27 May 2024
Film, an art form with a history of over a century, captivates audiences worldwide with its unique visual and auditory appeal. As we immerse ourselves in the fantastical worlds on screen, have we ever wondered about the mysteries behind it? Is it the result of a team of hundreds or even thousands of people, or is it a crystallisation of individual creativity? Is it really as distant as we imagine?
Recently, the third season, second episode of the "City Lecture" series, jointly launched by Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and Suzhou Traffic Radio and Suzhou Children’s Radio, unveiled this mysterious veil. The theme of this lecture was "Can One Person Make a Film?!" It featured Qian Zhuang from the School of Film and TV Arts at XJTLU, a seasoned editor, director, and producer, who guided 40 students from Xinghai Primary School, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Middle School's junior and senior sections, in an in-depth exploration of the world behind film-making, revealing every step of the production process.
To provide students with a more immersive experience, the class was held in the film studio of the School of Film and TV Arts. During the class, Qian Zhuang posed a question to the students: "How many people do you think are needed to make a film?" As the students pondered, Qian Zhuang elaborated on the basic film-making process through vivid real-life examples, from scriptwriting and character development to fundraising by producers, team assembly, the director’s visual presentation, the cinematographer’s camera work, and the sound recordist’s audio capture, culminating in the editor’s material organisation and splicing.
Qian Zhuang revealed, "In fact, just six people are sufficient to complete a film. These six individuals are equivalent to the core creative team of a film, forming a solid nucleus. For large productions like 'Star Wars' or 'The Wandering Earth,' although the production team may number hundreds or even thousands, it is ultimately guided by this core nucleus." She emphasised that while film-making appears complex and requires team collaboration, everyone can find their place within it, contributing their creativity and talent.
In the post-class field visit, students, led by Qian Zhuang, toured the television studio, editing room, and recording studio in the School of Film and TV Arts. They also watched a film produced by Qian Zhuang in the cinema. Here, they saw the professional facilities needed at each stage of film production and experienced the real environment of film-making.
At the end of the event, Qian Zhuang said, “Human creativity and ideas are always our most precious treasures. I firmly believe that we still have a long way to explore in this regard. Film, as an art form, relies on human creativity and wisdom to be completed. However, with the assistance of AI technology, perhaps in the near future, a streamlined team could make a blockbuster with just a good idea and some equipment. Films that currently require 200 people might soon be made by just six.”
Qian Zhuang encouraged the students, “I believe that in the next ten or twenty years, when you come up with a creative idea, you could assemble such a six-person core team to turn your story into reality. I look forward to seeing your creations and making the world more wonderful with your stories.”
After the class, Zichuan Bian from Xinghai Primary School shared, “I have always been interested in film. Through Qian’s introduction, I gained a deeper understanding of the film-making process and the roles involved. This class not only expanded my thinking but also provided me with new knowledge.”
Sihan Chen from Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Middle School’s junior section excitedly said, “This class greatly piqued my interest in film and gave me a basic understanding of it. I would like to learn more about film in the future.”
Xinyi Zhou from Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Middle School’s senior section also remarked, “Although I previously had some understanding of the film industry, this event deepened my knowledge and clarified the roles involved. I might consider pursuing a career in the film industry in the future.”
The episode of "City Lecture" was broadcast live on May 25 on the Suzhou APP, Suzhou Traffic Radio’s video account, and Suzhou Children’s Radio’s video account, achieving nearly 367,000 views on the day of the broadcast.
The class is now available on the XJTLU Learning Supermarket platform. We welcome you to watch it.
By Wenzhen Li, Yaxin Liu
Photo courtesy of Xichun Yin
27 May 2024