Meng Dexiao has done foley work for film and television works such as " Qi Men Dun Jia 2 ".
When making foley for a trial in the movie " Ace ", Meng Dexiao used pine cones, watermelon rinds, celery, tomatoes and other materials.
Meng Dexiao’s studio.
When filming "The Wind Rises in Longxi", Chen Kun would give Chen Zhuo feedback about his feelings about the photos.
Stills from "Xiao Min's Family".
We always pay more attention to people under the halo. But a work, in addition to expression and interpretation, must be supported by many behind-the-scenes workers. Their names may only appear on the tail list, but their talent and hard work are the cornerstone of every work.
How to express a story smoothly? How to make people pay attention to the immersive experience through sound effects? How can actors become more beautiful on camera? How to attract audiences into the theater through a still? How can the character's appearance be more immersive? Although details such as photography, editing, sound effects, and costumes do not constitute the entire work, they connect the work together and are an indispensable part of the complete presentation of the work, which is the icing on the cake for a good work.
They also have their own persistence, satisfaction, challenges and confusions, and they need to be seen. Nandu Entertainment launched the " behind the scenes " series of special topics, in-depth interviews with representatives of behind-the-scenes work in the entertainment industry, taking you to uncover the mystery of behind-the-scenes work and showing the daily work and unique charm of different types of work.
❶ "The magic picture making machine on the set"
Stills photographer Chen Zhuo: The onlookers who enter the scene re-express instantly
"The stills photographer interprets the story and characters from my perspective while the movie is being shot." He has nine years of work. Chen Zhuo, a senior stills photographer with experience, said.
In her senior year, the movie " 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 I looked was filled with all kinds of lights, fancy streets, and people walking back and forth. It was 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 did not happen to be shooting at the university where she studied, if the stills artist of the crew and her future master did not happen to be short of an assistant, if he did not find that the two happened to be the same I have a birthday, and I feel that I am destined to her. It is possible that she has just missed this career.
The movie dream started by chance, and the fantastic world of light and shadow began to fill her daily life. " The Wandering Earth ", " Celebrating More Than Years 2", " Calm Sea ", " Wading in the Angry Sea ", " Your Wedding ", " My Sister ", "Little Me" and more than 20 movies Film and television works have left classic moments in her camera.
Where does the still photographer hide to take pictures? 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 stills artist’s perspective: Observe, understand and express
“Compared with other photographers, we are more passive in creation.” Chen Zhuo described the stills artist as “an onlooker”.
When I was on the set, all I could do was create photos based on the on-site shooting conditions and my own understanding of the script and characters. Even in post-production color grading, there would be times when I couldn’t make it as I wanted.
But this does not mean that the still artist is a mechanical commission record. Even within the 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 against the notice sheet. “This will help you know what to expect."
Filming is a continuous process. Chen Zhuo used to start work at 1 p.m. and finish work at 9 p.m., then go to work again at midnight the next morning and stay up all night, and then work again at noon. The film she recently filmed had early morning and sunset scenes. In natural light, we shot almost every day 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.
During such high-intensity shooting, the stills photographer must stay focused at all times. , In addition to capturing the actor’s momentary performance, we must also avoid being confused. “I can’t appear in the filming scenes, but I can’t let things outside the scene appear in my shots. "She said.
Since she started working, 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 final scene where everyone worked together to push the underground city door, she and the photographer were stuck in the door handle, and in another scene where the protagonists encountered falling rocks in the car, she and her master huddled in the corner of the car, while The car bumped and shook while filming.
The first movie for which she shot stills independently was "Crossing the Angry Sea". There was a photo of Huang Bo escaping from an old apartment building. Huang Bo's eyes looked directly into her lens. "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 multitask. He was running and looking at the picture, and he had to pay attention to avoid the photographer. "Although you are exercising, you can't affect any link. "
"The shooting angle is a way of expression. When the movie comes to the audience, it has gone through successive presentations from the script to the director to the actors. The stills artist just carved out a trail from this path and interpreted it from the perspective of a bystander. The story is expressed through my own lens, “based on my understanding of the play and my own aesthetics, and then I create it. "Chen Zhuo said. "This is also the beauty and richness of the movie. It can be interpreted and presented from many angles. Everyone sees different things. "
Chen Zhuo's photos are recognizable, but she avoids bringing her own style into every work. In "Qing Yu Nian 2", a set of stills she captured for the "eldest princess" Li Xiaoran are so beautiful that they are unforgettable. 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.
Usually on the movie set, she will not only take stills, but also some on-site photos in "Walking Through the Angry Sea". In this work photo, Zhou Xun had just finished filming 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 the camera. She likes this precious and subtle feeling when acting. No, not even when I'm not acting at all. "
The inspiration, love and accident that inspired the birth of the divine picture
Among Chen Zhuo's works, the photo of Lao Jin and Nana echoing in the blood-stained cabinet in "Wading the Angry Sea" is regarded by many as "divine". "Picture", everyone praised it for carrying the emotional background of the movie. However, she frankly said that she did not know what kind of photo could be called a "magic picture".
Later, she changed the question: when does a photo make her feel "Yes"? Chen Zhuo thought for a while and replied: "Then I think 'yes' may be because I filmed this scene or this movie or the actors, something other than the role, or I I feel like I captured the kind of photo that can tell the whole story in one picture. "
"Telling again the birth of this "magic picture", Chen Zhuo still remembers everything about that day.
"Huang Bo was lying in the cabinet at the time, and the camera took a close-up shot. It was impossible for Chen Zhuo to take the entire picture of him and the cabinet." Take a group photo, because there will definitely be something to wear. But she felt that she must have this photo, and she didn’t know where she got the courage to come up with the idea of shooting alone.
"Single shooting will not only cause trouble to the actors, but also the whole world, because shooting alone will cause trouble. The whole world needs to stop."That scene was particularly depressing. Chen Zhuo remembered that the staff present were very nervous during the filming that day, but everyone understood her request. Even director Cao Baoping, who usually looked very serious on set, readily agreed.
Finally The first pass is at Huang Bo's place. Chen Zhuo prepared a whole set of explanations for him in her mind, preparing to announce the direction of the creation of this material in the future. She just said: "Teacher Huang Bo may want you to put it in the cabinet later..." ..." Before she finished speaking, Huang Bo replied to her: "I understand. "
At that moment, she was moved. "At that moment, you felt that someone could understand what you, a little kid, was thinking. There is also the feeling that everyone wants to do well for this movie. "
Huang Bo lay in the closet again, and in less than 30 seconds, the divine picture "came into being." Chen Zhuo recalled: "It was shining at that point in his life. "
"Sometimes those amazing photos are taken accidentally. You may think that what you see in the text (the heavy scene) is not as ‘something’ as you imagine. The so-called ‘cut-scenes’ also often have touching moments. "
She likes a group of photos of Emperor Qing in "Qing Yu Nian 2". That group of photos were taken while waiting. Most of Chen Daoming's body was hidden behind the curtain. "I felt that he felt very emperor at that moment, and that emperor's That kind of abjection, that kind of pride. "
Only light and shadow technology cannot sustain the vitality of a magical picture. The most touching charm of these stills lies in the enthusiasm of a group of creators for the creation itself under the lens. When asked about the conditions for becoming a still photographer, Chen Zhuo's first answer Yes: I love movies and photography. The poster for the movie "Little Me" was also shot by her. Liu Chunhe, a cerebral palsy patient played by Yi Yangqianxi, writes his name in a notebook with his twisted right hand. The poster is from a scene in the movie, but it was staged in order to capture the facial details 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. "When she retouched the pictures at night, she recalled the plot of the day and was touched again.
The happiness of being seen respects, shows, and appreciates
Chen Zhuo's understanding of the stills was after the filming of Lao Jin and Nana's father and daughter. The magical picture in the cabinet was sublimated later.
After the shooting was completed, she felt a mountain lifted off her shoulders. She turned around unconsciously and found that Huang Bo gave her a thumbs up. She was stunned for a moment. Knowing what to do, he nodded blankly.
When he turned his head again, the young man cried. It was a very strong and wonderful emotion that was recognized by others.
The work of a stills artist is more biased. Not everyone understands the provision of publicity content, and some may even think: Screenshots are fine, why should someone specifically take them? Chen Zhuo also experienced being asked out of the shooting area by a staff member who cleared the scene. "The position of stills artist is. It seems not important at all, but I really never feel that I am not important. I am very important, not in terms of status, but in terms of creation. My thoughts are reflected in a still, which is 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 still photographer. Sometimes those precious moments that he spent so much effort to preserve can only be sealed in the hard drive. There have been some projects that ended with four-digit photos, and in the end only She has published more than ten photos of her experience. She comforts herself that she has done her best when filming "The Wind Rises in Longxi". Chen Kun would like to see every still she took and would often tell her about herself. Chen Zhuo is grateful for these photos, “I think these photos have stayed in his heart, which is great. "
Fortunately, the part that is seen has always provided her with a steady stream of professional happiness.
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 have seen her through social platforms. , leave a complimentary message on her feed.
The people being photographed were also respectful and complimentary. 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.
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's possible that future movie promotions won't require stills as graphic materials. It's understandable. Maybe there will be other promotion methods in the future, but as long as stills are still needed, it's impossible for stills to be replaced by movie screenshots."
She still wants to do it Until you can't do it anymore.
tle by Nandu reporter Yu Xiaoyu, intern Song Zhuoxin Picture: provided by the interviewee
❷"Sound Magician"
Foley artist Meng Dexiao: There is no sound that we can't make
Film and television works are a kind of comprehensive audio-visual art, but In daily life, the audience obviously places more emphasis on "seeing" than "listening". However, a good film and television work must have both.
Regarding the behind-the-scenes work of sound effects, Foley artist is a position that is not well known. As early as the early 1920s, Foley artists were already adding sound effects to live broadcasts of radio dramas in broadcast studios. Later, the film industry grew day by day, and more and more Foley artists participated in the work of Foley sound for movies.
Many times during the filming process, not all sounds can be recorded at the same time. How to use "all technical means" is a test of the Foley artist's skills. They have to use limited props to simulate similar sounds. . For example: coconut shells cut in half can simulate the sound of horse hooves; the crackling sound produced by cellophane can have the effect of flames; large and thin metal plates can be used to make thunder when bent; plastic bags can be rubbed together to simulate frying. The sound of steak; the sound of Zhen Huan's footsteps are matched with bells... It can be said that the Foley artist is a difficult job that requires a strong imagination. Precisely because Foley work is difficult, qualified Foley artists have always been scarce in the market.
Recently, Nandu Entertainment conducted an exclusive interview with Meng Dexiao, a foley artist with more than ten years of working experience. He has done foley work for works such as "Diplomacy", "Qi Men Dun Jia 2", "Da Qin Fu", and "Xiao Min Family". This "sound magician" who has been in the industry for many years humbly admits that he is still learning and exploring, and there are still too many possibilities to explore in Foley.
daily work
Studying under the guidance of a senior sound effects engineer, a foley artist will not be ignored in the industry
Although Meng Dexiao graduated from the recording major, at the beginning of the millennium, the professional curriculum was not as complete as it is now. , there was no Foley course arranged at that time. After graduation, he came to Beijing to study foley with Cheng Xiaolong through the introduction of his teacher. Cheng Xiaolong is a senior sound effects engineer in Hong Kong. He joined Shaw Brothers Film Company to study sound effects at the age of 15. In early 2001, Cheng Xiaolong went to Beijing Dewai Street to establish Beijing Long Sound Culture Media Co., Ltd. and opened a recording studio to specialize in television, film and other sound effects production businesses. Over the years, he has collaborated with many directors such as John Woo, Wong Kar-Wai, Tsui Hark, and Li Hanxiang to produce post-production sound effects.
Meng Dexiao, who started learning from scratch, started studying in 2008. It took more than two years to go from studying to working independently. What is the daily work of a Foley artist like? They will start from taking over a project, first determine the period of the play and plan how long it will take to produce. After determining it, start preparations and start making it step by step.At present, Meng Dexiao already has a fixed Foley team. Generally, only two to three people are needed to assist him in a project. The internal division of labor in the Foley work includes a Foley sound recordist, who divides the production into two parts: recording and production. One person controls the software equipment outside, and is responsible for the production in the studio.
As for how long it takes to do foley, it not only depends on whether it is a theater movie or an online movie, but also depends on the size and subject matter, whether it is a modern drama or a costume drama. Depending on the subject matter and workload, the work cycle may vary. different. For Meng Dexiao, the most time-consuming film foley took about two weeks, not including post-production modifications, and it would take even longer with post-production modifications. If you take on the project independently, the team members will be divided according to the situation; if you are employed by a company, it will depend on the company's salary system. Meng Dexiao also revealed: In the later stage of film and television, the salary in each link is relatively average, almost the same. However, due to the relatively high technical content of Foley artists, Foley artists have been able to ensure that they will not be ignored in the industry.
How to get a good "sound"
Foley requires patience. Good sound quality requires repeated attempts
From entry to mastery, Meng Dexiao feels that the most difficult thing is that he can't keep up with the rhythm at the beginning. The foley artist needs to keep up with the actors on the screen. The performances and their movements are completely consistent. This is still relatively difficult for newcomers. It takes repeated practice to master this rhythm proficiently. This is a great test of a person's coordination and reaction ability.
In addition to the innate sense of rhythm, Meng Dexiao believes that acquired patience is also very important. Because making a movie is very cumbersome, there are a lot of actions and details to do, which especially tests your patience. The patience required of a foley artist manifests itself in many ways. For example, live sound recording is easy to receive noise, and the foley artist needs to make a purified and more textured sound in the later stage, which requires the recording studio to be absolutely quiet. Meng Dexiao reminded that in addition to taking off your shoes when entering the recording studio, clothing that makes a lot of friction, such as down jackets, cannot be worn in the winter. The air conditioner cannot be turned on in the summer, and even the sound of the foley artist's breathing must be controlled. For example, if there are too many fighting scenes or running scenes, the Foley artist will be a little out of breath. At this time, adjustments must be made in time. Because professional microphones are particularly sensitive, even the smallest sounds will be captured.
In the process of Foley, there are many things that the Foley artist should pay attention to. Before Foley, the Foley artist needs to use their imagination to think about how a certain sound should be created, what props to use, and how many different layers of sounds to make. In the end, a good effect will be presented. It needs to be imagined in advance, and the overall effect will be good. A plan. This is about the texture of the sound, and Meng Dexiao needs to choose different materials based on various details. For example, the sound of footsteps walking on the snow will be different whether it is a thin layer of snow that has just fallen or a very deep snow that has fallen for a long time. Whenever doubts arise, the Foley artist needs to confirm with the director and producer, as well as with the sound director.
Meng Dexiao will collect various props and select them according to the scene reproduction. There is no particularly unique or universal props, but he will try to choose the corresponding props according to the principle of sound production. After getting the picture, he first tried to choose props that were slightly closer to the real sound of the film. If he was not satisfied, he would find other similar props with better sound quality. Although the sounds produced by real objects are very real, the texture after recording may not be good. The sound of the props selected first may not meet the standards, and then they need to be replaced. This does not mean that a certain prop must be used for a certain scene. Have to keep trying.
When it comes to distinguishing good sounds from bad sounds, Meng Dexiao’s method of distinguishing bad sounds will be awkward for ordinary viewers. If the ordinary audience could tell that this was added in post-production, it would be a relatively unsuccessful sound.
In Meng Dexiao’s view, every sound that can be made can be simulated in reality, and there is no sound that cannot be made.For example, he once did foley work for the movie "Ace" starring Tony Leung Ka-fai and Lin Chi-ling. One of the scenes was an interrogation by a spy, which required the use of pliers to remove nails. At first, Meng Dexiao created the sound by breaking and squeezing plastic pieces, but after listening to it, the director didn't feel heartbroken. Meng Dexiao needed to find a more suitable method. He recalled once seeing pine cones falling in the park in autumn, which were shaped like fingernails and were also in pieces. Then he picked some back, did some experiments, made a preliminary dubbing, and superimposed several sounds: the sounds of tearing watermelon rind, twisting celery, and squeezing tomatoes, superimposed them together, and finally Only then did the heart-rending and bloody effects appear.
Changes in the digital age
In the era of digital recording, Foley artists have more room to play
Modern Foley art is progressing with the improvement of recording technology. Today's sound doesn't have to be recorded live on a single audio track like in the analog days. At that time, due to limited audio tracks, a scene might require a large team to complete. In the digital age different sounds can be recorded separately on separate audio tracks, carefully synchronized with their on-screen counterparts. When there are a lot of sounds on the screen, Meng Dexiao will not rush. In the era of digital recording, there are no restrictions on audio tracks, so there is no need to complete them all at once.
In Meng Dexiao’s view, the simulation era is equivalent to live broadcasting. It must be completed at the same time without making mistakes, so many details need to be polished. In the digital age, Foley artists have much more room to play, because there are no limits on tracks or times. They can be repeatedly refined and modified, and an action can be split into countless details, making it very realistic. This also leads to cost reduction. It uses a software workbench, which does not require so much hardware and can often be completed by a computer. For example, the sounds made by many surreal objects in fantasy films are special sound effects. Meng Dexiao said that most of today's fantasy films use materials to paste and synthesize them with plug-ins and synthesizers. Foley studios use hundreds of props and electronic effects to recreate the ambient sounds of different movies.
As for whether computers will replace manual Foley artists, Foley artists generally believe that it is not possible and impossible. For example, Hu Dingyi, a well-experienced Foley sound engineer in Taiwan, believes that the sounds in the sound effects library cannot replace Foley sound. The sounds produced by people are alive and have emotions. Meng Dexiao answered from another angle. He clarified a misunderstanding in this view: Computer synthesis does not actually belong to the scope of foley work. It belongs to the sound post-production of the entire film. It is divided into several parts, one of which is It’s done with Foley, and the other part requires material synthesis. Movie sound effects are generally produced in categories: special sound effects, regular sound effects, and environmental sounds. They are divided into different programs and are responsible for different departments. So there is no such thing as a computer replacing artificial foley, it is originally two parts.
Current status of the industry
Most of them still have a "master-apprentice system"
But when it comes to the issue of foley artists entering the industry, Meng Xiaode is not so optimistic. Although more and more people are aware of the position of Foley artist, there are still relatively few practitioners, and the work of Foley artist is indeed quite hard. There is no rigid standard for entry into this job, but the quality requirements for personnel are still a bit high. If you start from scratch and can work independently, it will take a long time, and most people will give up in the process. Most of the Foley industry still has a master-apprenticeship system, and there are relatively few specialized social recruitments. Many of them require introductions from acquaintances, and young people may not have this network. There is a lot of information gap for young people who want to join the industry, and it is still difficult to learn relevant information.
Meng Xiaode’s teacher Cheng Xiaolong and the well-known foley artist Wei Junhua were worried that the industry would face the embarrassing situation of having no successors and making up for the failure more than ten years ago. They have all used the form of running schools to recruit students to provide corresponding talents for the film market.Now more than ten years have passed, and the contradiction that the two worried about at the beginning - too few talents entering the industry, and it is difficult for those who want to enter the industry to enter the industry - seems to still exist. As a niche profession, Foley artist will most likely remain niche in the future. As an audience, what we can do is to realize that when applauding a film and television work, there is a credit of the Foley artist behind it. Only when the applause given to them gets louder and louder, will they have more motivation to continue to persevere.
Meng Dexiao has done foley work for film and television works such as " Qi Men Dun Jia 2 ".
When making foley for a trial in the movie " Ace ", Meng Dexiao used pine cones, watermelon rinds, celery, tomatoes and other materials.
Meng Dexiao’s studio.
When filming "The Wind Rises in Longxi", Chen Kun would give Chen Zhuo feedback about his feelings about the photos.
Stills from "Xiao Min's Family".
We always pay more attention to people under the halo. But a work, in addition to expression and interpretation, must be supported by many behind-the-scenes workers. Their names may only appear on the tail list, but their talent and hard work are the cornerstone of every work.
How to express a story smoothly? How to make people pay attention to the immersive experience through sound effects? How can actors become more beautiful on camera? How to attract audiences into the theater through a still? How can the character's appearance be more immersive? Although details such as photography, editing, sound effects, and costumes do not constitute the entire work, they connect the work together and are an indispensable part of the complete presentation of the work, which is the icing on the cake for a good work.
They also have their own persistence, satisfaction, challenges and confusions, and they need to be seen. Nandu Entertainment launched the " behind the scenes " series of special topics, in-depth interviews with representatives of behind-the-scenes work in the entertainment industry, taking you to uncover the mystery of behind-the-scenes work and showing the daily work and unique charm of different types of work.
❶ "The magic picture making machine on the set"
Stills photographer Chen Zhuo: The onlookers who enter the scene re-express instantly
"The stills photographer interprets the story and characters from my perspective while the movie is being shot." He has nine years of work. Chen Zhuo, a senior stills photographer with experience, said.
In her senior year, the movie " 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 I looked was filled with all kinds of lights, fancy streets, and people walking back and forth. It was 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 did not happen to be shooting at the university where she studied, if the stills artist of the crew and her future master did not happen to be short of an assistant, if he did not find that the two happened to be the same I have a birthday, and I feel that I am destined to her. It is possible that she has just missed this career.
The movie dream started by chance, and the fantastic world of light and shadow began to fill her daily life. " The Wandering Earth ", " Celebrating More Than Years 2", " Calm Sea ", " Wading in the Angry Sea ", " Your Wedding ", " My Sister ", "Little Me" and more than 20 movies Film and television works have left classic moments in her camera.
Where does the still photographer hide to take pictures? 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 stills artist’s perspective: Observe, understand and express
“Compared with other photographers, we are more passive in creation.” Chen Zhuo described the stills artist as “an onlooker”.
When I was on the set, all I could do was create photos based on the on-site shooting conditions and my own understanding of the script and characters. Even in post-production color grading, there would be times when I couldn’t make it as I wanted.
But this does not mean that the still artist is a mechanical commission record. Even within the 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 against the notice sheet. “This will help you know what to expect."
Filming is a continuous process. Chen Zhuo used to start work at 1 p.m. and finish work at 9 p.m., then go to work again at midnight the next morning and stay up all night, and then work again at noon. The film she recently filmed had early morning and sunset scenes. In natural light, we shot almost every day 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.
During such high-intensity shooting, the stills photographer must stay focused at all times. , In addition to capturing the actor’s momentary performance, we must also avoid being confused. “I can’t appear in the filming scenes, but I can’t let things outside the scene appear in my shots. "She said.
Since she started working, 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 final scene where everyone worked together to push the underground city door, she and the photographer were stuck in the door handle, and in another scene where the protagonists encountered falling rocks in the car, she and her master huddled in the corner of the car, while The car bumped and shook while filming.
The first movie for which she shot stills independently was "Crossing the Angry Sea". There was a photo of Huang Bo escaping from an old apartment building. Huang Bo's eyes looked directly into her lens. "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 multitask. He was running and looking at the picture, and he had to pay attention to avoid the photographer. "Although you are exercising, you can't affect any link. "
"The shooting angle is a way of expression. When the movie comes to the audience, it has gone through successive presentations from the script to the director to the actors. The stills artist just carved out a trail from this path and interpreted it from the perspective of a bystander. The story is expressed through my own lens, “based on my understanding of the play and my own aesthetics, and then I create it. "Chen Zhuo said. "This is also the beauty and richness of the movie. It can be interpreted and presented from many angles. Everyone sees different things. "
Chen Zhuo's photos are recognizable, but she avoids bringing her own style into every work. In "Qing Yu Nian 2", a set of stills she captured for the "eldest princess" Li Xiaoran are so beautiful that they are unforgettable. 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.
Usually on the movie set, she will not only take stills, but also some on-site photos in "Walking Through the Angry Sea". In this work photo, Zhou Xun had just finished filming 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 the camera. She likes this precious and subtle feeling when acting. No, not even when I'm not acting at all. "
The inspiration, love and accident that inspired the birth of the divine picture
Among Chen Zhuo's works, the photo of Lao Jin and Nana echoing in the blood-stained cabinet in "Wading the Angry Sea" is regarded by many as "divine". "Picture", everyone praised it for carrying the emotional background of the movie. However, she frankly said that she did not know what kind of photo could be called a "magic picture".
Later, she changed the question: when does a photo make her feel "Yes"? Chen Zhuo thought for a while and replied: "Then I think 'yes' may be because I filmed this scene or this movie or the actors, something other than the role, or I I feel like I captured the kind of photo that can tell the whole story in one picture. "
"Telling again the birth of this "magic picture", Chen Zhuo still remembers everything about that day.
"Huang Bo was lying in the cabinet at the time, and the camera took a close-up shot. It was impossible for Chen Zhuo to take the entire picture of him and the cabinet." Take a group photo, because there will definitely be something to wear. But she felt that she must have this photo, and she didn’t know where she got the courage to come up with the idea of shooting alone.
"Single shooting will not only cause trouble to the actors, but also the whole world, because shooting alone will cause trouble. The whole world needs to stop."That scene was particularly depressing. Chen Zhuo remembered that the staff present were very nervous during the filming that day, but everyone understood her request. Even director Cao Baoping, who usually looked very serious on set, readily agreed.
Finally The first pass is at Huang Bo's place. Chen Zhuo prepared a whole set of explanations for him in her mind, preparing to announce the direction of the creation of this material in the future. She just said: "Teacher Huang Bo may want you to put it in the cabinet later..." ..." Before she finished speaking, Huang Bo replied to her: "I understand. "
At that moment, she was moved. "At that moment, you felt that someone could understand what you, a little kid, was thinking. There is also the feeling that everyone wants to do well for this movie. "
Huang Bo lay in the closet again, and in less than 30 seconds, the divine picture "came into being." Chen Zhuo recalled: "It was shining at that point in his life. "
"Sometimes those amazing photos are taken accidentally. You may think that what you see in the text (the heavy scene) is not as ‘something’ as you imagine. The so-called ‘cut-scenes’ also often have touching moments. "
She likes a group of photos of Emperor Qing in "Qing Yu Nian 2". That group of photos were taken while waiting. Most of Chen Daoming's body was hidden behind the curtain. "I felt that he felt very emperor at that moment, and that emperor's That kind of abjection, that kind of pride. "
Only light and shadow technology cannot sustain the vitality of a magical picture. The most touching charm of these stills lies in the enthusiasm of a group of creators for the creation itself under the lens. When asked about the conditions for becoming a still photographer, Chen Zhuo's first answer Yes: I love movies and photography. The poster for the movie "Little Me" was also shot by her. Liu Chunhe, a cerebral palsy patient played by Yi Yangqianxi, writes his name in a notebook with his twisted right hand. The poster is from a scene in the movie, but it was staged in order to capture the facial details 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. "When she retouched the pictures at night, she recalled the plot of the day and was touched again.
The happiness of being seen respects, shows, and appreciates
Chen Zhuo's understanding of the stills was after the filming of Lao Jin and Nana's father and daughter. The magical picture in the cabinet was sublimated later.
After the shooting was completed, she felt a mountain lifted off her shoulders. She turned around unconsciously and found that Huang Bo gave her a thumbs up. She was stunned for a moment. Knowing what to do, he nodded blankly.
When he turned his head again, the young man cried. It was a very strong and wonderful emotion that was recognized by others.
The work of a stills artist is more biased. Not everyone understands the provision of publicity content, and some may even think: Screenshots are fine, why should someone specifically take them? Chen Zhuo also experienced being asked out of the shooting area by a staff member who cleared the scene. "The position of stills artist is. It seems not important at all, but I really never feel that I am not important. I am very important, not in terms of status, but in terms of creation. My thoughts are reflected in a still, which is 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 still photographer. Sometimes those precious moments that he spent so much effort to preserve can only be sealed in the hard drive. There have been some projects that ended with four-digit photos, and in the end only She has published more than ten photos of her experience. She comforts herself that she has done her best when filming "The Wind Rises in Longxi". Chen Kun would like to see every still she took and would often tell her about herself. Chen Zhuo is grateful for these photos, “I think these photos have stayed in his heart, which is great. "
Fortunately, the part that is seen has always provided her with a steady stream of professional happiness.
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 have seen her through social platforms. , leave a complimentary message on her feed.
The people being photographed were also respectful and complimentary. 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.
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's possible that future movie promotions won't require stills as graphic materials. It's understandable. Maybe there will be other promotion methods in the future, but as long as stills are still needed, it's impossible for stills to be replaced by movie screenshots."
She still wants to do it Until you can't do it anymore.
tle by Nandu reporter Yu Xiaoyu, intern Song Zhuoxin Picture: provided by the interviewee
❷"Sound Magician"
Foley artist Meng Dexiao: There is no sound that we can't make
Film and television works are a kind of comprehensive audio-visual art, but In daily life, the audience obviously places more emphasis on "seeing" than "listening". However, a good film and television work must have both.
Regarding the behind-the-scenes work of sound effects, Foley artist is a position that is not well known. As early as the early 1920s, Foley artists were already adding sound effects to live broadcasts of radio dramas in broadcast studios. Later, the film industry grew day by day, and more and more Foley artists participated in the work of Foley sound for movies.
Many times during the filming process, not all sounds can be recorded at the same time. How to use "all technical means" is a test of the Foley artist's skills. They have to use limited props to simulate similar sounds. . For example: coconut shells cut in half can simulate the sound of horse hooves; the crackling sound produced by cellophane can have the effect of flames; large and thin metal plates can be used to make thunder when bent; plastic bags can be rubbed together to simulate frying. The sound of steak; the sound of Zhen Huan's footsteps are matched with bells... It can be said that the Foley artist is a difficult job that requires a strong imagination. Precisely because Foley work is difficult, qualified Foley artists have always been scarce in the market.
Recently, Nandu Entertainment conducted an exclusive interview with Meng Dexiao, a foley artist with more than ten years of working experience. He has done foley work for works such as "Diplomacy", "Qi Men Dun Jia 2", "Da Qin Fu", and "Xiao Min Family". This "sound magician" who has been in the industry for many years humbly admits that he is still learning and exploring, and there are still too many possibilities to explore in Foley.
daily work
Studying under the guidance of a senior sound effects engineer, a foley artist will not be ignored in the industry
Although Meng Dexiao graduated from the recording major, at the beginning of the millennium, the professional curriculum was not as complete as it is now. , there was no Foley course arranged at that time. After graduation, he came to Beijing to study foley with Cheng Xiaolong through the introduction of his teacher. Cheng Xiaolong is a senior sound effects engineer in Hong Kong. He joined Shaw Brothers Film Company to study sound effects at the age of 15. In early 2001, Cheng Xiaolong went to Beijing Dewai Street to establish Beijing Long Sound Culture Media Co., Ltd. and opened a recording studio to specialize in television, film and other sound effects production businesses. Over the years, he has collaborated with many directors such as John Woo, Wong Kar-Wai, Tsui Hark, and Li Hanxiang to produce post-production sound effects.
Meng Dexiao, who started learning from scratch, started studying in 2008. It took more than two years to go from studying to working independently. What is the daily work of a Foley artist like? They will start from taking over a project, first determine the period of the play and plan how long it will take to produce. After determining it, start preparations and start making it step by step.At present, Meng Dexiao already has a fixed Foley team. Generally, only two to three people are needed to assist him in a project. The internal division of labor in the Foley work includes a Foley sound recordist, who divides the production into two parts: recording and production. One person controls the software equipment outside, and is responsible for the production in the studio.
As for how long it takes to do foley, it not only depends on whether it is a theater movie or an online movie, but also depends on the size and subject matter, whether it is a modern drama or a costume drama. Depending on the subject matter and workload, the work cycle may vary. different. For Meng Dexiao, the most time-consuming film foley took about two weeks, not including post-production modifications, and it would take even longer with post-production modifications. If you take on the project independently, the team members will be divided according to the situation; if you are employed by a company, it will depend on the company's salary system. Meng Dexiao also revealed: In the later stage of film and television, the salary in each link is relatively average, almost the same. However, due to the relatively high technical content of Foley artists, Foley artists have been able to ensure that they will not be ignored in the industry.
How to get a good "sound"
Foley requires patience. Good sound quality requires repeated attempts
From entry to mastery, Meng Dexiao feels that the most difficult thing is that he can't keep up with the rhythm at the beginning. The foley artist needs to keep up with the actors on the screen. The performances and their movements are completely consistent. This is still relatively difficult for newcomers. It takes repeated practice to master this rhythm proficiently. This is a great test of a person's coordination and reaction ability.
In addition to the innate sense of rhythm, Meng Dexiao believes that acquired patience is also very important. Because making a movie is very cumbersome, there are a lot of actions and details to do, which especially tests your patience. The patience required of a foley artist manifests itself in many ways. For example, live sound recording is easy to receive noise, and the foley artist needs to make a purified and more textured sound in the later stage, which requires the recording studio to be absolutely quiet. Meng Dexiao reminded that in addition to taking off your shoes when entering the recording studio, clothing that makes a lot of friction, such as down jackets, cannot be worn in the winter. The air conditioner cannot be turned on in the summer, and even the sound of the foley artist's breathing must be controlled. For example, if there are too many fighting scenes or running scenes, the Foley artist will be a little out of breath. At this time, adjustments must be made in time. Because professional microphones are particularly sensitive, even the smallest sounds will be captured.
In the process of Foley, there are many things that the Foley artist should pay attention to. Before Foley, the Foley artist needs to use their imagination to think about how a certain sound should be created, what props to use, and how many different layers of sounds to make. In the end, a good effect will be presented. It needs to be imagined in advance, and the overall effect will be good. A plan. This is about the texture of the sound, and Meng Dexiao needs to choose different materials based on various details. For example, the sound of footsteps walking on the snow will be different whether it is a thin layer of snow that has just fallen or a very deep snow that has fallen for a long time. Whenever doubts arise, the Foley artist needs to confirm with the director and producer, as well as with the sound director.
Meng Dexiao will collect various props and select them according to the scene reproduction. There is no particularly unique or universal props, but he will try to choose the corresponding props according to the principle of sound production. After getting the picture, he first tried to choose props that were slightly closer to the real sound of the film. If he was not satisfied, he would find other similar props with better sound quality. Although the sounds produced by real objects are very real, the texture after recording may not be good. The sound of the props selected first may not meet the standards, and then they need to be replaced. This does not mean that a certain prop must be used for a certain scene. Have to keep trying.
When it comes to distinguishing good sounds from bad sounds, Meng Dexiao’s method of distinguishing bad sounds will be awkward for ordinary viewers. If the ordinary audience could tell that this was added in post-production, it would be a relatively unsuccessful sound.
In Meng Dexiao’s view, every sound that can be made can be simulated in reality, and there is no sound that cannot be made.For example, he once did foley work for the movie "Ace" starring Tony Leung Ka-fai and Lin Chi-ling. One of the scenes was an interrogation by a spy, which required the use of pliers to remove nails. At first, Meng Dexiao created the sound by breaking and squeezing plastic pieces, but after listening to it, the director didn't feel heartbroken. Meng Dexiao needed to find a more suitable method. He recalled once seeing pine cones falling in the park in autumn, which were shaped like fingernails and were also in pieces. Then he picked some back, did some experiments, made a preliminary dubbing, and superimposed several sounds: the sounds of tearing watermelon rind, twisting celery, and squeezing tomatoes, superimposed them together, and finally Only then did the heart-rending and bloody effects appear.
Changes in the digital age
In the era of digital recording, Foley artists have more room to play
Modern Foley art is progressing with the improvement of recording technology. Today's sound doesn't have to be recorded live on a single audio track like in the analog days. At that time, due to limited audio tracks, a scene might require a large team to complete. In the digital age different sounds can be recorded separately on separate audio tracks, carefully synchronized with their on-screen counterparts. When there are a lot of sounds on the screen, Meng Dexiao will not rush. In the era of digital recording, there are no restrictions on audio tracks, so there is no need to complete them all at once.
In Meng Dexiao’s view, the simulation era is equivalent to live broadcasting. It must be completed at the same time without making mistakes, so many details need to be polished. In the digital age, Foley artists have much more room to play, because there are no limits on tracks or times. They can be repeatedly refined and modified, and an action can be split into countless details, making it very realistic. This also leads to cost reduction. It uses a software workbench, which does not require so much hardware and can often be completed by a computer. For example, the sounds made by many surreal objects in fantasy films are special sound effects. Meng Dexiao said that most of today's fantasy films use materials to paste and synthesize them with plug-ins and synthesizers. Foley studios use hundreds of props and electronic effects to recreate the ambient sounds of different movies.
As for whether computers will replace manual Foley artists, Foley artists generally believe that it is not possible and impossible. For example, Hu Dingyi, a well-experienced Foley sound engineer in Taiwan, believes that the sounds in the sound effects library cannot replace Foley sound. The sounds produced by people are alive and have emotions. Meng Dexiao answered from another angle. He clarified a misunderstanding in this view: Computer synthesis does not actually belong to the scope of foley work. It belongs to the sound post-production of the entire film. It is divided into several parts, one of which is It’s done with Foley, and the other part requires material synthesis. Movie sound effects are generally produced in categories: special sound effects, regular sound effects, and environmental sounds. They are divided into different programs and are responsible for different departments. So there is no such thing as a computer replacing artificial foley, it is originally two parts.
Current status of the industry
Most of them still have a "master-apprentice system"
But when it comes to the issue of foley artists entering the industry, Meng Xiaode is not so optimistic. Although more and more people are aware of the position of Foley artist, there are still relatively few practitioners, and the work of Foley artist is indeed quite hard. There is no rigid standard for entry into this job, but the quality requirements for personnel are still a bit high. If you start from scratch and can work independently, it will take a long time, and most people will give up in the process. Most of the Foley industry still has a master-apprenticeship system, and there are relatively few specialized social recruitments. Many of them require introductions from acquaintances, and young people may not have this network. There is a lot of information gap for young people who want to join the industry, and it is still difficult to learn relevant information.
Meng Xiaode’s teacher Cheng Xiaolong and the well-known foley artist Wei Junhua were worried that the industry would face the embarrassing situation of having no successors and making up for the failure more than ten years ago. They have all used the form of running schools to recruit students to provide corresponding talents for the film market.Now more than ten years have passed, and the contradiction that the two worried about at the beginning - too few talents entering the industry, and it is difficult for those who want to enter the industry to enter the industry - seems to still exist. As a niche profession, Foley artist will most likely remain niche in the future. As an audience, what we can do is to realize that when applauding a film and television work, there is a credit of the Foley artist behind it. Only when the applause given to them gets louder and louder, will they have more motivation to continue to persevere.
Interview and writing: Nandu reporter Liu Yifan, intern Ling Junxin
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