Although the 1905 film network special article is not "out of the circle", the variety show "Director Please Advise" that is being broadcast on the network platform still helps some viewers to further understand the process of the director's creation of a work. Soon, another variety show called "Let's Shoot a Movie" will also be launched.
Prior to this, programs focusing on film and television "before the curtain" performers, such as "Actors Please Take Place" and "I Am an Actor", have already triggered rounds of topics and debates.
And the birth of a work, of course, needs more than just them.
The film "Mustang Mane" opened in theaters this week, and this work has appeared in the Cannes International Film Festival and the Pingyao International Film Festival in 2020, and has received the attention of many fans.
Director Wei Shujun is a post-90s, graduated from the Communication University of China 09 degree in sound directing, in the first feature film he directed, he put these experiences and "madness" of his student days on the screen to share with the audience:
Zuo Kun, the male protagonist who is about to enter the society, accumulates work experience by following the group around. I have met unreliable directors, and I have also caught up with investors whose hearts are higher than the sky; I can show the strength and talent of professional fields in the classroom, and I am forced to give up some of the "ideals" of life under the pressure of reality... Compared with other youth genre films, "Mustang Mane" shows dreams, confusion, pain, and relatively niche reality, but these people and things that originally belonged to the background have finally become a beam of light in front of the stage here.
Director Wei Shujun (Photo/Teacher Meow)
We also want to use the perspective of "Mustang Mane" to understand what other different stories are "behind the scenes".
You Xiaoya is not my | Film recording professional
The sound recordist is a "technical controller" and an "artist"
In "Wild Horse Mane", Zuo Kun successfully used a windproof microphone in class to restore the sound effect of horses running on the grassland on the sand table. Such a clever operation, and he also graduated from the film recording major You Xiaoya has had a lot of similar practices.
For example, the gunfight scenes, horror films, the production of unreal scenes, the requirements for sound are particularly high, such as the reprocessing of gun sounds, including finding materials, foley, editing, mixing and other means, to be carefully designed according to the different models of the gun, bullet loading, pulling the trigger and other details of the relationship with the gun, all need to be reproduced through foley.
You Xiaoya especially used the sound of horror films as an example: "For example, if a person falls from a height, although the sound sounds only once, it actually needs to be superimposed with many layers of details. We would use (broken) celery to fracture (sound effects), hit the pillow bag, imitate the sound of blood flowing out and other objects on the ground being hit, etc. The vocals in the unreal dream can create a terrifying and illusory atmosphere by adjusting the delay, dry and wet ratio, and equalization in the later stage. ”
You Xiaoya lamented that if filmmaking is described as "making dreams", then the sound of the film creates this environment, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in it.
In the beginning, the reason why she and many of her classmates applied for the film recording major was out of their passion for music: "They can immerse themselves in the world of music every day, and they are familiar with all kinds of headphones, stereos, microphones, mixers, and other sound-related equipment, which can be said to be both 'technical control' and 'artist'." ”
Until she really began to study systematically, she felt that her understanding of the recording profession in the past was still too limited: the birth of the original film sound was not limited to "recording", but required more complex design and creation to complete; and in art schools, compulsory courses should include information technology, high numbers, circuits, acoustics, professional English and so on. These highly professional courses also have many times that Make You Xiaoya sigh that "I can't understand it". But compared to real internships, these difficulties on campus are just a small trick. Actually entering the industry, whether it is psychological or ability to face the test is more difficult than imagined.
Like Zuo Kun in "Mustang Mane", as a "weak little girl", You Xiaoya also had a lot of experience in the wind and sun on the set, lifting the microphone pole for several hours in a row, pushing the recording car, and carrying equipment.
After that, You Xiaoya chose to participate in post-production sound production, won the opportunity to cooperate with the industry's first-line masters, and participated in the creation of works that were well received in the market: "I was fortunate to get the guidance of my predecessors, and I also saw the best recording equipment and material library." When I really turned my profession into a profession, I not only needed to be more professional, but also to assume greater responsibilities and see a wider world. ”
Soaking in the studio "day and night" to complete a work, watching it finally get presented, it is like the end of a wonderful performance, hearing the audience throwing at you with bursts of applause. You Xiaoya bluntly said that whenever he arrived at this time, he could most harvest the greatest satisfaction and sense of accomplishment in this work.
After graduating from undergraduate, You Xiaoya hesitated between "continuing to study undergraduate studies" and "expanding professional coverage", and finally chose the latter: "As a graduate student, I read 'film and television major', and I wanted to increase my possibilities for my future, master more other knowledge in this field, and understand it from more different perspectives." ”
Around her, there are also many students who choose to directly enter the front line to engage in film recording work. The whole process usually has industry predecessors "passing on the help", and young recording engineers with better professionalism can also get a lot of good opportunities.
Although he does not continue to engage in the major studied in college at present, in life, You Xiaoya still pays attention to the public accounts and news reports related to the appreciation of film sound, and understands the industry dynamics in this regard.
"When I was a student, I had my own ideas, and I also had a very serious time to live every day, and in retrospect, I think the choice at that time was worth it."
Wei Zai | Major in photography and video technology
Lens is my "language"
Wei Zai, a graduate of photography and video technology, currently runs an advertising and short video studio. But in his heart, "I still have a dream of movies."
As early as junior high school, Wei Zai determined that he would definitely do film and television related majors: "When I was a child, I loved to watch movies and did not like to read books, and I belonged to the kind of people who were sensitive to images and had no sense of text. ”
The first time he shot a practical assignment in his freshman year, he found inspiration from "Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right". Although 20 points were deducted for late homework, this work still won the first place in the class: "The first time I felt, it turned out that I still had talent in this area? Soon, however, he encountered Waterloo in the shooting of the second job: "The film was not finished, I felt that I was not very comfortable working with others, and communication always consumed a lot of energy." ”
Wei Zai's experience with the group is as unlucky as Zuo Kun's "Wild Horse Mane": "When I met a very low crew, everywhere was irregular. The director is very watery, and the actor's lines have been bumped. This somehow subverted his imagination of the industry: "Is this also the case with the film crew?" ”
With a bit of confusion, Wei Tsai graduated. My first job was cutting entertainment on TV. He felt that he was not suitable, so he returned to his hometown to start a business and try to do e-commerce. But these jobs can not bring any sense of achievement, he still chose a relatively professional counterpart in the field of short video, "shooting advertising, Vlog, is relatively stable at present." ”
Wei Tsai still loves movies, but he knows that the industry needs not only education, experience, and funds, but more importantly, persistence. "I don't think I'm talented enough to stick with it."
Weizai's best friend in college, after graduation, resolutely chose to study in Poland and was admitted to the world's third-largest Lodz Film School. He said bluntly: "For the first time, I felt that I could be so happy for other people so simply, because his dream was infinitely close to coming true." ”
Today, good friends have become "alumni" of polanski, Martin Scorsese and other film masters. Wei Tsai revealed that he also has idols, such as photographer Roger Deakins, "and Nolan, David Finch, our directors are Jia Zhangke, Jiang Wen, Wen Muye." But he doesn't feel remorse for his current choices: "It's not easy to stick around. I understand the difficulties, such as in order to study, he traveled to France, Poland, and needed to re-study for four years of undergraduate, and now the epidemic is very serious, and he has also contracted a new crown before. ”
In Wei Tsai's view, dreams, confusion, these feelings may be the norm for all ordinary people. Despite his regrets, he still believes that his experience as an art student is "perfect". To this day, lens language is still one of the most common expressions in his daily life. From this point of view, I have never been far away from my profession.
Of course, if there is a chance in the future, with enough funds, Wei Tsai still hopes to make a movie with his best friend.
Li Yiyi | major in drama, film and television literature
Screenwriters who can't act are not good screenwriters
Contrary to Wei Zai's early determination of his ambition to learn photography, Li Yiyi is a screenwriter who gradually finds a "love" for creation in his study and work: "During the art examination, I found that the requirements of drama for 'professionalism' were relatively low, and more of an examination was the usual accumulation, I just happened to like to read books and movies, and I was confused and passed the professional examination. ”
The first time Li Yiyi found his major interesting was because of his first rehearsal after entering college: "Then students often say that screenwriters who can't act are not good screenwriters." At that time, there was a character in my script who couldn't find the right person to play, and everyone coaxed you to come by yourself. This trick is still used by him to this day: "While presetting the scene and self-substitution, this trick really works for me." ”
The first setback in the creation came from the submission of the sophomore stage. At that time, Li Yiyi, who was full of vigor, thought that he had written a completely innovative script, and the result was that no matter where it was sent, the result was a stone sinking into the sea. "I looked at that document two days ago, and it was really childish, but it really hit me down at the time, and I was a little self-doubting."
Until he gradually discovered that no reply was the norm for most young creators: "Later, I was particularly peaceful, and I really had to get used to it as a screenwriter for not being recognized." ”
After graduation, Li Yiyi applied for a screenwriting position in a film and television company, and his debut was to do web dramas with several colleagues. After working for a while, he felt less happy: "The small screenwriters are actually not too qualified to make selections, and they are generally filled under the framework of the big screenwriters' ideas, in other words, assembly line production." In Li Yiyi's view, he lived like a paradox in those days: "Assembly line production can't write good things, and if you want to write good things, you have to sit on the cold bench." ”
Therefore, Li Yiyi chose to resign voluntarily. Under the expectations of his family, he applied for the civil service examination and thought about continuing his studies. After all, a newcomer screenwriter really can't be regarded as a stable job: "Some people say that we don't open for three years, and we can't eat for three years." ”
Tossing to the end, Li Yiyi still failed to give up his dream: "I think it's not just because of love, but you haven't really tried to struggle and persevere in an industry, how can you be sure that you can succeed if you change another career?" ”
Nowadays, Li Yiyi's work direction and status have become much clearer than when he first entered the industry.
In addition to creating, most of the time he will read a large number of the company's scripts that have completed the first draft, and work with the team to control and revise. In his view, a good script has become his "first productive force", and many times he will also be encouraged by this kind of "10,000 words a day". Li Yiyi prefers works with youth themes or strong storytelling, of course, he also knows that if he wants to create more in-depth works, he also needs continuous experience and accumulation of experience.
"I will most likely insist on being a screenwriter, insist on doing 10 years in this industry, give myself a chance, but also give myself an explanation, one day my work will be seen by more people, and my efforts will definitely be fed back to me." 」
epilogue
Whether in front of the stage or behind the scenes, whether you choose to continue to stick to the industry, or have come to other tracks to pursue new goals in life. Inextricably linked to the world of light and shadow is the most beautiful youth memory of these young people, and more young people like them.
As Zuo Kun said at the end of "Wild Horse Mane": We must be the master of our own time, the master of fate, and the helmsman of the soul.