Director's work includes setting the artistic tone for the work, nominating and deciding on actors, selecting and guiding the construction of exterior and interior scenes, leading the props team to complete the preparation and arrangement of props, guiding on-site shooting, negotiating post-production editing, publicity, and distribution...
The most important thing is the first one.
Set the artistic tone.
In other words, this work is about what I wanted to express at the beginning and how to express it.
They are the founders and final gatekeepers of artistic beauty. In terms of aesthetics, the director must surpass everyone present.
This is also the reason why ordinary actors are not allowed to take the initiative to look at the monitor. The act of "looking at the monitor" itself questions the director's highest aesthetic status.
A conflict scene generally has three main shots, which are combined with other secondary shots to form a complete plot.
The first one shows workers working in the factory. This is the day shift of two shifts. Due to fatigue, many of the workers are drowsy.
According to Fang Yi's instructions, the camera should be centered on him and slowly pull forward, gradually revealing the vast majority of exhausted workers on the assembly line.
He first acted drowsy in front of the camera, then woke up, worked very hard on the work in hand, and reminded others to cheer up.
——“Click!”
After the show, Fang Yi put on a blanket and looked at the footage he had just taken.
Rarely, he touched his nose and felt embarrassed.
Probably because he knew that he was going to watch his performance, so he acted deliberately. This was because he was nervous; when people are nervous, some of them will falter and their brains will go blank, and some will use too much force. It's like being shy in class.
When classmates come on stage, some of them will talk too much to cover up their nervousness.
Wang Defa had the kind of relief that an experienced soul player feels when a newcomer makes a mistake, and secretly said with joy: "It doesn't matter, just take your time."
Take another shot.
Fang Yi came back to see it. This time it was good. It met the standards required for documentary films. He wanted to shoot it again and get used to it. He observed that some of the extras had just put on their clothes and were breathing out the cold wind. He felt sympathy.
Get up, then stop.
The second scene shows a Korean female boss yelling at her, and the accompanying translator was originally very arrogant. After hearing what she said, she couldn't help but look humiliated.
The line is: "You all kneel down and apologize to her!"
According to the requirements of the script, Fang Yi, including other extras, needed to give reactions. A set of shots had more than one camera position. The female boss and translator, Fang Yi and the workers all had to give reactions at the same time.
This scene is a typical group portrait scene. "There is no absolute protagonist, everyone can be the protagonist." However, there can only be one main perspective. This rule is not only applied to movies, but also to other literary and artistic works, including novels.
Wang Defa moved a chair over and discussed with him: "Junior brother, what are you going to choose?"
Fang Yi looked at him.
Wang Defa was very proud: "Let me tell you some common ones..."
"The first is to use a crane. Some drones are also used abroad, but they are not stable yet. They require a bird's-eye view and a long view to capture the confrontation between the two factions, occupying both ends of the screen."
"Reminiscent of a chessboard that divides boundaries, and tries to convey the grandeur of the scene as much as possible."
"We have a lot of classic shots shot like this at home and abroad. How many can you recall? I know this is really difficult for those outside your industry."
Wang Defa, who graduated from the orthodox directing department and has been in the industry for more than ten years, grinned: "I can't test you too hard. You should first name a domestic one."
Fang Yi searched in his mind and immediately remembered a lot. He mentioned the most recent one:
"In "Golden Armor", the second prince rebelled, and the armies of gold and silver armor fought in the palace."
Wang Defa's expression remained unchanged: "Junior brother, you have a wide range of interests... abroad?"
"In "The Kingdom of Heaven", Saladin led the army to surround the city of Jerusalem, and the defenders in the city divided into groups to negotiate."
Wang Defa gradually started to sweat: "A little earlier?"
"Domestic "Armageddon" series."
Wang Defa: "From abroad?" Seeing that Fang Yi was about to speak, he quickly emphasized: "The sooner the better, as early as possible."
Fang Yi did not pause, "The Queen of Egypt. Antony and Octavian each led their legions to fight. An epic film from the 1960s."
Wang Defa was speechless, and after a while, he said: "Okay."
Let’s turn to the second technique: “montage.”
It means artificially collaging and editing different shots to give new meaning. Frankly speaking, montage is a basic technique, so basic that many times we may not realize that we are using it.
The most famous montage in film history may be the 1930 anti-war film "All Quiet on the Western Front". The protagonist Paul climbed out of the trench to catch butterflies, but was shot dead by a cold gun. The director gave a close-up of the butterfly flapping its wings to fly, which symbolizes
Freedom and peace; on that day the report from the frontline headquarters stated: All Quiet on the Western Front.
At the end of "Depressed Youth", two cars driving opposite each other gradually disappear in the stream, switch lanes, and disappear into the deep blue sky, which is also a symbol of the end of life.
Fang Yi then imagined how to use this technique in his mind.
Keswan.
For example, the simple sweater on the worker's body stays for half a second to let the audience clearly see that it is hand-made - the audience will think that it is a wanderer who has left home, or a newlywed who wants to start a family.
Kestu.
Placed next to the assembly line work station, there are cute photos of children, preferably lolita - the audience knows that the workers may have to obey, and he kneels because he has to stand upright at home.
The close-up can also be switched to the opposite side of the worker, such as the Korean female boss, shooting her arrogant expression, and the deafening mechanical assembly line that is constantly operating in the factory; obviously, the two are connected, and the latter is personified by the former.
Any of the above paths are feasible and may all be filmed, but when editing the film, only one of them can be selected, and the director will make an overall decision.
Fang Yi told Wang Defa his thoughts.
But Wang Defa opened his mouth slightly, listening in fascination, and his face gradually dimmed, and his two strands of hanging hair were stretched out listlessly: "Junior brother, just keep going."
The third set of shots shows workers submitting, with Fang Yi as the protagonist, and he has to stand alone.
You also need to set your perspective here.
Fang Yi went back and forth to the workers and the actress playing the female boss, imagining the effects in the shot.
It's on the workers' side, naturally with Fang Yi as the center. The effect is that the audience has a stronger sense of involvement and is more likely to be emotional; on the side of the female boss, the emotions are not as strong, but the camera will show more realism.
The photographer moved the camera according to his instructions. Fang Yi watched in front of the monitor and kept telling the photographer to adjust the position. In the film era, if Fang Yi was a director, he would not be able to do this. There were no monitors at that time, so what about the film?
Only the photographer can see it, and the director can't judge until the film is developed. Therefore, directors often rush to the photographer to ask "how", "how was the shooting", or more simply, stand directly in front of the photographer.
Behind the camera, use your naked eyes as a monitor.
——Finally, the position was set to the side and rear of the female boss, that is, there was only the voice of the female boss, but the shots were of the workers who were some distance away. This was unconventional, but this kind of shot was more realistic and had
The "sense of peeping" from the third person.
Some media come to China and make up nonsense, which is usually the case. We should not only criticize their filters.
Wang Defa folded his arms and looked on, as if he was shocked; Fang Yi kept directing the actors' positions, and the technicians had to change them according to his requirements, but the entire crew has been inexplicably obedient and rarely makes useless efforts.
It's like that's the way it is.
"He Sheng! He Sheng!" Wang Defa subconsciously called to his dear assistant.
"Director Fang... look for me." But the assistant seemed to have no skills at all.
