Bell Jar will not be showing in Rotterdam or Berlin.
Sigh...
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
SYNOPSIS FRENCH
Une fille questionne ses sentiments par rapport à un garçon. Alors qu'elle parle, nous réalisons que son voyage émotionnel commence à se confondre avec l'espace dans lequel elle est, et est suivi par le spectateur dans un plan séquence à travers le tunnel.
DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY
DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY
Janita Han is now in London.
Born in Malaysia, she studied architecture at the National University of Singapore, then at the Delft University of Technology, completing her masters degree with honours in June 2008, under the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship. She has made 2 documentaries and was involved in the production of a full-length feature musical. Bell Jar (Netherlands, 2008) is her first experimental short.
Janita Han is now in London.
Born in Malaysia, she studied architecture at the National University of Singapore, then at the Delft University of Technology, completing her masters degree with honours in June 2008, under the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship. She has made 2 documentaries and was involved in the production of a full-length feature musical. Bell Jar (Netherlands, 2008) is her first experimental short.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
As an architect, I am interested about how space can be manipulated to create effects. The camera becomes a single perspective where the parameters of its operations were determined- namely a single panning shot with constant speed in one direction, while the actors dance around the camera, acting in front and out of camera. The repetition of actor A and B throughout the tunnel sets the rhythm of the conversation and gives a surrealistic notion of space and time which can only be successfully achieved with the camera. The tunnel becomes a dream world. The idea of the technique of filming came about from discussions with Ren Horng, who helped conceptualise the movie.
Another important aspect of this film is the body language of the actors. The story is expressed through the postures of the actors as the camera rolls past them. They are almost akin subconscious movements when is dreaming or thinking about something. The GIRL is expresssive and thinks with her body, while the GUY is listening and the tension and minimal movements reflect an introvert personality.
In terms of content, various events in my life became the material for the screenplay. The GIRL is pseudo-autobiographical and the BOY is a combination of different people in my life. The use of metaphors is very much inspired by Günther Grass’ writings.
As an architect, I am interested about how space can be manipulated to create effects. The camera becomes a single perspective where the parameters of its operations were determined- namely a single panning shot with constant speed in one direction, while the actors dance around the camera, acting in front and out of camera. The repetition of actor A and B throughout the tunnel sets the rhythm of the conversation and gives a surrealistic notion of space and time which can only be successfully achieved with the camera. The tunnel becomes a dream world. The idea of the technique of filming came about from discussions with Ren Horng, who helped conceptualise the movie.
Another important aspect of this film is the body language of the actors. The story is expressed through the postures of the actors as the camera rolls past them. They are almost akin subconscious movements when is dreaming or thinking about something. The GIRL is expresssive and thinks with her body, while the GUY is listening and the tension and minimal movements reflect an introvert personality.
In terms of content, various events in my life became the material for the screenplay. The GIRL is pseudo-autobiographical and the BOY is a combination of different people in my life. The use of metaphors is very much inspired by Günther Grass’ writings.
SYNOPSIS
Title: Bell Jar
Language: French/Mandarin
Length: 16:13
Location of filming: Maas Tunnel, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
This is an experimental, single-shot, scripted film.
SYNOPSIS
A girl ponders about her feelings for a BOY. As she talks, you realise her emotional journey begins to correlate with the space that she is in. Her journey to liberation is followed by the viewer in a single shot through the tunnel, where the shot alternates between GIRL to GUY in a linear space.
Throughout, GIRL and GUY converse, but they are almost in their own world respectively- they speak in different languages and they do not appear in the same shot until the end. Bell Jar refers to Sylvia Plath’s work The Bell Jar, where the GIRL perceives the BOY as insulating himself in a bell jar, unreachable by her.
Language: French/Mandarin
Length: 16:13
Location of filming: Maas Tunnel, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
This is an experimental, single-shot, scripted film.
SYNOPSIS
A girl ponders about her feelings for a BOY. As she talks, you realise her emotional journey begins to correlate with the space that she is in. Her journey to liberation is followed by the viewer in a single shot through the tunnel, where the shot alternates between GIRL to GUY in a linear space.
Throughout, GIRL and GUY converse, but they are almost in their own world respectively- they speak in different languages and they do not appear in the same shot until the end. Bell Jar refers to Sylvia Plath’s work The Bell Jar, where the GIRL perceives the BOY as insulating himself in a bell jar, unreachable by her.
Rome International Film Festival
Bell Jar has appeared on the archives of the Rome international Film Festival. Click here.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
ROTHKO
I went to see Rothko at the Tate today. It is to my utter embarrassment that the "smudge of liver red on a huge sea of brown" in the beginning of Bell Jar should have been a "smudge of liver red on a huge sea of maroon."
And maybe smudge might not be the best expression for a Rothko either.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Dear Friends in Singapore
I will put some effort to get the DVD sent to the SIFF. I think it is only fair and probably quite entertaining (especially for Aunt May!) that you get a chance to watch this fantastic production!
Love
I will put some effort to get the DVD sent to the SIFF. I think it is only fair and probably quite entertaining (especially for Aunt May!) that you get a chance to watch this fantastic production!
Love
Friday, December 5, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL
I've not been conscious about my gender as a director until I found Women's Film Festivals.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Rome Independent Film Festival
In the last minute I think Bell Jar should go to Rome. I hope it gets sold to public TV.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
TRAVELLING
Bell Jar went to Tokyo today, and will drop by Berlin, Greece and Spain!
Let's keep watching!
Let's keep watching!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
EDITING AGAIN
Spent the whole day yesterday doing refinements for the final cut at Ren's new place in Amsterdam.
Editing is such a time consuming process where every change involves fraction of seconds! We were adjusting dialogues, re-editing the end scene, making the title frame, adding to the credit list, replacing voiceovers.
It's been a great journey that could not have happened without the team. Thank you cast and crew!
Let's see where this thing goes. Till the next update.
CREDITS
REN HORNG YEE
Editor
Assistant Director
Art Director
LOC CAO-HUY
Boy voiceover
Logistics
CARLOS BEIRA
Assistant Camera
Location Manager
SEVERINE PORZIO
Girl
Translator (with Arie Worthalter)
FENG HAN
Guy
Translator
OANA JIANU
Production Assistant
JOHN MALAIHOLLO
Still photographer
JANITA HAN
Director
Producer
Writer
Casting
JOOST BUIJS
Production Mixer
TAN YI HUANG
Music
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Filip Geerts- for Brussels & the Maas Tunnel
2012 Architects- for the chairs and the wheelchair in the movie
Bastiaan Bijl- for the recording studio
Huimin Huang- for the "ogre and castles" line i stole from her
Chen Qing- for the discussions and logistics!
Arianna Ricciotti & Giulia Melloni- for the drawing you see in the film
Beatriz Fernandez Garcia- for her jacket which we borrowed at the last minute
Saba Ghasemisadeh & Hoda Khanbani- for the 3 legged stool
Richard Bekking- for introducing Joost and being overall enthusiastic
Rob Maas- for the cameras
Sofranita Gunawan aka Tata- for capturing the video
Holly Burgess- for bothering with the requests of rookie directors!
Monday, October 13, 2008
THE DVD
I wanted to put this up- took this picture whilst on the train trip from Leiden to Rotterdam on the 1st of October 2008. The material manifestation of a project going to the festivals.
More to come!
THE SOUND PEOPLE
Let's meet the sound people! They are just as important as the visual people- and you only know this when you hear jarring noises in your movie- or else you don't notice them.
There's Joost Buijs who's gonna make the mediocre recordings that we have sound professionally amazing. Every movie needs their technical people..
Tanyi- We had fun making music- and tried some experimental singing as well, inspired by Aki Takase and Lauren Newton- hehehe. I wanted some voices that were half singing half breathing-
Bastiaan- who was so kind to let us use his equipment- and gave great suggestions for recording as well...
Bastiaan's studio- We were there on Friday 10th recording and rerecording, copying, discussing etc. It was a fun day really. Especially the experimental singing!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
BUMPY SOLUTION
I've recently thought of 2 solutions to the bumpy floor problem that we had, causing the camera to move up and down throughout the shot:
1. Have the camera on the wheelchair without a person on it! If the chair is light the bumps won't be so obvious, no? It would have also been easy to control.
2. Buy some foam mats and pave the ground
Solution 1 was the most why-didn't-i-think-of-that kind of solution. arggh.
1. Have the camera on the wheelchair without a person on it! If the chair is light the bumps won't be so obvious, no? It would have also been easy to control.
2. Buy some foam mats and pave the ground
Solution 1 was the most why-didn't-i-think-of-that kind of solution. arggh.
COS
The story goes- after checking the UPS shipment details the clothes went to Rotterdam. I was a bit freaking out for a while when I thought about the person in Rotterdam who "stole" my clothes by faking my signature for the package!
But then the pack went back to London.
Now they are sitting in a box in my room.
Really nice dress!
But then the pack went back to London.
Now they are sitting in a box in my room.
Really nice dress!
MAKING MUSIC
rewriting the music on Thursday morning and recording on Friday!
Thanks to Bastiaan who allows us to use his electric piano and top notch recorder!
Thanks to Bastiaan who allows us to use his electric piano and top notch recorder!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
EXPOSE PART 3
What is the filming concept of the movie?
A girl ponders about her feelings for a BOY. As she talks, you realise her emotional journey begins to correlate with the space that she is in. Her emotional journey to liberation is followed by the viewer in a single shot through the tunnel, where the shot pans from GIRL to GUY in the space.
As an architect, I am interested about how space can be manipulated to create effects. The idea of the technique of filming came about from discussions with Ren, also fellow architect, who helped conceptualise the movie very early on in February. The camera becomes a single perspective where the parameters of its operations were determined- namely a single panning shot with (as much as possible with the technology that we have!) constant speed in one direction. So throughout, it is as if the actors dance around the camera, acting even behind it. The camera is static only at the beginning of the film and the end of the film.
Throughout, GIRL and GUY talk, but almost to themselves, insulated in their own world respectively, and you can see that in the language and screenplay; only at the end do they appear on screen at the same time.
A girl ponders about her feelings for a BOY. As she talks, you realise her emotional journey begins to correlate with the space that she is in. Her emotional journey to liberation is followed by the viewer in a single shot through the tunnel, where the shot pans from GIRL to GUY in the space.
As an architect, I am interested about how space can be manipulated to create effects. The idea of the technique of filming came about from discussions with Ren, also fellow architect, who helped conceptualise the movie very early on in February. The camera becomes a single perspective where the parameters of its operations were determined- namely a single panning shot with (as much as possible with the technology that we have!) constant speed in one direction. So throughout, it is as if the actors dance around the camera, acting even behind it. The camera is static only at the beginning of the film and the end of the film.
Throughout, GIRL and GUY talk, but almost to themselves, insulated in their own world respectively, and you can see that in the language and screenplay; only at the end do they appear on screen at the same time.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
ROUGH CUT AND THE ROTTERDAM FILM FEST
2.38am Leiden time, and the first cut is being rendered at the moment. Have also finished filling up the film festival form. Fingers crossed they will select our film! Am going down to Rotterdam tomorrow to submit.
Funny thing is- the title is now changed to Bell Jar.
So this blog is officially misnamed!
Funny thing is- the title is now changed to Bell Jar.
So this blog is officially misnamed!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
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