Zhang Lao, a veteran screenwriter, sat in his study, his eyes scanning the award certificates on the bookshelf. His eyes revealed mixed emotions, then he sighed and began to recall the changes in the creation of anti-Japanese dramas.
Zhang Lao looked back on the past, "I still remember that at that time, we created anti-Japanese dramas with a sense of mission. He was immersed in his memories, and the anti-Japanese dramas at that time were serious and serious, striving to reproduce history truthfully in order to convey the spirit of patriotism.
Every detail has been scrutinized, and every line is full of power.
However, over time, the voice of the market has become louder and louder, and ratings have become the standard by which everything is measured. Mr. Zhang recalled: "It was about the beginning of the last few years, and the changes quietly happened.
There was a hint of helplessness in his tone, "In order to attract the audience, the series is becoming more and more exaggerated, with more and more special effects, but the authenticity of history is losing little by little."
Back in his early years, Mr. Zhang looked back on the early anti-Japanese dramas he participated in creating. At that time, the entire crew was working hard for 01: Restoring Historical Details. They read through a lot of historical materials, consulted veterans of the war, and even debated for days about the authenticity of a scene.
"The sense of accomplishment at that time is indescribable," Zhang Lao's eyes flashed, "We are not only telling history, but also inheriting the national spirit."
However, with the development of the times, the tastes of the audience are also quietly changing. "It seems that now the audience prefers to see exaggerated action scenes and heroic individual performances," Zhang Lao shook his head and sighed, "Anti-Japanese dramas have slowly changed into a different look."
Today's anti-Japanese drama is no longer just a simple narrative method, it has become a complex form of expression, a unique medium for the dissemination of ideas, Zhang Lao's eyes fell on the latest issue of the TV drama monthly magazine on the table - on the cover, a "female agent" in a tight costume is flying and kicking a Japanese officer.
This scene made him fall into deep thought.
Mr. Zhang recalled a recent hit anti-Japanese drama in which the female characters wore low-cut hip skirts and high heels to show off their combat skills. "Where does this look like a dress in the anti-Japanese era?" He couldn't help but shake his head, "Why can't women appear in the role of warriors and in costumes that are in line with the times?" Even without considering historical authenticity, such a setting is hardly convincing.
He recalled that there was a scene in the play: the heroine's hair suddenly fell apart in the heat of battle, but her anger became more intense in an instant, and she picked up a gun to chase the enemy.
However, in the next second, she put on a very beautiful pose, "This is not at all in line with the actual battle situation," Zhang Lao sighed, "Are we creating a serious historical drama, or are we shooting a so-called 'cool film'?" "。
A combination of a low-cut hip skirt and anti-Japanese themes
On an ordinary night, the new drama "Beacon Beauty" premiered. What is quite surprising is that the broadcast of this drama has caused an uproar in the whole society.
In the picture, a young and beautiful heroine is wearing a red low-cut hip skirt and high heels, and she is comfortable in the face of the heavy encirclement of the Japanese army. Her long hair fluttered in the wind, and her eyes were full of determination and defiance.
Suddenly, with a quick movement, she dodged the attack of the Japanese army, and at the same time drew a dagger from her body, accurately hitting the enemy's vital point.
The scene stunned countless viewers, and social media immediately erupted.
Some people questioned: "Is this an anti-Japanese drama or a fashion show?" ”
Can you fight if you dress like this? Another netizen couldn't help but ask.
"Isn't this an insult to our ancestors?" More people expressed outrage.
At this moment, in the living room of an ordinary family, an elderly couple is watching this new drama. When the old man saw this scene, he slapped the table angrily and said fiercely: "This is just nonsense!" He had heard from his elders about those difficult years and was outraged by this disrespect for history.
"Do you remember the stories my grandfather told us?" The old gentleman turned around, his eyes flashed with tears, and said to his wife, "At that time, the female comrades were wearing coarse cloth clothes, and there were no beautiful skirts at all.
The old wife patted the back of his hand gently and comforted: "Don't be angry, we may not fully understand the background of that era now." ”
However, the old gentleman could not enjoy life peacefully, and he often recalled the ancestors who died in the war, and his heart was full of grief and unwillingness. "Our elders have made great efforts in the past to make life good for future generations, but their efforts should not be misinterpreted and tampered with by you!".
However, the camera suddenly turned, and the heroine suddenly changed into a tight jumpsuit and began a difficult fighting performance. This scene made the audience feel extremely dissatisfied.
"Please let go of the anti-Japanese drama!" Someone made a heartfelt cry on social media, "Could it be that wearing a low-cut hip skirt and a jumpsuit, we can really fight the 'devil'?" "
The phrase quickly became a trending topic and sparked a wider discussion. People began to reflect, what should our anti-Japanese drama look like?
As the plot progresses, the audience finds that this drama has problems in both costumes and plot settings, which is very unreasonable. In a battle scene, the heroine faces heavily armed Japanese soldiers, but she can easily win with one enemy and a hundred.
Her movements and lines are too exaggerated and contrived, and they are seriously inconsistent with the real war scenes.
What's even more ironic is that in a tense chase scene, the heroine's hair suddenly spreads, she instantly becomes more angry, picks up a gun to chase the enemy, but the next second she poses a very beautiful pose, as if she is shooting a fashion blockbuster.
This contradictory performance makes the audience feel strongly uncomfortable. Some comments pointed out: "This drama has no texture at all, overemphasizes the visual impact and exaggerated action scenes, but ignores the historical details and authenticity, and looks more like a 'cool movie' than a serious anti-Japanese theme."
”。
As the discussion deepened, more and more people began to question why anti-Japanese dramas in recent years presented such a situation? Is this the responsibility of the creator, or is it due to a change in the audience's tastes? So, what kind of anti-Japanese drama do we need?
The controversy "Beacon Beauty" is not only a criticism of this work, but also a deep reflection on the entire anti-Japanese drama creation industry, and people look forward to more excellent works full of respect for history and inheritance in the future.
In the conference room of the production company of "Beacon Beauty", the atmosphere is tense and serious. Director Wang Ming sat in the first place, his face gloomy and ugly. His gaze swept over everyone present, and finally landed on the face of screenwriter Xiao Li.
"Xiao Li, please explain, why do you want to design this kind of dress for the heroine?" There was a hint of imperceptible tiredness in Wang Ming's voice.
Xiao Li lowered his head deeply, his fingers wringing together involuntarily, "Director, I want to attract the attention of more young audiences. Today's audience likes to see more visual impact...".
"Visual impact?" Wang Ming interrupted him, "We are filming an anti-Japanese drama now, not a fashion show!"
Producer Zhang Li interjected to director Wang Dao: "I understand your thoughts, but you also know that the market is very competitive now. If we don't innovate visually, it's hard to capture the audience's attention.
Wang Ming was silent. He recalls his ideals and enthusiasm when he first entered the industry. At that time, he vowed to record history with his lens and inherit the national spirit. However, reality has given him a head start again and again.
Wang Ming fell into a contradiction, and said to himself with a puzzled expression: "Do we really need to use this method to attract the audience?" ”
Zhang Li sighed and softened her attitude: "Director Wang, I understand your insistence. But let's look at the ratings data for the last few years...", she flipped through a report and pointed to the graph above, "Audience tastes are changing, and we have to adapt to the market."
There was a deep silence in the room, and everyone was in a heavy mood, and they all understood that the present was not only a matter of individual selection, but also the future of the entire industry.
Wang Ming recalls the many compromises the team made in the process of filming in pursuit of so-called "visual effects": including low-cut hip skirts and bodysuits, which were completely inconsistent with the Anti-Japanese War era, but were used as selling points to attract audiences.
At this time, the young assistant Xiao Wang said timidly: "I have an idea. "Everyone's eyes were on him. Xiao Wang continued: "Can we try to respect the authenticity of history while retaining some elements that will attract the audience? For example, design some special plots within a reasonable range, but the overall plot still follows history? ”。
Wang Ming's eyes suddenly brightened. He glanced at the others and noticed that their expressions had changed as well.
"This idea is very good," Wang Ming nodded, "We can consider adding something to some details, but we must not violate the general principles of history." "
After intense discussions, the creative team finally reached a balanced plan, and they decided to pay more attention to the restoration of historical details while retaining modern elements, and further find a balance between historical responsibilities and market demand.
As soon as the meeting ended, Wang Ming breathed a sigh of relief. Although he knew that this was just the beginning and that there was still a long way to go, at least they were starting to take action and taking the first steps towards change.
After walking out of the conference room, Wang Ming secretly made up his mind: as a creator, they have the responsibility to convey positive values through their works. In the future, anti-Japanese dramas should not only attract the audience, but also carry history, so that the audience can truly feel the suffering of that era and the greatness of their ancestors in the process of watching.
This is the creative direction they should continue to stick to.
With the popularity of "Beacon Beauty", the online discussion has become more and more intense. On major social platforms, related topics frequently appear on the hot search list and occupy multiple positions.
A user with the screen name "Keeper of History" posted a long article on social networks, detailing the irrationalities that appeared in anti-Japanese dramas and unceremoniously expressing his dissatisfaction and disgust.
The article quickly garnered tens of thousands of likes and retweets.
A netizen who claimed to be a descendant of a veteran of the Anti-Japanese War uploaded a video tearfully telling his grandfather's real experience in the War of Resistance Against Japan. He said: "My grandfather participated in the War of Resistance Against Japan, and he told me how hard it was at that time.
Seeing such an 'anti-Japanese drama', I feel very heartbroken."
During this time, many netizens used humorous ways to satirize the show, and some even juxtaposed the scenes in the play with photos of modern fashion shows, giving them a "find the difference" title.
Some people even make spoof videos, pairing the fight scenes in the show with funny sounds and sound effects.
Some netizens pointed out sharply: "The female characters in the play wear low-cut hip skirts and high heels, which is seriously inconsistent with the historical background." Is this filming an anti-Japanese drama or a fashion show? "
Another commenter questioned the plot setting: "The heroine is able to defeat heavily armed Japanese soldiers alone, which is too exaggerated, this is not a serious historical drama at all, but a kind of enjoyable 'cool film'."
However, there are voices defending the crew. A netizen who claims to be born in the 90s thinks: "Today's young people may prefer this style, at least it makes more people pay attention to this history."
This view immediately sparked a larger discussion. A historian published an article on his personal blog titled "Entertaining to Death? On the Historical Responsibility of Anti-Japanese Dramas".
The article pointed out: "Historical works, especially those related to national suffering, should be more cautious about over-entertaining, which not only fails to convey a correct view of history, but may mislead the younger generation."
As the discussion deepened, people began to reflect: why did the anti-Japanese dramas in recent years become like this? Is it the responsibility of the creator, or the changing tastes of the audience, both of which exist?
A veteran media person said on a talk show: "This fully reflects the attitude of our whole society towards history, do we want to learn more about the real history, or just use it as entertainment?" This is a question that everyone needs to ponder.
As the storm of public opinion intensified, some people found that the ratings of "Beacon Beauty" continued to rise. This phenomenon has inspired more people to think deeply: can high ratings equate with good work? What kind of anti-Japanese drama do we need?
Netizens appealed: "Please let go of the anti-Japanese drama!" So the question is: can you really beat the 'devil' when you wear a low-cut hip skirt and a one-piece suit? This appeal is a voice of the public and is at the heart of the discussion.
People look forward to the emergence of more excellent works that respect history and inherit the spirit in the future.
How to watch anti-Japanese dramas correctly
In a fancy teahouse in Beijing, famous directors and screenwriters gather to discuss the buzz over the recent TV series "Beacon Beauty." Among these people are former masters of anti-Japanese drama creation, as well as Mesozoic directors who are at the peak of their creation.
The old director Li Wenqing took a sip of tea and said: "To be honest, when I see the current anti-Japanese drama, I feel very uncomfortable. His eyes flashed with worry, "We filmed anti-Japanese dramas back then, but with a sense of mission.
Wang Lei took Director Li's words and said that he should pay attention to market demand, because the times are changing, and the audience's tastes are also changing.
"Market demand?" Li Wenqing raised some of his voices, "Can market demand be above historical truth?" The original intention of our anti-Japanese drama is to let future generations not forget the national shame and inherit the national spirit.
Screenwriter Xiao Zhang interjected: "However, today's young audiences seem to prefer to watch exaggerated action scenes and heroic individual performances, and if we follow historical facts, it may be considered too dull."
Li Wenqing asked rhetorically: "Then should we dress up female characters in low-cut hip skirts and jumpsuits in order to attract attention?" Can this really fight the 'devil'? Are we filming an anti-Japanese drama, or are we filming a fashion show? "
There was a brief silence in the room as everyone pondered the question.
Wang Lei said slowly: "Director Li, you are right, we can't abandon the authenticity of history in order to cater to the market, but can we appropriately add some elements that can attract young audiences on the premise of maintaining the correct direction of history?" "
"For example?" Li Wenqing asked, raising his eyebrows at the same time.
"We can put more effort into the characterization to make the characters more fleshed out and have depth. It can present their inner struggles, as well as their choices in difficult situations. This not only engages the audience, but also maintains historical authenticity.
Wang Lei explained.
Screenwriter Xiao Zhang's eyes flashed with wisdom, and said: "That's right, we can work the details, such as accurately restoring the life scenes at that time and showing the real living conditions of people in the war."
In this way, the audience can better feel the atmosphere of that era."
Li Wenqing agreed: "These ideas are very good. The key is how to grasp the degree of perfection, and not completely deviate from the historical track for the sake of pursuing visual effects. "
"I think there's one more issue we should pay attention to," another veteran screenwriter noted, "and that's to try to avoid excessive heroism." The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was a struggle of all the people, and we should show the strength of ordinary people, not just some superheroes.
The participants nodded in agreement and had an in-depth discussion, which also discussed how to innovate forms of expression while respecting history, how to balance educational and entertaining effects, and how to attract young audiences without losing the sense of history.
Finally, Li Wenqing concluded: "When we create anti-Japanese dramas, we shoulder an important responsibility. We need to be clear that this is not just a kind of entertainment, but also a kind of historical inheritance. We must create with our hearts and move the audience with sincerity, so that they can feel the hardships of that era and the greatness of our ancestors in the process of watching.
Wang Lei continued: "Yes, we need to create works that not only attract the audience, but also pass on the history. This is the creative direction we should stick to. "
Return to the truest state and pay high respect to history.
First of all, creators are starting to re-examine the topic selection and script creation. They realized that anti-Japanese drama should not just be a simple form of entertainment, but should be a complex form of expression, a unique medium for the dissemination of ideas.
The screenwriters began to delve into historical materials and strive to restore the real historical details in the script.
The creators have changed the traditional concept of heroism in terms of character creation, and began to tell the life and survival of ordinary people in the war, and through the in-depth depiction of the inner world of the characters, they showed the mental torture and personal growth process brought about by the war.
Costume design is also now more focused on historical truth. Instead of low-cut hip skirts and bodysuits, designers focused on imitating the specific style of the era, and through in-depth research on a large number of materials, they tried to restore the style of clothing at that time in clothing design.
In terms of shooting techniques, directors began to try new ways of expression, no longer pursuing big scenes and thrilling actions, but paying more attention to the portrayal of details. Through the delicate lens language, they try to make the audience feel the atmosphere of that era and the emotional changes of the characters.
There are already new criteria for casting actors, and these criteria include acting skills and historical understanding in addition to appearance. Many actors have begun to take the initiative to learn about history and deeply understand the background of the era in which the characters live, so that they can better interpret the characters.
This new creative concept quickly made an impact in the industry. Some new anti-war dramas began to gain critical acclaim, attracting not only young audiences, but also historians.
A veteran film critic commented: "These new works have finally found the right direction, respecting history and full of artistic innovation. Through realistic and delicate depictions, the audience can truly feel the atmosphere of that era and understand the choices and sacrifices of their ancestors.
The play also received an enthusiastic response from the audience. A young viewer wrote on social media: "After watching the new version of the anti-Japanese drama, I deeply felt the need to remember history, which is not only a TV series, but also a vivid history lesson.
Although changes are still in progress, the industry generally believes that the future of anti-Japanese dramas is promising. Through continuous exploration and hard work, we have reason to believe that there will be more excellent works in the future, which can not only attract audiences, but also inherit history, and truly realize the social and artistic value of anti-Japanese dramas.