In July 2020, Luo Zixin, a student at Changsha No 1 High School, celebrated the ending of the national college entrance exam with a split leap. The moment was snapped by a photographer, which quickly went viral online. This photo, which is widely thought to symbolize Chinese youngsters' optimistic spirit toward finishing the exam amid the pandemic, has inspired the TV series The Examination for Everyone.
Gao Changli, head of the TV program department with the administration, said a total of 16meetings were organized to discuss the creation details and they finally decided to show a "positive, friendly and lovely" group of youngsters set in a county.
Centering on six families, the TV series was shot in 64 days before it took another 81 days to finish postproduction, which is more efficient than most domestic dramas, according to Wang Xiaohui, the chief executive producer.
The series tells the story of high school students, teachers and parents in Jinhe County, Anhui Province, who overcame difficulties resulted by the COVID-19 pandemic and flood to complete the "big exam" of life with the joint efforts of the party, government and all sectors of society.
Shen Yan, as the co-director of this TV, said that "The Examination for Everyone" covers the social picture of the college entrance examination, anti-pandemic stories, struggling with floods and other aspects, vividly restoring the days of the college entrance examination in 2020, and highlighting that contemporary youth can take responsibility for themselves, for school, for their families, for society, and for the future of China. This TV series uses the lens to reflect the warmth of reality, highlighting the youthful atmosphere of Chinese teenagers forging ahead and living the life to the full, as well as the spirit of the new era of dedication and contribution of all walks of life.