嚴(yán)粒粒
俗話說,北有北漂,南有橫漂。
改革開放40年,中國文化產(chǎn)業(yè)經(jīng)歷了從無到有、從大到強(qiáng)蛻變。在這過程中,伴隨東陽橫店“中國好萊塢”的名聲鵲起,90年代末誕生的“橫漂”一詞,至今仍充滿生命力。
“道具大王”朱冬青,已經(jīng)“橫漂”了18年。今天,你如果在橫店影視圈喊出他的名字,幾乎無人不知。相比在臺前閃閃發(fā)光的明星,他選擇堅(jiān)持自己的木雕老本行。沐浴著改革開放的春風(fēng),他經(jīng)歷著變化,也受益于變化。
在他工作室的抽屜里,鎖著一本老舊的筆記本,封面寫著“業(yè)務(wù)來往劇組”?!峨u毛飛上天》《潛伏》《戰(zhàn)長沙》……密密麻麻的影視劇名稱記了一頁又一頁。本子記錄了朱冬青的事業(yè),也記錄了橫店的發(fā)展。
時(shí)到今日,要是還覺得所謂橫漂就只是演員,那就太低估了橫店的“肚量”。從群眾演員,到服裝、化妝、道具師傅甚至服務(wù)員、廚師,“橫漂”的概念因城鎮(zhèn)變遷而不斷拓展,包容著從四面八方聚集到此的“追夢人”。
制作公司、經(jīng)紀(jì)公司、道具公司……整個(gè)橫店,長長短短的街道上布滿了與影視相關(guān)的大大小小的店鋪。大智街上,朱冬青開的“朱仔道具工作室”,是全鎮(zhèn)第二家道具店。
拉開舊木抽屜,一本泛黃的冊子案前鋪開。朱冬青把他近20年來曾參與制作道具的影視劇的名稱,工工整整地記了數(shù)十頁。
論創(chuàng)業(yè)史,當(dāng)?shù)厣鲜兰o(jì)90年代末興起的影視產(chǎn)業(yè)是他的起點(diǎn)。論奮斗史,朱冬青呡一口茶,目光漸深:“那要從更早的時(shí)候說起?!?/p>
改革開放,說到底就是為了老百姓的日子越過越好。
一個(gè)猛子扎進(jìn)歷史的大潮,“開眼看世界”,是改革開放之初,人們最強(qiáng)烈的需求?!八麄兡荜J,我也能闖。外面什么樣,我當(dāng)然要去看看?!敝於嗟搅四贻p氣盛的年紀(jì),渴望干一番大事。論吃飯的本事,東陽木雕自古聞名全國。憑著跟父親學(xué)了多年的木雕手藝,原屬東陽的磐安人朱冬青胸有成竹。
“東西南北中,發(fā)財(cái)?shù)綇V東”。上世紀(jì)80年代,一句順口溜傳遍神州大地,激蕩著無數(shù)打工者南下淘金的雄心。1992年正月,19歲的朱冬青踏上了南下路。
那是朱冬青記憶里最艱難的一次出行?!败噹倪^道、廁所全是扛著草席、卷著被子的人。擠到只要我腳一抬,下一腳就沒地方放。睡在座位底下,都算最舒服的位置了?!本瓦@么擠了三天兩夜,朱冬青“感覺擠瘦了一圈”。
轟隆的火車向南疾行,駛向廣東,駛向未來。
朱冬青被老鄉(xiāng)帶進(jìn)了廣東德慶一家東陽人開的廠子工作。那時(shí)候的快樂簡單得很:老家的香蕉貴,廣東便宜,可以一天吃一串;大大的城市,哪里都有老鄉(xiāng),不上工的時(shí)候可以到處跑到處玩;錢賺得多了,每次過年回家都能給家人捎去最時(shí)髦的禮物,長面子;早就過了讀書的年紀(jì),還學(xué)會了一口流利的廣東話……
改革開放也解放了人們的思想。當(dāng)時(shí),遠(yuǎn)在廣東的打工仔朱冬青以為這樣已經(jīng)算是過上了好日子。他還不知道,生活即將再次改變——在磐安的隔壁,躋身浙中地區(qū)首個(gè)工業(yè)產(chǎn)值“億元鎮(zhèn)”的東陽橫店,此時(shí)正在醞釀一件意義重大、理念超前的大事。
時(shí)間飛轉(zhuǎn),中國邁入新世紀(jì)。浙江也加快了前進(jìn)的步伐。
據(jù)2000年《人民日報(bào)》3月25日和8月4日的報(bào)道:“(浙江)全省已有441家集體和私營企業(yè)獲得進(jìn)出口經(jīng)營權(quán)……跨出國門辦廠辦市場,成為浙江產(chǎn)業(yè)轉(zhuǎn)型的新景觀”;“浙江經(jīng)濟(jì)保持了較快的增長態(tài)勢和較強(qiáng)的區(qū)域活力,國民經(jīng)濟(jì)幾項(xiàng)主要指標(biāo)都高于全國平均水平?!?/p>
發(fā)展的勁頭,就是百姓的奔頭?!霸谕饷娲蚬つ敲炊嗄?,說到底還是外來人,沒有歸屬感?!瘪R路寬了,工廠多了,生活好了……當(dāng)家鄉(xiāng)傳來越來越多的好消息,朱冬青感覺到“是時(shí)候回去了”。
2000年夏天,朱冬青帶著打工時(shí)認(rèn)識的妻子,背上返鄉(xiāng)的行囊。此時(shí)此刻,橫店已經(jīng)和過去大不一樣。
上世紀(jì)末,在國外引發(fā)浪潮的“文化產(chǎn)業(yè)”在國內(nèi)尚屬新鮮事。靠著工業(yè)積累起“第一桶金”的橫店人卻開始思考“文化力”的可能性。
1996年是橫店打響“中國好萊塢”品牌的元年。這年,謝晉執(zhí)導(dǎo)的迎接香港回歸的獻(xiàn)禮片《鴉片戰(zhàn)爭》的拍攝基地定在這里。2000年,身處國內(nèi)多個(gè)影視基地激烈競爭中的橫店影視城決定執(zhí)行“免場租政策”。此舉幾乎降低了影視制作成本的三分之一。隨之而來的是,劇組接待數(shù)量暴漲,橫店成為國內(nèi)最大的影視拍攝基地,繼而為影視旅游業(yè)鋪就了一條好路子。
機(jī)會總是留給有眼光的人。橫店跳出框框,走了城鎮(zhèn)可持續(xù)發(fā)展的新路。朱冬青又何嘗不是。
“橫店鎮(zhèn)上現(xiàn)在可時(shí)髦啦,都在拍電影電視。要是喊你做道具,去不去?”剛回家,親戚就急著上門介紹新活。為了謀生,也因?yàn)楹闷?,朱冬青毫不猶豫地選擇擁抱機(jī)會。
根據(jù)古龍小說改編的電視劇《飛刀問情》,是他參與道具制作的第一部影視劇。2003年上映時(shí),英俊小生焦恩俊飾演的“小李飛刀”李尋歡成了萬千少女的夢。一同造夢的,還有朱冬青——他負(fù)責(zé)為假樹綁上枝椏、花朵。一天報(bào)酬40元,并不算高,甚至趕不上在廣東時(shí)的工錢。
“做人和做事最重要的是一不要怕吃虧,二不要怕吃苦。我那時(shí)不過是一個(gè)新人,就該‘交學(xué)費(fèi)學(xué)東西,不要計(jì)較那么多。”他把目光放得長遠(yuǎn)。
不會就學(xué),不懂就問。那段時(shí)間,劇組總會問“有人做泡沫雕刻嗎”。以前刻的是木頭,現(xiàn)在刻的是泡沫,不熟練,朱冬青就少收點(diǎn)錢,邊刻邊學(xué)。
劇組也經(jīng)常喊“有人會寫字畫畫嗎”。以前寫字不算好看,自從發(fā)現(xiàn)劇組普遍需要這項(xiàng)技術(shù),朱冬青就勤學(xué)苦練。每天晚上刷牙前,一手拿著牙杯,一手拿毛筆沾水練,一練就是個(gè)把小時(shí)。
有一次,一個(gè)劇組晚上著急找美工給宮殿門梁畫云紋。苦練畫工多時(shí)的朱冬青覺得自己應(yīng)該能夠勝任,便毛遂自薦,在四五米高的腳手架上一手掛著柱子保持平衡,一手伸出去畫畫,從晚上七點(diǎn)半開始,目不轉(zhuǎn)睛、全神貫注地一直畫到第二天下午四點(diǎn)半才收工,工時(shí)費(fèi)算上加班費(fèi)不過100元。制片人看見,不禁大贊。他想不到一個(gè)普通工人,竟拿得起刻刀也拿得起畫筆。
功夫不負(fù)有心人。此后,無論道具組還是美術(shù)組,幾乎沒有什么事難得倒朱冬青?!耙呻y雜癥找朱仔”,這句話在橫店影視劇組里里口口相傳。
“2006年拍《龍門驛站》,是香港明星張智霖演的。我還做了他的手替,電視上他給心上人畫的畫像,都是我在畫呢!”朱冬青爽朗的笑中透著驕傲。
生活本可以平淡。是什么讓一個(gè)人選擇堅(jiān)持不懈地進(jìn)步,成為更好的自己?
眼前這位身材并不健碩、兩鬢略微斑白、臉上已經(jīng)顯露出風(fēng)霜溝壑的中年人,用堅(jiān)定的語氣袒露著信念:“我最看不起的就是光是嘴上有‘夢卻吃不起苦頭的人。只要我知道哪里有座山,我就一定要爬上去?!?/p>
敢做敢為的基因,流淌在浙江人的血液中。朱冬青的打工記,是早年浙江人的縮影?!皦K阜之山,營宇狹小”。浙江是國土面積最小的省份之一,且“七山一水兩分田”,向來不占地利??恐白弑榍饺f水、吃遍千辛萬苦、想盡千方百計(jì)、說盡千言萬語”的精神,浙江人才能打遍天下。
短短幾年,朱冬青已經(jīng)成為劇組“紅人”。很快,隨著橫店影視產(chǎn)業(yè)的蓬勃發(fā)展,朱冬青的業(yè)務(wù)量劇增。很快,他面臨一個(gè)新的選擇。
創(chuàng)業(yè)者的名字,在開放初期叫做“個(gè)體戶”,中期叫做“合伙人”,如今叫做“創(chuàng)客”。2015年全國“兩會”之后,“大眾創(chuàng)業(yè)、萬眾創(chuàng)新”更上升到了國家戰(zhàn)略層面。40年來,一撥一撥的弄潮兒前赴后繼,在歷史的波瀾中迸發(fā)著驚人的創(chuàng)造力。
作為一個(gè)“生存型”創(chuàng)業(yè)者,朱冬青最開始動起創(chuàng)業(yè)念頭,很大程度上是來自他人的勸導(dǎo)。
做好自己,貴人自來?!澳贻p人不要總想著打工,要做老板,要?jiǎng)?chuàng)業(yè)!”給朱冬青傳授經(jīng)驗(yàn)的人叫做馬綱。這位開廠做大生意、全國各處跑的影視制作商人,真心希望這個(gè)相識多年、技術(shù)過硬、老實(shí)肯干的“小老弟”能夠“給自己打工”。
朱冬青拒絕了很多次,馬綱仍耐心說服:“如果怕不穩(wěn)當(dāng),我就把橫店幾百平方米的道具庫分出一塊,給你做免費(fèi)道具展示,試試手?!?/p>
“命運(yùn)掌握在自己手里最踏實(shí)?!泵鎸ε笥训暮靡?,靜下來的時(shí)候,朱冬青開始思考做老板的可能性。
2007年,橫店影視產(chǎn)業(yè)開始揚(yáng)名國際:美國好萊塢雜志將橫店稱為“東方好萊塢”。同年,朱冬青獲得“朱仔道具工作室”個(gè)體戶營業(yè)許可證。原本只有糧油副食品小店的大智街,開出了第一家道具店。
“朱仔道具工作室”接的第一個(gè)大型道具制作業(yè)務(wù),是為橫店影視城的標(biāo)志性大型實(shí)景演出《夢幻太極》制作數(shù)十套道具。要想拿到項(xiàng)目,需要參加投標(biāo)。和朱冬青一起競標(biāo)的,還有兩家公司。
“影視城要求我們制作完成一套結(jié)實(shí)、會發(fā)光的荷花燈和馬鞭。”這是一個(gè)時(shí)間緊迫、難度極高的任務(wù)。得知承包方要在三天內(nèi)負(fù)責(zé)畫圖、設(shè)計(jì)、找材料、制作,其中一家當(dāng)時(shí)已經(jīng)頗有名氣的道具行當(dāng)即選擇退出。朱冬青咬咬牙接下了任務(wù),連夜加班,終于按時(shí)應(yīng)標(biāo),并報(bào)了相當(dāng)合理的價(jià)格。
一天,兩天,三天……幾天過去,沒有消息傳回。又聽說競爭方有“路子”,朱冬青心里不免有些打鼓。又過了幾天,朱冬青接到一個(gè)電話,喊他去接受投標(biāo)結(jié)果。
那天,很多部門的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)都在。朱冬青記得,他和另一位競標(biāo)者的作品,鋪陳在影視城負(fù)責(zé)人辦公室的地上:他這一邊的荷花燈燈骨用鐵絲撐起,花面包裹的是韌勁、透度極好的布,花的內(nèi)芯裝的是亮度極高的LED燈;另一邊的荷花燈竟是紙糊的,燈芯也不亮。馬鞭更不用說,朱冬青的是用牛皮層層纏繞,打開開關(guān),就算往地上甩都能亮,而另一方竟然拿了樹枝裹著布糊弄。
“看到?jīng)]有?哪個(gè)好哪個(gè)壞,清楚嗎?”影視城負(fù)責(zé)人指著道具,對在場所有人說。聽罷,朱冬青挺了挺腰桿。
接下來的一年時(shí)間,朱冬青夫婦為所做道具提供24小時(shí)保修?!秹艋锰珮O》每天晚上8點(diǎn)開演,10點(diǎn)結(jié)束,前后都需要檢查道具。無論刮風(fēng)下雨、酷熱嚴(yán)寒,他們必定提著工具箱出現(xiàn)在現(xiàn)場。黑漆漆的山路上,摩托車突突地開,寒冷的風(fēng)刮過臉頰。當(dāng)時(shí)一同幫忙的老友打趣:“我們可能是全國最窮的老板啦!”
生意難做。為店租煩惱,為成本發(fā)愁,朱冬青也有感覺撐不下去的時(shí)候。幸好每每心情失落,就有朋友鼓勵(lì):“做生意不是一天兩天,要堅(jiān)持住!”
店里被劇組騙過租借費(fèi)、被小偷偷過……多年來,即便是最艱難時(shí),朱冬青仍一直堅(jiān)持底線:“做生意最重要的是講信用、實(shí)在,不能想著偷懶、占便宜!”
如果說,務(wù)實(shí)堅(jiān)守是大小浙商留在骨子里的珍貴品質(zhì),那么求新求變,則意味著他們善于對時(shí)代變化作出靈敏反映。
“我這里有數(shù)萬件抗戰(zhàn)時(shí)期的武器裝備,包括發(fā)報(bào)機(jī)、電臺監(jiān)聽機(jī)、唱機(jī)等等。老式照相機(jī)有40多臺,電臺也有20余部?!睘榱吮WC“真實(shí)”效果,北京潘家園、上海城隍廟、天津古玩城……朱冬青開始去全國各地收購古董,至今花費(fèi)上百萬元。老家磐安還有人找上門,希望為他開一個(gè)道具博物館。
有時(shí)根據(jù)劇組要求,朱冬青也會上手改造。比如,給發(fā)報(bào)機(jī)裝上電池,燈會亮,天線會轉(zhuǎn),租費(fèi)就能從一天50元漲到100元;給老式照相機(jī)裝上燈泡,劇組租去“閃”一下,就收35元。
為了拓展業(yè)務(wù),去年朱冬青和合伙人投資百萬元購買了跟拍車。車上裝了最先進(jìn)的車載搖臂拍攝系統(tǒng)——俄羅斯臂,能夠滿足多角度、高清晰的拍攝。
創(chuàng)新、踏實(shí)、精專。“朱仔工作室”的口碑就這樣打出來了。目前,朱冬青已經(jīng)與上千個(gè)劇組合作過,就連上海歌劇院、湖南衛(wèi)視等外地單位都慕名而來。
而朱冬青的生活,也默默地?fù)Q了軌道:2000年,朱冬青夫妻還借住在老房子里,2011年已經(jīng)買了兩塊地,蓋了兩套房;2009年,代步的車子從摩托車變成汽車,2015年,汽車從一輛變成兩輛;2007年,事業(yè)還沒上軌道,大女兒只能在磐安做留守兒童,近兩年,女兒不僅能接到身邊,家里還添了一個(gè)兒子……接下來,做一部大電影的計(jì)劃也已經(jīng)排上了日程。
拉上舊木抽屜,朱冬青合上那本記錄著劇組名字的冊子。他知道,冊子里的名單會變得越來越長,說不定還得再記一本。
問他:“現(xiàn)在是過上好日子了吧!”
他說:“認(rèn)真干活,日子自然就好過咯!”
Self-Made Prop Master Prospers in Hengdian
By Yan Lili
Zhu Dongqing has been in filmmaking property business in Hengdian for 18 years. A notebook in his office records his career development in Hengdian, a filmmaking cradle and powerhouse which is somehow considered Chinas Hollywood. In his career in Hengdian, he has taken part in numerous film and television productions and his credits include some best known television dramas.
It is said that Beijing in the north and Hengdian in the south are two places that offers biggest allures to dreamers. Hengdian attracts more than filmmaking professionals. It also pulls in amateur actors, costume designers, makeup artists, and property masters, even chefs and waiters, a great variety of people which a filmmaking project needs.
The year 1996 marked the beginning of the Chinese Hollywood. Director Xie Jin was going to make a film titled to mark the return of Hong Kong to the motherland in 1999. A lot of filmmaking bases in the country vied each other for the honor of hosting the filmmaking. Hengdian Studios offered something Director Xie Jin found irresistible: all the sites in Hengdian were offered for use free of charge. The free use of the locations in Hengdian could cut down the one third of the budget. This new policy made a sensation in the countrys filmmaking industry. Production teams flocked in and Hengdian boomed into the countrys biggest filmmaking attraction.
Opportunity came to knock on the door of Zhu Dongqing. He grew up as a woodcarving craftsman in Panan in central Zhejiang. In 1992, he followed the trend to Guangdong which was the biggest place to make money for ordinary job hunters. He spent eight years there. In the summer of 2000, he came back to Zhejiang with his wife, a woman he met in Guangdong and married. Shortly after the couple was at home, a relative came to visit them and asked if they wanted to make props for production teams in Hengdian. Zhu Dongqing did not hesitate.
Zhu learned fast and picked up technical know-how fast. Among the jobs he did, he installed branches and flowers onto fake trees. After learning a production team wanted to find an expert to make plastic carving, he offered to do the job. He didnt know how to carve plastics, but he was a woodcarving craftsman and learned the plastic carving fast. He found that production teams often wanted an artist on the spot. He practiced calligraphy and painting. One night, a production team wanted an artist to paint cloud patterns onto the door of a palace. Zhu Dongqing offered to do it. He started working on the scaffold at seven thirty in the evening and wrapped up the job at four thirty in the next afternoon. He was paid only 100 yuan for the job, but the producer marveled at Zhu Dongqings versatility. After this painting stunt on the palace door, another door opened for him. His reputation spread in Hengdian. Whenever a production team ran into a difficulty it badly needed to solve quick, it turned to Zhu as the go-to guy.
In 2007, he set up his own property studio. The idea came from Ma Gang, a producer. Ma hoped that Zhu, an experienced property master who had worked with Ma for many years, could establish himself for a better business opportunity. Ma hesitated for a long while. Ma offered something irresistible. He said Zhu could exhibit his properties free of charge in Mas spacious property warehouse in Hengdian. Zhu made up his mind and set up Zhus Property Studio in Dazhi Street, which was originally full of foodstuff shops. In the same year, a showbiz magazine in America covered Hengdian and called it Hollywood in the east.
His studio participated in bidding for making properties for , a reality show in Hengdian. Two other bidders were big businesses. He had only three days to make a lotus lantern and a horsewhip. A successful bidder should do everything from drawing a plan, designing, finding materials and making the properties. A well-known competitor withdrew its bid after learning what it was supposed to do. Zhu submitted a whole package. He was a little bit worried because the other competitor had better “”. After a few days, Zhu was informed to attend the bid opening. It was in the office of a department boss of Hengdian Studios. The two bidders samples were on the floor. Zhus lotus lantern had a solid wire structure inside, a very strong fabric covering, and the LEDs that shone brightly. The lotus lantern made by the competitor was a paper piece and the lamps inside did not work at all. Zhus horsewhip was wrapped up with layers of cowhide and the tiny lamps inside worked pretty well. The competitors whip was a tree branch wrapped up in cloth. The boss put a rhetoric question to all the managers present: which bidder was better? Zhu stood straighter and got the contract.
He and his wife made all the properties for the large-scale show. They did all the maintenance work day in day out for a year. The show started at eight oclock in the evening and ended at ten. The couple did their maintenance work before and after the show. The couple rode a motorbike to and from the venue every evening. They were jokingly called the poorest and sorriest bosses in the world.
Now Zhus business thrives. He owns a big warehouse himself. In his collection are several tens of thousands of old-time weapons and other equipments used in Chinas war of resistance against Japanese aggression in the 1930s and 1940s, including 40 plus telegraph transmitters, radio listening devices, gramophones, and 20 vintage cameras. He has spent a million yuan purchasing such antiques and has searched antique markets in Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin. In 2017, Zhu and his partners bought an insert car with a cutting-edge Russian arm for a million yuan.
Zhu is now known for being innovative, down-to-earth and professional and has worked with more than one thousand filmmaking production teams including heavyweights such as Shanghai Opera House and Hunan Satellite TV.
Zhus life has changed dramatically. In 2000, the couple stayed in a rented house and their daughter was left home to the care of his parents. In 2011, the couple bought two properties and had two houses built. In 2009, they bought their first automobile. In 2015, they had another. Now the daughter lives with them and the couple has a son. Right now on the top of their business agenda is a prop project for a big-investment film.