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?

Making independent films without finding a studio? What are you thinking? 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 leaders at the top 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.

, then prepare the film crew and 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 finished, it will 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 him.

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 the release of your film 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 Arts 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 recruited Cao Zhiqiang, a rising star in Beijing circles, 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, we can see 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 from scratch by yourself, 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 some 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 management regulations? I’ve never heard of the film bureau having such a thing, but each film studio has its own regulations.

As for the film production license, this is a matter of no avail.

In our country, each studio decides on its own what movies to make, and then submits them for review. If they are not submitted for review, they are not allowed to be released. No license is required at all.

Therefore, we can make movies in our own name, and then submit the movie for review after it is shot.

I have a pretty good relationship with Director Liu of the Ministry of Culture, so I’ll find someone else soon. 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 if it is 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, then we can find a relationship together and it will be no problem!"

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 great 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's obvious that he can'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. Isn't that what it is?"

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 to set 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 an enterprise, and film studios are all public institutions."

"That's not necessarily true." Cao Zhiqiang said, "Not all are public institutions. Look at the Bayi Factory, isn't it?"

…

"The Bayi Factory is a special situation." Xu Qingdong said, "And even state-owned enterprises can set up film studios, but your other indicators cannot.

It’s not easy to set up a film studio. It doesn’t just require 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 to be successful, 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 have not many employees, only more than a hundred people, 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 report?"

"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 will ask my old friends for help and they should be able to solve them.

While it's summer, let's shoot this movie first, and 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 one-person film in the 1980s, but also the only one-person movie in domestic history that can be officially released in theaters without a factory logo.

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 applied 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 making this movie, the film bureau warned him that he was not allowed to make movies privately and that he would be better off affiliated with a film studio.

…

In fact, they had good intentions. After all, with Chen Qiang's popularity at the time, it was very 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 himself 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 was dropped.

The film was finished, but China Film Group did not dare to accept it because the film was shot by myself without the participation of a studio.
To be continued...