“The Single Commune” — A Film Script of Small Characters in a Great Era

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Film Production Authorization Fee: NT$1,000,000 (One Million New Taiwan Dollars)

For inquiries, please contact the copyright holder Chen Qingyang: 54088rabbit@gmail.com

[CONTENTS]

(1) Theme of the Film

(2) Synopsis (Including Character Relationship Chart)
(3) Story Outline
(4) Film Script
(5) Character Introductions

(1) THEME OF THE FILM

This film is different from popular “youth idol” movies. The characters in the film are ordinary small people living in a metropolis; they have no connection with upper-class celebrities. However, they are optimistic and enterprising, facing each new day with a positive attitude toward life.

Set against the backdrop of a metropolis, a group of young men and women do not lament their humble origins nor indulge in unrealistic fantasies. They work steadily, learn lessons from setbacks, and accumulate the strength to rise again. They treat one another like siblings, facing various difficulties and challenges together. This is a film with flesh and blood, where laughter and tears are interwoven, revealing the positive life value that “those who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy.” It advocates a healthy and positive worldview.

It is hoped that visionary investors and large film and television companies will collaborate in production and jointly enter both the Chinese-speaking world and the international film market.

(2) SYNOPSIS (INCLUDING CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHART)

[1] STORY BACKGROUND

Ji Baozhu is a successful mature woman. Her father, Ji Laoshi, is a flower farmer. A few years ago, he lent her a detached townhouse located in the city center, with the condition that she must marry before the age of forty, otherwise the house would be reclaimed.

Ji Baozhu sublets the villa to single men and women, charging only half of the local market rent. This villa is called “The Single Commune.” The tenants have diverse occupations: real estate agent (Sun Qing), manual laborer doing odd jobs (Liu Dingtian), advertising company mascot performer (Zhu Erdong), low-tier television screenwriter (Lin Wanhua), street painter (Walis Yugan), cosmetics counter saleswoman (Zhang Ningjing), McDonald’s hourly worker (Zhao Guanghua), and film company handyman, stunt double, and extra (Qiu Chen).

Ji Baozhu is cheerful by nature and warm-hearted. She treats the tenants like younger siblings and helps them solve various problems. She is deeply respected by everyone, who affectionately call her “Sister Bao.”

STORY OUTLINE

All tenants prepare a birthday cake for “Sister Bao,” Ji Baozhu. The day happens to be April 1st, April Fool’s Day. While everyone is singing the birthday song for Sister Bao, Ji Laoshi appears holding a large bouquet of calla lilies. He reminds his daughter face-to-face that “there are still two years left in the deadline,” leaves the lilies behind, and departs mysteriously.

After being questioned by everyone, Sister Bao finally reveals her agreement with her father. Naturally, no one wants the “Single Commune” house to be taken back, so everyone begins giving suggestions. The conclusion is that they will take turns accompanying Sister Bao to matchmaking agencies and participate in dating events for singles.

At the first matchmaking event, Lin Wanhua accompanies Sister Bao. The other party is a middle-aged successful man, who unexpectedly takes interest in Wanhua instead of Bao, leaving Bao both amused and helpless.

At the second event, Walis Yugan accompanies Bao and poses as her cousin. The other party is a widower who is not interested in Bao but instead expresses admiration for Yugan and even wishes to introduce his daughter to him, shocking Yugan pleasantly.

After two failed matchmaking attempts, Bao still does not find a partner. The men seem unable to see her “inner beauty.” Bao loses enthusiasm, but remains optimistic and instead comforts her enthusiastic tenants who planned everything for her.

Liu Dingtian, a large-built man, one day finishes a moving job and receives his pay. On his way to eat a good meal, he witnesses a stylish wealthy woman chasing a refined young man. The young man runs away; the woman collides with Liu Dingtian. In anger, she punches his chest repeatedly. After several strikes, Dingtian grabs her hands. Surprisingly, the woman offers to pay him to let her hit him to relieve her anger. Seeing the opportunity, Dingtian agrees. After venting her anger, she pays him. On the way back, Dingtian has an idea: to earn money by becoming a “human punching bag.”

Dingtian shares the idea with his roommates. Only Zhu Erdong supports him. The two establish an “online anger-relief company.” Zhao Guanghua helps build a website. As the service gains reputation, business gradually grows. Every day, Dingtian and Erdong are beaten black and blue by clients while counting money happily, though willingly.

Sister Bao cannot bear to watch and helps them apply medicine and massage after work, persuading them to transform the business instead of making a living through physical suffering.

Qiu Chen has just returned from studying in the United States. His father wants him to take over the family hotel business, but Qiu Chen insists on pursuing his own path in the city. He runs away from home with only a few dozen dollars. Wandering in a park, he is discovered by Walis Yugan, who treats him to dinner and brings him to the Single Commune.

Yugan paints portraits in the park. Wanhua is passing by and is asked by Bao to deliver lunch to Yugan. Wanhua learns that Yugan sends most of his earnings back to his tribe to provide children with school supplies and art materials. She is deeply moved. She then helps connect Qiu Chen to a film company job through a university friend.

Qiu Chen enters a film company and is given humiliating low-level work. Though mistreated, he perseveres. He is overworked and injured on set. After returning to the commune, everyone cares for him.

Zhang Ningjing, a cosmetics counter saleswoman, is admired for her beauty but rejected by her manipulative manager. She refuses to accompany her boss to business dinners. After conflict, she considers quitting. Her supervisor defends her.

Qiu Chen is repeatedly bullied by an assistant director on set, resulting in a serious wire stunt accident and injuries. Colleagues suspect sabotage. He is hospitalized.

The group visits him. Later, the antagonist assistant director suffers a car accident, and Qiu Chen is promoted to assistant director. He suggests revising the script. Wanhua is invited to write it. After initial resistance, she agrees.

She completes a script in three days, which becomes successful. The film is released and achieves strong box office results. Internal conflicts arise within the company, but eventually a compromise structure is established.

The group eventually transforms the Single Commune into a startup base, founding multiple companies including a sports equipment company, a jewelry design studio, and a film studio.

Zhao Guanghua postpones his studies in Paris, but Zhang Ningjing and Sister Bao support him financially. He proposes to Ningjing, and she accepts.

The film studio receives investment, and the final film “Single Commune” is officially launched. The group celebrates marriages and new beginnings. On April 1st, April Fool’s Day, they remember Sister Bao’s birthday as everyone gathers, ending on a warm note.

“3” Story Outline

The tenants collectively prepare a birthday cake for “Sister Bao,” Ji Baozhu. The day happens to be April 1st, April Fool’s Day. While everyone is singing “Happy Birthday” for Sister Bao, Ji Laoshi appears holding a large bouquet of calla lilies. He personally reminds his daughter that “there are still two years left in the deadline,” leaves the calla lilies behind, and then departs mysteriously. After being questioned by everyone, Sister Bao finally reveals the agreement she made with her father. Naturally, everyone is unwilling for this “Single Commune” villa to be taken back, so they begin talking over each other and offering suggestions. The conclusion they reach is that everyone will take turns accompanying Sister Bao to matchmaking agencies and attending dating events for unmarried men and women.

At the first matchmaking event, Lin Wanhua accompanies Sister Bao. The other party is a middle-aged, successful businessman who unexpectedly takes interest in Wanhua, who is accompanying Sister Bao, leaving Bao both amused and helpless.

At the second matchmaking event, Walis Yugan accompanies Sister Bao and acts as her cousin. The other party is a widower who is not interested in Sister Bao; instead, he expresses admiration for the handsome and capable Yugan and even says he is willing to introduce his own daughter to Yugan, leaving Yugan flattered and shocked.

After two matchmaking events for singles, Sister Bao still does not succeed in finding a match. The men seem not to notice her “inner beauty.” Sister Bao loses her motivation, but due to her optimistic personality, she instead comforts the enthusiastic tenants who had been helping her plan everything.

The big-built Liu Dingtian, one day, after finishing helping a moving company with a client’s relocation and receiving his pay, intends to go eat a good meal. On his way, passing an alley, he sees a fashionable wealthy woman chasing and hitting a refined-looking young man. The young man runs for his life. The woman collides head-on with Liu Dingtian. Furious, the woman repeatedly punches Dingtian’s solid chest. After several blows, she is restrained by Dingtian. Unexpectedly, the woman says she is willing to pay money for Dingtian to let her hit him to vent her anger. Dingtian thinks that since there is money to be made, he allows the woman to vent her anger. As expected, after the woman’s anger is released, she pays him a sum of money. On the way back, Liu Dingtian suddenly has an inspiration and decides to make money by acting as a “venting outlet.”

Liu Dingtian tells his idea to the companions in the commune. He only receives support from Zhu Erdong. The two of them establish an “online anger-relief company.” Zhao Guanghua helps them build a website. As the service reputation spreads, it gradually becomes well-known, and business keeps coming in. These two “fools” are beaten black and blue by customers every day, while counting crisp banknotes in their hands, yet they are willing to do so.

Sister Bao cannot bear to watch this. Every day after they finish work, she helps them massage and apply medicine, and earnestly persuades them to find a way to transform the company and not continue earning this kind of flesh-and-blood money.

Qiu Chen has just returned from studying in the United States. His father, Qiu Dazhan, wants him to take over the family’s small hotel business. Qiu Chen is not interested in this and insists on going to the metropolis to pursue work where he can apply what he has learned. A serious conflict breaks out between father and son. Qiu Chen leaves home with a letter and arrives in the big city, with only a few dozen dollars left on him. He wanders in a park, worrying about where he will stay that night. Walis Yugan, who is drawing portrait sketches at a street stall in the park, notices Qiu Chen’s lonely figure and takes the initiative to speak with him. After learning Qiu Chen’s situation, he treats him to a noodle dinner and brings him back to the “Single Commune,” handing him over to Sister Bao. The warm-hearted Sister Bao, after hearing about Qiu Chen’s situation from Yugan, immediately arranges for him to move in, without charging any rent for the time being.

Yugan sets up a portrait drawing stall in the park. Wanhua is about to go to the television station when Sister Bao asks her, on her way past the park, to bring a lunchbox to Yugan. Wanhua does not understand and asks Sister Bao why she still brings food to Yugan when he can earn money himself. Sister Bao explains that Yugan lives frugally and sends most of the money he earns from his stall back to his tribe every month, so that children in the tribe can have books, stationery, picture albums, and art supplies. Wanhua is deeply shocked and wonders if such an unselfish young man really exists in the world.

Lin Wanhua takes the sushi lunch personally made by Sister Bao to Yugan in the park and uses the opportunity to talk with him. The two begin to understand each other further. Yugan mentions Qiu Chen and asks whether Wanhua can help Qiu Chen find a job in a film company or television station. Wanhua recalls that a company called “Huaxia Film Company” is recruiting, and a university club classmate of hers, Tony, works there as a lighting technician. She calls Tony on her phone. Tony says the company is currently recruiting for odd jobs such as production assistants. That evening, Wanhua writes down the address and phone number for Qiu Chen and asks him to go find Tony.

Qiu Chen goes to the film company. Tony takes him to meet Director Pei Lingsian. After reading Qiu Chen’s resume, Director Pei deliberately gives him a cold warning, saying, “A monk who has studied Western knowledge does not necessarily know how to chant scriptures.” He only agrees to let Qiu Chen start as a general laborer doing odd jobs, as well as a stunt double and extra, not even giving him the position of production assistant. Although Qiu Chen feels humiliated, he still endures it. Afterward, Tony complains on his behalf, but Qiu Chen says he urgently needs this job and does not care about the content of the work.

On his first day of work, Qiu Chen is constantly ordered around by different departments of the crew. He is exhausted, dirty, and covered in grime. For lunch, he hastily eats two pieces of bread with bottled water.

After work, Qiu Chen passes by the park and is called over by Yugan. Yugan asks about his work situation. Qiu Chen roughly explains. Yugan encourages him. Qiu Chen bitterly smiles and says he is mentally prepared to suffer hardships. When he returns to the commune, everyone sees him covered in dirt and dust and gathers around to care for him. Sister Bao asks carefully. Qiu Chen honestly says he is being used as a laborer. Wanhua frowns upon hearing this. Liu Dingtian becomes indignant. Sun Qing hands him a wet towel to wipe his face. Qiu Chen himself takes it lightly and tells everyone not to worry.

Zhang Ningjing, who works as a cosmetics saleswoman in a department store, has delicate facial features and a model-like figure, making her the center of attention. Female colleagues are both envious and jealous of her. Among male colleagues there are admirers, but they do not dare openly compete because of the influence of the lecherous general manager Xu Tianzhu. One afternoon, with few customers in the store, Ningjing is inventorying cosmetics at the counter when Xu Tianzhu approaches her with a sleazy demeanor. Ningjing ignores him completely and continues her work. Xu asks whether she can accompany him to an important client dinner. Ningjing does not bother responding, not even raising her head. At that moment, Manager Cao Chali comes over and scolds Ningjing, saying that Chairman Xu intends to cultivate her and she does not know what is good for her. Ningjing retorts that she is there to sell cosmetics, not to accompany men for dinners and smiles. She then walks toward the women’s restroom. The surrounding employees, watching the humiliated Xu and Manager Cao, secretly snicker.

On the film set, Qiu Chen works hard with the set construction team, sweating heavily. Director Pei Lingsian deliberately joins hands with Assistant Director Zhou Ding, and the two mock Qiu Chen loudly, saying that a Hollywood film master with Western education is not as good as a carpenter who cannot read. Qiu Chen pretends not to hear and continues working.

In the afternoon, Qiu Chen is assigned by Assistant Director Zhou Ding to act as a stunt double for the male supporting role. In a wire stunt scene jumping from the third floor, just as Qiu Chen begins to descend, the wire suddenly breaks. He falls down. Fortunately, he lands on a cloak on the first floor before rolling to the ground. He suffers abrasions on his hands and feet. Tony brings a first-aid kit and bandages his wounds. Stunt coordinator Master Xing Zheng inspects the wire and immediately suspects someone has tampered with it. He reports this to Director Pei, saying it could cost someone’s life. Zhou Ding, unwilling to be implicitly accused, immediately clashes with Xing Zheng.

In the evening, Zhang Ningjing goes to McDonald’s to queue for food. Zhao Guanghua sees her with a stern expression and reminds her to maintain a pleasant mood while eating so as not to affect digestion. Ningjing gives a bitter smile, takes her meal, and sits in a corner to eat dinner.

After finishing work, Guanghua leaves McDonald’s and enters a convenience store. He buys a bag of white bread and a bottle of mineral water, unaware that Ningjing is standing behind him watching. Guanghua sits down inside the store, takes out a book to study, and eats bread with water. Ningjing walks over with a paper bag, sits in front of him, and takes out a sushi lunch box and a bottle of milk, placing them in front of Guanghua. Guanghua is initially embarrassed to accept, but Ningjing smiles in response. Guanghua eats the sushi and drinks the milk while Ningjing quietly accompanies him.

Guanghua and Ningjing walk along a park pathway. Ningjing asks whether Guanghua often eats bread with water because of financial pressure. Guanghua explains his humble background, how his tuition and living expenses throughout university and graduate school have all been earned through part-time work. He is about to apply to study fashion design in Paris, France. Ningjing expresses support for his ambition. Guanghua bitterly smiles and says that even if he is accepted, he must first retain his enrollment and work for two years to save enough money before going to France. Ningjing thinks that she should discuss this with Sister Bao.

Qiu Chen returns to the commune after work. Everyone sees his injuries and gathers around. Liu Dingtian jokes that he and Zhu Erdong also get beaten by clients every day but earn even more money without being injured like this, suggesting that Qiu Chen join their anger-relief company. Wanhua finds this offensive and tells him to shut up. Liu Dingtian sensibly walks away.

At night, Sun Qing personally cooks a bowl of mixed noodles and brings it to Qiu Chen as a late-night meal, persuading him to find another film company or change jobs, or to work as a real estate agent with her. Qiu Chen says he can endure hardship for filmmaking. Sun Qing feels reluctant but is deeply moved by his determination to pursue his dream.

Zhang Ningjing visits Sister Bao’s bedroom to chat. After a few sentences, she shifts the topic to Zhao Guanghua, talking about his situation and future aspirations. Sister Bao says she already knows all this; Guanghua is like her own younger brother. Since the first day he came from the countryside to study in the city, he has lived in the commune. She also reveals that over the past seven years, she has saved all the rent Guanghua paid, intending to use it for his future entrepreneurship or overseas study, because she believes in his ambition. Ningjing is deeply impressed and decides to help Guanghua as well.

Late at night, in a messy dorm room, Lin Wanhua is still sitting at her desk thinking hard. A cockroach crawls across the desk and onto her laptop keyboard. She quickly pins it down with three fingers, grabs it, opens the window, flicks it out, wipes her fingers with tissue, and continues typing her script.

In the television station production office, head screenwriter Chai Xin has just finished reading Wanhua’s script. She calls Wanhua in and says she is satisfied: Wanhua’s scripts are improving ratings. She is willing to pay an extra one thousand per episode and tells her to continue working hard. Wanhua asks whether she can be credited as “assistant screenwriter” at the end of the show, but Chai Xin calmly refuses. She says she will not mistreat her, but Wanhua should continue acting as a ghostwriter beneath her, maintaining Chai Xin’s reputation as a top screenwriter. Wanhua feels increasingly frustrated and realizes Chai Xin only uses her and never intended to cultivate her.

In the evening, Wanhua sits in a park drinking beer alone, a bag of canned beer beside her. She drinks one can after another. She becomes slightly drunk and staggers toward the park exit, where two slick-looking street thugs approach her. Seeing her drunken state and beauty, they exchange looks and suddenly grab her. Wanhua screams. At that moment, Yugan happens to pass by on a bicycle. Hearing the cries, he recognizes the voice as Wanhua’s. He immediately turns the bicycle and crashes into the men from behind. He jumps off and uses Taekwondo spinning kicks and a jumping stomp to knock them down. The surrounding crowd applauds.

Yugan takes Wanhua’s hand, and the two ride away together on the bicycle.

At a bridge, Wanhua feels nauseous and wants to vomit. Yugan stops. She leans over the railing and vomits while he gently pats her back. They return to the commune. Yugan helps her back to her room. Wanhua sits on the wooden floor muttering that she no longer wants to be exploited as a writer. Seeing her messy room, Yugan is shocked at the contrast with her elegant appearance. He pours her a glass of cold water, helps her to bed, and cleans the room, taking out the trash.

In the film studio, Qiu Chen is again assigned by Assistant Director Zhou Ding as a stunt double. In a scene where the male lead rides a horse into a burning mansion to rescue the female lead, Zhou Ding repeatedly calls “cut” even though the actions are correct. Both Qiu Chen and the female stunt double Cui Xiaofen have clothes burned in several places. When they fall from the horse, martial arts director Li Mingli cannot tolerate it and argues with Zhou Ding. Director Pei finally mediates and agrees the scene should be considered acceptable. Tony and Xing Zheng observe and realize Zhou Ding is deliberately targeting Qiu Chen. Qiu Chen tends to the injuries of others and is advised to be careful of Zhou Ding, who is narrow-minded and vengeful. Li Mingli checks Qiu Chen’s chest injury and suggests hospital treatment, but Qiu Chen stubbornly endures the pain.

Tony drives Qiu Chen back. Wanhua sees him injured again and scolds Tony for not taking care of him. Everyone gathers around. Tony explains he is just a lighting technician with no authority. Sun Qing checks Qiu Chen’s injuries and insists he must go to the hospital for an X-ray to confirm whether his ribs are fractured. Wanhua asks Tony to accompany them. Tony reluctantly agrees and drives them to the hospital.

After the X-ray, the doctor confirms two fractured ribs and recommends hospitalization. Wanhua gives the diagnosis report to Tony and asks him to apply for industrial injury leave and cover medical and living expenses. Tony agrees. Sun Qing arranges hospitalization procedures.

Sister Bao visits Qiu Chen in the hospital with the commune members. They see Sun Qing taking care of him. Qiu Chen tries to explain to Wanhua to avoid misunderstanding, and Sun Qing also pretends she only came by chance after work.

At the cosmetics counter, Zhang Ningjing is told by Manager Cao that General Manager Xu intends to “keep” her with a villa, jewelry, luxury car, and a monthly allowance of 100,000. She refuses outright. Cao becomes angry and decides to make things difficult for her.

Ningjing is later told she will be transferred to the warehouse. She explains everything to Supervisor Zhou Ying, who scolds the managers and comforts her. Ningjing considers quitting. Zhou Ying promises to fight for her. In the manager’s office, Zhou Ying angrily confronts Cao Chali, while other employees watch through the glass. Cao reluctantly smiles and says he was only trying to scare Ningjing.

Tony submits Qiu Chen’s medical certificate in a production meeting. Assistant Director Zhou Ding mocks him again, calling him a fraud and saying he is not even an official crew member. Xing Zheng, Li Mingli, and Tony object strongly. The producer Wang Gang agrees to the leave request.

Ningjing brings snacks to the park and sees Guanghua studying while eating bread and drinking water. They share food. Ningjing says she wants to quit her job. Guanghua suggests she change jobs and reveals he has resigned from McDonald’s because his study abroad application was approved. He plans to find a formal job and save money. Ningjing admires his clarity of purpose. Guanghua suggests they look for work together; she agrees.

They return to the commune. Sister Bao is pleased and decides to help them. That night, she proposes reviving her jewelry design business with Ningjing handling marketing. Ningjing agrees gratefully.

Dingtian and Erdong take a job involving a retired boxing champion named Wang Qiang, who wants to vent his anger by fighting. Dingtian is beaten severely but refuses to fall. Wang Qiang finally calms down and stops.

Dingtian is later hospitalized with a concussion. Wang Qiang comes to apologize. He is impressed and proposes starting a sports equipment company with them. They agree.

Assistant Director Zhou Ding is later injured in a drunk driving accident. Qiu Chen is promoted. The new film begins. Wanhua writes a new script. The commune gradually becomes a creative and business hub. Guanghua and Ningjing marry. Everyone gathers at the airport. On April Fool’s Day, Sister Bao’s birthday is remembered.