Interview with Beijing filmmakers ｜ Wu Jing wants China Kung Fu movies to go global again.

Special feature of 1905 film network Growing up in a martial arts hall in Shichahai, there are sweat after hard training, joy in lazy time, all of which are nutrients that nourish his dreams. After 20 years of practicing martial arts, the cowhide that was blown after drinking and playing, finally came into reality a little bit.

Series, series, series, more and more works let those audiences know the filmmaker Jason Wu from all aspects. Looking back, he hopes to use his own strength to open up new territory, just like the "Shadow Martial Arts Hall" he founded, which reads, "Let China Kung Fu movies go to the world again".

Simple "once again" is meaningful, continuous and innovative.

Recently, the film channel, together with the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Beijing Film Association, with the strong support of the Propaganda Department of the Beijing Municipal Committee and relying on the film channel Blue Feather Living Room, launched a series of talk shows "The Shadow Man of Beijing", aiming at presenting a real and artistic Beijing and exploring the evolution and development of China’s film industry through the life stories and artistic creations of representative filmmakers in Beijing.

In this program, Lan Yu, the host of the film channel, talks with Jason Wu, vice chairman, director and actor of the Beijing Film Association, from Shichahai to "Yingwutang", from the place where dreams began, to the fruits of hard work, and to tap the struggle and high spirits in life.

Lan Yu: Do you remember the first time you were sent to practice martial arts?

Jason Wu: The first time it was delivered, it should be May. I remember I was at Xisi, playing football. My dad grabbed my back neck, lifted it, put it on my bike and delivered it here for me. At that time, my coach, Mr. wu bin, kicked a basketball out from under the bed, saying, "Give me a kick" and "Don’t kick if you are tired". It’s quite personal. Let’s practice here.

Lan Yu: When did you start to feel "convinced, Master"?

Jason Wu: As soon as I get there. Get up every morning, kicking a thousand legs, kicking a thousand legs sideways, and lifting a thousand legs outside. Legs are lifted 1000 times, legs are crossed 1000 times, legs are kicked 1000 times, back legs are kicked 1000 times, legs are swept 500 times, front blocks are blocked 500 times, backs are turned 500 times, and footmen step through palms 500 times. Are you not satisfied?

Lan Yu: You wanted to go back when you were so bitter?

Jason Wu: It’s the deepest memory of all growing up. It laid the road for your future life, and even your character came from here.

Lan Yu: Have you ever had a movie dream by this river?

Jason Wu: I guess I just started "blowing" when I was drunk. After filming Tai Chi Master, Xiao Li Flying Knife and New Shaolin Temple, I still have to go back to the Wushu team for training and take part in competitions. I didn’t leave the team until 2000. I trained in Shichahai in 1980, for 20 years.

Lan Yu: Did the cow that blew at that time come true?

Jason Wu: Yes, yes.

Lan Yu: Back to the place where this dream started, where has the dream progressed now?

Jason Wu: I also want to own a piece of Shichahai.

Lan Yu: Today, I went all the way from Shichahai to Yingwutang. After I entered here, I saw the word, which was inscribed by Master wu bin, as if I had taken your life along the way, and walked to this Yingwutang step by step.

Jason Wu: I think one thing, as far as the martial arts community is concerned, it pays special attention to the martial arts virtues that everyone talks about. Up to now, I think everyone has been paying attention to the cultivation and education of martial arts. "Master leads the door and practices in the individual." At that time, I asked the director, "You are standing so high. What do you think of us at the top of the mountain?" "No, I’ve been at the foot of the mountain", suddenly enlightened. I have to go on and learn some new knowledge and new concepts. Summing up some of my experiences over the years and sharing them with those young people means taking fewer detours. Everyone may have been run on, so when you run on, when you are looked down upon, do you choose to retreat or continue to fight?

Lan Yu: What was the most frustrating time for you?

Jason Wu: Someone once pointed to my back and said, "Jason Wu will never be popular", including my own works at that time. I haven’t learned the professional knowledge of film and received professional training. We all rely on the day after tomorrow to work hard and explore by experience. This is not your own field, so you have to ask others for advice and prove to those who don’t like you that you can. You can only do this.

Lan Yu: When I walked into Yingwutang, I saw that sentence, which was "Let China Kung Fu movies go to the world again". Why did you write "again"?

Jason Wu: We have been filming in the way of the older generation all these years, but our audience has improved. How can we upgrade action movies from all aspects? One person can’t finish it. We need to brainstorm and twist into a rope to create a new style of martial arts. I really don’t know whether it will succeed or not, but someone has to do it.

Lan Yu: How long do you think it is for distance to go to the world again?

Jason Wu: I don’t know, I don’t know, maybe I have to wait for my next generation. But you can’t stop doing it just because you don’t know. It’s like when no one made military action movies, we had to have someone do them; No one does science fiction movies, we have to do them. I think this is also a subject.

Lan Yu: I heard that you are preparing a new work called Dao, right?

Jason Wu: That’s a series. This series is called "swords, spears, swords and sticks grow in the south", which corresponds to seven scenes, and seven shots are taken on a romantic night.

Lan Yu: What’s the progress now?

Jason Wu: The script has been rejected. The script of "Knife" is now in its fourth draft, and there is another film with the director. We are all thinking about how to innovate and be worthy of the audience.

Lan Yu: For the future, I feel that you are full of infinite yearning and reverie. Everyone especially misses Lengfeng. Will he meet you again?

Jason Wu: I especially hope to shoot another one. However, the pressure is also relatively high, and then the script has been dissatisfied. Which direction should I go? With the change of our times, the cold front should also change. Where should I go? I have to look for it again.

Lan Yu: You’ve joined in. Do you think it’s possible for China action actors to go global through such films?

Jason Wu: I’m trying to move forward. They may pass me, and they can also see how an actor from China films and understands the play. I don’t need an interpreter to communicate with Jason or the director or other actors. As soon as we move, the camera there will start to operate. This feeling is really eager to work with better filmmakers next time and let them feel the charm of filmmakers in China.

Lan Yu: For action filmmakers, I think there may be confusion about the future, because with the growth of age, your body is not allowed to work so hard. Do you have any plans and imagination for the future?

Jason Wu: My greatest wish now is to repair this knee quickly. After repairing it, I hope I can really play a few games and play some action scenes that others have never seen before. As for the future, I hope I can still play two roles I really want to play and direct two films I really want to direct.

Lan Yu: Not long ago, you were elected as the vice chairman of the Beijing Film Association and a very important representative of Beijing filmmakers. What kind of platform and space do you think the Beijing Film Association will build for everyone in the future?

Jason Wu: This place, Beijing, has several unique advantages. Most of the filmmakers in China are in Beijing, and we have so many resources. Can we organically integrate everyone, especially the new art groups, and bring everyone together instead of fighting alone?

The second is the martial arts culture in Beijing. In the past, even our school janitor could use both hands, and the old ladies in the park had to practice Tai Chi sword, and they could do it twice. So there are so many stories to dig about the martial arts culture in Beijing. Since I’m from Beijing and I’m from the Beijing Film Association, I have to do something for the Beijing Film Association and make some contributions. I am satisfied to be able to do something for cultivating young people and hope to promote it.

Lan Yu: I hope I can help more filmmakers from Yingwutang, realize my movie dream in Beijing, and deliver more outstanding young action film talents to the industry. Shadow martial arts hall, shadow in front, martial arts in the back, this is also a belief in your mind, that is, I hope they walk on two legs.