2013年4月23日星期二

Different Styles of Documentary

The According to American scholar Bill Nichols, documentaries can be divided into the following six types:

1.  Poetic Documentary
Poetic documentary appeared in the 1920s, and one of the most representative them is called Rain made by Joris Ivens. These type documentaries don’t emphasize the narrative, the time to create and coherent editing. It focuses on the rhythm of creation and the combined of different spatial。 It aims to convey emotion and mood.



2. Expository Documentary
Expository documentary appeared in the 1920s. These type documentaries’ publicity intention is clear and pay attention of the commentary to convince the audience to accept their point of view. The typical characteristics in form of "the Voice of God", the material edit and omniscient viewpoint.

3. Observational Documentary
Observational documentary appeared in the 1960s. The technology is based in the emergence of the portable cameras and tape cameras. This documentary has no commentary and specific actors. The documentary director like ‘fly on the wall’. These type documentary are mainly expressed the real world. So it is difficult to deal with the historical themes. Expression of the image can easily become boring in the absence of narration and subtitles.

4. Participatory Documentary
Participatory documentary appeared in the 1960s and one of the most representative them is called Chronicle of Summer made by Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin. These type documentaries not hide the director in the presence. On the contrary, deliberately stressed that interaction of director and subject.


5. Reflexive Documentary
Reflexive documentary appeared in the 1980s and one of the most representative them is called Surname Viet Given Name Nam. These type documentaries’ characteristic is presents the social and historical process itself reflection. It same like other documentaries, importance on the expression of the real things. The more importance is the reflection of the director to the documentary.


6. Performativity Documentary
Performativity documentary will be subjective to enlarge of a real event and departure from realism style. It emphasizes the subjective expression of the creators. One of the most representative them is called Tongues Untied made by Marlon Roggs. These type documentaries use like avant-garde.


In the documentary creation, the story’s choosing and editing is narrative techniques and structures’ process. Through my documentary to express my comprehending and feeling of life. I think the narrative structure is directed to the material so as to the meaning and interpretation the form. The attractiveness of documentary varies depending on the theme and edit. Good edit can make the material becomes more exciting. Narrative and structure for the significance of the work, in that the material itself.
With the director’s different accumulation of life, life feeling, artistic skill and artistic pursuit, they will have different narrative techniques and structure. Even from the same director of the documentary, the narrative style is not exactly the same. So I will choose story from my life, to research and practice to make a documentary about fisherman.


依照美国学者比尔·尼克尔斯的观点,纪录片可以分为如下六种类型:
一、诗意型纪录片(Poetic Documentary) 诗意纪录片出现于20世纪20年代。代表作是伊文思(Joris Ivens)的《雨》(Rain)。这种类型的纪录片不强调叙事,不注重特定时空的营造,不强调连贯剪辑。它着力于节奏的创造,不同空间的并置,目的在于情绪、情调的传达。
二、阐释型纪录片(Expository Documentary) 阐述型纪录片也出现于20世纪20年代。这种纪录片宣传意图明确,注重解说词的力量,说服观众接受自己的观点。形式上的典型特征是“上帝之声”(voice-of-God)、证据剪辑、全知视点。
三、观察型纪录片(Observational Documentary) 观察型纪录片出现于20世纪60年代,其技术基础在于便携式摄影机和磁带摄像机的出现。这种纪录片没有解说,没有扮演,纪录片导演成了“墙壁上的苍蝇”(fly on the wall)。这种纪录片主要表达现实世界,但对于历史题材却难以处理。由于没有解说、字幕,影像的表达很容易变得沉闷。
四、参与型纪录片(Participatory Documentary) 参与型纪录片出现于20世纪60年代。代表作品是让鲁什(Jean Rouch)和埃德加莫林(Edgar Morin)的《夏日纪事》(Chronicle of Summer)。这种类型的纪录片不掩盖导演的在场。相反,刻意强调导演与被拍摄对象的互动。
五、反射型纪录片(Reflexive Documentary) 反射型纪录片出现于 20世纪80年代。代表作是《姓越名南》(Surname Viet Given Name Nam)。这种类型的纪录片的特点在于对纪录片呈现社会历史过程本身的反思。和其他类型纪录片一样,反射型纪录片重视对现实世界的表达,但更为重要的是,导演在片中同时表达对纪录片创作本身的反思。这种影片往往显得更为抽象,难以理解。
六、表述行为型纪录片(Performative) 表述行为型纪录片把真实的事件进行主观的放大,背离现实主义的风格。强调创作者主观的表述。代表作如马龙里格斯(Marlon Roggs)的《舌头不打结》(Tongues Untied)。这种类型的纪录片往往与先锋电影(avant-garde)很接近。
在纪录片创作中,叙事的技巧和结构的方式不仅是对素材进行选择和处理的过程,更是创作者通过素材的挑选和组合,来表达自己对生活的认识和感受的过程。我认为叙事结构是创作者给素材以意义和解释的手段和形式。一部纪录片艺术质量的高低和思想意义的深浅,不仅取决于纪录片拍摄到的内容,也取决于对于这些内容的剪辑与组合。剪辑组合得体,原本好的内容可以变得更加精彩。某些一般的内容也能发挥得较为出色。相反,剪辑组合不当,就有可能糟蹋原本非常好的素材,使原本十分精彩的内容失去应有的效果。所以,叙事和结构对于作品的意义,在某种程度上要甚于素材本身。
由于生活积累、人生感受、艺术功力和艺术追求的不同,不同的创作者有不同的叙事技巧和结构方式。即使出自同一创作者的不同纪录片,其叙事风格也不会完全相同。所以这次,我从我的生活中,想去研究和实践做一个纪录片,一个关于渔民的纪录片。

2013年4月19日星期五

BBC Empire of the Seas

A tie-in to a major BBC TV series presented by Dan Snow, is written by one of the nation's foremost naval historians, and tells the story of how the Royal Navy shaped the politics, culture and economy of Britain, leaving its imprint on everything from our landscape, to our democracy and even our very identity. At its peak, it became the driving force behind the spread of a system of values which would change the world forever. And then it lost it all. In "Empire of the Seas", Brian Lavery re-injects the romance into Britain's seafaring past. He discusses the hidden human stories behind the celebrated sea-battles and also provides a warts-and-all expose of the darker chapters in the Navy's past, including its role in slavery and the spread of disease. The book is illustrated with a superlative collection of artworks and photographs from the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Naval Museum and private collections.






这套纪录片的题目是《海洋帝国》(Empire of the Seas),讲述英国皇家海军四百年的历史,其中各位有所听闻的重大历史事件——从击败无敌舰队到特拉法加海战和日德兰大海战——本片都有所涉及。但这又不是一部纯粹的军事史,因为在这四集内容里,你还可以看到英国皇家海军这台庞大的战争机器,是如何对英国国内的政治经济制度施加影响的,例如国债的发行、所得税的征收、英格兰银行的成立等等。

2013年4月16日星期二

'Writing, Directing and Producing Documentary Films and Videos'

 

By Rosenthal, Alan, Southern Illinois Univ Pr, 2007-6

As Alan Rosenthal states in the preface to this new edition of his acclaimed resource for filmmakers, "Writing, Directing, and Producing Documentary Films and Videos" is "a book about storytelling--how to tell great and moving stories about fascinating people, whether they be villains or heroes." In response to technological advances and the growth of the documentary hybrid in the past five years, Rosenthal reconsiders how one approaches documentary filmmaking in the twenty-first century. Simply and clearly, he explains how to tackle day-to-day problems, from initial concept through distribution. He demonstrates his ideas throughout the book with examples from key filmmakers' work. New aspects of this fourth edition include a vital new chapter titled "Making Your First Film," and a considerable enlargement of the section for producers, "Staying Alive," which includes an extensive discussion of financing, marketing, festivals, and distribution. This new edition offers a revised chapter on nonlinear editing, more examples of precise and exacting proposals, and the addition of a complex budget example with explanation of the budgeting process. Discussion of documentary hybrids, with suggestions for mastering changes and challenges, has also been expanded, while the "Family Films" chapter includes updated information that addresses rapid expansion in this genre.


2013年4月12日星期五

WHITBY FISHERMAN

Yesterday I from university borrow the Canon 7D and sound recording for today go to Whitby. Today, Allie, Carrie, Norm and I form Nottingham sent out at 8 am. This is my first time go to Whitby. Actually, I'm very worry today I can't find fisherman and today's weather is so bad. The rain and fog. I know the weather is very important for fisherman. If the weather is bad, they will choose don't go fish. The bad weather will take the dangerous things to go fishing. I hope when we get there, the weather can be better and I can meet the fisherman.


When we get Whitby, it's 11:30. On the way, all of us were hungry. We think when we eat lunch, we can ask about fisherman to the waitress. So we started find 'The Magpie Cafe' which Rick Stein has described as the best fish and chip shop in Britain. We are queuing up half an hour, the taste is really good.  In the fact, Whitby is authentic fishing city. In the Whitby, there have a big tributary of the sea and on this tributary there have a bridge. It like the London bridge can open from the middle, when the boat through there.




When we paid the money, we asked the waitress that where we can find the fisherman. And she tell us, just thither fish market. The fisherman often finished their fishing will come here unloading. So we started looking for fisherman. We are walked to the fish market, but there already closed. Then, we find a small exhibition hall that about Captain cook. He is Britain famous pathfinder and navigator. Captain cook made three trips around the world and the first Englishman to visit New Zealand in 1769. There staff tell us, we can go to the Whitby Mission and Seafarers' Centre, there teach the young fisherman how to go fishing and help them solve the some problems. But there is closed. And then we go back the coastwise way. When we alone the river, we see one boat have a man is a break and he saw us, and then we ask him where can find fisherman. His tell us go the fish market, maybe there have.



So we turn back to the fish market. This time, outside the iron gate, we saw one boat is unloading. We are excited to the ran and went in there. We don't see the official notice, it said non-work personnel shall not enter. We are just talking with one fisherman, the administrator tell us can't stay there and let us go sea's other way try to find others. We find long time, but we still can't find fisherman.



When we almost give up meeting other fishermen, we find there person are clear up the fishing gear. We are so exciting.  They are very nice person and they are one family. They are grandfather, father and son. It's so cool!




They talking with us like friends and show the picture to us. Even more amazing, they let us go to their boat. Their boat is a new boat, the air in the boat smelt of paint. They are catching crab and lobster. It's very interesting for me. In the end, we exchanged our Email.




When I come back home, they sent some interesting and beautiful pictures to me. And they say next time I can go fishing with them together and I can make my documentary. It's a surprise! I'm a lucky person.









2013年4月9日星期二

Whitby,North Yorkshire


Whitby is a beautiful little seaside fishing town and port perfectly situated on the Heritage Coast of North Yorkshire in England, surrounded by the breath-taking North Yorkshire Moors.


The town of Whitby has been home to many over the years, from Vikings to Kings and famous explorers and even a Saint! In fact two kings and one saint are actually buried in Whitby!


Roman Whitby: It has long been speculated that there may have been a Roman garrison fort located at Whitby, it is along the coast in an ideal location between existing roman signal stations at Goldsbrough and Ravenscar. Although no evidence has been found to support this theory as the roman signal station was most likely lost to sea due to coastal erosion or developed as part of the first Whitby Monastery site.


Streonshal (The Old Name For Whitby): Streonshal was the first recorded name for the town (in 656), when King Oswy of Northumbria ruled the land around the town.

King Oswy founded the first abbey at Streonshal, under the guidance of the abbess Hild (later becoming Saint Hilda) who herself was a princess, and with help from a lowly cowherder named Caedmon, who through a vision in a dream became the first recorded English poet.

The Synod of Whitby was a synod at the request of King Oswy of Northumbria to determine the date of Easter in England. Held at Whitby Abbey in 664AD The Synod of Whitby was where the date for Easter for England was decided by the customs of the Roman Catholics instead of the Ionans. King Oswy died in 670 and is buried in the grounds of Whitby Abbey.


Captain James Cook RN: Captain James Cook the great explorer for the Royal Navy started his naval career at Whitby, working for local ship owners called John and Henry Walker. There is a statue of Captain Cook overlooking the sea on Whitby's West Cliff.


Whitby Jet: Whitby Jet is a minor gemstone comprised of fossilised wood, which can be polished. Popular for centuries as jewellery, Whitby Jet was brought to it's height of fashion when Queen Victoria used Whitby Jet as part of her mourning dress.

Bram Stoker and Dracula: Bram Stoker was a frequent visitor to Whitby, he based part of his world famous novel, Dracula, here.



Lastly, let us not forgot that the World's best fish and chips are only found in Whitby!


2013年4月3日星期三

The people living at the beach all know that the owner of fishing boats is not called the boss. All the people will call them boatman. The boss called “laoban” in Chinese. Its homophonic planking is old, not safe sailing. So for good luck, people called them “ boatman”.
生活在海边的人都知道,叫渔船的主人都不会叫老板,都会叫船老大。究其原因,不外乎图个吉利,老板的话,说明这船的船板老了,出海不安全。


There are many islands in Zhoushan, all islands over 1390. Zhoushan, as the largest archipelago in China. It is like boats, so named Zhoushan. It is an excellent port of nature, with deep coast about 82.8km that is over 10m in depth. So it is know as ‘The east China sea fish warehouse’ and 'Fish city in China'.
舟山海岛众多,大大小小的岛屿共有1390多个,群岛之中,以舟山岛最大,其“形如舟揖”,故名舟山。舟山港拥有水深大于10米以上的深水岸线82.8公里,拥有难得的天然深水港口条件。因此得到了“东海鱼仓”和“中国渔都”的美誉。




Sailing in the sea, the lighthouse is the ships navigation light. See the lighthouse, saw the direction, it would allow boatman to find their way home.
航海在海中,灯塔是大海中船只的航行灯,看到灯塔,就看到了方向,就能让渔民找到回家的路。


Today I saw someone wrote a tale of Zhoushan boatman in the blog.
今天在博客上看到有人写了一篇关于舟山渔民的故事。
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4bb440080102e9so.html



‘Green Eyebrow’ is this boat’s name. Boatman’s name is Lao Chen. He have heavy accent of Zhoushan. At sea for more than half of his life, He has been to all sea areas in addition to Africa, Arctic, Antarctic sea area. He is a real maritime fishermen, but when he on the way just for work, maybe he never really enjoy the scenery around. According to him, When he was young, he has been to the Diaoyu Island, in the case of the boat horsepower strong, 30 hours you can reach there. A star red flag hung with in the bow of the boat. Lao Chen looked at the flag fluttering in the wind, he said, ‘When I look at the flag, my heart can be security and wherever I am, I see I have a place to called home. It is always supporting me’. Now he is older, he often went to inshore fishing to earn a little money to enrich their lives.
“绿眉毛号”是船只的名字,它的船老大叫老陈,有着很重的舟山口音,在海上漂泊了大半个人生,去了除非洲、北极、南极附近的海域之外的所有地方,是一个切切实实在路上的人。只不过,老陈的在路上多半是为了生计,或许他都没有真正留意过身边的风景。据他说,年轻的时候曾去过钓鱼岛,马力强劲的情况下30个小时就可抵达。老陈的船头挂着一面五星红旗,看着迎风招展的国旗,老陈若有所思的说,看着国旗,心里也有了底,无论身在哪里,身后都有一个叫家的地方支撑着他。现在年纪大了,闲不住的老陈就在家附近的海域捕捞一些海产品,赚点小钱,打发生活。





Lao Chen now caught crab, about 30 several cages. But only packaged two plastic bags at last. Lao Chen not in a good mood. Because the low yield of the coastal waters. Lao Chen’s boat almost hit the tanker parked in the sea when he returned.  It may be associated with the crab didn’t catch too much. However, the boatman who experienced the collision is just a false alarm.
老陈现在主要是抓梭子蟹,大概30几个笼子,最后只打包了两个塑料袋,近海海域的低产量让老陈们很是头疼,情绪也不是很高。回程的时候,还差一点撞上停在海里的油船,不知道是不是跟没有捕捞上太多的蟹有关。不过还好,船老大们经验丰富,撞船事件也仅仅是虚惊一场。



In his blog, he also mentioned There are many different sea areas are fishing different seafood in Zhoushan.
在他的博客里,还有提到,在舟山有很多不同海域,它们分别可以捕捞不同海产品。



They are have restaurant at sea and the traditional seafood.
海上餐厅还有渔民自制的带鱼干,这都是传统食物。


Form his blog, I think my d shooting in the island of Zhoushan, and maybe it is good idea. Because in Zhoushan, they have many fisherman go inshore fishing and their fishing boats bigger and more safety than before I shot.
从他的博客中,我觉得将我的拍摄定在舟山这个岛上,也是一个不错的选择。在舟山有很多近海捕鱼的渔民,船只比我上次拍摄的近海渔船大而且牢固。也许舟山会更有利于我拍摄。