At 3:00PM on September 26, the Young Filmmakers Forum – Industrial Consciousness and Mainstream Expression, jointly hosted by Beijing Normal University and the Organizing Committee of the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) and organized by the Organizing Committee of the 11th BJIFF ·28th College Student Film Festival and School of School of Arts and Communication, Beijing Normal University, was successfully held at Beijing Radio & Television Station and broadcast on xuexi.cn, yangshipin.cn, iQIYI and other platforms. 

 

Moderated by Yao Miao and Tan Jianghai, the forum was attended by Li Xiaoming, member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President of Beijing Radio & Television Station and Deputy Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the 11th Beijing International Film Festival, Xiao Xiangrong, Executive Vice Chairman of the 11th BJIFF · 28th Beijing College Student Film Festival and Dean of School of Arts and Communication, Beijing Normal University, Zhao Tianyu, young film director and screenwriter, Liu Zhihai, professor of China Academy of Art and young film director, Xie Lingjue, deputy general manager and film producer of Mahua FunAge, Ran Jia’nan, young film screenwriter, Yi Han, young film director and screenwriter and Qiu Sheng, young film director.

 

Li Xiaoming, member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President of Beijing Radio & Television Station and Deputy Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the 11th Beijing International Film Festival, stressed at his speech that, since its establishment in 1993, the Beijing College Student Film Festival has always been adhering to the tenet of "Passion, Academic Sense and Cultural Awareness" and maintaining its focus on the film industry with the growth of Chinese films. He also said that, amid the growth from a large film country into a film power, China needs the industrial consciousness to develop China’s film industry facing the world’s film market. We need to tell Chinese stories with films, strengthen cultural self-confidence, inspire national spirit and call for mainstream expression. The future belongs to the youth and expectations for the youth.  

 

Xiao Xiangrong, Executive Vice Chairman of the 11th BJIFF · 28th Beijing College Student Film Festival and Dean of School of Arts and Communication, Beijing Normal University, sent his blessings at his online speech that in the new century, the industrial consciousness of Chinese films has become increasingly prominent with the accelerating industrialization. Amid the changes unseen in a century, Chinese films put more emphasis on the mainstream expressions of culture. With focus on the hot issues in the current Chinese film industry, the forum explored Chinese stories from the perspective of youth, and showed the cutting-edge creative perspectives and unique thoughts of the young Chinese filmmakers. 

 

In the first stage of the forum, guests made comments on "industrial consciousness" and "mainstream expression". Zhao Tianyu, a young film director and screenwriter, said that industrialization represents the upgrading of the film industry. With the increase of modern films and improvement of technical standards, the demand for services and genre production in the film industry emerged, which is an overall upgrade from creation to production. The life of film still lies in creation, but the conditions and technical support provided by industry are indispensable and can be transformed into high-quality creativity. The support of industry is the greatest support to filmmakers in the age of industrialization. Based on his own experience, Zhao Tianyu pointed out that industrialization in the crew is embodied in clearer division of labor, unprecedented consistency of goals and significant efficiency improvement.  

 

Xie Lingjue, deputy general manager and film producer of Mahua FunAge, said that industrialization refers to process and standardization. Since the film industry has both artistic and commercial attributes, industrialization should be more highlighted in commercial sectors. We should make free spaces for creators as much as possible, and apply the process of industrialization in the production and implementation. As the deputy general manager of Mahua FunAge, Ms. Xie Lingjue said that comedy is not a unique genre, and comedy elements could be added to all types of films. Mahua FunAge plans to develop more works with a combination of comedy and other types. 

 

Ran Jia’nan, young film screenwriter, stated that the standard of industrialization becomes increasingly stricter with more specific functions and supports. She also said that it is not difficult to express the main value in commercial films. What is of the greatest importance of everything is the core value, which is definitely the main value. The main value is the most universal moral basis that is acceptable by most people. 

 

In the second part of the forum, the guests put more focus on the dialectical relationship between "industrial consciousness" and "mainstream expression". Qiu Sheng, a young film director, pointed out that through industrialization, problems can be found in advance and adjusted in time, and clear communication among directors, creators and producers can also be achieved. 

 

Yi Han, young film director and screenwriter, said that industrial consciousness is more highlighted in the standardization of production and creation. Industrialization helps film creation better satisfy the needs of the market and audience, and improves the efficiency of film shooting. Yi Han believed that, with the diversification, inclusive prosperity and vastness of films, the industrial production and mainstream expression of films would be more connected with and depend on each other. 

 

Liu Zhihai, professor of China Academy of Art and young film director, said that that film has been based on the industry since its birth. Under the current situation, subjective expression, film quality and film capital contribute to the industrialization of films. Only by integrating them can better works be created. 

 

Young filmmakers shared their experience and ideas with each other at the forum concerning the development trend, cultural meaning, value embodiment and characteristics of Chinese films in the new era, expressed their outlooks to the future of Chinese films from the perspective of new art creators, and displayed their latest ideas and styles in filmmaking. In the future, the BJIFF · Beijing College Student Film Festival will further adhere to the tenant of "Passion, Academic Sense and Cultural Awareness", pay close attention to the ecology and growth of young filmmakers, and grow with the new generation of filmmakers.