Little grassroots people achieve great miracles in life

If "Diary of the Emperor Penguin" is an epic about birds, and "Migrating Birds" is a hymn about flying, then "Godsend" is the novel "Alive" in the world of birds.

At the 4th German Cologne Film Festival, China's first film with birds as "actors", "Godsent", won the "Most Favorite Film" award in one fell swoop, becoming the most dazzling film. A dark horse, its production team also became the most eye-catching focus at the awards ceremony. However, no one believed that this film, which participated in international film festivals and eventually won the grand prize, was actually produced by three young people with non-professional film majors.

"Godsend" tells the touching story of a lonely little black-tailed gull fighting against fate. This feature film about the growth experience of a seagull has beautiful images, twists and turns in the plot, which is shocking. Mr. Volker Novak, the internationally renowned documentary master and Cologne Film Festival judge, spoke highly of "Godsend": "Using a documentary shooting method to complete the creation of a feature film is a contribution to film. "Godsend" is The best film of this festival!"

Yes! This best film was made by them. They are called the Tripod Group by their friends. They are little-known little people with an average age of only 36. Years old, but created a miracle in the history of Chinese film. However, their dedication behind the film was huge. For seven years, the three people gave the protagonist in the story "God's gift" for seven years, the most powerful years of their lives. People who are familiar with them said that they were "crazy". But in their hearts, this is not madness, but persistence and perseverance, because they were all moved by the "God's gift", from breaking out of the shell to losing their father, brother, mother... A lone bird, in the huge waves on Hailu Island And grow tremblingly amidst the rolling thunder. Survival is cruel, life is fragile, life is tenacious, life is still beautiful... This is almost a reproduction of the courage and strength of life.

At one time, their idea was very simple. Director Sun Xian, who has been fond of birds since childhood, always had a little doubt every time he watched "Animal World" filmed by foreigners on TV: China's "Animal World" "Where? Finally they found a sea donkey island more than 60 kilometers away from Weihai City. The island is only a few nautical miles away from the land. It takes about 20 minutes by boat. There is plenty of food around the island and it is a good breeding ground for seabirds. . Nearly 10,000 seagulls and egrets gather here every spring and summer. It can be said that this is the location of China's animal world. It was from then on that Sun Xian had the inspiration to shoot a purely wild bird documentary. May 2, 2002. On this "three-no" island with "no food", "no water" and "no electricity", Sun Xian and two like-minded friends began arduous shooting and creation. But what he didn't expect was that the shooting time was getting longer and longer. The longer. The plan also changed from making a documentary to a film about birds: I didn’t expect the filming process to be so thrilling, and I didn’t expect the film to be so successful...

Two years after Sun Xian graduated from high school and started working , was admitted to Qufu Normal University and studied oil painting for several years: Wang Jiantao worked as a farmer, driver, and repairman. Later, he studied photography at Jinan Radio and Television Institute for two years. After Yu Hui graduated from high school, he directly followed Sun Xian as an apprentice as an artist. None of the three of them are film majors, but as movie theater workers, they have many years of experience showing movies and have watched thousands of movies, which is the only and best source of nutrition.

When filming a movie about birds, the birds are not competent actors and never obey the director's arrangements. Bird stories must be observed carefully and expressed through lens language. This kind of film shot in the original environment is unimaginably difficult to shoot. A shot that lasts only a few seconds in a film sometimes takes three cameras and takes half a month to shoot. The entire film was edited for 80 minutes, but took more than 400 hours of filming, which took 7 years of filming.

Photography is difficult, but what is even more difficult is the lack of funds. The initial start-up capital came from their own savings. The three of them invested more than 3 million yuan, but at the most difficult time they couldn't even afford a hot meal. In the winter of 2004, filming almost put the three people into desperate situations. At this time, three "grassroots" filmmakers shot hundreds of hours of material, but how to turn it into a work? They were confused.

After reading their materials, film scriptwriter Yuan Xueqiang suggested making a movie about birds. Producing a movie is only the first step. Writing the script, editing, dubbing, music, production, and distribution are all steps that are insurmountable for Sun Xian and his team. After repeatedly hitting the wall, Sun Xian, who had never studied filmmaking, became a director for the first time in his life. He and his companions were groping while making. They read more than 400 hours of material over and over every day. Based on the material, they came up with a script. , the growth path of a little black-tailed gull gradually takes shape. The film was eventually named "Godsend". Some people said that the name "Godsend" was too ordinary, but Sun Xian did not change it in the end. Because during the filming process. Everyone has had a few brushes with death, and this kind of luck is a godsend: the black-tailed gulls photographed are also a godsend: and those who have helped them, these are all a godsend. Therefore, the name "Tianci" can best convey the theme he wants to express.

January 24, 2008. This film obtained a production license from the National Film Administration. Xu Jinglei, who is known as a talented woman in the film and television industry, kindly provided the voice for "Godsend", and young singer Tan Jing sang the theme song for the film. On October 13, 2009, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television issued a public screening license to "Tianci".

At this point, Sun Xian, who was considered "crazy" by his friends, led his film crew to realize his dream step by step. Seven years of arduous filming were not all difficult and bitter. The long-term shooting allowed them to gradually enter the life of birds. Those touching pictures shocked their hearts and brought them immense joy! Inspired by the tenacious life of the birds, all their annoyance suddenly disappeared. When they finally evacuated the island, Yu Hui said to Sun Xian: "If you still want to photograph birds in the next life, then I will be a bird, and I can fly however you want..."

News about the film's award When it spread to China, many people who were not optimistic about the movie were surprised. After all, this is a story that is somewhat far away from hot topics in society. And the three people who filmed "Godsend" are by no means artists or scientists. They are just a group of ordinary people and a few theater artists. But they did it. Maybe the more we see it from ordinary people, the more we can feel this power from the heart, especially after it is awakened by the black-tailed gull on Sea Donkey Island.

As for the original intention of shooting the film, Sun Xian said: "Actually, the reason is very simple, it comes from a simple love for birds. Seven years of close-up integration into the world of black-tailed gulls has allowed us to regain our understanding of the world of black-tailed gulls. All living beings should have the respect they deserve and the reverence they should have for nature. Life is equal and all life has dignity. Even every plant and tree should be respected. I just want to tell a story about the growth of life and bring it to the world of birds. Tell the story to more people."

On January 21, 2011, "Godsend" was released nationwide. The strong little Tianci touched the hearts of too many people.

With a dream of flying, facing difficulties that ordinary people cannot imagine, with perseverance that exceeds ordinary people. After seven years of sharpening a sword, a life-warming film was finally born in the hands of three little people, creating a miracle in the history of film. Their story is just like "Godsend", which is equally touching, admirable and inspiring. Envy and respect. As long as you persist, little people can also achieve great miracles in life.

The achievements of little people in life are the miracles of the grassroots