.

To be frank, I don't care about the box office at all, and I never expected this investment to break even. After all, you are not making a commercial film but a tribute film for the return of Hong Kong. It is very difficult to achieve high box office numbers, which is one of the reasons why raising funds has been so challenging.

The reason I am willing to invest is that I believe this film has great educational value. It can help young people who are unaware of Hong Kong's history understand the events leading to the cession of Hong Kong, reminding the youth of our country not to forget the national humiliation."

This was truly what Deng Shirong believed. In his previous life, the film had performed poorly at the box office, earning only 72 million yuan in mainland China. While this was not a low figure, given that the total box office in the country was only a few hundred million yuan at that time, unlike the billions it reached in later years.

72 million yuan was enough to make it the top-grossing domestic film of the year.

Additionally, the film earned over 70 million yuan in Hong Kong, while the box office in other regions was negligible.

A global box office of less than 80 million yuan, compared to an investment of 100 million yuan, was indeed a significant loss.

Although he knew it would be a loss, Deng Shirong still decided to invest in the film for four reasons:

1. To contribute to the celebration of Hong Kong's return, the Deng Group also wanted to do their part.

2. With their film company's investment, the film would definitely be shot in their film city, depriving the Hengdian Group of the opportunity to develop their own film city.

3. This investment would allow their film company to make its official debut in the film industry and build a good relationship with Director Xie, a leading figure among the third-generation directors, which would be beneficial for the development of their film city.

4. The significance of this film as a tribute to Hong Kong's return exceeded the imagination of most people. In his previous life, after the film was completed, many high-ranking leaders were invited to view it, and even President Jiang personally reviewed it, making it a highly prestigious project.

Therefore, no matter how much money was lost, investing in this film was definitely worthwhile.

Director Xie, of course, was unaware of Deng Shirong's thoughts. Hearing Deng Shirong speak so frankly, it was clear he did not expect the film "The Opium War" to perform well at the box office, but he was still determined to invest in a film with educational value, which moved Director Xie.

This is a businessman with a sense of national duty!

Thinking this, Director Xie no longer dwelled on the box office and said with a loud laugh, "Mr. Deng, your understanding and vision are truly admirable. Let's set aside the box office, and I will do my utmost to produce a work that satisfies you."

Deng Shirong said, "The funding issue is resolved. Next, let's talk about the locations, which I know have been a headache for you, Director Xie."

Director Xie's spirits lifted, and he said, "Mr. Deng, the locations have indeed been a major headache. Do you have any solutions?"

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Of course, I have a solution. Let's start with the Two Guangs Governor's Office. I think the Lu Residence in Dongyang, Zhejiang, would be suitable. It is one of the best-preserved large-scale Ming and Qing dynasty buildings in China. Do you have any recollection of it, Director Xie?"

Hearing Deng Shirong's reminder, Director Xie immediately recalled his visit to the Lu Residence when preparing for the film "The Peach Blossom Fan."

The architectural complex, built during the Ming dynasty's Jingtai to Wanli periods, was a magnificent array of buildings with green tiles and black roofs, beautifully arranged. The Lu family's history of producing eight imperial scholars, two provincial top scholars, and twenty-nine provincial scholars during the Ming and Qing dynasties gave the entire complex a rich cultural heritage, making it perfectly suited to his vision.

Thinking this, Director Xie could not help but excitedly slap his thigh and say, "That's right, I can't believe I didn't think of this. Your reminder, Mr. Deng, is very timely."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "As for other locations such as the 'Thirteen Factories of Guangzhou,' 'Tianzi Wharf on the Pearl River,' and 'Victoria Bay,' we have already started constructing them. I can take you to the site tomorrow to see them. If you have any requirements, please let us know, and we will do our best to meet them."

Director Xie's eyes widened in disbelief as he said, "Mr. Deng, are you kidding me?"

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Our Naye Film Company plans to invest 30 billion yuan to build a massive film city, specifically for directors to use for filming. Knowing that you were having trouble finding suitable locations for 'The Opium War,' we decided to invest in building the locations you need, so you won't have to search for them elsewhere."

Upon hearing this, Director Xie and his creative team were stunned! An investment of 30 billion yuan to build a massive film city dedicated to filming was a bombshell. If this news spread in the film industry, it would certainly cause a huge stir.

As a director, Director Xie was well aware of the difficulties of finding filming locations. If Naye Film Company really invested 30 billion yuan to build such a film city, it would alleviate a significant headache for directors in the future.

This would be a blessing for directors, the film industry, and the audience as well.

Director Xie asked eagerly, "Mr. Deng, where is this film city? Can we go and see it now?"

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "The film city is in a small town in my hometown. It would be a bit rushed to go there tonight. Let's rest well and head there after breakfast tomorrow morning!"

"I was too eager, Mr. Deng, I apologize for that!"

"Understandable. After searching for locations for so long, it's normal to be eager when good news comes."

The two continued to chat while eating, and with the funding and location issues resolved, Director Xie enjoyed the meal immensely.

...

The next morning.

After breakfast, Deng Shirong and the executives of the film company took Director Xie and his team back to his hometown.

It was already past one in the afternoon when they returned to Shan Kou Town.

After a quick meal in Shan Kou Town, the group continued their journey. By the time they reached Shuang Wang Town, it was around three in the afternoon.

As the car drove through the market, Deng Shirong smiled and introduced, "Director Xie, this is my hometown, Shuang Wang Town."

Director Xie, looking at the narrow street, asked with some confusion, "Mr. Deng, although the roads in your town are winding, they are quite good for rural areas. However, the market seems a bit small and doesn't match the quality of the roads."

Deng Shirong laughed, "Our town may not be great, but our village is quite nice."

Director Xie didn't dwell on it and asked, "Mr. Deng, how far is the film city from here?"

Deng Shirong replied, "It's just a few hundred meters ahead. That area is already part of the film city, but the 'Guangzhou Street' is a bit further away. It's about a ten-minute drive."

"Only ten minutes, that's not too far."

As they spoke, the car climbed a hill and then descended. After passing through Mangtou Ridge, the scene that greeted them left Director Xie and his team speechless.

A 60-meter-wide road, which would be unremarkable in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, was a shocking sight in a rural area. The road was lined with nearly identical ginkgo trees on both sides and in the middle green belt, creating a beautifully uniform and picturesque view.

Of course, at this time, the ginkgo leaves hadn't turned yellow yet, so they weren't at their most beautiful.

On the left side of the 60-meter-wide road, there was a long row of villas that seemed to stretch endlessly.

This sight truly left Director Xie and his team amazed. It was hard to imagine seeing such a road and buildings in a rural area.

Director Xie, his face full of awe, asked, "Mr. Deng, is this road and the row of buildings part of the film city project?"

Deng Shirong laughed, "No, this isn't part of the film city project. The road was built by our group, and the row of buildings is where the Naye Deng family lives."

Director Xie couldn't help but praise, "Impressive, truly impressive! No wonder it's the Deng family!"

Soon, the car passed the 60-meter-wide road and returned to the winding asphalt road. After about ten minutes, they finally arrived at their destination—the under-construction Guangzhou Street.

As soon as Director Xie got out of the car, he rushed to the construction site to take a look. The more he saw, the more satisfied he became. Guangzhou Street was being built next to a large reservoir, which would perfectly recreate the 'Pearl River Tianzi Wharf' and 'Victoria Bay.'

Deng Shirong walked over and asked with a smile, "Director Xie, how does it look? Does it meet your requirements for the shooting location?"

"It meets them, more than meets them!"

Director Xie nodded in satisfaction and said with a sigh, "Mr. Deng, not only did you solve our funding problem, but you also invested heavily to create this historically accurate shooting location. I don't know how to thank you!"

Deng Shirong smiled, "Director Xie, there's no need to be so formal. If you really want to thank me, just make sure to make this film as good as possible. In the future, introduce more clients to our film city. Filming here will be free of charge for set rental, and we can provide a series of services, including set construction, prop making, and accommodation.

Moreover, we will ensure the safety of the crew, preventing any threats or extortion, so directors and actors can complete their projects smoothly."

Director Xie was stunned, "Mr. Deng, your film city doesn't charge for set rental?"

Deng Shirong nodded, "Yes, we don't charge for set rental when filming here. For any common and reusable sets, we can build them for you."

"My goodness, I've never heard of such a well-equipped film city."

"If this news spreads, the entire film industry will be in an uproar."

"Mr. Deng, you truly have a great vision!"

"..."

The other main creative team members were also amazed by what they heard.

Indeed, the free strategy that Hengdian implemented in the previous life was truly impressive.

Director Xie immediately pledged, "Mr. Deng, rest assured. With such excellent conditions, any director who needs an external set will find it impossible to refuse. I'll let the directors in the industry know that they should contact your film city for their future projects."

Deng Shirong politely said, "Thank you, Director Xie!"

Director Xie smiled, "Mr. Deng, there's no need to thank me. You're actually doing me a favor by offering such great conditions."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end