Debra Li

debra_lidan@163.com

THROUGH support from Shenzhen government subsidies, a script-writing program that is recruiting young talents was launched Friday.

Led by established novelist and playwright Yang Zhengguang, the program has so far received nearly 50 scripts submitted by authors from eight provinces and municipalities. A 10-member jury, including established writer Deng Yiguang and playwright/director Li Yawei, has been tasked with shortlisting candidates into a roster of 30, whose names will be announced March 26.

The selected young talents will then be given comprehensive training in script-writing skills at a local camp in April. Then, in May, a five-member tutor group staffed by scriptwriters from China Film Group Corporation and university professors will provide one-on-one instruction to the trainees and help them refine their scripts.

“We hope that at the end of this training program, three to five scripts will be worthy of investors who will actually produce movies, TV shows or stage shows based on them,” said Yang at the launching ceremony at the CBD store of Shenzhen Book City on Friday.

Yang also revealed that the majority of the submitted scripts are set in our contemporary age and focus on common people’s lives in the city. “We don’t expect these scripts to be adapted into blockbusters and think that stories about common folks like you and me are good topics to focus on,” he said.

Some of the scripts submitted are intended for dramas, Chinese operas, crosstalk shows, acrobatic shows and musicals, among which some are also set in ancient times.

Asked about the criteria for a good script, Yang gave his unique perspective. “People often say the most important thing is a good story, which I don’t agree with,” he said. “For me, it’s most essential to provide good ethics and a positive world view. While we entertain, we shall not forget to show people what’s good and right. Then, a good script needs to present unforgettable protagonists and supporting characters interacting with them. And of course, you will need plots that convince the audience who your characters really are.”

Nie Xiongqian, vice president of Shenzhen Publishing Group Co. that co-organizes the program, said that while Shenzhen is a technology hub and economic powerhouse, the city lags behind in its cultural industries compared with other first-tier cities. “We seldom see great movies or TV shows that have been produced in Shenzhen and focus on the people and life here in the city,” he said. He pitched to Yang the idea of a TV series about the nerdy engineers working for local tech firm Huawei. “I hope we can come up with this type of stuff for movies or TV shows.”

The program is endorsed by Xu Shilin, an official with the Shenzhen Federation of Literary and Art Circles (SFLAC). “Hopefully, the program will help scout for and cultivate young scriptwriters and enrich the local cultural scene.”