Guangming Daily: Actors should not compete for "ranking", but "word of mouth"

【Cultural Commentary】

On the 22nd, the State Administration of Radio and Television announced on its official website the approval draft of the "Specifications for the Master Production of Television Dramas" for radio and television and online audio-visual industry standards (hereinafter referred to as the "document"). The document points out that the way, sequence, location, etc. of the cast members in the TV series are stipulated by the employment contract, and the producer should communicate and agree on the signing issue when signing the employment contract with the cast members, so as to avoid the occurrence of signature disputes such as competition for ranking.

The so-called "ranking" refers to the ranking order in which actors appear in promotional materials and film and television dramas. Many film and television dramas have not yet been broadcast, and fans of different starring actors have competed on the Internet for a vague ranking, but they do not care much about the artistic quality of the work. For this unhealthy trend, the introduction of relevant norms is timely.

It is necessary to treat both the symptoms and the root causes. To avoid the chaos of "competing for rankings", we must first see the root cause of this phenomenon. Generally speaking, the ranking in film and television dramas is the embodiment of the importance of actors in their works, a bright stroke in their acting resumes, and one of the bases used by fans to show off their idols. At a time when the traffic economy is popular, ranking has also become one of the main means for celebrities, actors and producers to bargain and self-gild.

Rankings are even more important for the agencies behind the stars. It is a bargaining power in business negotiations, and when it comes to fighting for scripts, endorsements and related activities for actors and stars, the "ranking order" is an important criterion for judging, directly affecting their role position and performance remuneration.

In the final analysis, on the surface, it is the ranking, but in fact, it is the interest. It is not difficult to explain why before the advent of a film and television work, fans of different stars will directly go down to "mutual pity". However, if the reputation and box office of a work are not satisfactory, even if these stars or actors are at the forefront of the cast and crew in the work, few people stand up to take responsibility for the low quality of the work, or even apologize.

Establish a career first, do a person in advance. This sentence applies in all walks of life, especially in the literary and art industry that gives the people value guidance, spiritual guidance and aesthetic enlightenment. Literature and art bear the responsibility of becoming a weathered person. Whoever cultivates virtue must first be virtuous; those who forge soul bacon must first have roots. An actor or star participating in a film and television drama should first be created with heart and polished by strength, rather than competing for the so-called "ranking". Ranking has nothing to do with cultural connotation, nothing to do with artistic value, nothing to do with social responsibility, nothing to do with the reputation of works, and nothing to do with these four, and ultimately it must have nothing to do with market efficiency.

The new era has provided an unprecedented broad stage for the prosperity and development of China's literature and art. In recent years, mainstream film and television dramas such as "The Age of Awakening" and "Mountains and Seas" have become popular, acclaimed and popular, and the actors involved in them are also deeply loved by the audience. Obviously, their success does not depend on "ranking", but on the moral examples they create in their works, the spiritual motivation they provide, and the majestic strength and Chinese spirit that result from them. It is not the ranking of actors that should be contested, but the reputation of the work. Adhering to the people's stand and speaking with works and strength is where the duty of literary and art workers lies, and it is also the future.

(Author: Li Qinyu, media commentator)

Source: Guangming Daily