In fact, if it weren't for concerns about his own development and the film's box office, Jiang Cheng would have been keen to produce a narrative musical film. Although China is a desert for musical films, Jiang Cheng is aware that in the West, musicals have been experiencing a slow revival and are poised for vigorous growth in the coming years.
After the Hollywood musical entered a period of decline in the 1970s, the 1990s did see some quality productions. For example, Disney's "Pocahontas" in 1995 was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, but it was an animated film. As for live-action musicals, only "Evita," mainly due to Madonna's role, managed to break even.
Why are "pseudo-musicals" like "Pocahontas" the only ones to sell well now?
A significant reason is that contemporary musicals have evolved significantly from their "Golden Age." They've begun to focus more on the narrative rather than just stringing songs and dances along a thin plot. In the future, the revival of musicals will rely on the integration of story and music, where the audience is drawn to the narrative and the performances, and where music serves the story rather than standing apart.
How are musicals reviving recently and in the coming years? In 2000, "Dancer in the Dark" took the film world by storm; in 2001, "Moulin Rouge!" earned Nicole Kidman an Oscar nomination; in 2002, "Chicago" was both a commercial and critical hit, sweeping numerous awards, including Best Picture at the 75th Academy Awards. Looking further ahead, there's also "Black Swan."
These films aren't just simple musicals. Their main attraction lies in their narrative, in what the films express. "Chicago," "Black Swan," and others explore the beauty and ugliness of human nature, with music and dance serving this exploration.
If international recognition rather than the domestic market were the only concern, producing such a film could yield significant rewards. These types of films are excellent choices for award considerations. However, Jiang Cheng feels it's too early for him to tackle such projects, and currently, he lacks the capability, so such films aren't his choice for now.
The alternative then is the second type: youth and campus musical films. These have a long history, with classics like "Grease" (1978) and "Flashdance" (1983). These films don't carry heavy themes; they're about the attitudes, dreams, and loves of the youth of their time. A well-made film of this genre can ignite an unprecedented craze among students worldwide.
The next wave of musical films began in 2006 with the TV movie "High School Musical," which sparked a full-blown revival of youth and campus musical films. This resurgence filled the market with titles like "Camp Rock" and "Bring It On," among countless lesser-known productions.
"High School Musical" is undoubtedly a good film. It found the pulse of youth campus musicals: a positive, motivational theme; contemporary music and dance; and attractive young actors. These elements, done well, explain its massive appeal to students.
So, if Jiang Cheng decides to make a youth campus musical film, "High School Musical" is an obvious template.
Jiang Cheng seriously considered the difficulty of adapting "High School Musical." The settings are mostly in a high school, familiar territory for him, so no problem there; the filming doesn't involve complex camera work, stunts, or special effects, so that's also manageable. As for the cast, he, Hu Ge, Yuan Hong, Han Xue, Liu Yifei, and others are very suitable. China might lack top-tier actors, but there's no shortage of young, attractive talents with some acting skills.
The main challenges for adapting "High School Musical" are that it's an American TV movie. To remake it in China, the plot would need to be adjusted to suit Chinese tastes and be fit for the big screen. Then, there's the choreography and music arrangement, which require professionals.
The story of the original "High School Musical" is straightforward. Troy Bolton is a basketball prodigy under the guidance of his coach and father, aiming for the NBA. Gabriella Montez is a science genius, known as "Einstein" with impressive achievements. They're from two different worlds but discover a mutual love for song and dance during a karaoke contest.
After the party, they return to their lives until Gabriella transfers to Troy's school, East High. With the school musical auditions underway, both decide to try out, hoping to become the leads. As the basketball and academic decathlon finals approach, friends and family try to dissuade them from participating in the musical, hoping to steer them back to their "normal" paths. The school's habitual leads, Sharpay and Ryan Evans, fearing their status is threatened, plot to sabotage Troy and Gabriella's audition.
Despite these challenges, Troy and Gabriella don't give up. They inspire their classmates to reveal their hidden talents. Eventually, their friends realize it's cruel to kill their dreams and start supporting them.
Through various sabotages, including changing the audition schedule to clash with the basketball game and the academic decathlon, Troy and Gabriella face many obstacles. However, with their friends' help, they manage to compete and, with a stunning performance, win the leads. They also triumph in their respective basketball and academic competitions. Sharpay and Ryan recognize their mistakes and sincerely congratulate Troy and Gabriella, who forgive them and become friends. The film ends on a positive note, with the characters looking forward to the future with confidence and expectation.
Jiang Cheng found adapting this simple yet inspiring story not too challenging. The real difficulty was making it resonate with a Chinese audience. But with his deep screenwriting skills and having two versions of "High School Musical" to draw from, he found the task relatively easy. Within a few days, the new script for the Chinese version of "High School Musical" was ready.
The plot closely follows the American original:
The male lead, Zhang Jun, is groomed by his basketball coach father to become a world-class player, aiming for the NBA. The female lead, Ning Ning, a science genius from a poor family, has always been a dutiful daughter, striving to excel academically to secure a better future.
At a New Year's party between schools, Zhang Jun and Ning Ning are reluctantly pushed onto a small stage to sing a duet. They discover a mutual love for song and dance. After the party, they go back to their lives until Ning Ning unexpectedly transfers to Zhang Jun's school, Jin City High. Excited to reunite, they both enter the "Super Inter-School Singing Contest" at their school and advance through the initial rounds.
However, as the provincial basketball team selection and academic competitions draw near, their friends and family try to deter them from the singing contest, hoping to steer them back on track. School diva Yang Yang and the lanky Liu Chen, habitual winners of the school's singing contests, fear their status is threatened and conspire to stop Zhang Jun and Ning Ning from competing in the finals.
After much sabotage leading to a misunderstanding, Zhang Jun and Ning Ning nearly give up on the finals. However, realizing their unhappiness, their friends confess their earlier sabotage and encourage them to continue. Zhang Jun's father and Ning Ning's parents also come to understand their children's stubbornness and dreams, telling them, "As long as you're happy." This gives Zhang Jun a significant boost, and Ning Ning regains her confidence.
Resolving their misunderstanding, Zhang Jun and Ning Ning joyfully prepare for the final round. But Yang Yang and Liu Chen again interfere, persuading Mr. Li Da, responsible for scheduling the finals, to change the time so it clashes with the basketball and academic competitions.
With their friends' help, both the basketball and academic competitions face unexpected delays, allowing Zhang Jun and Ning Ning to participate in the singing finals. They conquer the audience and judges with their outstanding performance, winning the top prize. Zhang Jun secures a spot on the provincial basketball team, a step closer to the NBA, while Ning Ning wins the academic competition, indicating a promising future. The story ends happily and positively.
This is the story of Jiang Cheng's adapted Chinese version of "High School Musical," full of youth and inspiration. It's not profound, just a tale of young people chasing dreams, striving, and never giving up. They experience budding love, deep friendship, spirited determination, and some harsh realities. Of course, the overall theme is positive and uplifting.
However, while the bulk of the plot is ready, the script still lacks a significant portion: the music and dance. Jiang Cheng thought it over and decided it's best to leave these to professionals. He's not a professional composer, and since this is a musical film where music plays a significant role, he might overlook something. Moreover, he's not short of money now, so there's no need to skimp.
This script is for the actors, but Jiang Cheng also needs to create a storyboard script for himself, detailing how to turn the script into screen scenes and how to film them.
The presentation techniques for TV movies and films differ significantly, influenced by budget constraints and the different viewing experiences of small screens and cinemas. Most of "High School Musical's" scenes need redesigning. Jiang Cheng isn't considering the cost; he's aiming for the best effect.
Fortunately, there's no rush for the storyboard script. With a general plot framework, he can take his time with it.
His next task is to select actors for the film.