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(资料图片)

https://b23.tv/8ajPrPV

Motivation

When I was making promotional videos with the local Hydrographic Bureau, due to time constraints, I could only rely on a rough script (or none) to shoot. Surprisingly, I found a joy in this rough workflow, an accidently encounter with beauty, of which my interest in shooting documentaries should have been born out.

My Dad's career ended in regret this year. He once fantasized about building a fishing boat, but now he has decided to use this unexpected leisure time to actually accomplish it. As if feeling the irony in it, I decided to pick up the camera and shoot my first documentary.

Character

At the beginning, I couldn't answer what the film was going to say, but characteristics and emotions gradually became clear under unremitting observation.

The consruction first took place in our yard, with Dad'd fishing friends assisting him voluntarily. I captured the shot above to describe my Dad’s characteristic as a leader, despite the contrary view, that it has expressed well the way he leads, by attracting people with enthusiasm and sincere attitude.

However, it was precisely because of enthusiasm and sincerity that the end of the career dealt a greater blow to him, and he was likely to have brought the sorrow into the process of building the fishing boat. I shot a lot of “he watching”, in purpose to shows his waiting, expecting and sadness.

And in the shot below, I took the big blue ship as the background, and let Dad meditate in front of the big color block, as if he was having a dream of blue.

Colour

Because of the construction of the hydropower station, the original county seat was submerged, leaving the Liuchuan Town remaining here alone, and due to the release of water downstream recently, the water level dropped sharply, the dead trees, stone bridges and houses that were once submerged were exposed on the dry and cracked yellow mud. The poor people of Liuchuan just left to the mercy of the water, and Dad was building his boat right in this place.

On market days, local residents wearing ethnic costumes will gather in Liuchuan to catch the market by ferry boats. For some unknown reason, the ferry boats are uniformly painted in blue, forming a strong contrast with the brown surroundings, bringing a sense of life. I decided to use blue as a color representing hope and vitality throughout the film.

Ending

At the end of story, it was supposed to show the fishing boat sailing on the river, so I pointed the camera at Dad as he was sailing, and when he realized the camera was rolling, he deliberately honked the horn and moved the plastic bag away from his face. It's no doubt a spontaneous performance, but it reflects Dad's desire to show off, his genuine joy and a little spiritual relief. I was moved by his shy smile after the performance that I made this moment the end shot of the story.