What makes the TV series “Three-Body Problem” attractive?Chief Screenwriter Tian Liangliang: After more than 20 revisions, he finally decided to return to the original work and return to reality
Once this year’s big drama “Three-Body Problem” aired, fans of sci-fi and original works were hooked, and some industry experts commented that “”Three-Body Problem” has brought a new spring to Chinese science fiction dramas.”
Since the TV series “Three-Body Problem” was broadcast on CCTV Channel 8, Tencent Video, Migu Video and other platforms, Douban’s score has climbed all the way to 8.1 points, making it the most popular sci-fi drama of the year. The book of the same name also rushed to the order list again. At the beginning of 2023, the TV series “Three-Body Problem” and the movie “The Wandering Earth 2” won high-score word-of-mouth, making science fiction themes popular.
Why does the TV series “Three-Body Problem” attract viewers? At the moment when more than half of the 30 episodes have passed, the reporter interviewed Tian Liangliang, the chief screenwriter of the play.
Revised more than 20 drafts
Finally Back to “Realism”
The most popular comment on the TV series “Three-Body Problem” on the Internet is, “It’s almost exactly the same as the original work.” Many fans of Liu Cixin’s original work no longer worry about “the movie’s magical transformation of the original work”, and even brought unexpected surprises – the latest few episodes not only perfectly reproduce the grand scene in the original work where Qin Shihuang used the army to build a computer, but also Even the soundtrack for cutscenes has chosen Qin opera, with great attention to detail.
The play follows the temperament of the original work, and the production concept of restoring famous lines and famous scenes one by one has been widely praised. Tian Liangliang said that looking back at the creative process at that time, it was really not easy.
“This is the first time to adapt such a work, and there is no experience to learn from. So we used a stupid method: go all the ways that can be taken. We have made more than 20 versions of the plan, and we have done everything that can be imagined. In the end, with the support of the main creative team, I decided to return to the original work itself and start from the temperament of the original work to create a film and television script.”
Tian Liangliang’s previous screenwriting works include the popular costume drama “A Thousand Bones of Flowers” and “Ultimate Notes”, which was crazily praised by fans of the original works. She is good at deconstructing the original works and adapting them by finding the points of interest to the current audience.
She introduced that the original book has a special charm – there is a tension under the great self-restraint. This has become the yardstick for plot selection and adaptation, “I’m glad the audience is satisfied now.”
Regarding the reappearance of famous lines and scenes that have been well received by netizens, Tian Liangliang said that the screenwriter team was not bound by the descriptions in the book, “The reason why the famous scenes in the book are unforgettable for readers is because readers value the characters’ emotion, convey On the basis of the spirit of the novel and the plot that breaks the rules, a reasonable adaptation can be accepted by the audience.”
put the theory to work
Let the characters three-dimensional
As a famous sci-fi IP, “Three-Body” is sought after by readers from all over the world for its grand view of the universe and brand-new sense of sci-fi. The original content consists of three books. This TV show is the first part. The 30 episodes span from the 1960s and 1970s to the beginning of this century, interspersed with a lot of scientific knowledge such as astronomy and physics. The brand-new sci-fi scene of “game” spans a long time and has a new concept, which is not a small challenge in script creation.
During the years of adapting the script, for a long period of time, the screenwriter team lived and boarded together, working day and night upside down and taking turns, looking for direction. “Realism is another sharp tool to solve the follow-up creation of “Three-Body Problem”.”
The shaping of the characters in the original novel is relatively flat. How to make each character from “two-dimensional” to “three-dimensional” when it is visualized is quite a test of the ability of the screenwriting team. “Completing the adaptation in line with the temperament and style of the original work and introducing real characters is a relatively important point in the realistic creation technique. For example, the police officer Shi Qiang, we started with the typical lines in the original work, refined the core highlights of his character, and then combined his The characteristics of the professional identity of the police.” Tian Liangliang said.
The scientific concepts and theoretical knowledge involved in the original “Three-Body Problem” have a natural threshold for ordinary people. How to present theoretical knowledge in images, Tian Liangliang said, first of all, he should earnestly consult scientific consultants, “Repeatedly discuss and verify, and ask the scientists to tell us what these things will look like when they are photographed, and what is right. “
For example, when the film tells about the flickering of the universe, it uses bottles and lights as metaphors to let the audience understand quickly and clearly. When telling the theory of shooters and farmers, it uses popular animation styles. “I have a natural translator, Shi Qiang. He is the perspective of an ordinary person in the play, and he translates many scientific terms that everyone can understand.”
The popularity of “Three-Body Problem” has shown many viewers and professionals that the level of Chinese science fiction dramas can not be inferior to foreign countries. Tian Liangliang was very happy about the recognition from the audience and book fans. She said that science fiction dramas must find a balance between the audience’s understanding and professionalism. “It’s a bit like walking on a tightrope. It’s difficult, but if you want to break through You have to go forward bravely.”
