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Chao News Client Reporter Shen Tingyu

These are a group of people who "spread their wings and soar" in the vast sea and sky. When China's first aircraft carrier platform went out to sea for sea trials, the Chinese Navy established a carrier-based aircraft test flight brigade. These young test pilots inherited the "sea and sky eagle spirit" of the older generation, and with a rigorous scientific attitude and a sense of mission that time is running out, they overcame the global problem of carrier-based aircraft landing and take-off technology.

This is a city that brings together dreams of innovation and entrepreneurship, digital coders and technology developers in the field of big data, reformers who promote the development of the digital economy and smart city governance, benchmarking against the forefront of the world's digital technology, overcoming numerous obstacles and difficulties, breaking the foreign technology monopoly, and pursuing and realizing dreams in the field of big data.

Poster of "Sea and Sky Eagle"

These two touching stories come from the TV series "Hai Tian Xiong Ying" and "Dream City", which have been broadcasted in prime time on CCTV-1 recently. According to statistics from China Audiovisual Big Data, "Hai Tian Xiong Ying" ranked first in prime time ratings during its broadcast, with the highest single-day rating of 3.322%. Behind the two dramas, there is a common label - Zhejiang dramas.

In recent years, "Zhejiang drama word review" has become one of the common labels on the screen. From realistic dramas to military dramas, whether expressing patriotism or simple emotions, they always find the right rhythm, which makes the audience concerned and also gets praises from experts and scholars.

How does Zhejiang create good TV dramas? Why do Zhejiang dramas frequently win the favor of CCTV? The reporter visited many places to find the answers behind it.

Unique vision Digging for topics in the tide of the times

It took seven years from script creation to final broadcast for Dream City and 12 years for Eagles of the Sea and Sky. This shows the unique vision of Zhejiang Film and Television Company in selecting drama topics and its patience in forging high-quality works.

"Since the first successful landing of a Chinese carrier-based aircraft on November 23, 2012, the creation and filming of "Sea and Sky Eagle" has been on the agenda." Tang Jing, the chief producer of "Sea and Sky Eagle" and the person in charge of Hangzhou Haitian Jiaolong Media Co., Ltd., told reporters that the team has been deeply involved in military themes for many years and is well aware that in the current domestic drama market, popular and well-received military-themed dramas need inheritance and innovation. "Sea and Sky Eagle" is China's first TV series with an aircraft carrier as its theme. From the beginning of the theme, everyone realized that this is a story worth following.

However, this business was still in its infancy in China at the time. Tang Jing knew that if it was to be made into a TV series, it would take a long time and careful preparation. Since the creative team of this drama chose the topic of Chinese aircraft carrier-based aircraft test pilots, they have been following its development progress in real time.

The crew of "Eagles of the Sea and Sky" is filming in Qingdao.

"It can be said that it took 'ten years to sharpen a sword'. The entire drama has been polished for many years and it was not officially started until 2022." Today, thinking back to that period of preparation, Tang Jing is still filled with emotion.

Director Liu Jiacheng also admitted: "The first time I entered the shooting site, I saw the J-15 take off in front of me and heard its roar. The shocking feeling made my blood boil. The young carrier-based aircraft test pilots, their high spirits and fearlessness of life and death were moving. At that time, I felt that I had a responsibility to show this shocking feeling to the audience."

It can be said that the creative team of "Hai Tian Xiong Ying" had already noticed the specialness of this subject matter, and spent enough time waiting for it to grow, and finally brought it to the screen. This is an understanding of the times and a sensitivity to trends.

This kind of vision can also be felt in "Dream City".

The two main film and television companies that produced "Dream City" are Zhejiang Meishi Zhongle Film and Television Co., Ltd. and Hangzhou Jiaping Film Co., Ltd. The person in charge of the main creative team told reporters that the most fascinating story of the play, which dominates the development of the entire plot, is based on a real event that crossed national boundaries in the information industry. The script creation began during the 2016 G20 Hangzhou Summit. At that time, "digital economy" was listed as an important topic in the G20 innovation growth blueprint for the first time. Leaders of many countries jointly signed the "G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative" at the summit.

"Zhejiang is an important birthplace of the Digital China strategy. This TV series, which focuses on the digital economy and digital life of the new era, should also be produced by Zhejiang film and television companies." The person in charge also specifically mentioned that the entire drama was shot in Hangzhou. It is the first Zhejiang-produced drama that is truly based entirely on Hangzhou, integrating the actual development of Hangzhou's construction of a "digital city" into the plot and was eventually broadcast on CCTV.

From "Feathers Flying to the Sky" and "In the Distance" to "Time Is Right" and "Dream City", Jiaping Pictures has been deeply involved in the realistic theme track. In the current domestic drama market, the creation of realistic theme dramas has always been booming. It is not easy to make innovative expressions such as content narrative in a mature content track. Whether it can be accepted by the market, whether there are new difficulties in the production level, and whether the artistic level after audio-visualization can reach the standard in mind, everything is a risk.

"Just as 'Dream City' tells the story of digital technological innovation, 'Just in Time' tells the story of emotions and choices in real life, after the two dramas with different themes were broadcast, they attracted a lot of 'tap water' fans to promote them spontaneously online." After more than ten years in the industry, Jiaping Pictures has discovered that in order to make TV dramas with different themes both popular and well-received, it is necessary to always adhere to the following principles in creation - follow social trends, grasp the underlying reality, explore the core of ideas, try innovative expressions, and convey positive energy, so as to continuously explore and broaden the boundaries and possibilities of realistic works, so that the works can truly penetrate into the hearts of the audience.

Ingenious production and on-site field research

With the improvement of the level of industrialization of film and television and the maturity of the film and television industry, the audience's demand for watching dramas and aesthetic tastes are becoming more and more "strict". In addition to solid scripts and superb acting skills, excellent production is also one of the important criteria for judging the quality of a drama.

The stories and genres of the creations are completely different, but the fact that "Sea and Sky Eagles" and "Dream City" can be broadcast on CCTV-1's prime time one after another has the same logic behind them - their content and details are worth scrutinizing, and a lot of effort has been put into the details such as location selection, art setting, costumes and props. Whether they are reformers and entrepreneurs striving for the new era, or passionate test flight heroes, they are all flesh and blood, vivid and lively, embodying the spirit of Chinese temperament.

If you take a closer look at the creation and filming process of the two dramas, you can feel the sincerity of the creative team.

During the script writing process, the screenwriter of "Sea and Sky Eagle", Zhu Xiuhai, lived and ate with the test pilots, witnessing their transformation and growth. Tang Jing said: "It is because of personal experience that we can integrate the most sincere stories and emotions into the creation. Many characters in the play can be found in reality."

At a seminar on the TV series "Eagles of the Sea and Sky" previously hosted by the China Television Art Committee, Shi Shilun, editor-in-chief of the TV series channel of the Film and Television Documentary Center of China Media Group, said that the reason why "Eagles of the Sea and Sky" can lead the ratings boom is that every character in the play is three-dimensional and vivid, which lays a solid foundation full of tension for the entire work and adds a touching warmth to this tough military drama.

"This is the most difficult drama in my filming career." Liu Jiacheng said on social media after the broadcast of "Sea and Sky Eagle". It turns out that in order to present the authenticity and professionalism of the military drama, he spent a lot of time collecting materials after reading the script, and even boarded the Liaoning ship to do his homework. For example, he collected a lot of first-hand information on professional terms such as deflectors and arresting cables, as well as the detailed process of takeoff and landing during the test flight of aircraft carriers, to ensure professionalism and accuracy.

It is also worth mentioning that the filming of the sky scenes in the play, in order to express the reality, the crew drew more than 1,000 storyboards for the sky scenes alone, and filmed them strictly according to the divided shots. At the same time, detailed preparations were also made for how the camera would follow the plane into the sky, how to shoot the stunts of the carrier-based aircraft at close range, and how the actors would perform various rotations in the plane with the special effects.

The crew of "Dream City" also adheres to the concept of excellent production.

"Dream City" poster.

Liu Kezhong, the playwright, said that when he first received the topic, he knew very little about concepts such as digital technology. Therefore, he spent a lot of time reading and researching in the preparatory stage before writing the script. "The books I read at that time could have piled up into a small mountain."

The most difficult part is to find a breakthrough when writing the script. How to transform the seemingly cold subject of digital technology into a warm story close to life in the play is what Liu Kezhong has been thinking about.

"I spent five years writing the script. I rewrote the first five episodes more than 10 times. I couldn't find the best entry point for the creative theme at the beginning." Liu Kezhong said that after sorting out a huge amount of information and conducting visits and investigations, he finally sorted out a main thread, using "Internet of Everything" as the entry point, linking digitalization with daily life such as transportation and medical care, to express the concept of digital sharing.

The TV series begins with a race against time for life: the protagonist Luo Chengyu encounters a traffic jam on his way to a press conference, and a pregnant woman in labor urgently needs to go to the hospital. Luo Chengyu uses big data to avoid the traffic jam and opens a green channel. Liu Kezhong said: "Such a plot close to life shows the strength of urban intelligent transportation and the impact of artificial intelligence on people's lives."

In this way, cold data, technology and other elements are connected with the lights of thousands of homes, which not only enhances the audience's sense of involvement, but also has a clear mark of the times. Just as Liu Kezhong hopes: "Dream City is not only a TV series, but also a microcosm of the image of an era."

Based on such ingenuity, Zhejiang-produced dramas have been favored by CCTV for their high quality. The creative teams of the two dramas admitted that there are many difficulties in the creation, production and shooting of each drama. However, when investing in the film and television industry, social benefits must come first, and economic benefits second. Creating quality works for the audience is the mission of film and television people.

Promote the brand and show the wonderful "Zhejiang Opera Scenery"

Zhejiang has always been at the forefront of TV drama development in China. From the early "Chinese Sacred Fire", "Wenzhou Family" and "Chicken Feathers Flying to the Sky" to the present, Zhejiang-produced high-quality dramas have always been able to grasp the pulse of the times and lead the trend. This is due to the provincial party committee and government's high attention to cultural work, as well as Zhejiang's rich cultural genes and long-term advantages in Zhejiang's cultural development.

The brand of Zhejiang-produced dramas is becoming increasingly well-known, and is also attracting film and television companies, industry talents, etc. to gather in Zhejiang.

Tang Jing still remembers that when the script of "Hai Tian Xiong Ying" was still in the writing stage, the Propaganda Department of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee had already paid attention to this project and communicated with the team many times. Whether it was the evaluation of the project or the financial support, the services provided by the relevant departments of Zhejiang made her feel warm.

Therefore, in 2019, after much consideration, she chose to open a film and television company in Yuhang District, Hangzhou. "We are a team specializing in military dramas. At that time, many places wanted to introduce us. In the end, we chose Zhejiang because the cultural atmosphere here is good. Everyone is pragmatic and efficient, and there is also human touch."

Liu Kezhong also said frankly that he was a screenwriter trained in Zhejiang. Previously, the TV series "Daughter's Red" and "Peacekeeping Infantry Battalion" he wrote for won the Zhejiang Province "Five One Project" Award. He was also one of the first screenwriters to enter the Zhijiang Screenwriter Village.

"I have a very close cooperation with Zhejiang." Liu Kezhong said that this year, his novel "China's Great Port", which took him three years to write and was based on the reform and development of Zhejiang ports, was just published. The twin TV series "Port Era" with the same theme has started preparations, focusing not only on Ningbo Zhoushan Port, but also on the development of Hangzhou and Ningbo, aiming to reproduce Zhejiang's wonderful leap forward history. In the next stage, Liu Kezhong will conduct a new round of research in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Shaoxing, Zhoushan and other places, and write TV series scripts. Next, he also plans to focus on the culture of the Southern Song Dynasty and create more works with Zhejiang stories as the theme.

A relevant person in charge of the Film and Television Drama Management Office of the Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Film, Television and Tourism said that in recent years, Zhejiang-produced dramas have gradually become the pioneers of domestic dramas. In 2023, 12 Zhejiang-produced dramas of different types, including "Fuchun Mountain Residence", "Ice and Snow Sharp Knife Company" and "Ordinary Road", were broadcast on CCTV, which can be said to be a frequent success with many excellent works and constant surprises.

"Since the State Administration of Radio and Television advocated reducing quantity and improving quality, reducing costs and increasing efficiency in the development of film and television dramas in 2022, the previous extensive creation and follow-up creation of domestic dramas have gradually moved towards a rational and mature stage, and quality-driven has become the mainstream. As a major province in film and television drama production, Zhejiang has the ability and confidence to create more high-quality TV dramas to meet diverse market demands and diverse audience expectations." The person in charge said.

For example, the Zhejiang Culture and Art Development Fund, established in 2019, invests 130 million yuan each year, covering six major categories such as radio, television, and stage arts, with a maximum funding amount of 10 million yuan for a single project. This time, "Sea and Sky Eagle" and "Dream City" are both key projects funded by the Zhejiang Culture and Art Development Fund.

In the hot summer, the crew was busy filming in the Xiangyang Street scenic area of ​​Ningbo Xiangshan Film and Television City. Photo by Wu Zhouyang and reporter He Yuankai

For example, Zhejiang has film and television shooting bases such as Hengdian World Studios and Xiangshan World Studios, which not only have rich shooting scenes, but also relatively complete supporting industries such as studios, costumes, lighting equipment, and crowd actors. The shooting platform of the entire industry chain has been initially formed. At present, the service functions of various film and television bases are still being upgraded and improved, and they are committed to supplementing the production factors of film and television shooting, building a comprehensive operation system covering professional filming, production, and post-production services, and creating a large platform for the creation of Zhejiang's film and television culture.

In the recently released "Implementation Opinions of the General Office of the People's Government of Zhejiang Province on Accelerating the High-Quality Development of the Large Audiovisual Industry", it is also clearly pointed out that it is necessary to support the production of original high-quality works. By implementing the "Zhejiang Good Dramas" high-quality creation project, implementing special IP and director and screenwriter support plans, establishing a script research and creation center, building a script exchange and promotion platform, and encouraging various places to explore the establishment of incentive mechanisms for the creation of high-quality literary and artistic works, etc., further help Zhejiang-produced dramas develop into high-quality works.

"At present, the output and quality of Zhejiang's audio-visual works are among the best in the country, but the situation of 'plateau' but lack of 'peak' still exists, and there is still a lack of classic works with both high 'click rate' and 'like rate'." A relevant person in charge of the Film and Television Drama Management Office of the Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Film and Tourism said that stronger support should be provided to promote the brand of "Zhejiang Good Dramas" and let the audience see more extraordinary "Zhejiang Opera Scenery".

(Except for those with signatures, all pictures in this article are provided by the interviewees)

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