[Only in Beijing] On A Movie Set

Graham: Hi, I’m Graham Raubvogel—a college freshman studying film and East Asian Studies. Over winter break, I travelled with a classmate to Beijing, driven to learn more about the booming Chinese film industry, and hoping to perhaps one day merge my two interests: filmmaking and China. Although there are an increasing number of Sino-US “co-productions”, there are still very few foreigners involved with actual Chinese films. And there are even less foreigners working in China’s hard-to-define “indie” film scene. Luckily for me, I had the chance to spend several days on the set of an independent Chinese short film, entitled “1D”.

Camera Operator: 这部作品和我们往常所拍的还是很不同! 因为他的片名叫《一D》，就是说，它只是由这个简单的线条和黑白构成的这么一个影片。所以和我们平常所拍的彩色的、立体的，甚至是三D的，恰恰是相反的一部影片。
This film is very different from the usual things we shoot. Its title is “1D,” meaning that it only uses simple, black and white silhouettes. It’s totally different from shooting in color, with three-dimensional spaces, or sometimes even 3D technology.

Male Extra: 我特别喜欢这种接应！ 我没想到吕叔这次会用接应的形式来，来做一个这样的短片。就一进来我就被那个影响吸引了。
I especially like this kind of transition. I didn’t expect that “Uncle Lv” would use this method to make a short film—it really fascinates me.

Female Extra: 有点像咱么中国古典的那种皮影，就是快要没了的那种，就觉得很有创意，特别有创意。
It in some ways resembles classical Chinese shadow puppets. Soon they won’t exist anymore, so I feel this is a really creative idea.

Male Extra: 吕叔想通过自己的影片来向大家描述一些（这种）宗教的一些东西吧。
“Uncle Lv” is using this film to bring the audience some characterizations of religion.

Graham: The director is Lv Yue, a veteran cinematographer who has shot Zhang Yimo’s famed “To Live,” John Woo’s high-budget epic “Red Cliff,” and Feng Xiaogang’s disaster film, “Aftershock.”

Male Extra: 我觉得，吕叔，他的创作很生活，而且不要看到现在导演有很多那种花里胡哨，杂七杂八的东西。他就贴近于生活。我喜欢这种，这种手法。
I think that “Uncle Lv’s” work s very down-to-earth. I don’t like these new directors whose films are filled with a garish hodgepodge of content. All he [Lv Yue] does is sticks close to real life—I like this technique.

Female Extra: 我觉得进行挺顺利的，应该是快已经到接近尾声了。
I think this has been a really smooth production. We should be finished soon.

Graham: With Lv’s other work in context, this short film is minuscule in scale. Its budget totals a little over a nice car, and it will primarily be distributed on Youku, the Chinese YouTube. Generally, cast and crew on film sets spend most of the day sitting around waiting to be needed. Seeing as I wasn’t needed at all, I spent most of my time with the extras, a fusion of working professionals, and families looking for a fun experience that will keep their kids preoccupied. Working as an extra in China has little financial reward: average wages are about 50 Yuan, or 8 dollars a day. But for some, there still remains a glimmer of hope that one day a film’s producers might recognize your talent and cast you in a significant role. The great thing about any film set is that you always feel a sense of family—everyone is working together to achieve a common goal. And such a long way from home, I found that feeling here.