The "Young Directors Program" led by China Film Group and uniquely supported by several private film enterprises, including Orange Sky Entertainment, fired the first shot in August 2008 with the release of "Departure Today." On July 24, 2009, another new film, "Night・Shop," will hit theaters nationwide. Starring seasoned actors such as Xu Zheng, Li Xiaolu, and Qiao Renliang, it is the cinematic debut of post-80s director Yang Qing, an AV star. Recently, with this debut work, Yang Qing not only made the shortlist for the "Sixth Movie Channel Media Awards" during the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival but also successfully signed with CAA, America's top talent agency, becoming a junior fellow under the same roof as Wong Kar-wai and Ang Lee.
Director Yang Qing of "Night・Shop" owes much to Xu Zheng for facilitating his smooth signing with CAA. The original title of "Night・Shop" was "Supermarket," telling a series of thrilling and funny stories about a group of urban characters in one night at a 24-hour supermarket. It sounds quite similar to South Korean films like "Gas Station Violence Incident." Xu Zheng, who has recently shifted his focus to the big screen, plays a jobless vagrant named He San Shui in the film. Wang Xun, who played "Qin Fengchan" in "Crazy Stone," and Peng Bo, who played "Xie Xiaomeng," also make cameo appearances in the film. Yang Qing introduced that Xu Zheng is not only the key figure in the movie but also a major contributor to its successful market launch, serving as the matchmaker between himself and the agency.
After graduating from Sichuan Conservatory of Music's acting program, Yang Qing pursued his dream of filmmaking by applying to the directing program at Central Academy of Drama. After graduating from the Central Academy of Drama in 2003, he became part of the "Beijing drifters" community, working in various roles such as actor and screenwriter. In 2006, after Ning Hao's "Crazy Stone" became a huge success, Yang Qing realized the opportunity for "medium and low-budget domestic films" had finally arrived, so he started writing a script that had been in his mind for a long time - "Night・Shop." His classmate read the script and recommended it to Xu Zheng, who liked it very much and invited Yang Qing for a meeting.
Unexpectedly, Xu Zheng not only enthusiastically agreed to direct the film but also successfully recommended Yang Qing and his script to his own agency - CAA. Later, CAA successfully found two investors for Yang Qing's script: China Film Group and Orange Sky. The script also smoothly entered the "Young Directors Program." After the movie was completed, Yang Qing successfully signed with CAA, becoming a junior fellow alongside Wong Kar-wai, Ang Lee, and John Woo. CAA, or Creative Artists Agency, is the top talent agency in Hollywood. CAA-signed talents from mainland China include Zhao Wei, Xu Zheng, Yu Nan, and directors such as Wong Kar-wai, John Woo, Ning Hao, and Ang Lee.
Yang Qing aims to be the Chinese version of Quentin Tarantino. His debut work has made it into the Media Awards. In his personal introduction, it says: "Because I have always wanted to make movies, wanting to become a movie director like Quentin Tarantino."
When asked about the reason for making the film, Yang Qing opened up earnestly. "I used to study acting, but later I felt being an actor was too passive, waiting for others to choose you. When I was studying at Sichuan Conservatory of Music, I saw the Oscar-winning film 'Good Will Hunting,' whose script was written by Matt Damon and another actor. That gave me inspiration; why couldn't I write my own script?" However, after finishing the script, he realized that scripts were still chosen by producers and directors, so he decided to become a director. Later, he discovered that even directors might not have complete autonomy. "To be honest, it's probably due to a love for movies, a love for an industry. What you do isn't important; what matters is what works you bring to the industry."
Yang Qing's passion and dedication to cinema have paid off with his directorial debut. "Night・Shop" has successfully made it into the Media Awards at the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival, where the film will be screened and the main creators will meet with audiences. The Media Awards are jointly created by the Movie Channel Program Center and the Shanghai International Film Festival, dedicated to promoting the development of domestic films. The final say in the reviews rests with media journalists.