Date: 10/10/2011
Writer: Tsui Yong Yong
Because TVB did not permit him to shoot the grand tv series production, Legend of the Yuan Empire Founder, 《建元風雲》directed by Tsui Siu Ming, Steven Ma requested an early release from his contract with TVB. Recently, whenever I encountered good friends they would with much curiosity inquire into the cause of this ‘turbulence’.《風雲》
Actually all these years of accepting jobs for Steven, I was always on the passive receiving end since TVB has the absolute power in the final decision. I was but a ‘broker’. I understand that to acquire a job, lots of details have to fall into place and come together for it to happen, hence the gain or loss feeling is not all that huge because I always believe that what is yours will be yours, if it is not yours then losing it is not all that regrettable.
Except this time I was not only very disappointed but dispirited, too. Dispirited because I could not see the prospect of my own career, hence the thought of resigning.
Divine Land up north (old name for China). Today’s Hong Kong artists viewed penetrating China’s television and movie market as a top priority because of the infinite opportunities available in the mainland, which must be decisively seized in order to achieve better development.
In March 2011, I heard from a friend that Siu Ming gor (Tsui Siu Ming) had received the strong support of mainland film producers to direct a 50-episode grand historical tv series production, Legend of the Yuan Empire Founder.
Yuan Dynasty? Among the existing historical dramas in China, seemingly only “Yuan” had yet to be produced; after all, it implicates the struggles between nationalities. Because of its sensitive topic over an ethnic minority ruling of the Han people, only a highly qualified and experienced person who also possesses the proper nationalistic ideology can be the leader at the helm. I have known Siu Ming gor for 30 odd years. I know he loves to analyze the Yuan Dynasty, and moreover, has a deep passion for the grassland. When Siu Ming gor went to the mainland to direct his first movie, “木棉袈裟”, and his second movie, “海市蜃樓”，he had hoped to go to Mongolia for on-location filming. This time shooting, Legend of the Yuan Empire Founder, he just had to go to Mongolia for location shooting.
I felt that this presented an exceptional golden opportunity; a tv series that would be broadcasted next year on CCTV-1 in prime time at 8 pm, furthermore, Hu Jun and Ray Liu were in the cast. I felt I should help Steven to fight for this opportunity
In May, I suggested to Siu Ming gor that hopefully he could arrange a role for Steven in “LOTYEF”. When Siu Ming gor heard this, he laughed uproariously: “Tsui, (he likes to call me that), these past ten years, every time I saw you, you always recommended Steven to me. My hat’s off to you! Find! He is truly a talented person anyway. I’ll think about it. Rest assured.”
Early June, I received the happy news. Siu Ming gor had meticulously arranged a Liu Bingzhong role for Steven. Liu was Kublai Khan’s military strategy advisor, an esteemed founding minister; an important role character who appears in 26 episodes out of 50 starting from the middle of the series all the way to the end. He is a very important character in the series and has lots of scenes with Hu Jun.
Besides engendering fame and fortune, what is most important is the opportunity to learn from Siu Ming gor, Hu Jun and Ray Lui, and other seniors. I was very happy.
But regrettably, because of statements such as this: “If TVB does not buy this tv series, it cannot be aired on other tv stations,” Steven lost the opportunity to accept this series.
This has been a long standing policy enacted to safeguard TVB’s interests which I had no problem with. But in the past no one had ever enforced that policy because its implementation would incur huge losses. Therefore, if the series would not be aired on tvb, the policy enforcer would request the mainland producers to dub the voices if broadcasted on some other tv station. Problem solved.
But unexpectedly, for the very first time this policy was enforced, and the first to be affected and unable to spread wings to fly north just happened to be Steven Ma. He - was the very first victim.
A country needs its rule of laws, but its rule of laws will also provide special exception to accommodate special circumstances. Why not even consider borrowing the power of the "Easterly Winds"*? Why not for the sake of an artist’s future come up with the most satisfactory resolution to this situation? This is what I don’t understand, and what distressed me the most. Steven’s heart was hurt and the hurt was precisely over this. (tn: Hurt that tvb doesn't care about him and his career at all.)In the end, the cause for his being the first tvb ‘biological son’ to request an early contract termination was also because of this.
*Re-Zhuge Liang’s 「借東風」strategy = use an existing situation to assist our cause or to accomplish our goal.
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Tsui yong yong weibo
9/20 13:20 To dare to speak candidly without restrain needs a lot of courage, a great undertaking of determination, and a fearless spirit to do it. I applaud myself because I was able to do it. To reveal the truth I dared to face down the mighty power without fear. With rationality on my side, who’s scared of who. Put the blame on me? You sure had the gall!
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TN: credit steven ma's book 圖文並謬 2008
Truth is usually difficult for people to cope
Mask discarded, baring all before each other,
Perhaps that's the height of courage
But upon recollection, will realize it is really no big deal. Pg 142
Helplessness at anytime and anyplace will drop by, unannounced
Sometimes, catching one totally off guard
Sometimes, a date was made but no show. Pg 145
因為無綫拒絕馬浚偉拍攝由徐小明導演之大型電視劇《建元風雲》，引致馬仔向無綫提出解約。
這件「風雲」湧起之始末，近日每遇好友，均好奇相問。
其實，多年來為馬仔接工作，我是被動的，無綫百分之百擁有決定權。我只是一位「經紀」。深明要接到一件工作，當中需要太多情況配合，所以，得與失感覺不大，總相信是你的就是你的，不是你的，失去也不可惜。
只有今次，我是真的失望，而且很失落。失落是我看不到自己事業的前景，才有辭職之念。
北望神州，打開中國影視市場，是今日香港藝人最看重的事，因為中國內地機會無數，一定要掌握先機，才可以得到更好的發展。
二○一一年三月，從友人口中知道小明哥（徐小明）已得到內地製作人大力支持，將會籌拍五十集大型歷史劇《建元風雲》。
元朝？在中國已有的歷史劇集中，似乎只有「元」，還未有製作人拍攝過，畢竟，這是牽涉民族與民族之間的鬥爭，是少數民族統治漢族的敏感題材，一定要具資歷，又有正確民族思想的執導者才懂得把舵。
我與小明哥相識三十多年，我知道他一直鍾愛研究元朝歷史，而且，他對草原有深厚感情，小明哥當年返內地執導他的第一部電影《木棉袈裟》；第二部電影《海市蜃樓》，都有意到內蒙取景。今次拍《建元風雲》，他一定要到內蒙草原拍攝。
我覺得這是一個非常黃金的機會。一部明年會在中央一台晚上八點檔播出的電視劇，拍檔又有胡軍、呂良偉，我認為應為馬浚偉爭取機會。
五月份，我向小明哥提出，希望他能安排馬浚偉在《建》劇擔演一角。小明哥一聽，馬上笑不停：「徐（他愛這樣叫我），十年來，你每次見我，就向我推薦馬仔。服了你！好！他真是一個好人才，我會想，你放心。」
六月頭，真的接到喜訊，小明哥精心為馬仔安排了一個「劉秉忠」角色，是忽必烈的謀臣，元朝開國功臣、重角，五十集中佔上二十六集。由中段開始直到結尾。他是劇中非常重要的角色，與胡軍對手戲特別多。
除了賺得名利，最重要是有機會向小明哥，向胡軍、呂良偉等前輩學習，我好開心。
可惜，因為一條「如果無綫不買這套電視劇，這個劇不能在香港其他傳媒播出。」之例，令馬仔頓失接戲機會。
此例由來已久，在保障無綫方面，我不覺得有問題，但是，過往從沒有人執行過，是因為太大得失。故而執行者會要求內地製作人，如果劇集不能在無綫播，在其他台播便需配音，問題就此解決。
怎麼估到，這條例開始執行，第一個受到影響，不能展翅北飛者，竟是馬浚偉，他是首位受害人。
國需有國法，但國法也有特赦之時，也會因特殊情況通融，為甚麼沒有考慮「借東風」之利呢？為甚麼不為藝人前途找出最圓滿的解決方法？這是我不明白，也最難過的地方，馬仔心傷，也傷在此。最後成為首位向無綫提出解去「親生仔」約者，原因也在此！
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