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china
workshop hangzou
workshop hangzou
By Jennifer Petterson
After seeing maybe a hundred one minute movies the students are not too impressed. This seems promising. Perhaps they will make something better? But the criteria’s they use for judging the works are less promising. The works that appeal to them are those that are entertaining, funny, relaxing.
Many works they make are very formal, using a metaphorical image to symbolize a thought or a feeling. One student uses the image of a glass of hot water being poured back and forth between two glasses until it is cold enough to drink, to symbolize how we accept things that first look unacceptable to us, like shocking news. When he shoots the film, he doesn’t use hot water, since it hurts his hands, which make us suggest he tries again. Unfortunately he drops the project and makes new plans. This seems like a habit. If the films aren’t an immediate success, students tend to jump onto something new. That’s not something particular Chinese, but it’s something I didn’t expect from the Chinese students, myself being prejudiced about hard working Chinese people.
But maybe it’s not that. We hold on to a project when it’s genuine and sincerely meant. Many students seem unsure about what they are doing and are wondering what others will think about it. This I find surprising since these students are finishing their third year of the Art Academy. Next year they will be graduating.
It has become a tradition to end every one-minute workshop with a ceremonial presentation of the videos made. Also the week in Hangzhou I want to end with a presentation. The hierarchic system here makes it unthinkable we organize something without the permission of the Head of Department which we do not get.
Later the same evening Mrs Ye Dan who facilitates this workshop with me tells me how she always felt awkward growing up in China. Already as a child she felt different and was constantly wondering what was wrong with her. Needless to say, being different was far from appreciated. At the Art Academy in Los Angeles she for the first time in her life experienced how being different could be a good thing. Being different was called unique or original and was something to be proud of. Her years studying at the Academy in L.A had been the happiest time of her life. Even the rebels and the non-conformists have a need to feel at home. And so do I, and although I find China extremely interesting and the students wonderful people, I must admit, I am happy to be back in Europe.
Wed November 26, 2008
After seeing maybe a hundred one minute movies the students are not too impressed. This seems promising. Perhaps they will make something better? But the criteria’s they use for judging the works are less promising. The works that appeal to them are those that are entertaining, funny, relaxing.
Many works they make are very formal, using a metaphorical image to symbolize a thought or a feeling. One student uses the image of a glass of hot water being poured back and forth between two glasses until it is cold enough to drink, to symbolize how we accept things that first look unacceptable to us, like shocking news. When he shoots the film, he doesn’t use hot water, since it hurts his hands, which make us suggest he tries again. Unfortunately he drops the project and makes new plans. This seems like a habit. If the films aren’t an immediate success, students tend to jump onto something new. That’s not something particular Chinese, but it’s something I didn’t expect from the Chinese students, myself being prejudiced about hard working Chinese people.
But maybe it’s not that. We hold on to a project when it’s genuine and sincerely meant. Many students seem unsure about what they are doing and are wondering what others will think about it. This I find surprising since these students are finishing their third year of the Art Academy. Next year they will be graduating.
It has become a tradition to end every one-minute workshop with a ceremonial presentation of the videos made. Also the week in Hangzhou I want to end with a presentation. The hierarchic system here makes it unthinkable we organize something without the permission of the Head of Department which we do not get.
Later the same evening Mrs Ye Dan who facilitates this workshop with me tells me how she always felt awkward growing up in China. Already as a child she felt different and was constantly wondering what was wrong with her. Needless to say, being different was far from appreciated. At the Art Academy in Los Angeles she for the first time in her life experienced how being different could be a good thing. Being different was called unique or original and was something to be proud of. Her years studying at the Academy in L.A had been the happiest time of her life. Even the rebels and the non-conformists have a need to feel at home. And so do I, and although I find China extremely interesting and the students wonderful people, I must admit, I am happy to be back in Europe.
Wed November 26, 2008
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congo
kisangani
kisangani
By Vivian Wenli Lin
We took a walk together in the morning after breakfast along the river, waving hi to the locals and taking in the green lushness of Kisangani.
It's beautiful here - the air is sticky hot, but the breeze from the nearby river helps in the evening. Madou, Bibiche, and Jaime, the Congo Unicef staff are completely on point and very receptive to all of our needs and demands for the workshop. The kids are really creative. Strong ideas. Strong visions. And there are 20 of them between the ages of 9-20. I thought it would be hard to spend time with each of them and remember their individual characteristics, but their personalities and names are so distinct, I remembered them in one day! These students are so eager to learn and to share and teach each other. They are the first kids who have asked to practice with the cameras and tripods all day and overnight.
We spent all day discussing ideas with the kids and now we are ready for the shoots tomorrow. I hope and I guess pray (being that we are staying in a convent and next to a church) that everything will go okay, not only for us, but for these kids who want it so bad. Hearing their stories of what life is like for them in the Congo, about being orphaned, about issues of prostitution and rape, about what they are dealing with on a daily basis - education, food, money, family - makes us determined for these workshops to not just be about the videos but for each of the students, as directors, to see how an idea in their head can become a powerful story for others outside of the Congo to see.
Thu November 20, 2008
We took a walk together in the morning after breakfast along the river, waving hi to the locals and taking in the green lushness of Kisangani.
It's beautiful here - the air is sticky hot, but the breeze from the nearby river helps in the evening. Madou, Bibiche, and Jaime, the Congo Unicef staff are completely on point and very receptive to all of our needs and demands for the workshop. The kids are really creative. Strong ideas. Strong visions. And there are 20 of them between the ages of 9-20. I thought it would be hard to spend time with each of them and remember their individual characteristics, but their personalities and names are so distinct, I remembered them in one day! These students are so eager to learn and to share and teach each other. They are the first kids who have asked to practice with the cameras and tripods all day and overnight.
We spent all day discussing ideas with the kids and now we are ready for the shoots tomorrow. I hope and I guess pray (being that we are staying in a convent and next to a church) that everything will go okay, not only for us, but for these kids who want it so bad. Hearing their stories of what life is like for them in the Congo, about being orphaned, about issues of prostitution and rape, about what they are dealing with on a daily basis - education, food, money, family - makes us determined for these workshops to not just be about the videos but for each of the students, as directors, to see how an idea in their head can become a powerful story for others outside of the Congo to see.
Thu November 20, 2008
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