"The stills photographer interprets the story and characters from my perspective while filming the movie." Chen Zhuo, a senior stills photographer with nine years of working experience, said. In her senior year, the movie "The Ferryman " was filmed at Chen Zhuo's school. She joined the crew as an intern and walked into a movie set for the first time.
She got into a van and traveled from the bustling urban area of Shanghai to a desolate "factory" in the suburbs. The moment the dark iron door opened, she entered another world as if she had walked into Diagon Alley. "Everywhere you look is filled with all kinds of lights, fancy streets, and people walking back and forth. It's like a fairy tale world. I watched it for a minute or two before I calmed down."
talked about how he became a stills artist The reason, Chen Zhuo said: "It is the guidance of fate." If the crew hadn't happened to be filming at the university where she was studying, if the stills artist on the crew and her future master hadn't been short of an assistant, if he hadn't discovered that the two of them had the same birthday and felt they were destined to her, it's very likely that she would be with her. This career passed by me.
The movie dream started by chance, and the fantastic world of light and shadow began to fill her daily life. " Wandering Earth " " Celebrating More Than Years 2" " Calm Sea " " Wading in the Angry Sea " " Your Wedding " " My Sister " "Little Me" and more than twenty All of her film and television works have left classic moments in her camera. Where does the
still photographer hide to take photos? How to become a divine map maker? Nandu Entertainment talks to Chen Zhuo and takes you closer to the work story of a still photographer.
The perspective of a still photographer
Observe, understand and express
Chen Zhuo (right) on the set.
"Compared with other photographers, we are more passive in creation." Chen Zhuo described the stills photographer as "a bystander in the game". When
is on the crew, everything from scenes, art, lighting, costumes, to actors' movements and emotions, it can be said that all factors related to the filming of the work are beyond the scope of the stills photographer's intervention. All they can do is to base their efforts on the shooting situation on site. , plus your own understanding of the script and characters to create photos, and even in post-production color grading, there may be situations where you cannot follow your own wishes.
But this does not mean that the stills artist is a mechanical commission record. Even under passive restrictions, Chen Zhuo will retain the self-creation part to the greatest extent.
In order to better understand the story and characters, she will read the script carefully before starting the filming. After the filming officially starts, she will also go over the script for the part to be shot the next day based on the notice sheet. "This will help me to know what I know."
Filming is a continuous process. The crew's work is not divided into holidays and day and night. Chen Zhuo once started work at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, finished work at 9 o'clock in the evening, and started work again at 12 o'clock in the morning. I stayed up all night and went to work at noon the next day. In order to use the natural light of early morning and sunset for her latest film, she shot almost every day for the second half of the month from 4:30 in the morning to 7 or 8 in the morning, and from 4:30 in the afternoon to 7 or 8 in the evening.
In such a high-intensity shooting, the stills photographer must stay focused at all times. In addition to capturing the actors' momentary performance, they must also avoid cheating. "I can't appear in the filming of the movie, but I can't let anything other than actors and scenes appear in my shots," she said.
On the set of "The Wandering Earth", I hid in the doorknob with the photographer to shoot the scene of pushing the door open in the dungeon. Since working at
, Chen Zhuo has been quite experienced in finding tricky camera positions. She has tried almost all angles. Many times you will not guess where she took the photos. When filming "The Wandering Earth", in the last scene where everyone worked together to push the underground city door, she and the photographer got stuck in the door handle. In another scene where the protagonists encountered a falling rock in the car, she and her master were crowded in the car. In the corner, the car body bumped and swayed while shooting. "Sometimes the shaking is too violent, and I fly up."
"Wading through the Angry Sea" is the first movie for which Chen Zhuo shot stills independently.
The movie for which she shot independent stills for the first time was "Crossing the Angry Sea". There was a photo of Huang Bo escaping from an old apartment building. Huang Bo's eyes directly collided with her camera. "I didn't have many opportunities at that moment because Teacher Huang Bo was a sports person, so the photographer ran with him and I ran with the photographer." Chen Zhuo recalled that when taking that high-impact photo, he had to multi-task and run at the same time. , while looking at the picture, you have to pay attention to avoid the photographer, "Although you are moving, you cannot affect any link."
The shooting angle is a way of expression. The movie comes to the audience and has gone through successive presentations from script to director to actors. The stills artist just carved out a path from this path, interpreted the story from the perspective of a bystander, and expressed it again with his own lens. "Based on my understanding of the play and my own aesthetics, I then create it." Chen Zhuo said, "This is also the beauty and richness of the movie. It has many angles to interpret and present. Everyone can watch it. Everything you see is different."
Chen Zhuo's photos are recognizable, but she avoids bringing her own style into every work and making it a "formula." "I think this is wrong, because every scene has its own emotions. For example, some scenes have a strong sense of conflict and overt emotions, so I can be bolder in terms of colors."
captured in "Celebrating More Than Years 2" "The Eldest Princess" Li Xiaoran .
In "Qing Yu Nian 2", a set of stills she captured of the "eldest princess" Li Xiaoran are so beautiful that they are unforgettable, and they appropriately capture her coexistence of beauty and danger, fragility and madness. Chen Zhuo said with a smile that after such a period of work, it is easy to "fall in love" with the characters being filmed. "Because you can feel the three-dimensional and attractive aspects of the characters at the closest distance during the filming process, which is equivalent to building a bridge with the camera."
usually takes photos at the movie set, not only stills, but also some On-site work photos. "I won't put down the camera even after the scene clicks. Because sometimes actors and teachers will be in a very different state after clicking. They may be immersed in that role, but at that moment they are already themselves."
On the set of "Wading the Angry Sea", the moment Zhou Xunjing was waiting on the road was captured by the camera.
has a working photo in "Crossing the Angry Sea". Zhou Xun had just finished shooting the scene of hanging upside down in the car, standing quietly in the middle of the road waiting for the director's confirmation. Chen Zhuo captured this moment with her camera. She likes this precious and delicate feeling. "It won't happen when I'm acting, and it won't happen when I'm not acting at all."
The Birth of Divine Pictures
Inspiration, love, chance The photo that echoes Nana in the blood-stained cabinet is regarded by many as a "magic picture", and everyone praises it for carrying the emotional undertone of the movie. However, she frankly said that she did not know what kind of photos could be called "magic pictures."
"I don't have a clear understanding of the concept of divine pictures."
later changed the question: When did she feel that a photo was "available"? Chen Zhuo thought for a while and replied: "Then when I feel 'yes', it may be that I have captured this scene or this play or the actors, something other than the character, or I feel that I have captured a picture. The kind of photos that can tell the story of this scene.”
once again told the birth process of this “magic picture”, Chen Zhuo still remembers everything about that day.
The photo of Lao Jin and Xiao Jin in the cabinet in "Crossing the Angry Sea" is regarded as a "magic picture" by netizens.
Huang Bo was lying in the cabinet at that time, and the camera took a close-up shot. It was impossible for Chen Zhuo to take the entire photo of him and the cabinet, because there would definitely be something wearing it. But she felt she must have this photo, and she didn’t know where she got the courage to come up with the idea of taking a single photo.
"Single shooting is not only troublesome for the actors, it is also troublesome for the whole world, because the whole world has to stop waiting for you to shoot this, so I am very stressed." That scene was particularly depressing. Chen Zhuo remembers those who were present that day The staff were very nervous during the shooting, but when she told everyone that she wanted to take this photo alone, everyone understood her request. Even director Cao Baoping, who usually looks very serious on set, readily agreed. The last level of
is with Huang Bo. Chen Zhuo prepared a whole set of words to explain to him in his mind: apologize first, explain clearly the reason why he wanted to shoot it alone, put forward the expected actions and emotions, and preview the direction of the creation of this material in the later stage. She just said: "Teacher Huang Bo may want you to stay in the cabinet later..." Before she could finish her words, Huang Bo replied to her: "I understand." At that moment, she was moved. "He knew what I wanted to do, and he thought it was right. At that moment, you felt that someone understood what you, a little kid, was thinking, and respected your thoughts. To be honest, I wouldn't have taken this photo. What's the problem, because no one asked me to shoot it. It was really troublesome for everyone to make it. In fact, I was already very embarrassed. After receiving their support, I felt that I was working hard with everyone on this movie. , the feeling that everyone wants to do well for this movie.”
Huang Bo lay down in the closet again, and in less than thirty seconds, the magic picture was “produced”. Chen Zhuo recalled: "It was shining at that point in life."
Later, she wrote down her understanding of this set of pictures in Xiaohongshu - love cannot be transmitted to the other side, but only blooms, digests, and wants in her own world. Love, repentance, regret, stay in the same space, diagonally opposite, but also separated, love, presence, love, incompetence...
This kind of "having" moment is rare to find.
"Sometimes those amazing photos are taken inadvertently. You may think that what you see in the text (the highlight scene) will not be as 'something' as you imagined. The so-called 'cut scene' There are often moving moments, and there is no time to relax. Film is an audio-visual language, something that is created in the moment. "So even though he will read the script in advance, Chen Zhuo will not distinguish the importance of scenes.
She likes a set of photos of Emperor Qing in "Qing Yu Nian 2". That set of photos was taken while waiting for the show. Most of Chen Daoming's body was hidden behind the curtain, with only one side of his face exposed. "I felt like an emperor at that moment, with the emperor's abjection and emperor's pride."
A still of Emperor Qing hiding behind a curtain in "Qing Yu Nian 2".
only has light and shadow technology, which cannot sustain the vitality of a divine picture. The most touching charm of these stills lies in the enthusiasm of a group of creators for creation itself under the lens. When asked about the requirements for becoming a still photographer, Chen Zhuo's first answer was: Love movies and love photography. The poster released by
movie "Little Me" was also shot by her. Yi Yang Qianxi played the role of Liu Chunhe, a cerebral palsy patient, who wrote his name in a notebook with his twisted right hand. When the poster was released, it also attracted a lot of attention. Less eyes.
poster for the movie "Little Me". The poster of
is from a scene in the movie, but it was staged in order to capture the details of the hands more clearly. "The filming actually went very smoothly. Teacher Yi Yang Qianxi has become very accustomed to what his character looks like and what his body language is." Chen Zhuo still remembers a scene where everything from the script to the actors' interpretations was very exciting. She said that in the evening When I was retouching the pictures, I recalled the plot of the daytime shooting and was touched again. After working at
for nine years, Chen Zhuo feels that he still loves movies. He will be infected by the love of film creators and will burst into tears when he encounters good projects. "Just like when I was filming "Little Me", with a very good script, a very good actor teacher, a very good story, everyone is very enthusiastic when creating on set every day, and working together, you will still feel that making a movie is A very beautiful thing. "
The happiness of being seen
Respecting, showing and appreciating
Chen Zhuo taking a break on the set.
Chen Zhuo's understanding of stills was refined after taking the magical picture of Lao Jin and Nana's father and daughter in the cabinet.
After the filming was completed, she felt like a mountain had been lifted off her shoulders, and she walked out of the scene with an empty head. She unconsciously turned around and found that Huang Bo gave her a thumbs up. She was dumbfounded and didn't know how to react for a moment, so she nodded blankly. When
turned his head again, the fledgling young man cried. It was a very strong, wonderful emotion that was affirmed. The work of
stills artist is more focused on providing publicity content. Not everyone understands it. Some people may even think: screenshots are fine, why do you need someone to take them? Chen Zhuo also experienced being asked out of the shooting area by staff members who cleared the scene. "The position of still photographer may seem unimportant at all, but I really never feel that I am unimportant. I am very important, not in terms of status, but in terms of creation. My thoughts are reflected in a still. It’s a unique thing.” Chen Zhuo said, “At that moment, I felt that my ‘stupid’ idea was confirmed.”
Of course, Chen Zhuo also has his own regrets about being a stills artist. precious moments, sometimes they can only be archived on the hard drive. There have been experiences where some projects ended with four figures of photos being retouched, and only a dozen or so were released publicly.
Chen Zhuo cannot decide whether his work will be published. "It's really a pity. I feel very regretful now." She envied some projects that would turn the stills into a stills book, or peripherals such as ticket stubs and posters. "It seems that the way our photos were used It’s too simple. After the early promotion, even when the movie is released, there are very few stills.
Chen Kun in "The Wind Rises in Longxi", he likes the stills taken by Chen Zhuo very much.
She comforted herself that she had done the best she could. When filming "The Wind Rises in Longxi", Chen Kun would love to see the stills she took every time, and would often give her feedback on how he felt about the photos, for which Chen Zhuo was extremely grateful. "Not every picture will be posted, but at that time I will think about it and say, I think these photos have stayed in his heart, which is okay."
Fortunately, the part that is seen has always provided her with a steady stream of information. professional happiness.
Fan Xian in "Qing Yu Nian 2".
From last year's "Crossing the Angry Sea" to this year's "Celebrating More Than Years 2", many photos taken by Chen Zhuo have received a lot of recognition from the audience. Some people don't know her, and some people find her through social platforms. , leave a complimentary message on her feed.
A still of Zhang Yu in "The Wind and Waves", he said that Chen Zhuo understood the character.
The people photographed also showed respect and praise. When "Crossing the Angry Sea" was released, the photos released by Zhou Xun Studio were signed by Chen Zhuo as the photographer every time. On the day the movie "Calm" was finalized, Chen Zhuo printed out one of her favorite stills and gave it to Zhang Yu, who played Song Hao at the time. After receiving it, Zhang Yu said: "You understand Song Hao." "I think this is the highest praise for a still artist." Chen Zhuo said.
These made her feel grateful and satisfied.
Chen Zhuo loves his job as a still photographer very much.
As a stills artist, Chen Zhuo has always believed that he is engaged in a job that cannot be replaced.
"It may be eliminated, but it cannot be replaced." She explained, "It is possible that future movie promotions will not require stills as graphic materials. It is understandable that there may be other ways of publicity in the future, but as long as stills are still needed, It's impossible for a still photographer to be replaced by a movie screenshot."
She still wants to do it until she can't do it anymore.
"The stills photographer interprets the story and characters from my perspective while filming the movie." Chen Zhuo, a senior stills photographer with nine years of working experience, said. In her senior year, the movie "The Ferryman " was filmed at Chen Zhuo's school. She joined the crew as an intern and walked into a movie set for the first time.
She got into a van and traveled from the bustling urban area of Shanghai to a desolate "factory" in the suburbs. The moment the dark iron door opened, she entered another world as if she had walked into Diagon Alley. "Everywhere you look is filled with all kinds of lights, fancy streets, and people walking back and forth. It's like a fairy tale world. I watched it for a minute or two before I calmed down."
talked about how he became a stills artist The reason, Chen Zhuo said: "It is the guidance of fate." If the crew hadn't happened to be filming at the university where she was studying, if the stills artist on the crew and her future master hadn't been short of an assistant, if he hadn't discovered that the two of them had the same birthday and felt they were destined to her, it's very likely that she would be with her. This career passed by me.
The movie dream started by chance, and the fantastic world of light and shadow began to fill her daily life. " Wandering Earth " " Celebrating More Than Years 2" " Calm Sea " " Wading in the Angry Sea " " Your Wedding " " My Sister " "Little Me" and more than twenty All of her film and television works have left classic moments in her camera. Where does the
still photographer hide to take photos? How to become a divine map maker? Nandu Entertainment talks to Chen Zhuo and takes you closer to the work story of a still photographer.
The perspective of a still photographer
Observe, understand and express
Chen Zhuo (right) on the set.
"Compared with other photographers, we are more passive in creation." Chen Zhuo described the stills photographer as "a bystander in the game". When
is on the crew, everything from scenes, art, lighting, costumes, to actors' movements and emotions, it can be said that all factors related to the filming of the work are beyond the scope of the stills photographer's intervention. All they can do is to base their efforts on the shooting situation on site. , plus your own understanding of the script and characters to create photos, and even in post-production color grading, there may be situations where you cannot follow your own wishes.
But this does not mean that the stills artist is a mechanical commission record. Even under passive restrictions, Chen Zhuo will retain the self-creation part to the greatest extent.
In order to better understand the story and characters, she will read the script carefully before starting the filming. After the filming officially starts, she will also go over the script for the part to be shot the next day based on the notice sheet. "This will help me to know what I know."
Filming is a continuous process. The crew's work is not divided into holidays and day and night. Chen Zhuo once started work at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, finished work at 9 o'clock in the evening, and started work again at 12 o'clock in the morning. I stayed up all night and went to work at noon the next day. In order to use the natural light of early morning and sunset for her latest film, she shot almost every day for the second half of the month from 4:30 in the morning to 7 or 8 in the morning, and from 4:30 in the afternoon to 7 or 8 in the evening.
In such a high-intensity shooting, the stills photographer must stay focused at all times. In addition to capturing the actors' momentary performance, they must also avoid cheating. "I can't appear in the filming of the movie, but I can't let anything other than actors and scenes appear in my shots," she said.
On the set of "The Wandering Earth", I hid in the doorknob with the photographer to shoot the scene of pushing the door open in the dungeon. Since working at
, Chen Zhuo has been quite experienced in finding tricky camera positions. She has tried almost all angles. Many times you will not guess where she took the photos. When filming "The Wandering Earth", in the last scene where everyone worked together to push the underground city door, she and the photographer got stuck in the door handle. In another scene where the protagonists encountered a falling rock in the car, she and her master were crowded in the car. In the corner, the car body bumped and swayed while shooting. "Sometimes the shaking is too violent, and I fly up."
"Wading through the Angry Sea" is the first movie for which Chen Zhuo shot stills independently.
The movie for which she shot independent stills for the first time was "Crossing the Angry Sea". There was a photo of Huang Bo escaping from an old apartment building. Huang Bo's eyes directly collided with her camera. "I didn't have many opportunities at that moment because Teacher Huang Bo was a sports person, so the photographer ran with him and I ran with the photographer." Chen Zhuo recalled that when taking that high-impact photo, he had to multi-task and run at the same time. , while looking at the picture, you have to pay attention to avoid the photographer, "Although you are moving, you cannot affect any link."
The shooting angle is a way of expression. The movie comes to the audience and has gone through successive presentations from script to director to actors. The stills artist just carved out a path from this path, interpreted the story from the perspective of a bystander, and expressed it again with his own lens. "Based on my understanding of the play and my own aesthetics, I then create it." Chen Zhuo said, "This is also the beauty and richness of the movie. It has many angles to interpret and present. Everyone can watch it. Everything you see is different."
Chen Zhuo's photos are recognizable, but she avoids bringing her own style into every work and making it a "formula." "I think this is wrong, because every scene has its own emotions. For example, some scenes have a strong sense of conflict and overt emotions, so I can be bolder in terms of colors."
captured in "Celebrating More Than Years 2" "The Eldest Princess" Li Xiaoran .
In "Qing Yu Nian 2", a set of stills she captured of the "eldest princess" Li Xiaoran are so beautiful that they are unforgettable, and they appropriately capture her coexistence of beauty and danger, fragility and madness. Chen Zhuo said with a smile that after such a period of work, it is easy to "fall in love" with the characters being filmed. "Because you can feel the three-dimensional and attractive aspects of the characters at the closest distance during the filming process, which is equivalent to building a bridge with the camera."
usually takes photos at the movie set, not only stills, but also some On-site work photos. "I won't put down the camera even after the scene clicks. Because sometimes actors and teachers will be in a very different state after clicking. They may be immersed in that role, but at that moment they are already themselves."
On the set of "Wading the Angry Sea", the moment Zhou Xunjing was waiting on the road was captured by the camera.
has a working photo in "Crossing the Angry Sea". Zhou Xun had just finished shooting the scene of hanging upside down in the car, standing quietly in the middle of the road waiting for the director's confirmation. Chen Zhuo captured this moment with her camera. She likes this precious and delicate feeling. "It won't happen when I'm acting, and it won't happen when I'm not acting at all."
The Birth of Divine Pictures
Inspiration, love, chance The photo that echoes Nana in the blood-stained cabinet is regarded by many as a "magic picture", and everyone praises it for carrying the emotional undertone of the movie. However, she frankly said that she did not know what kind of photos could be called "magic pictures."
"I don't have a clear understanding of the concept of divine pictures."
later changed the question: When did she feel that a photo was "available"? Chen Zhuo thought for a while and replied: "Then when I feel 'yes', it may be that I have captured this scene or this play or the actors, something other than the character, or I feel that I have captured a picture. The kind of photos that can tell the story of this scene.”
once again told the birth process of this “magic picture”, Chen Zhuo still remembers everything about that day.
The photo of Lao Jin and Xiao Jin in the cabinet in "Crossing the Angry Sea" is regarded as a "magic picture" by netizens.
Huang Bo was lying in the cabinet at that time, and the camera took a close-up shot. It was impossible for Chen Zhuo to take the entire photo of him and the cabinet, because there would definitely be something wearing it. But she felt she must have this photo, and she didn’t know where she got the courage to come up with the idea of taking a single photo.
"Single shooting is not only troublesome for the actors, it is also troublesome for the whole world, because the whole world has to stop waiting for you to shoot this, so I am very stressed." That scene was particularly depressing. Chen Zhuo remembers those who were present that day The staff were very nervous during the shooting, but when she told everyone that she wanted to take this photo alone, everyone understood her request. Even director Cao Baoping, who usually looks very serious on set, readily agreed. The last level of
is with Huang Bo. Chen Zhuo prepared a whole set of words to explain to him in his mind: apologize first, explain clearly the reason why he wanted to shoot it alone, put forward the expected actions and emotions, and preview the direction of the creation of this material in the later stage. She just said: "Teacher Huang Bo may want you to stay in the cabinet later..." Before she could finish her words, Huang Bo replied to her: "I understand." At that moment, she was moved. "He knew what I wanted to do, and he thought it was right. At that moment, you felt that someone understood what you, a little kid, was thinking, and respected your thoughts. To be honest, I wouldn't have taken this photo. What's the problem, because no one asked me to shoot it. It was really troublesome for everyone to make it. In fact, I was already very embarrassed. After receiving their support, I felt that I was working hard with everyone on this movie. , the feeling that everyone wants to do well for this movie.”
Huang Bo lay down in the closet again, and in less than thirty seconds, the magic picture was “produced”. Chen Zhuo recalled: "It was shining at that point in life."
Later, she wrote down her understanding of this set of pictures in Xiaohongshu - love cannot be transmitted to the other side, but only blooms, digests, and wants in her own world. Love, repentance, regret, stay in the same space, diagonally opposite, but also separated, love, presence, love, incompetence...
This kind of "having" moment is rare to find.
"Sometimes those amazing photos are taken inadvertently. You may think that what you see in the text (the highlight scene) will not be as 'something' as you imagined. The so-called 'cut scene' There are often moving moments, and there is no time to relax. Film is an audio-visual language, something that is created in the moment. "So even though he will read the script in advance, Chen Zhuo will not distinguish the importance of scenes.
She likes a set of photos of Emperor Qing in "Qing Yu Nian 2". That set of photos was taken while waiting for the show. Most of Chen Daoming's body was hidden behind the curtain, with only one side of his face exposed. "I felt like an emperor at that moment, with the emperor's abjection and emperor's pride."
A still of Emperor Qing hiding behind a curtain in "Qing Yu Nian 2".
only has light and shadow technology, which cannot sustain the vitality of a divine picture. The most touching charm of these stills lies in the enthusiasm of a group of creators for creation itself under the lens. When asked about the requirements for becoming a still photographer, Chen Zhuo's first answer was: Love movies and love photography. The poster released by
movie "Little Me" was also shot by her. Yi Yang Qianxi played the role of Liu Chunhe, a cerebral palsy patient, who wrote his name in a notebook with his twisted right hand. When the poster was released, it also attracted a lot of attention. Less eyes.
poster for the movie "Little Me". The poster of
is from a scene in the movie, but it was staged in order to capture the details of the hands more clearly. "The filming actually went very smoothly. Teacher Yi Yang Qianxi has become very accustomed to what his character looks like and what his body language is." Chen Zhuo still remembers a scene where everything from the script to the actors' interpretations was very exciting. She said that in the evening When I was retouching the pictures, I recalled the plot of the daytime shooting and was touched again. After working at
for nine years, Chen Zhuo feels that he still loves movies. He will be infected by the love of film creators and will burst into tears when he encounters good projects. "Just like when I was filming "Little Me", with a very good script, a very good actor teacher, a very good story, everyone is very enthusiastic when creating on set every day, and working together, you will still feel that making a movie is A very beautiful thing. "
The happiness of being seen
Respecting, showing and appreciating
Chen Zhuo taking a break on the set.
Chen Zhuo's understanding of stills was refined after taking the magical picture of Lao Jin and Nana's father and daughter in the cabinet.
After the filming was completed, she felt like a mountain had been lifted off her shoulders, and she walked out of the scene with an empty head. She unconsciously turned around and found that Huang Bo gave her a thumbs up. She was dumbfounded and didn't know how to react for a moment, so she nodded blankly. When
turned his head again, the fledgling young man cried. It was a very strong, wonderful emotion that was affirmed. The work of
stills artist is more focused on providing publicity content. Not everyone understands it. Some people may even think: screenshots are fine, why do you need someone to take them? Chen Zhuo also experienced being asked out of the shooting area by staff members who cleared the scene. "The position of still photographer may seem unimportant at all, but I really never feel that I am unimportant. I am very important, not in terms of status, but in terms of creation. My thoughts are reflected in a still. It’s a unique thing.” Chen Zhuo said, “At that moment, I felt that my ‘stupid’ idea was confirmed.”
Of course, Chen Zhuo also has his own regrets about being a stills artist. precious moments, sometimes they can only be archived on the hard drive. There have been experiences where some projects ended with four figures of photos being retouched, and only a dozen or so were released publicly.
Chen Zhuo cannot decide whether his work will be published. "It's really a pity. I feel very regretful now." She envied some projects that would turn the stills into a stills book, or peripherals such as ticket stubs and posters. "It seems that the way our photos were used It’s too simple. After the early promotion, even when the movie is released, there are very few stills.
Chen Kun in "The Wind Rises in Longxi", he likes the stills taken by Chen Zhuo very much.
She comforted herself that she had done the best she could. When filming "The Wind Rises in Longxi", Chen Kun would love to see the stills she took every time, and would often give her feedback on how he felt about the photos, for which Chen Zhuo was extremely grateful. "Not every picture will be posted, but at that time I will think about it and say, I think these photos have stayed in his heart, which is okay."
Fortunately, the part that is seen has always provided her with a steady stream of information. professional happiness.
Fan Xian in "Qing Yu Nian 2".
From last year's "Crossing the Angry Sea" to this year's "Celebrating More Than Years 2", many photos taken by Chen Zhuo have received a lot of recognition from the audience. Some people don't know her, and some people find her through social platforms. , leave a complimentary message on her feed.
A still of Zhang Yu in "The Wind and Waves", he said that Chen Zhuo understood the character.
The people photographed also showed respect and praise. When "Crossing the Angry Sea" was released, the photos released by Zhou Xun Studio were signed by Chen Zhuo as the photographer every time. On the day the movie "Calm" was finalized, Chen Zhuo printed out one of her favorite stills and gave it to Zhang Yu, who played Song Hao at the time. After receiving it, Zhang Yu said: "You understand Song Hao." "I think this is the highest praise for a still artist." Chen Zhuo said.
These made her feel grateful and satisfied.
Chen Zhuo loves his job as a still photographer very much.
As a stills artist, Chen Zhuo has always believed that he is engaged in a job that cannot be replaced.
"It may be eliminated, but it cannot be replaced." She explained, "It is possible that future movie promotions will not require stills as graphic materials. It is understandable that there may be other ways of publicity in the future, but as long as stills are still needed, It's impossible for a still photographer to be replaced by a movie screenshot."
She still wants to do it until she can't do it anymore.