RSS
Home
Cultural differences in filmmaking & an apology to Johnny Wu
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
My last article was a review on Johnny K. Wu's 2005 short entitled "A Joker's Card", and while the review was very positive, I always balance reviews of independent film with what I percieve to be a negative. However, I have made an understandable oversight in what I thought was negative about the short film's pacing, that was in fact stereotypically judgmental of our North American film culture, wrongly. I thought the focus on characters stayed too long at times, which is typical within indie film, and found out it was very much intentional and for multiple reasons most independent filmmakers and U.S. audiences probably are completely unaware of. The reasons are cultural film style and playing to global audiences for distribution. For this, I apologize to Johnny K. Wu and my readers, as we all learn something important today!
Note: Johnny K. Wu is likely to be Cleveland, Ohio's top independent filmmaker for half a decade, not counting Bob Kurtzman and his studio, which are practically Hollywood level and a few hours away. He is also the founder of the Cleveland Indie Club, which can be found at www.clevelandindieclub.com . His projects are award winning and information can be found at www.mdifilm.com .
So, with the extreme quality of film and art that Germany has been known for, and so many other countries/ cultures more intent on topics like family and life, it is funny that many U.S. cinemagoers are glued to the "blockbuster" mentality. We eat fast food have short attention spans within our own "melting pot". We have such a limited spectrum drowned by fancy marketing and corporate hype. This article was going to be a full workup on these unique differences and celebration of film-making worldwide, whether indie or Bollywood. However, after insights from Johnny K. Wu, it was decided to interview him Q & A session style in regards to these issues and his film-making in Cleveland. These were all respectfully taken from correspondence between us in email. Hopefully, this helps the film community awareness grow!
Kenny: How does Asian film-making styles differ between each other
and other country's cultures in general?
Johnny: There are different style used in Asian Cinema, but the basic generally
speaking it is based on pacing. In Asia culture, the pacing is slower, it is
to let the actor 'evolve' within the film, so the director tends to hold on
a shot a bit longer as it helps 'build' the character up. When watching
Arahan (an action martial art film) or Natural City (sci-fi) or Casshern
(Manga based life action), or even Red Cliff I and II (John Woo's latest
film in China), or the recently showed film Orz Boyz at the Cleveland
International Film Festival (by a Taiwanese Director), the pacing can be
seen slower in these compared to American cinema. One reason, as many
directors had said, is to let the actors continue playing the character and
to continue evolving (as I mentioned earlier). The other reason is the
cultural background, in Asia, there is emphasis that can be created via a
'space' of a scene, or what we say, a silence within a scene, that 'space'
helps create the mood. For example, in many past Jackie Chan's movie, such
as Drunken Master II, when he was 'punished', you see his expression, the
camera tends to hold a bit longer than usual to 'accentuate' or to ' show'
the small 'motions' that only film would capture. That leads to the 3rd
reason.
In Asian culture, opera is done in a much elaborate 'gesture' compared to
American Theatre (Broadway or such), and the actors tends to exaggerate a
lot more so audiences can see when sitting like a basketball field away. To
differentiate that from film, the actors are asked not to 'emote' freely, or
rather, keep it very 'dignified' to help separate the two.
I was also told by many European filmmakers that I know that their films are
also paced slower compared to American cinema.
Kenny: What styles or methods have you adopted from Asian film, and what nationalities
are they? Movies that influenced you?
Johnny: The styles that I've adopted varies, it all depends on the 'scene', for
example in The Rapture, when Midael is about to confront his 'brother'
Job/Abaddon at the beginning of the scene, I kept the shot longer as you can
slowly but visibly see Midael's facial reaction where it surely showcase
that he is fighting within himself to decide what to do. Of course, watching
it on a small screen, you would've missed that but while watching it on big
screen, you can tell the differences.
As I do watch movies, mostly from Asia, I grown to love their pacing and
style, some were too long paced (especially films from Japan), but many were
paced accordingly to their 'needs'. Hence I've learned to use that style,
there isn't any particular ones, but I would say these movies have inspired
me: Dragon Tiger Gate, Twins Effect, Hero, Red Cliff I and II, Arahan,
Volcano High, Casshern, Natural City and some others.
Kenny: Why do you think North American style film-making keeps getting faster paced
and larger than life and do you feel it ruins the art, story, and will it
finally hit a brick wall at some point?
Johnny: I think this was once done as a research, the research was about why TV
commercials have to be fast paced, and the result was due to the current
state of our society in the United States. We have grown to always be on the
rush, always on the run, and we slowly have developed the need for speed, and
do everything at once: texting, emailing, reading, watching/listening all at
one time, and slowly losing interest very quickly (which is why many
children now are diagnosed by the doctor to have a certain type of ADD).
Because of our attention span has shortened, we yearn for faster paced film,
which also made films a bit harder to appreciate if it's not 'fast paced'.
And of course, that would also make foreign films lose their grounds for
good sale in the US.
As many times this is what I've heard at several Film Markets (Cannes,
Toronto, AFI, etc), that you must cut a trailer that is exciting, fast, so
it can attract sales. that has proven the case. (just like reality tv shows,
they are fast paced or it wouldn't go far).
Kenny: How greatly does a film's style affect foreign distribution chances?
Johnny: US film to foreign distribution. None, because if the film has a big name,
foreign distributer will buy it. BUT see below, pacing is based on the
director, if the director felt the scene has to be longer, so be it, pacing
is about the choice/taste of a director it wouldn't much differ from what it
would be sold or not. Mainly action, or a lot of action sells.
Kenny: Can the average U.S. indie filmmaker compete in foreign markets/fests or is
it a waste of screeners and fees?
Johnny: Yes, average independent filmmakers CAN compete in foreign markets, but this
is all about planning, think first, what you want to shoot, what format,
what genre (which is VERY important) and then what market, then make the
film based on the research and what your want to accomplish, this would then
make it easier to compete in foreign territories.
And since now, US territories are saturated with too many films competing
against each other, it is best to think globally.
Kenny: I thank Johnny K. Wu for his contribution to this article and our local film community within Cleveland. This has been an enlightening experience that makes one think about what we do when making a film and who the audience is that we are targetting. I will be reviewing his other works, such as "The Rapture" and "Jean Claude, The Gumming Zombie", which is very much looked forward to. Honestly, it's hard to decide which to review first, however, it will be "The Rapture" since much info on it is ready for this greedy Examiner to absorb!
Best, Kenny
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
