Reflection of Assessment——Ashley

Jennie and I worked together on this assessment, where I was responsible for the script conception and shooting. We shot a story this time about finding ourselves in London, which is also the sum total of the stories that both of us have experienced. I like Chinese traditional culture very much, and I have always hoped to combine Chinese culture with British culture to shoot a cultural fusion work, so one of our shooting scenes was in the Chinese exhibition area of the British Museum. First of all, in the film, I used a lot of long shots and slow shots, slowly following the protagonist in the story to create a sense of immersion and emotional tension, and at the same time to explain the story background. In addition, I did not deliberately light in the shooting process, but used a lot of natural light to reflect the gloomy weather in London, and the contrast of light and shade strengthened the level of the picture. Most importantly, after discussion, we decided not to show our faces during the filming, because it could mean that the girl in the video is emblematic of every girl coming to London for the first time. I actually wanted to try a Hitchcock zoom lens, but I could never get it right, and it didn’t really suit our soft narrative style. Through the shooting of this film, I found that I enjoy shooting even more. – I am excited and happy to think that I can bring the shooting techniques I have learned to the picture in my mind. In fact, this is my first attempt to shoot a complete film work, and many details are particularly naive, but in the future, I still hope that I can try more new shooting methods, continue to learn shooting, and shoot more meaningful works.

Film Poem: My Home and home (Chengai Wang, Cynthia)

https://mediacentral.ucl.ac.uk/Play/119416

The Explanation of My Film Poem “My Home and home”

The theme I’ve chosen for my film poem is “Home.” My hometown, Tianjin, holds a special place in my heart, filled with childhood memories and deep emotional connections. Through this lens, I aim to capture Tianjin’s unique landscapes, familiar streets, architecture, and vibrant atmosphere. To me, home is not just the land we walk on but also a place of love and belonging. As the film transitions from the vastness of my hometown to my “small home,” I want to highlight the warmth and love shared with my family. Whether it’s the broad landscapes of Tianjin or the cosy embrace of family, home is a sanctuary for the heart, connecting past and future. This film poem weaves together my longing for my hometown and my appreciation for family, painting a complete picture of what “home” means to me.

During the process of creating my film poem, my primary goal was to showcase the beauty of my “Home,” Tianjin. To achieve this, I used montage editing, a technique commonly seen in promotional videos. By rapidly switching between locations, I aimed to create a sense of richness and vibrancy. In addition, I carefully considered frame composition and alternated between techniques. For example, I used a sitting-down eye-level perspective while walking upstairs to establish story progression. To capture the XiaoBaiLou Concert, I used Layering Composition by placing a restaurant in the foreground and pushing the lens toward the hall to add depth. For the GuLou food street, I used Eye-Level Composition to immerse viewers in the scene, allowing them to experience it from my perspective.

For the background music, I selected two pieces which were an instrumental piece with traditional Chinese elements and one titled “Inspiration.” The former aligns with my work, creating richness and energy, while the latter facilitates the transition from “Home” to “home.” In the middle of the video, I also incorporated a personal rendition of “I Love You, China” to express my love for my “Home.” Meanwhile, in order to enhance immersion, I avoided voiceovers for the text, opting for typing sound effects. This complements the cultural and aesthetic tone of the sense of hearing, reinforcing the film poem’s atmosphere.

For this assessment, I believe my greatest achievement was recognizing the significance of preserving as much footage as possible while experimenting with diverse angles and compositions. This approach not only expanded my creative options but also mitigated challenges during editing, which I consider my weakest area. Overall, I enjoyed the filming process, as it allowed me to explore various aspects of Tianjin and capture the beauty of the city. If I’m allowed to improve or make a difference, I would refine my existing shots while filming additional scenes of Tianjin’s landscapes. This would allow me to create a more cohesive and impactful promotional video, effectively showcasing the city’s culture and vibrancy to a wider audience.

Text: Let Life Be Beautiful Like Summer Flowers

Tagore

This was my first time adding text to a film, and I chose Tagore’s “Let Life Be Beautiful Like Summer Flowers” as the main line. It felt like the perfect choice because the words were full of beauty, energy, and a sense of life’s fleeting nature, which matched the visuals I wanted to create. Working on the text was both exciting and challenging. I thought a lot about how the line could fit with the scenes and make them more meaningful without overpowering them. Tagore’s words with a black background, making it feel more alive and emotional. This experience taught me how powerful words can be when paired with visuals, and it was an important first step in my creative journey.

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