Actor Zhang Guangbei was interviewed by a reporter from the Beijing News and talked about promoting the construction of a national cultural center. Beijing is the place with the best creative environment in the country
Actor Zhang Guangbei's nearly 40-year acting career is almost inextricably linked with Beijing.
Zhang Guangbei was born in Beijing in the 1960s.
After graduating from university, he was assigned to work at the Beijing Film Studio, and then starred in a series of Beijing-produced film and television works such as the TV series "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Bright Sword".
In 2010, his first play "Wangfujing" was staged at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, which vividly described the changes of Wangfujing in Beijing and showed the spirit of Beijingers.
In 2021, when Zhang Guangbei was the deputy general manager of Beiguang Media Film and Television Co., Ltd., he supervised the production of the major historical drama "The Age of Awakening".
The sensational effect caused by this work once again painted a strong stroke of "main theme work" and "produced in Beijing".
On the occasion of the upcoming Beijing Cultural Forum, Zhang Guangbei was interviewed by a reporter from the Beijing News.
Speaking of promoting the construction of a national cultural center, Zhang Guangbei said that Beijing is the place with the best creative environment in the country, with many talents, good atmosphere, profound cultural heritage and very diverse content.
"Beijing has always been a leader in the dissemination of Chinese culture, there is no doubt about that."
talk about grades
Beijing has always been a leader in the dissemination of Chinese culture
Beijing News: What achievements and highlights do you think Beijing has made in the construction of a national cultural center?
Zhang Guangbei: In a big way, from the first Summer Olympics in 2008 to the Winter Olympics in 2022, Beijing has become the "city of double Olympics".
This is a historical achievement that cannot be ignored.
From the perspective of film and television, looking back over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, most of the outstanding film and television works that can be remembered are also produced by Beijing literary and art workers and relevant departments in Beijing.
For example, in 1994, the TV series "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" produced by the China TV Drama Production Center and China Central Television successfully went out of the country, brought Chinese history and culture to the world, and let the world know the current achievements of Chinese TV dramas.
Especially in the past ten years since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, more excellent works have emerged, such as "The Age of Awakening" and "Love Full of Siheyuan", which are also inseparable from Beijing.
At the same time, the best art academies in China, including the Communication University of China, the Central Academy of Drama, and the Beijing Film Academy, which are the cradles of film and television talents, are also located in Beijing.
There is no doubt that Beijing has always been a leader in the dissemination of Chinese culture.
Beijing News: You have participated in the production of many excellent film and television works such as "The Age of Awakening". What do you think are the characteristics and advantages of the works produced in Beijing?
Zhang Guangbei: The first is political advantage.
Every excellent work is inseparable from the praise of the times.
A good work of art must serve the people, come from the people, and return to the people.
Only by extracting the essence of life, can it rise to artistic creation.
For example, Beiguang Media Film and Television, as an enterprise in Beijing, will firstly improve the political awareness of creation, and at the same time insist on keeping upright and innovating.
We always say that film and television works can only have vitality if they resonate with the pulse of the times.
Taking "Age of Awakening" as an example, it took six years from planning and completing the script to shooting and broadcasting.
During this period, the Propaganda Department of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Radio, Film and Television also continued to provide detailed guidance, and we became more clear about how to create and what perspective to use to create.
Beijing is also the place with the best creative environment in the country, with many talents, good atmosphere, profound cultural heritage and very diverse content.
The most distinctive feature is Beijing's own cultural heritage.
For example, excellent works such as "Four Generations in One Hall" and "Tea House" have strong Beijing characteristics.
Like "Love Full Siheyuan" tells the story that happened in Beijing Siheyuan.
At that time, we insisted on recommending it to the platform. This must be a good show and must be broadcast.
Including "Under the Gate of Zhengyang", etc., all show people and love in Beijing. This is what we must carry forward and adhere to.
On the main theme works
Telling people's stories to promote righteousness, truth, goodness and beauty
The Beijing News: Why can "Age of Awakening" cause such a sensational broadcast effect?
How did you create this work?
Zhang Guangbei: First of all, a good work cannot be separated from a good script.
Long Pingping, the screenwriter of "The Age of Awakening", has been engaged in party history research all his life, and has condensed his accumulation into an excellent TV series.
This is a "priceless treasure" for the centenary of the founding of the party.
We should let more audiences have a more direct understanding of the 100-year history of the party through film and television works.
The creators were also very attentive during the shooting.
Every scene we present is not a cutscene, it has a meaning.
Like Lu Xun's appearance, sitting at the door of a restaurant and seeing ordinary people dipping their blood into steamed buns to heal their illnesses, this clip comes from his novel "Diary of a Madman".
At that moment, the audience knew that this was Lu Xun.
For example, the alley in front of Chen Duxiu's house is full of muddy water when it rains. Chen Yannian can only walk with bricks on the soles of his feet.
Soybean juice is sold on the streets of Beijing, full of cries of "grinding scissors"... Every detail of this play has been worked hard.
Therefore, "The Age of Awakening" can be liked by the audience, which is inseparable from the love, strength and intention of all the creators.
Beijing News: What kind of work do you think can be called a good theme work?
Zhang Guangbei: What are we going to sing?
Promote what?
Many people always understand the main theme one-sidedly, but in fact, as long as it is positive, serves the people, tells the people's stories, and promotes integrity, truth, goodness and beauty, it is the main theme.
For example, I really like "Happiness to Ten Thousand Homes" directed by Zheng Xiaolong recently, and I watch it every day.
This is a very good theme work - first of all we write ordinary people.
The heroes and ancestors in "The Age of Awakening" are also "humans", and they are not indifferent.
We say that adhering to the creative method of realism is to adhere to the truth; only the truth can have warmth and move the hearts of the audience.
On the cultivation of artistic talents
Beijing has never stopped in the cultivation of artistic talents
The Beijing News: How do you think literary and art workers should stick to realistic creation and tell Chinese stories with characters?
Zhang Guangbei: As an actor, you must always have respect for "the drama is bigger than the sky", you must have a mind and a bottom line; always adhere to the people-centered creative orientation, go deep into life, take root in the people, keep integrity and innovation, and respect morality and art.
However, raising awareness and strengthening political literacy is by no means verbal. We need to keep learning, reflect deeply, and practice consciously in order to create truly good works.
Beijing News: As the vice chairman of Beijing Television Artists Association, what contribution do you think Beijing has made in the cultivation of artistic talents?
Zhang Guangbei: Beijing has never stopped in the cultivation of artistic talents.
Every year, the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles holds an on-the-job lecture class, which allows actors and creators to exchange experiences at any time, which stimulates young people's pursuit of art and is a very good way to improve their creative level.
There is also the Beijing International Film Festival, which uses a professional platform to form exchanges between Chinese and foreign artists.
Including, in the past, some talented directors had no investment. Now the Film Association has developed a young director foundation. Every year, there are many professional promotion conferences in Beijing, which help provide a platform for good scripts and carry out project financing.
This is also a very good platform.
Beijing News reporter Zhang He
In the construction of a national cultural center, Beijing has very good hardware conditions, with more and more museums, cinemas, theaters and so on.
But the more important thing is to produce good works.
Creators must be upright and innovative, make great efforts, work hard, focus on key points, and break through difficulties; actors must respect morality and art, go deep into life, take root in the people, study works seriously, and do not rush for success.
—— Zhang Guangbei