Recently, a batch of reality-themed TV dramas set off an upsurge in watching dramas and aroused enthusiastic responses. Exploring the creative commonality behind these works will help us deepen our understanding and promote the creation of more realistic TV dramas.

"Splendid Mountains and Rivers" poster

One of the commonalities of these works that are loved by the audience is to create real textures with rich details, shape real characters, and express real emotions. In order to obtain real details with artistic energy, the main creators walked into life and experienced life in a down-to-earth manner. "Big Exam" tells the struggle experience of 5 candidates' families 200 days before the college entrance examination. The main creative team consulted various materials, visited more than 20 high schools and universities, and obtained a lot of vivid materials; "County Party Committee Compound" screenwriter Wang Xiaoqiang I stayed in Dayu County, Ganzhou, Jiangxi for 6 months, and traveled almost all the towns and towns in the county, eating and living with grassroots cadres. The storylines and character lines of the two works are close to life, steaming, and immersive. The first 10 episodes of "Splendid Mountains and Rivers" present the life in mountain villages in central and western my country in the 1980s and 1990s. In order to better restore the scene of the story, the main creative team gathered on the spot in many villages in Shaanxi, Henan, Guizhou and other places, and gained a lot. In the play, New Year pictures, flashlights, bicycles and other objects are used to create a strong sense of the times, allowing the audience to enter the play instantly. This inspires us: When the details of life are solid enough, there will be a basis for the reality of realistic dramas, and a foundation for winning audience resonance.

Stills of "The Big Exam"

The second commonality is to carefully polish the artistic effect with professional skills. The characters in "Splendid Mountains and Rivers" all speak authentic Shaanxi dialect, the characters are vivid and real, and the plot has a strong sense of substitution; "Our Ten Years" consists of 11 units, although each unit has only 4 episodes, but through relatively excellent performances And editing, the succession and transformation of the story are fully expressed, which is impressive. Some works have done their homework on the art concept design drawings and atmosphere renderings, and shot them strictly according to the drawings, ensuring the harmony and unity of the artistic style of the whole play. The reality of life is the foundation of the reality of art, but only the details of life are not enough. Only by proficiently using professional skills and striving for perfection in multiple dimensions such as screenwriting, directing, performance, photography, and editing, can a good work that touches people's hearts be produced.

The third commonality is to carefully shape typical characters with a sense of the times. "The height achieved by typical characters is the height of literary and artistic works and the artistic height of the times. Only by creating typical characters can literary and artistic works be attractive, appealing, and vital." It is meticulously carved, and strives to incorporate broader social life and various life styles into the works and weave stories, reflecting the conscious pursuit of shaping typical characters. Whether it is Wang Benzhong, the principal of No. 1 Middle School in "The Big Exam", Zhao Shuhe, the upright and stubborn village party secretary in "Splendid Mountains and Rivers", or the group portraits of the characters in "Our Ten Years", they all come from real life and come alive on the screen. Discover the shadows of yourself and those around you, and feel the great changes of the times and the various tastes of life from their struggling lives.

Stills of "County Party Committee Compound"

It is worth summarizing the beneficial experience of creating these realistic TV dramas. At the same time, the audience's affirmation of these works also proves that the prospects for creation of realistic themes are extremely broad. It is expected that creators will continue to strive for excellence, continue to go deep into life, take root in the people, continuously improve their artistic skills, and come up with more masterpieces of realistic themes that meet the spiritual needs of the people and enhance their spiritual strength.

(This article was published on the 20th page of "People's Daily" on April 18, 2023. The original title was "Let the creation of realistic themes shine.")