Written by: Our reporter Zhang Gailun Planning: Liu Li
This summer, a blockbuster made a good start for science and film and television.
In less than a week, the film "Alone to the Moon", which was released on July 29, has won 1.3 billion box office.
Without a doubt, this is the most talked about movie of late.
Li Duo, an aerospace practitioner, will deliberately search for some reviews of "Walking to the Moon Alone", and the key word is usually "Walking to the Moon Alone Against Science" - he wants to see if there are any doubts about the scientific part of the film.
Li Duo was one of the film's scientific advisors.
The movie was tested in theaters, and he felt a little apprehensive and nervous.
This is the first time that a "scientific advisor" has clearly appeared in a domestic sci-fi movie.
Wang Shu, deputy director of the Science and Film Fusion Professional Committee of the China Popular Science Writers Association (hereinafter referred to as the Science and Film Fusion Special Committee), told the Science and Technology Daily reporter that they have been "building bridges and roads" so that the film and television industry and the scientific community can communicate, Dialogue and cooperation.
"When it comes to "Walking on the Moon Alone", we can say that this road is finally open to traffic." Wang Shu said.
In a sense, this sci-fi comedy has played a milestone role in the fusion of science and film in China.
It is the "model room" expected by the Fusion Team.
"The scientific details are as realistic as possible to amplify the comic effect of the film"
"Walking to the Moon" tells a story: In order to resist the impact of asteroids, human beings deployed the "Lunar Shield Plan" on the moon to protect the earth.
However, one day, a meteorite struck, and all the staff were evacuated urgently. The maintenance worker Duguyue (Shen Teng) missed the evacuation notice from the team leader Ma Lanxing (Ma Li) and landed on the moon alone.
At this time, he found that the "Moon Shield Project" had failed, thinking that he had become "the last human being in the universe", and started a life of "breaking the pot" on the moon.
Later, due to mishaps, Duguyue rekindled hope and tried to find a way to return to Earth on the moon.
It is produced by Happy Twist and starring Shen Teng and Ma Li. The audience's expectation of it is naturally "funny".
In the early publicity, "Lone on the Moon" did not put too much emphasis on the "science fiction" part.
But in fact, the scientific consultant has entered from the formal preparation stage.
In 2020, the "Several Opinions on Promoting the Development of Science Fiction Films" jointly issued by the State Film Administration and the China Association for Science and Technology pointed out that it is necessary to establish a contact mechanism to promote the development of science fiction films, establish a science fiction film science consultant database, and provide professional consultation for science fiction films. , technical support and other services.
At the end of the same year, the Science and Film Fusion Special Committee was formally established.
Wang Shu has been promoting the integration of science and film and television.
She and her peers look forward to more responsible scientific expression in the film.
Movies are popular cultural and entertainment products. Relying on their strong influence, science can be "spread through the opportunity".
At the same time, "Lonely Walking on the Moon" also began preparations for the launch.
Li Duo got in touch with the scientific researcher of the film's main creative team earlier through "a friend's introduction".
The director wanted to know if the science part of the film was justified.
For example, can a person build a vehicle on the moon that will return to Earth?
Li Duo liked happy twists before. He believed that the film would be an opportunity to promote spaceflight, and expressed "certain support".
At the end of 2020, the producer of "Walking to the Moon" found a special committee for the fusion of science and film.
Organized by the Science and Film Fusion Special Committee, the film has invited more industry insiders: some do rocket launches, some do satellite design, some study extraterrestrial planets, and some have long been rooted in the aerospace field for publicity and reports... After the film, the Science and Film Fusion Special Committee also invited several authoritative experts in physics and aerospace to watch the film and asked them to make professional suggestions.
The names of these people appear in the end credits, which are shown on a single screen.
"I hope it can be real enough. There is a saying in the comedy world, 'The more truthful, the more hilarious'." Zhang Chiyu, director of "Moon Alone", told reporters that the film made a comedy story happen on the moon, if the audience doubts the lunar environment Authenticity, the situation doesn't hold; the situation doesn't hold, and it's not that funny.
"Being as realistic as possible in scientific detail can amplify the film's comedic effect."
So, they are willing to spend time with their scientific advisors, scrutinizing those details, even if some of the details are only fleeting in the film.
The scientific consultant answered these questions: Commander No. 01 in the flight control hall, whether to pronounce "zero one" or "hole one"; when the countdown is fired, do you need to shout the last "0"; when the vehicle is launched on the moon , which of the series of passwords reported by the dispatcher are suitable for the movie situation.
In addition, since there is no atmosphere on the moon, the stars should not twinkle when showing the night sky on the moon; the lunar soil is closer to black to the naked eye, and it is best not to use gold...
As for the appearance of the aircraft and engine, the jet state of the aircraft when it took off, and the launch password on the scene, the scientific consultant tried to make them as realistic as possible.
"When people in the industry see these pictures, they will feel that it is the taste." Li Duo said.
Duguyue's resume indicated his major. In just a few words, everyone discussed it for a long time.
Later, according to the skills Duguyue mastered, he was arranged as a "vehicle power engineer" - this position is real in the aerospace system.
There are also times when the director wants to know how to make a certain plot happen more logically.
This is a conversation in the WeChat group of the Fusion Expert Group:
Zhang Chiyu (director): I want to know the feasibility of attitude control by kicking out the hatch when the return capsule is rotating at high speed.
The cabin air is 6650 liters, and the cabin door is 65cm square.
Except for the hatch, other data can be adjusted.
Huang Kan (scientific consultant, chief designer of the electrical system of Galaxy Power Space Technology Co., Ltd.): Well, let's do the math here.
The initial velocity-momentum conversion of the hatch and the rotational torque generated by the gas can offset the rotational speed of about 5 degrees/second. Our calculation model is an approximate estimate, and the offset of the rotational speed of 10 degrees/second should be theoretically explained.
That is to say, if the initial speed of the entire cabin is 250 degrees/second, and after the hatch is opened, it is about 240 degrees/second. This energy is still relatively limited.
Zhang Chiyu: Is there any way to make this bridge more established?
Huang Kan: In theory, more objects can be sucked out of the hatch.
In principle, it can play the role of deceleration.
...
Similar discussions happen in the group every once in a while.
This is not like a film and television project group, but a knowledge sharing group for aerospace enthusiasts.
"We're here to make the film better, not make it a science film"
Two years ago, when the fusion of science and film was still in its infancy, researchers and film and television practitioners both told reporters about the potential difficulties of fusion of science and film: the film and television industry did not pay enough attention to scientific consultants, and the film and television team could Whether the opinion of the scientific advisor is truly respected; the way the scientific advisor and the film and television team think about the problem may be completely different; whether the scientific advisor provides assistance or may interfere with the creation...
But at least in the Lonely Moon project, none of that is a hindrance.
Zhang Chiyu's evaluation of the scientific advisory team is that the communication is smooth.
"They are all very open-minded, and sometimes their ideas are more 'flying' than mine." Zhang Chiyu said.
Scientific advisers say they can feel the rigor of the science part of the film's producers.
"The director told us, don't think it's bad to give your opinion, say whatever you think." Huang Kan recalled.
Chen Zheng, an associate professor at Beijing Jiaotong University, is one of the experts who watched the film in the final stage. He emphasized that respecting science in details will make the film more realistic without affecting the plot.
He proposed two small revisions - the sound of the lunar rover racing can be changed to the special hum of an electric car, because the lunar rover is likely to be driven by electricity; at the end of the film, the meteorite fragments are captured by the earth's gravity to form a star ring , not similar to the shape of an accretion disk, but should be closer to Saturn's rings.
After watching the premiere, he told reporters: "These suggestions were all taken."
Almost everyone gave a "pleasant cooperation".
Wang Shu said, "people" are very important.
A reliable film and television team, coupled with a reliable scientific consultant, can collide with the spark of cross-border integration they expect.
This fit is professional.
"It is necessary to find a small peer who is suitable for the film." Wang Shu said, for example, both are sci-fi films based on the universe, and the subdivision knowledge required for "The Wandering Earth" and "Lone on the Moon" are definitely different.
The second is the atmosphere.
Wang Shu said that the director is young and somewhat restrained; most of the scientific consultants involved in the early creative stage are also young and open-minded.
"When a few engineers and the director of eating fish are discussing together, you will feel that there is a kind of field between them that others can't 'intervene', which is warm and selfless."
Openness is also important.
A movie, from the polishing of the script to the release, often takes many years and is the hard work of the main creator.
So, can they and are they willing to leave it to outsiders to judge?
After all, crossover may start from "criticism".
Wang Shu has also dealt with many researchers.
Some excellent researchers will habitually become a mere exporter and "teacher" in similar cooperation.
The interest and curiosity of film and television practitioners in science will be overwhelmed by the massive and unfamiliar scientific knowledge they give.
Wang Shu's position as a scientific consultant is very clear: "We are here to make the film better, not to force it into a science and education film."
Everyone has reached a consensus: as long as the audience does not feel that "this is too ridiculous" when watching the movie, on the premise of not violating the basic scientific laws, proper play and artistic processing are acceptable and necessary. .
Li Duo was the one who Zhang Chiyu said that his ideas "fly" more than him.
Li Duo's daily aerospace work is very serious, Ding is Ding, Mao is Mao.
But in film projects, he could have been more exaggerated and daring.
How does Duguyue return to Earth?
Li Duo gave a version of the plan - picking up junk on the moon.
"At the beginning of the film, the protagonist has a 'too bad' attitude." Li Duo felt that a bad person, coupled with a "recovery-style" trip home, was full of dramatic effects.
There may be abandoned aircraft launched by other countries left on the moon. Duguyue can search for these aircraft in the same way, disassemble the parts that can be used on them, and reassemble them into their own spacecraft.
Since this spaceship is built together, it can be made more "crude", such as manual control with a gamepad, or simply like an old-fashioned electric light, it has to be controlled with a rope, and the process of pulling the rope is the same as playing with a dance mat... Li Duo said with a smile: "This brain-opening process really made me overwhelmed."
Because it is a movie, it can be more romantic, more imaginative, and more "advanced".
"If you have watched the moon landing documentary, you can find that it is very difficult for people to walk on the moon." Huang Kan said that people can't walk so fast, and the lunar rover can't drive so neatly.
However, A Lonely Walk on the Moon is a science fiction film.
"It's impossible today, and it's not impossible in the future. There may be new space suits and new lunar rover designs in the future." In the movie, in order to reflect that the moon's gravity is one-sixth that of the earth, the characters walk slightly bouncing.
"The way they walk is different from the one on Earth, but it doesn't have to be as difficult as the moon landing in the last century. It can be 'click and stop'."
Huang Kan and his colleagues enjoyed the process of participating in the film production.
Their company is the science support agency for Alone on the Moon.
At the beginning, Huang Kan only got the script; later, he saw the sample film with the special effects not yet fully finished.
This is the first time for a group of engineers to come into contact with a film and television project. For the first time, they know that a few words in the script will turn into such a full plot and magnificent picture.
"The ideas in the film, and those discussions with other scientific advisors, also broadened our thinking," Huang Kan said.
"The movie tells children that they must be in awe of science, and they must be able to explore and innovate"
The film's other scientific advisor, Li Ran, is an astronomer and an active science popularizer.
He often writes popular science articles and gives popular science lectures.
"The film has a larger audience and can make the audience feel more close to science, which is undoubtedly very important for popular science. I think it is very meaningful to participate in and improve the presentation of the scientific part."
Of course, Li Ran also had some concerns.
The premise that the fusion of science and film can achieve a good scientific communication effect is that the film itself is a good film.
Li Ran bluntly said that if it is a bad film, everyone will not pay attention to or discuss the scientific part of it.
"Being a scientific consultant is theoretically risky." Researchers cherish their feathers, and working with an unfamiliar team is actually an adventure.
For researchers, judging whether a film and television project is reliable is an extra and complicated task.
If the final presentation of the film is not good, it may take the risk of being scolded.
Fortunately, this time, everyone "played" happily.
The work of judgment was handed over to the Science and Film Fusion Special Committee.
Wang Shu said that we will carefully evaluate whether a film and television project is worthy of cooperation.
"Researchers' time is precious and we cannot waste it."
They also thought about whether the audience would point out scientific loopholes, but everyone's mentality was - "Welcome to criticize."
"If you find out what's wrong, it's a good thing, it shows that everyone knows more about technology and pays more attention." Huang Kan said, "It also shows that we do have limitations."
Wang Shu said frankly that from the perspective of the fusion of science and film, they are not worried about being pointed out that there are inaccuracies in the movie.
"This can also become a point of dissemination and discussion." The current and future movie audiences will become more and more scientifically literate.
The audience's "not easy to fool" is also a kind of "reverse force" on the film creators.
They must approach the scientific content of the film with more sincerity and rigor.
Walking through this journey with the film, Li Duo summed up several levels of the fusion of scientific advisors and films.
The most basic layer is to make the science-related parts of the film more reasonable and in line with common sense, "don't let the audience feel that there is any bridge that insults their IQ."
The second layer is to use scientific principles to help the plot advance better, such as thinking of scientific and innovative methods beyond the common audience's common sense to solve problems.
The third layer is to help the film convey some spiritual things, "let the audience have some touches after watching it".
He feels that these are all done in "Lone on the Moon".
The protagonist of the film is an astronaut, the group of people Li Duo is most familiar with.
At the beginning of the story, Duguyue's performance was unreliable, but he never really gave up.
When "going home" became his goal, he did everything possible.
"Many colleagues around me also take their children to see them. The children will think that learning knowledge is useful, and the astronauts are quite 'cool'." Li Duo thought, no matter whether these children are engaged in related industries in the future, the film will tell They must be in awe of science, be able to explore and innovate, and do not give up easily when faced with difficulties.
"Look, with knowledge, Uncle Duguyue can solve so many problems on the moon." Moreover, Duguyue finally completed a very remarkable task, which is a positive and superhero-like image.
Zhang Chiyu also told reporters that "Walking on the Moon Alone" is a comedy, but the film still expresses the spirit of spaceflight consciously.
The movie may be witty or noisy, but the words "courage", "dedication" and "persistence" are all hidden in the story.
"The audience can clearly see that the texture of a film with scientific advisors is different. It is very solid. People in the film industry will also know that the gaps they are not capable of filling can be filled by professionals." I am confident that people in the film and television industry will be able to see the value of "Fusion of Science and Film" after watching this movie.
A living case is worth a thousand words.
"In the future, we will talk about the fusion of science and film, and the industry will accept it more easily."
The film and television projects participated by the Science and Film Fusion Special Committee are not only "Lonely Walking on the Moon".
Head film and television projects familiar to sci-fi fans such as "The Wandering Earth 2" and "Ball Lightning", as well as the original space-themed sci-fi work "When the Stars Shine" are also in progress.
Wang Shu often needs to attend meetings of different scientific research institutions to discuss how to use film and television to show the scientific research progress in a certain field over the years.
In the United States, the related practice of science and film fusion has been carried out for decades.
The participation of scientific researchers is not only to make the science in film and television works more accurate.
If there are more and more objective scientific roles in film and television, it can affect the public's perception of science and researchers, and it is also an important part of promoting the spirit of science.
The fusion of science and film in our country has had a good start.
Wang Shu said that next, they will accumulate more cases and establish a theoretical system of science and film integration.
"We must continue to enhance mutual understanding between the film and television industry and the scientific community. Tell scientific stories well and create a positive, positive and objective image of science." She looked forward to the future.