This might sound to good to be true, and I agree that these superstitious things are hard to believe until we experience it ourselves. But things happen, whether you believe it or not.
This documentary is made not only to inform others that might not know about the Chinese Ghost Festival Tradition but at the same time, to remind myself and my group members that as the younger generation, we should not forget about our own traditions.
STRENGTHS
The documentary summarises the key and important things that are needed to know about Chinese Ghost Festival. For example, a little bit of what it is about, the time of the festival, and what are we supposed to do during the time. There are also still images that are in sync with the spoken narrative. A little bit of explanation is also shown on screen. The 'things you are not allowed to do' are also filmed in order for the audience to get a clearer understanding.
WEAKNESSES
Almost all of the things are pictures and no clip of the actual festival. It is because, the festival is not going to happen in another 3 months. Also, the 'things you are not allowed to do' is re-created, and it looked fake. In addition, the 're-telling' story part is a bit long, and it might get boring at some point.
Another point is that whether non-chinese audience will be able to get what we are trying to do. Since, it might be confusing and sound so unreal. We really tried to make it as simple as possible and highlighted the important point by putting text in the video.
INFLUENCES
For the whole documentary, there is no direct influences of any filmmakers, except the "re-telling the story" which I take the style from "In The Life on Another: Starring Allison Wood" documentary, especially the fading out everytime the topic idea is changed.
Aside from the documentary, I like directors who made films that could challenge the mind, while watching it. For example, Tim Burton, who always make his film as in his own fantasy world, dark, and intriguing. Also, Takashi Miike, who never made his films clear. So the audience will always have to guess. And so this time, I took the opportunity to take the essence of the two directors and trying my style of filming the "things you are not allowed to do" scenes.
For example: we did not include any ghost appearance in any of the scenes (except in scene 1 where the photograph is shown), but we inserted a music that make the scenes tensed, and a scream. That way, audience should be able to conclude that there is something.
CONCLUSION
Our documentary is far from perfect, as we are giving the audience a compressed version of a tradition that is being handed down for generations. But the aim is that for the audience to at least get the gist of it, whether they would believe it or not.
22 April 2009
Final Composition
The final film storyline:
It started with narratives and related pictures on the background. The the traditions that managed to be filmed are:
1. When you are out at night, make your friends called you with your nickname. In case the ghost remember your full name, since if they called it out and you answered them, the spirits will come and get you.
2. Do not take pictures at night for if you accidentally shoot a spirit/s in the photo, it would mean that you are taking the spirit home.
3. And do not sleep on a double bed size alone and on one side. Because in case you turn around, there might be somebody sleeping beside you.
And at the end of the film, there is a testimonial from the other group member, Peony. She is retelling the story of what happened to her a few years ago when her grandmother died. Apparently, according to the traditions she is supposed to burn a shoe for her grandmother. But, as the younger generation, she did not really care about this kind of beliefs and so she did it anyhow. Though, it is a wrong choice. She did burn the shoe, but in the wrong size and thus her grandmother started to appear in her dream. Peony's grandmother kept appearing in her dream until Peony told her mum about it. At the end, she burn the shoe again (right size), this time with her mother watched over her, making sure she did it all correctly. Afterwards, her grandmother never really appeared in her dreams anymore.
It started with narratives and related pictures on the background. The the traditions that managed to be filmed are:
1. When you are out at night, make your friends called you with your nickname. In case the ghost remember your full name, since if they called it out and you answered them, the spirits will come and get you.
2. Do not take pictures at night for if you accidentally shoot a spirit/s in the photo, it would mean that you are taking the spirit home.
3. And do not sleep on a double bed size alone and on one side. Because in case you turn around, there might be somebody sleeping beside you.
And at the end of the film, there is a testimonial from the other group member, Peony. She is retelling the story of what happened to her a few years ago when her grandmother died. Apparently, according to the traditions she is supposed to burn a shoe for her grandmother. But, as the younger generation, she did not really care about this kind of beliefs and so she did it anyhow. Though, it is a wrong choice. She did burn the shoe, but in the wrong size and thus her grandmother started to appear in her dream. Peony's grandmother kept appearing in her dream until Peony told her mum about it. At the end, she burn the shoe again (right size), this time with her mother watched over her, making sure she did it all correctly. Afterwards, her grandmother never really appeared in her dreams anymore.
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