Part 1:

This was the first time I had worked independently on a film, and I experienced many challenges and gained a lot of valuable experience. I also overcame my language difficulties this term by taking the initiative to ask my teacher questions and double-checking that my understanding was fine, in which I learnt an extremely important piece of knowledge, that music copyright is an important aspect of filmmaking that needs to be taken into serious consideration. Using copyrighted music at will can lead to legal disputes and some music costs a lot of money to buy the rights to, so it is important to co-operate with the creator of the music before using it or go to platforms where the music is free to pick up.

 

Part2:

In creating a film about the legalisation of homosexuality in China, I was deeply moved by the complexity and sensitivity of the subject. My goal is to emphasise emotional resonance and deep expression, which for me is a key direction in film performance. I chose to present this topic from the experiences and perspectives of real people in order to evoke empathy and reflection from the audience.

 

In terms of casting and acting, I focused on the actor’s true expression of the character’s emotions. As I am a lesbian, I am well aware of the struggles of homosexuality in China, where it is not legal, so I sought out a lesbian from China who felt the same way as I did to help me interpret the film. In order for the actor to better commit to the role, I had a series of communication, practice and rehearsal sessions to emphasise the emotional depth of the character, and I took the initiative to start a conversation with her about some of the injustices I had encountered about homosexuality in my country, as well as my family’s real reaction when they found out about my sexuality.

 

After watching the film, I expect the audience to develop deep feelings and thoughts. Through the actors’ authentic performances, deeply emotional presentations, and cinematic and visual effects, I hope that the audience will be able to develop emotional empathy with the characters and understand the individual struggles of homosexuals amid the legal changes and with how they face their families. I seek to create an engaging atmosphere that will give the audience a deeper sense of the complexity and importance of this social issue.

 

In the future, I will strengthen the core content of the film. Firstly, I plan to explore more diverse ways of presentation, including the addition of characters from different backgrounds, in order to present a fuller picture of the diversity of the gay community. Secondly, I would like to make the film more authentic and convincing by adding documentary elements, such as authentic interviews and real-life footage, which can be done by interviewing people from various industries some of their views on homosexuality and so on. At the same time, I plan to seek collaboration with professionals such as social organisations and legal experts. This can make the film more authoritative and in-depth and ensure that the legal and social background behind the story is accurately presented.

 

Overall, my films seek to arouse the audience’s thoughts and empathy through heartfelt performances, compelling plots, and profound social issues. Future development plans aim to further enhance the impact and depth of the film so that it is not just a work of art, but also an embodiment of social engagement. Through the medium of art, I hope to give a voice to homosexuals and promote deeper thinking and discussion on equal rights in society. All this is to create a more inclusive and understanding society where everyone can enjoy equal rights and respect.

 

Additionally I would say one thing that I found very interesting in my film shoot was that my puppy was very worried about my two actors arguing, so I felt it would be a good idea to add to the emotional investment of the film plot by including it in my film as an innocent back drop in the background of an argument. The involvement of a puppy can also give a deeper moral to the film. Innocent animals seem particularly innocent and vulnerable in the midst of human squabbles.

Part3:

Throughout the semester, collaboration has played an integral role in my directing process, and has been especially vital in working with actors. This experience has brought with it a range of challenges and benefits, and has enabled me to learn many valuable lessons in collaboration. At the same time collaboration has been the part of the semester that I have experienced the most

 

One of the challenges of collaboration is understanding and balancing the creativity and opinions of different team members. Each actor comes with a unique perspective and way of understanding the character, and I as the director needed to listen to and integrate these different voices, communicate my own ideas to the actors as well, and ultimately create a richer performance. At the same time, because the actors I asked didn’t know each other, I decided to put down my interpretation and sit down to chat, encouraging the actors to openly express their feelings and share their ideas in order to avoid any awkwardness during the interpretation.

 

Another challenge was how to complete the shoot efficiently within the limited time available, film production is often under time pressure, editing shoots etc. There are also appointments to be made with the actors, so collaboration with the actors needs to be efficient and organised. I learnt how to organise rehearsal times efficiently, provide clear instructions and solve problems in a timely manner to ensure the whole production process runs smoothly.

 

I have also benefited from collaboration, I have learnt the importance of teamwork and in general, collaboration is an essential skill in the directing process. Despite some challenges, the benefits of collaboration far outweigh the difficulties through good communication, respect for different opinions and efficient organisation. I learnt from this experience how to better guide and support actors and how to work more effectively with a team, which will play a key role in my future directing career.