Source title: The 4th Hainan Island International Film Festival Venture Capital Cultivates New Forces for Chinese Films
On October 26, 2022, the 4th Hainan International Film Festival H! The Action Venture Capital Conference project proposal was successfully concluded. The Venture Capital Conference received a total of 617 script projects. After the initial review, review, and on-site proposal of 24 projects, 15 projects were finally selected and entered the final review stage. From a big film country to a film powerhouse, China needs a group of filmmakers who understand not only creation and production, but also the audience and the market. Since its birth in 2019, Hainan Island International Film Festival H! Action Venture Capital has always adhered to the original intention, and strives to provide a platform for a new generation of film creators to interact with outstanding filmmakers in related industries, and to escort the birth of high-quality projects and high-quality newcomers in the film industry.
Listening and discussing creative stories to help the new power of Chinese film
The review of the project proposal took nearly two days, and the combination of online and offline methods was adopted. The project party and the jury actively discussed the script creation and project development. The four senior filmmakers participating in the venture capital review are Jiang Peng, Vice President of Warner Bros. China Film Development and Production Department, Yang Weiwei, screenwriter of the films “Favorite” and “Manslaughter”, and the Silver Bear Short Jury Award at the 71st Berlin Film Festival. Zhang Dalei, director of “Half Afternoon”, and Zhang Yisong, general manager of Beijing TV Art Center Co., Ltd.
At the scene, in the face of projects of various styles, the judges on the scene listened carefully to take the initiative to ask questions, threw out clues and ideas, and helped young filmmakers think about and improve the core of the story. The screenwriter Yang Weiwei, who is good at describing the relationship between characters and characters, faced with the character setting of the new and old rockers of the old and new generations of the protagonist of “No U-Turn”, and asked the director’s original intention and idea for such a setting? Director Wang Zheng said that in the early days of determining the theme, he found that most of the rock music market was young bands. Of course, there were also middle-aged bands like New Pants, but most of them were young bands. The contrast is very large. So I thought about designing two rock characters, old and new, from conflict to fusion, changing each other, and then discussing with the audience what rock is. Judge Yang Weiwei also mentioned that the character relationships in “Manslaughter” have typical dramatic conflicts. The jury will make recommendations from the perspective of their own expertise.
New creators have fantastic ideas, and 15 projects were successfully shortlisted
The types of projects involved in this venture capital meeting are more abundant, including family, comedy, suspense, etc., as well as themes of the era, the period of the Republic of China, and relatively epic. Zhang Yisong, general manager of Beijing TV Art Center Co., Ltd., said, “These types really make us feel the efforts made by the organizing committee in the venture capital link. The organizing committee presents us with diversity, which is in line with the film market. Movies with all kinds of possibilities, I think this is the one that came to Hainan Island H! Action touched me the most.”
After the review by the jury, 15 projects were successfully shortlisted for the final review, namely: “Local Doug”, “Welcome to Hotel Tonia”, “Sure enough”, “Good things are coming”, “Southern Studio”, “Into the Sea” Looking for Lotus, “Quick Food”, “Joy of Family”, “Roof Tiles”, “You Long”, “Goodbye”, “Usulisk”, “Between Spring and Autumn”, “Father of Son”, “Until the End of the World“, “The Last Evenki”.
Among them, “Local Doug”, which tells about the life of studying abroad and has a style close to the youth highway genre, impressed both screenwriter Yang Weiwei and director Zhang Dalei, and Yang Weiwei directly expressed that the film is very textured. “Goodbye, Ussurisk” also sparked a lot of discussion on the scene. The director in 1996 and the producer in 1997 chose a character mainly born in the 1970s, and the core events happened in the late 1990s. Creation makes the judges empathize and feel surprised at the same time. The shortlist of this project is a good proof that a good story can impress generations after generation. Whether old or new, love is the best creative driving force for a film.
2022 H! At the Action Venture Capital Conference, there were lively discussions between the creative team and the judges, as well as various stories of creators and films of different ages. Movies are never easy. The film festival carries the hope of creators, and venture capital is going to dig out the gold that has not yet radiated light, so that those who persist on this road can gain affirmation and opportunities.
For the Hainan Island International Film Festival, a good project is the starting point of everything, and the venture capital fair is prepared for firm and sincere filmmakers. H! Action Ventures will join hands with more senior filmmakers in the industry to deeply participate, provide effective help in the whole process of creation for a new generation of filmmakers, inject vitality and vitality into Chinese films with youthful passion, and contribute to the success of the fire. Let more filmmakers shine, promote the high-quality development of Chinese films, and stick to the original intention of light and shadow.