DVT Presentation DC3011 By Vimbai Mazivisa, Danielle Oyenuga and Sophie Russell.

Ang Lee Why Ang Lee? He “was born in Taiwan, in 1954” (Sunshine, 2000 p.140) Graduated in 1984 at the New York University studying film production. (Tasker, 2002) His debut short film was Shades of the Lake (1982)

Ang Lee’s Films “Lee’s films attempt to analyse the social order of each given society, whether based on ethnicity, sexuality, age or class, within the context of his own distinctive form of family drama.” (Tasker, 2002 p.228) Examples Ang lee adapts novels for most of his films e.g. Sense and Sensibility is taken from Jane Austen, Ice Storm is adapted from a Rick Moody Novel and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is based on a novel by Wang Du Lu.

List of Ang Lee Films Pushing Hands, (1992) The Wedding Banquet, (1993) Eat Drink Man Woman, (1994) Sense And Sensibility, (1995) Ride With The Devil, (1999) The Ice Storm, (1997) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, (2000) The Hulk, (2003) Brokeback Mountain, (2005)

Ang Lee’s Style of Film Making Camera Angles and Shots Pan, tilt, track, crib, whip-pan, zoom and crash zoom (McPherson, 2006) Characters and Content “characters are “whole” beings, identical to those in reality…to produce the illusion of a person” (Pavis, 2003 p.62) Editing “Lee also makes good use of editing to interrupt the passionless exchanges between [two characters conversation]…Cutting between their conversation shots of frozen food…[and] objects that populate their household” (Tasker, 2002 p.232)

Continued Music Crouching tiger, hidden dragon “draws from grand Chinese traditions and also from Western orchestral music, and ethnic and pop music, and really pulls all of them together” (Sunshine, 2000 p.84) Colour and Lighting “The Ice Storm uses a muted palette to reinforce the repressed emotions of the characters” (Tasker, 2002 p.231) Crouching tiger, hidden dragon “toned down colors to establish a sense of void, so subtle changes of color and texture would become more obvious” (Sunshine, 2000 p.49)

Concepts For Our Dance Film Death and Life and the relationship between the two. Darkness and Light. Mysterious music. Scenery shots. Voice over of narration in the middle of the piece, sound effects of a train and door creaking.

Film Extracts

Explanation of Film Extracts The train sequence How it relates to life and death Train tracks, Sky, Pillars underneath a motorway, Something is there one minute and gone the next. The doorways sequence Relationships, Light and darkness, Passing through different worlds.

Evaluation of Progress We have researched into Ang Lee and the films he has directed. We have looked at the characteristics of these. We have established a clearer understanding of what concepts we aim to use in our final film. We have chosen to use a soundtrack from of one of his films to accompany our movement. We have found locations that support our ideas e.g. the train station and doorways.

What Do We Plan To Do Now? Create movement that has a similar meaning to what we are trying to achieve with our film. Look at storylines and relationships to possibly incorporate in our film. Select editing styles and effects that will compliment the film considering Ang Lee’s direction. Look at suitable costumes to be in accordance with concept.

Reference List Chaudhuri, S. (2005) Contemporary world cinema Europe, middle east, east Asia, south Asia. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Ltd. Pavis, P. (2003) Analyzing performance theater, dance, and film. United States of America: The University of Michigan. Stoller, B. M. (2003) Filmmaking for dummies. Indiana: Wiley Publishing Inc. Sunshine, L. (2000) Crouching tiger, hidden dragon portrait of the Ang Lee film. New York: Newmarket Press. Tasker, Y. (2002) Fifty contemporary filmmakers.