The Significance of Region Covered in Jia Zhangke’s Still Life Film?

8:13 .ill ^60X Jia Zhangke stilllifeSQ.pdfJia Zhang-ke Discussion Question Suggestions Still IJfe Be sure to also pull in quotes from the readings for support.
• Evaluate the pacing in the story and how it affects other elements of the story such as theme.
• In interviews Jia explains how traditional scroll paintings inspired the aesthetics of his framing — comment and give an example
• How is time layered here — be specific
• How is the juxtaposition of stillness and movement or stasis and change presented in one or two examples?
• How does Jia reframe or reposition what are widely known as traditional landscape images?
• Look over some clips on framing on Blackboard and discuss Jia’s use of framing.
• Discuss some of the cultural rcfercnccs to pop culture (music or film)such as references to John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow ?
• Discuss Jia’s use of elements of magic realism in the film (the flying saucer, the tightrope walker).
• Identify one example of each of the following shots and describe how the shot affected the presentation of the story told by the film: close-up, medium shot, and long shot.
• Transitions between stories are interesting in both of Jia’s films identify one instance of each of the following types of transitions from one shot to another that were used in this film or A Touch of Sin and, for each, describe how the transition affected the presentation of the film: cut, fade, dissolve.
• Film is a composition of pictures rather than words, as one would find in a novel. Which specifically framed shots reveal something important to the story line or general feel of Still Life? Describe the shot and explain its contribution to the story.
• Watch Jia Zhang-ke’s The World, Unknown Pleasures or Platform or Yung Chang’s Up the Yangtze and write a free response (these are all available for streaming on Netflix)
• Watch an interview clip with Jia Zhang-ke on Blackboard and respond to it in relation to a specific example in Still Life.
• Jia Zhang-ke often explores elements of documentary style in his narrative films. What are some of the elements where you see this cross over?
• If possible try to look at one of Jia’s short documentaries on the class film list. How does the interplay between fiction and documentary manifest itself in his work?
• Discuss the significance of the region covered in the film.
• How does Jai use mise-en-scene or cinematography to create a unique point of view/argument or tone in the film?
• Discuss this film in the context of the controversial Three Gorges Dam project in China.
• The significance of the story is determined by the power of its comment on the human condition. What comment is being made in this movie about the life of an average citizen in contemporary Mainland China?
• How do magic realism work here?
• What is the tone or mood of the story? How does the tone help guide the viewers into an empathic reaction to the story? Explain and give examples of both the tone and the empathy felt by the audience.
• Describe the symbols or metaphors used in this film, both those that have meaning outside of the story and those that have meaning only within the story. What does each stand for?
• Identify one example of each of the following shots and describe how the shot affected the presentation of the story told by the film: close-up, medium shot, and long shot.
• Discuss Jia’s heavy reliance and preference for local, non-trained actors as part of his documentary-esque style of narrative.
• Transitions between stories are interesting in both of Jia’s films- identify one instance of each of the following types of transitions from one shot to another that were used in Still Life and, for each, describe how the transition affected the presentation of the film: cut, fade, dissolve.
• Discuss Jia’s use of popular music in his films.• Discuss some elements from one of his films that reflect Jia’s ongoing collaboration with the Hong Kong cinematographer, Nelson Yu (Yu Lik-wai JS).
• How does his work often present viewers with a counter narrative? Give an example or two
• Do you ever feel like )ia is poking fun at his viewers? If so where and why?
• The speaker on the tour boat mentions that this area will be flooded in May 2006. How does the realization that what you are seeing here is now underwater impact your experience?
• How is silence used here?
• (iive examples of where Jia and Yu intentional violate norms of filmmaking or cinematography — how and to what effect?
• Break down a scene with layered narrative voices.• • •