The 25th Magnolia Awards took place on Friday night. In the run-up to the event, Gao Xixi, a Chinese director and chair of the TV section jury of the awards, sat down with CGTN to talk about the status quo of Chinese TV drama.
Having directed a variety of historical and societal TV shows, Gao has been nominated best director at the Shanghai TV Festival's (STVF) Magnolia Awards many times. But this year, he serves as a jury member for the first time.
"The standards of the Magnolia Award have been constantly improved, and its fairness and the richness of its subject matter leave me in awe of this award," Gao said. The jury chair affirmed the fairness in the selection process of the Magnolia Award. "I think it's a very Emmy Awards-like process," he said.
What is 'excellent' TV drama?
In Gao's opinion, great TV drama should have an uplifting theme as well as a complete and incredible story. It should also contain valuable characters.
"No matter what kind of drama, it should reflect the story of the people, the story of the times," Gao said.
Gao Xixi, a renowned Chinese drama director and chair of the TV section jury of the Magnolia Awards, receives the jury's appointment letter at the 25th STVF in Shanghai, June 12, 2019. /VCG Photo
Creators need the skill and attention, a beautiful story with relevant content and "temperature," and better integration with the audience, Gao added.
He mentioned that the Chinese TV market needs all kinds of drama, but all of them need the right attitude of the creators as well.
Who should be responsible for the quality of drama?
Gao repeatedly mentioned the director's responsibility for the quality of the production. When the reporter asked about the phenomenon of TV drama being too unrealistic, Gao said that actors should not be the "scapegoats."
"I think it's the fault of the director. If you are very unfamiliar with life's everyday scenes, how can you create good works?" he said. "It's the director who needs to be blamed for (unrealistic TV shows) because the director is the creator, is the derivative work's primary performer."
Gao Xixi, a renowned Chinese drama director and chair of the TV section jury of the Magnolia Awards, attends the 25th STVF juries meeting, June 12, 2019. /VCG Photo
The director should be responsible for presenting the audience with different topics and cultural environments, Gao said. "When I was shooting historical dramas, I only emphasized one word to my creative team – details," he said, adding that details bring history to live, details are the key to success or failure, and audiences should not question these details.
Reporter: Liu Chen
Photographer: Zhu Danni
Video editor: Liang Si
Cover image designer: Du Chenxin