How do you view the "Xingang drama" developed in cooperation with mainland platforms?
Le Yiling: To co-produce dramas, we must be cautious and innovative
In the just-past "Thousands of Stars Awards Ceremony 2022", TVB Assistant General Manager (Drama Production) Zeng Lizhen won the Thousands of Brilliance Performing Arts Awards.
In the audience, another "woman behind TVB" Le Yiling stood up and applauded, sending blessings to this old colleague who has worked together for many years.
Every person who wins an award at the Thousand Stars Awards Ceremony must have two fixed lines in his acceptance speech: one is "Thank you Sister Zhen" and the other is "Thank you Miss Le".
Although the "urban legend" about the two fighting openly and secretly has been circulated for many years, the division of labor between the two has become more and more clear in recent years: Zeng Lizhen focuses on the production of TVB's self-produced dramas, and Le Yiling is also the executive director and general manager of Shaw Films and the assistant general manager of TVB (artist management and development), presided over a number of co-produced drama projects between Shaw Brothers and the mainland.
Previously, the drama series "Integrity Sniper" co-produced by Youku and Shaw Brothers was broadcast on Youku. Taking this as an opportunity, Le Yiling accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from the Yangcheng Evening News.
What does she think of these "New Hong Kong dramas" co-developed with mainland platforms?
What are your thoughts on the development of Hong Kong artists in the Mainland?
"Integrity Sniper" emphasizes making new ideas
Talking about the new drama "Integrity Sniper", "novelty" is the keyword that Le Yiling keeps mentioning. In terms of cast, behind-the-scenes team, etc., "Integrity Sniper" intends to innovate, trying to bring a different look to the audience.
She deliberately avoided the "fixed match" of actors.
The three male protagonists - Bosco Wong, Wu Zhuoxi, and Wang Haoxin have never worked together at the same time; other characters outside the main line of brotherhood also try to choose actors who have less or no cooperation with the three male protagonists.
For example, Huang Zhiwen and Hu Dingxin, who have a relationship with Wu Zhuoxi in the play, have not cooperated for many years, let alone acting as a couple; and Wang Haoxin's "official CP" is the 26-year-old newcomer Xiaohua Chen Zhenyi.
Previously, Shaw Brothers and Youku's "Flying Tiger" series used massive action scenes as its biggest selling point, but "Integrity Sniper" put the main story line on "brotherhood".
The story of "Integrity Sniper" revolves around several childhood friends: they were separated because of a building collapse accident, and they reunited many years later. Everyone's position and situation are quite different. Between friendship, family affection, love and justice, they are separated. You must make your own choices.
Le Yiling said: "Our dramas always have to be packed with action scenes and big scenes, but "Integrity Sniper" wants to talk about brotherhood most. position, even against each other, what are they going to do?"
The plump character settings and the suspenseful story also make the actors enjoy themselves.
In the play, Wu Zhuoxi is no longer an "impulsive middle-aged man", but a barrister with an online IQ; Huang Zongze, who often plays the role of both good and evil, is the upright ICAC investigation director this time; Wang Haoxin abandons his image and plays a slovenly Down and out police.
"Wu Zhuoxi's deepest side has not been shown to the audience. "Integrity Sniper" needs to give him new space to play; Huang Zongze's role is entangled between his mother, sister and his own past. I think he played it very well." Yi Ling also revealed that the actors have been deeply involved in the design of the characters from the beginning of the script creation, "The screenwriter talked to them when writing the script, and designed some challenging points because of their characteristics, so that they can act. The actors are also very happy, this drama gives them room to play."
Co-produced dramas should consider the tastes of mainland audiences
In 2017, iQiyi and Tencent Video co-produced the series "Re-Genesis" and "Apostle Walker 2" respectively with TVB. It is a trend of mainland and Hong Kong co-production dramas.
Since 2018, Shaw Brothers has cooperated with Youku. In recent years, three "Flying Tigers" series featuring the Flying Tigers, the crime suspense drama "The Extraordinary Three Heroes" and the recently aired anti-corruption theme "Integrity Sniper" have been launched. .
Audiences have always had mixed reviews for this batch of co-produced dramas.
Some people appreciate that the production of co-produced dramas has greatly improved compared with previous Hong Kong dramas, and some people are moved by the reappearance of artists who have been away from the nest for many years such as Bosco Wong and Wu Zhuoxi; Taste"... In the past few years, TVB, Shaw Brothers, Media Asia and other Hong Kong drama producers have been groping forward.
After several years of trying, what new views does Le Yiling have on co-productions?
Le Yiling said frankly: "Producing a series will target different markets and will have different development directions. The main market of the series we cooperate with Youku must be the mainland. We will sell the themes and stories we want to shoot to Youku, If they are interested, we will start to write a paragraph story. They will give some opinions on this and let us write the script. We usually show them the script of the first 5 or 10 episodes, and start shooting if there is no problem." In Le Yiling It seems that the mainland video platforms have given Hong Kong producers a greater degree of freedom; but for the producers, since they know that the series are mainly for the mainland market, they must consider the tastes of the local audience and market conditions.
For example, in terms of subject matter selection, several co-produced dramas currently produced by Shaw Brothers are all about gangsters: "Shaw Brothers came from a film background, and Hong Kong movies are also very popular in the Mainland, especially gangster movies. Audiences who love Hong Kong movies, You should also be interested in dramas with this type of theme.” As for the script creation, she said: “Youku didn’t make any major changes to "Integrity Sniper", but only raised some details, such as 'the confrontation between Wu Zhuoxi and Huang Zongze. Youku has given us a lot of support and trust. When we wrote the script, we also made adjustments based on the experience of previous cooperation. The story is always that evil cannot win good."
Co-produced dramas and Hong Kong dramas have their own advantages and difficulties
"We have always been cautious in co-produced dramas. There are many things to take into account: the tastes of platform audiences, policy requirements, and a little innovation." Le Yiling said.
For example, "Integrity Sniper" is "nude broadcast" like most of the mainland dramas in the past two years: "We (2022) know that the file will be scheduled on December 7, the publicity will start on the 8th, and the broadcast will start on the 10th. There is no expectation for this drama, because it is urgently scheduled. But fortunately, we have a good cooperation with Youku, and we can quickly promote the promotion. The actors are also very helpful. Wu Zhuoxi and Wang Haoxin have their own jobs in the mainland, and Huang Zongze They are making a movie, but they all cooperate to set aside time for promotion."
In Le Yiling's view, co-produced dramas and local Hong Kong dramas have their own advantages and difficulties: "We who make movies and TV are the best at 'watching food and eating'. Spending money indiscriminately and with a small budget can’t make it. The budget of co-productions is relatively large, but it needs to take into account the tastes of more audiences. If you only shoot dramas within TVB, you don’t have to think too much, as long as the company approves you can shoot. So in the past few years There will be bold and innovative dramas such as "Golden Night Mansion", "His Royal Highness Ruffian" and "Shangche Family". Including the cast, the platform will propose which actors it hopes to participate in the co-production drama. For example, Huang Zongze, the platform hopes to use him. For the time being, it is difficult to use a newcomer as the leading role in a co-produced drama.”
Le Yiling also believes that for co-productions, innovation is also necessary: "We also have a lot of unsuccessful ones, but we still try our best to give the team a try. Sometimes we make new things, and the audience just likes it. This is a win-win situation. The audience Tastes change a lot, but that's a good thing, it gives us more space to try different things."
Encourage TVB artists to develop in the mainland
In addition to serving as the executive director and general manager of Shaw Brothers Films, Le Yiling is also the assistant general manager of TVB, in charge of artist management and development.
Le Yiling has always been good at creating artists, Lin Feng, Huang Zongze, Wu Zhuoxi and other first-line niche students are all under her command.
At the moment when TVB emphasizes "running TV with the door open", what are the new changes in artist management?
Le Yiling believes that TVB has always been open to artists. It not only encourages agents to ask artists to take on outside jobs, but also invites outside artists to come to TVB for filming: "In addition to the production of the company, we also help the company's artists to take on outside jobs, including Movies, commercial performances, commercials, stage plays... The outside market likes to use TVB artists, and people often call me to ask for talents. And TVB dramas often find outside actors to shoot, such as "The Family on the Car" please Lin Mincong, a few years ago there was a TV series "Adversity", the actor Chen Jiale was 'borrowed' from the Emperor by calling me. We have always done this."
With the growth of the mainland market, more and more TVB artists have begun to enter the mainland. Le Yiling also accompanied several TVB artists to stay in the mainland for a long time last year.
Le Yiling said frankly that TVB and artists attach great importance to the mainland market: "TVB artists did not come to the mainland to develop now. Ten or twenty years ago, I helped our artists win the opportunity to shoot TV dramas in the mainland. But now there are More new forms, such as live broadcasting, bringing goods, shooting short videos, etc." She revealed that TVB now has a rule that artists do not have to stay in the company for 1/3 of the time, and can return to the mainland to develop: "This is a great opportunity for artists. Great news. We have a group of actors who have lived in the mainland for a long time, such as Gao Haining, who came back to Hong Kong because the company had something to do; Chen Zhenyi, she has already filmed several dramas in the mainland. Artists stay in the mainland to focus on live broadcasting. We are in favor of artists developing in the mainland, and it is a good thing to cooperate more with the mainland.”
Yangcheng Evening News