The 2023 Maritime Guangdong Young Director Support Program (the 2023 Maritime Guangdong Program) held an eight-hour-long short film review. Ten young directors presented their rough-cut versions for the review panel to examine on-site. The mentors provided comprehensive critiques for the ten short films on composition, cinematography, dialogue, performance, content and theme.

The 2023 Maritime Guangdong Program was launched in April of this year. Following proposal submission and review, ten young directors received a creative support fund of 1.6 million yuan. Over the past summer, these directors led their production teams to Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Jiangmen, Zhanjiang, Qingyuan, Shantou, Chaozhou, Meizhou, as well as Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho in Vietnam, to transform their long-conceived "Guangdong stories" into film.

According to reports, all feedback given by the mentors during the review session was recorded and shared with the ten young directors for future reference. These directors have now commenced a new stage of challenging work in order to refine their rough cut into a polished film.

New perspectives from the younger generation contribute to the global promotion of Chinese traditional culture

"The aspiration of the 2023 Maritime Guangdong Program is to let young people film the Lingnan culture and overseas Chinese culture in their eyes. Judging from the rough cuts completed by the directors so far, this indeed appears to be a good attempt at stimulating the expressive and creative desires of young people," said Zhang Zhenjiang after viewing several rough-cut works, a mentor of the program and the Dean of the School of International Studies and the Academy of Overseas Chinese Studies at Jinan University.

Xiao Xiaoqing, another mentor and Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Film Association, expressed delight at the directors' clever integration of various Lingnan folk cultures into their works, saying, "I personally participated in the 'Parade of the Gods' event in the Chaoshan area depicted in the film 'Reunited', which impressed me a lot. I believe that these precious scenes from Lingnan folk life will resonate with many more viewers during the overseas screenings of these short films."

Supporting this, Jeremiah Foo, a senior film and music producer from Malaysia and an overseas mentor of the program, said, "Most of the films have captured very local and traditional elements, which I believe will arouse foreigners' curiosity about Lingnan culture and overseas Chinese culture."

Mentor Chen Xuejun, a film planner, producer, and critic also praised the strong Lingnan characteristics presented in these works: "The creators have actively incorporated dialect and folklore into the films well."

The generation proficient in imagery needs to beware of the shortcomings of storytelling

Mentor Xie Deju is known for his keen eye for technical details in the work of young directors. "This one gets very professional props." " The lighting in this scene was not handled well." This Golden Rooster Award  winner provided specific and meticulous suggestions on technical modification after the screening of each rough cut, helping the directors achieve the best results without overspending.

Mentor Li Xuewu is a professor at the College of Arts and the Pearl River Film Academy of Jinan University. She openly and constructively critiques the works of young directors, emphasizing the importance of maintaining accurate temporal and psychological logic. She also mentioned two common creative tendencies that need to be noticed. One is creating works lacking content, which is akin to hanging a string of photographs on a rope, and the other is having a storyline but incorrect character states.

Chen Xuejun highlighted some shortcomings in storytelling, attributing it to the thinking mode of the younger generation of creators. He noted that their thinking process is heavily influenced by visuals, owing to their upbringing watching images and graphics, which may impact their ability to effectively narrate a compelling story. To address this, he recommends starting with a small thing to establish a character.

Diverse work styles and courage to try new things most worthy of encouragement

Chen Gongming, a curator and the director of Kwanteo Time-based Art Institute, said after the review: "What has impressed me the most about these works is their diversity. Despite being part of such a supportive program, each director has bravely showcased their own unique style instead of choosing a safer or more conservative approach to storytelling. This program encourages young directors to create what they truly desire, which is of significant importance." Chen believes that this batch of creations will inspire more young people to explore new frontiers with courage, bringing the Maritime Guangdong Program an enduring vitality.

Mentor Hu Lufeng said, "I particularly enjoy several films with 'stream of consciousness'. It's not difficult to shoot a conventional story according to the script, but capturing a concept on film is extremely challenging. I have seen several directors who have already showcased their abilities in this regard."

Mentor Xie Deju believed, "Each work boasts its own characteristics, which may not appeal to everyone. However, it will undoubtedly find an audience that appreciates it. I believe that the stunning scenery portrayed in 'The Puppetmaster' will be appreciated by numerous viewers. 'The River that Holds My Hand' is likely to entice those who appreciate artistic films, while 'My Brother' will capture the attention of viewers who enjoy a compelling storyline. I look forward to the future domestic and international screenings of these short films, as they will attract a diverse range of moviegoers."

“山海计划”短片评审会近日举行，10部岭南故事短片首次接受检阅

近日，2023“向山海走去”青年导演创作扶持计划（简称“山海计划”）举行了长达8小时的短片评审会，10位青年导演提交粗剪版短片供导师评审团现场观看审议。从构图到摄影，从台词到表演，从故事到主题，导师们对10部短片进行全方位点评。

“山海计划”于今年4月启动，经过提案和审核，10位青年导演获得160万元创作扶持金支持。在刚过去的夏天，10位青年导演带领剧组奔赴香港、广州、江门、湛江、清远、汕头、潮州、梅州，以及越南的胡志明市、芹苴市等地，将构思已久的“山海故事”化为影像。

据悉，评审会现场导师们的每一句意见都会被忠实记录，并传达给10位青年导演作参考。新一轮艰苦创作已经开始，10位青年导演还将经历从粗剪到成片的层层考验。

年轻人新视角，有助传统文化走出去

“让年轻人拍他们眼中的岭南文化和侨乡文化，这是‘山海计划’的初衷。从目前导演们完成的粗剪版来看，这确实是一个能激发年轻人表达欲和创造欲的好尝试。”“山海计划”导师、暨南大学国际关系学院华侨华人研究院院长张振江在看完几部作品粗剪后感慨。

“山海计划”导师、广东省电影家协会专职副主席肖小青，对导演们在作品中巧妙“植入”各种岭南民俗文化感到欣喜：“像《锦鲤，锦鲤》中的潮汕地区‘游神’活动，我是亲身参与过的，印象非常深刻。我相信，这些来自岭南民间的珍贵画面，一定会在‘山海计划’的海外展映中引发更多观众的共鸣。”

对此“山海计划”的海外导师，马来西亚资深影视制片人、音乐制作人胡禄丰表示赞同：”大部分作品都拍到了很在地、在传统的东西，我想它们将足够勾起外国人对岭南文化和侨乡文化的好奇心。“

“山海计划”导师，影视剧策划、监制、影评人陈学军，同样赞赏这些作品中呈现的强烈岭南特色：“无论是方言还是民俗，创作者都主动呈现在影片里。”

擅长影像的一代，请小心叙事的短板

“这一部的道具很专业。”“这场戏的灯光没打好。”“山海计划”导师谢德炬对青年导演们的技术水准最为敏感，这位金鸡奖获奖导演在每部粗剪短片放映结束后，都会提出具体而细致的技术修改意见，帮助青年导演们花最小的“代价”达到最大的效果提升。

“山海计划”导师、暨南大学艺术学院珠江电影学院教授李学武，对青年导演们的作品问题批评得最为直接。她提醒其中几位创作者：“要特别注意故事的时代逻辑和人物的心理逻辑是否正确，也要警惕两种创作倾向：一是没故事，就像在一条绳子上面挂了一串照片，二是有故事，但人物状态不对。”

导师陈学军同样指出，部分创作者在故事讲述上存在短板：“这或许体现了年轻一代创作者的思维方式。他们从小看影像和图像长大，思维被视觉所主导，但这或许会影响他们去简单地讲好一个故事。”他给出的修改方向是：“学会通过一个小切口，把一个人物先立住。”

作品风格多样，勇敢尝新最值得鼓励

“山海计划”合作策展人、观潮时间艺术机构负责人陈功铭在这天的导师评审会结束后说：“这批作品最让我惊喜的是其多样性。在这样一个扶持计划里，每一位导演都很有勇气地展示了自己的风格，而不是选择最安全或保守的方式来讲故事。从这个角度看，‘山海计划’已经呈现了其一个很重要的意义——鼓励青年导演拍他们想拍的东西。我相信这这批创作会激励更多年轻人勇敢尝新，而‘山海计划’也将因此拥有源源不断的生命力。”

导师胡禄丰表示：“我比较喜欢其中几部比较‘意识流’的电影。按照剧本拍一个正经八百的故事其实不难，把一个概念拍出来却是非常难的。我看到有几位导演，已经展示出了他们在这方面的能力。”

导师谢德炬认为：“每部作品都有自己的个性，不一定被所有人喜欢，但一定能遇到喜欢它的观众。比如《中状元》，我相信电影里的美丽风光一定会让很多人产生共鸣。像《海水泡的茶是什么味道》《The River that Holds My Hand》这样的片子，会吸引一些口味比较艺术的观众。而像《远洋》这样比较具有故事张力的，则会吸引另一批观众。期待‘山海计划’未来的海内外展映，能因此吸引到多种多样的观影者。”

文｜羊城晚报全媒体记者 李丽 胡广欣
责编 | 王楠
校对 | 苏敏