The Scene In Cinema#AT1 Reflective Writing_WK3

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This week’s class focused on the techniques for shooting a dialogue scene between two characters while maintaining a consistent axis, as well as key preparation steps before filming. One point in particular—using the camera beforehand to check the frame and ensure there are no unnecessary objects in view—reminded me of a mistake I made during my first studio filming project. 

  At that time, due to a lack of systematic knowledge of cinematography, I had completed the script but failed to create a shot list, which resulted in missing several shots on set. During the reshoot, the weather conditions differed from the original footage, making the visual continuity inconsistent. More critically, we neglected to check the set before filming, which led to an e-cigarette that an actor had casually placed on the table being visible in the final cut. This significantly undermined the professionalism of the footage, and the issue was only discovered during post-production, when it was too late to fix. 

   Reflecting on this in light of this week’s lesson, I realize that if I had possessed the relevant knowledge at the time, I would have prepared a detailed shot list, checked each frame through the camera before shooting, and cleared the set to prevent unrelated items from appearing in the shot. These measures would not only have reduced the risk of reshoots but also improved the overall quality of the production. 

The Scene In Cinema#AT1 Descriptive & Analytical Writing

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The film I have chosen to analyze is Zhang Yimou’s Raise the Red Lantern. The story is set in northern China during the feudal period.This scene takes place shortly after Songlian’s marriage. Due to a family misfortune, she is forced to abandon her university studies and is arranged by her family to marry into a wealthy household as the fourth wife. The sequence depicts her first participation in her husband’s nighttime conjugal ritual. Once he decides which wife will attend to him that evening, he orders the chosen wife’s courtyard to be adorned with red lanterns and sends servants to massage her feet. The red lanterns, a recurring visual motif throughout the film, symbolize the distribution of status and power among the wives—in the story, the wife whose courtyard is illuminated gains the privilege of choosing the next day’s meals, a sign of the rigid hierarchy and control within the feudal household. The foot massage reflects traditional Chinese aesthetic ideals and cultural values attached to women’s feet. The narrative function of this scene is to convey SongLian’s initial sense of unfamiliarity and unease, while using the minutiae of elaborate rituals to expose the underlying structures of power and oppression. 

  The scene opens with a full shot of the protagonist Song lian slowly rising from a chair, her movements somewhat restrained. The camera then cuts to a wide shot as four servants enter the room in sequence: three young servants carrying a foot basin,  water bottle, and towels.The elder servant walked ahead of them; this spatial positioning reinforced the rigid hierarchy within the mansion. The room was hung with red lanterns, and the doors were adorned with the word Xi (“喜”) symbol signifying a new marriage. These details collectively conjured an atmosphere that was joyous yet oppressive.Than the camera shifts to two close-ups: one servant setting down the foot basin, another placing the towels. These close shots highlight the ritualistic nature of the preparation. The wide shot then reveals the other side of the room, equally adorned with lanterns. The shet bcak to the servants approach SongLian to wash her feet, and SongLian expression clearly reveals discomfort and unease. 

  Than Two close-up shots then focus respectively on pouring water and testing its temperature, continuing the meticulous ritual of service. The frame pulls back to a wide shot once more, revealing two young servants removing SongLian’s shoes while another enters bearing a basin of water. The young servant contorted nearly to the floor, her faces shrouded in shadow and rendered indistinct—visually reinforcing their insignificance and their place within the rigid hierarchy. The camera moves to a medium close-up, capturing SongLian’s slightly stiff posture and wandering gaze, indicating her subtle resistance to being served in this manner. In a wide shot, an elderly servant enters the room and begins lighting the lanterns. The shot returns to a medium close-up of SongLian, whose eyes follow the light, signaling the elder’s position at the far end of her view. A moving wide shot follows the elderly servant lighting the lanterns, with Songlian’s gaze trailing accordingly, creating a guided visual flow. Finally, the camera settles on a medium shot of the elderly servant’s face, expressionless, half-illuminated by the lantern light. Weddings are usually lively celebrations, but this scene was solemn and depressing. 

 

 Link to the Film： https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cx7bnw-CgQ 

  The scene I have described from 08:04 to 09:10. 

The Scene In Cinema#AT1 Reflective Writing_WK2

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This week’s course focused film scene analysis exercises and practical shooting sessions designed to enhance our understanding of cinematic language and hands-on skills. By watching and analyzing my classmates’ footage, I gained a lot of creative inspiration and deepened my understanding of filming techniques. The course was structured to have us first practice using the camera before teaching the theoretical knowledge. I strongly agree that the camera is a tool that requires firsthand experience and exploration, and reflection should be based on practice.
During the shooting exercises, we first read through the script, selected suitable locations and camera positions, and then conducted multiple rehearsals. Throughout rehearsals, we continuously adjusted the actors’ positioning, movements, and timing of their lines according to the framing to ensure the shots were smooth and matched the story’s rhythm. Through this process, I developed a better sense of the coordination between camera operation and actor performance.However, I am not yet comfortable taking a leading role during group exercises, which limits my opportunities to contribute creative ideas. Currently, I mostly reflect and learn from the shooting approaches of other group members. In future exercises, I plan to be more proactive in expressing my ideas, participating in decision-making, and improving my leadership and teamwork skills.

Additionally, I noticed that my grasp of professional filming terminology is still limited, which could affect communication efficiency during production. Therefore, I intend to consciously learn and use relevant terminology more frequently in upcoming scene analyses and technical discussions to improve my sensitivity to cinematic language and filming techniques.

The Scene In Cinema#AT1 Reflective Writing_WK1

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Since I missed the first week of class, I decided to respond to Bunuel L’s article. While it was a challenging read, its central idea was strikingly clear: photography is merely the vehicle of cinema, while the true act of creation begins long before the camera is turned on. Bunuel L’s words reshaped how I think about filmmaking. Bunuel(2000)states that every shot and camera angle is ultimately guided by what the filmmaker wants to communicate, both in meaning and in emotion. The “mental blueprint” formed before production, encompassing the story’s themes, the characters’ emotional arcs, and the narrative rhythm, forms the real backbone of a film. The camera, lenses, and lighting simply translate those ideas into visible form.

Reflecting on my practice, I can see where I’ve fallen short. In earlier exercises, I often focused on whether the shot looked beautiful or the angle seemed unusual, rarely stopping to ask myself, “Why am I filming this this way?” Looking back, I realise my scripts and visual plans often lacked a clear emotional or thematic core. Many shots were simply records of moments—sometimes ordinary, sometimes striking—but without a deliberate purpose behind them.

Bunuel’s perspective has pushed me to rethink my approach. I now want to start with meaning: to decide first what I want the audience to feel or understand, and then choose the visual tools to bring that across. For me, this is one of the most valuable lessons in filmmaking—ideas should lead, and technology should follow. This shift marks a step forward in my development as a filmmaker, moving from simply capturing images to consciously crafting them with intention.

 

reference： Bunuel, L., & White, G. (2000). An unspeakable betrayal : selected writings of Luis Bunuel / [eReserve]. University of California Press.

 

#A4: Reflection Blog

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While writing this reflection, I revisited my entire experience participating in the studio. Initially, I had no understanding of the MIFF organization. Later, through research materials and videos, I gradually came to realize that film festival culture is a pioneering and challenging endeavor—it brings more filmmakers overlooked by the commercial market into view, offers diverse non-commercial films a chance to grace the screen, and creates a “secret base” gathering spot for cinephiles to connect. To be honest, I now have a strong desire to attend a film festival in personand immerse myself in that festival atmosphere.

 

Our media project centered on the theme “MIFF, place and nostalgia.” Through on-site filming of historical venues and documentary research, it explored the spatial transformations of the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) over seventy years and the construction of its cultural memory. As the researcher and scriptwriter for the group, my primary tasks included: excavating archives of MIFF’s past venues, collating recorded materials, and weaving fragmented information into narrative threads. At the research outset, the biggest challenge stemmed from the fragmented nature of the historical data, and the complexity of organizing it directly impacted the script’s structure.

 

Reflecting on the project’s production, my thoughts fall into two main areas:First, issues with team collaboration. When the project reached the editing stage, we faced a renewed shortage of usable materials: images found online were highly generic, while materials obtained from physical libraries involved complex copyright issues. This was especially true when needing to contact authors of publications from decades ago, where it was often impossible to confirm if the copyright holders were even still alive. This situation highlighted one of the two critical problems existing concurrently during the project: ineffective collaboration. Different members were absent each week, leading to delays in synchronizing crucial information like material confirmation and copyright follow-ups. Early in the collaboration, some group members frequently failed to respond to messages, which was incredibly frustrating and even led me to think, “Then I’ll stop responding too.” However, upon reflection, I realized that responding to messages, attending group meetings punctually, communicating promptly, and completing assigned tasks on time are fundamental responsibilities of any team member. I cannot lower my personal standards just because others fail to meet theirs. This is a principle I will uphold in all future tasks, whether individual or group-based.

 

Second, misconceptions about copyright. I initially assumed that materials from archives could be used directly, but in practice, the authorization process still needed to be followed. These blind spots in understanding directly resulted in us scrambling to handle copyright clearances during the final seven days before delivery. The fragmentation encountered during the initial research phase and the difficulties in organizing the data indeed directly affected the later script structure and material acquisition. I have come to deeply realize that for future projects, I need to proactively construct the narrative framework and simultaneously consider potential sources for visual materials (such as the specific acquisition channels and copyright status of images and video archives) from the outset. During our pitch, MIFF staff had specifically warned us about the scarcity of certain materials and the complexity of copyright issues. This made it clear that a “Material Feasibility Assessment” should be integrated into the research design phase. Actively consulting archives or project supervisors about standard procedures, potential pitfalls, and the authorization process for acquiring materials, and incorporating this into the research plan itself, is essential—not something to be left for later remediation.

 

For future projects, having learned these lessons, I will establish a dedicated “Resource and Copyright Assessment” phase at the project’s initiation. Right when the theme and research direction are being determined, I will concurrently investigate the availability, copyright status, and authorization pathways for core required materials (especially visual assets), developing a clear copyright acquisition strategy and timeline. Furthermore, I will set an explicit early-stage deadline: after this point, if the copyright issues for critical materials remain unresolved, we must decisively activate contingency plans (such as substituting materials, shifting the narrative focus, or employing original illustrations or animations).