Hamguchi Ryusuke , film director
Renji Shigehiko, Movie criticism
material composition, Tetsuya Miura, movie criticism/appearance culture theory
translation: one, Shizuki
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Three pieces of land
Renji: It is the first time that such a face-to-face conversation is really happy.
Binkou: My honor.
Lianshi: First of all, please allow me to start by expressing my gratitude, there are two places in total. One is a great article for me in "On Collection of Lianshi Chongyan" (Yuanniao Bookstore, 2016). Thank you. What is particularly touching is that when I discussed "The Story of the Remnant Chrysanthemum" (1939), "If you want to write about Kenji Mizuguchi, you must clear everything you have to this day." This feeling is very strong, and I am very happy that you can point this out very cleverly. But compared to this personal gratitude, I feel more grateful for the wonderful aspects of "Day and Night". There were also a lot of things I wanted to ask about before this work, but today it would be enough to get a reply to the question about this work, and I think it would take so much time alone.
first connects with Kenji Mizuguchi to say that in 1936, Edo, the native Edo, filmed "The Song of the Sorrow of Langhua" with Osaka as the stage. 0 I always feel that it overlaps with this ("Day and Night"). You are also from Kanto, and the previous work "Happy Time" Hour (2015) is based on Kobe as the stage, but this time I went to Osaka. The original work is also Osaka.
Hamaguchi: Yes, the original work also started in Osaka, and also came to Tokyo.
Renshi: There are three pieces of land in this movie - Osaka, Tokyo, and the near Sendai in the northeast. I think these three are very cleverly closely combined. Especially in the third northeast, there will be quite dramatic things. Is this related to the birth of the photographer Mr. Sasaki (Yasuyuki) on this land?
Hamaguchi: Hey, do you want to investigate to this point...! Photographer Mr. Sasaki is Originally from Miyagi, she went to Ehime Prefecture to study in , but she is indeed a person from this land. The reason for choosing the Northeast is comprehensive. First of all, as written in the novel, nearly 10 years have passed. When I was writing the script, the earthquake disaster will naturally become the background. After talking about this with Ms. Tanaka Yukiko, who shared the script, she described the earthquake disaster in the middle of the movie. I actually went to the Northeast after the earthquake and made a documentary. I remembered it deeply, so I was very worried whether to deal with such a problem in an entertainment movie, but when I reached the stage where I could rewrite the script, I still added the description of the two protagonists actually going to the Northeast.
uses the events that actually happened as props, or the guilt about using them so that I can describe this scene. Does the heroine also have some kind of homogeneous guilt? I think this is not common in the story, so it basically determines the Northeast. However, although it was decided that there would be a moisture dam that could be used, it was only after the landscape survey.
Lianshi: What is the reason why it cannot be used?
Binkou: Most of the coastal areas are managed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Transportation. So first of all, I don’t understand whether it can be used freely, and then the shape of the moisture dam is really diverse, with protection like a towering wall Horizontal .
Renji: There are some things like this, towering walls.
Hamaguchi: The actual use of Naitashi's breakwater is about 7 meters, but when Iwate Prefecture , there are also higher seawalls that look more than ten meters away from Iwate Prefecture . I, Mr. Sasaki and the first deputy director [ぁーフ Assistant Supervisor] are Mr. An (Yu), and the producers spent a long time driving to check. At that time, they lived at the home of the photographer Sasaki (laugh). Living in his hometown, using this as the starting point to survey the scenery, it finally decided that I have been to the Naitashi several times before, and the Naitashi's south of .The terrain there is also clear that it can be used with the local cooperative system, so I finally went there.
Lotus: (Moisture-proof dike) plays an important role. I would like to ask later, is it absolutely necessary to see the dim sea seen on the moisture dam as a reflection?
Bankou: Ah...this is written in the script. When writing this scene, I think it is necessary. You can't move to the next unfold without looking at the sea. If I could see the sea, wouldn’t I go to the next one to unfold? I think I felt this way when I was writing the script.
Lianshi: However, it is good to only give her close-ups of the waves.
Binkou: Ha...!
Lianshi: The sea also appeared when riding a motorcycle in front. The sea where the motorcycle rushes through is very good. Because it is very outstanding, I thought I would take pictures of the sea again at some point, but I didn't expect to take pictures from the opposite side.
Bankou: You pointed it out, indeed, this possibility undoubtedly exists in editing. Because there is no doubt that she is looking at the sea. This can be clearly understood by just listening to the sound. The close-up was taken even longer on the scene, about 30 seconds. In fact, the editing took about 10 seconds, but it was indeed a close-up that made people want to watch for a while.
Lianshi: Then move to the right to take a photography. At this time, she disappeared from the picture, leaving only the sea. What exactly is this? Only the sea is left.
Binkou: Ahhhh…! You mean it's necessary. That's true, leaving only the sea...
Lianshi: I am not asking, but saying that there should be various shooting methods. One of the situations is how she should shoot the sea after she disappeared from the scene frame. This is when she sees the director's skills.
Binkou: This is really...ah, but, as you said, I did give NG there several times. That's because after she disappeared, the question of where to focus existed on the scene. At the beginning, it was mostly to keep the focus. In this way, although the already blurred sea was left, it became a bit difficult to end. After reshooting a few more times, the focus turned to the sea.
Lianshi: What makes the sea a problem is that the long-range shot of Mr. Mai driving before climbing the dam is very outstanding. That skewed long-range shot. More or less, I feel like "Isn't it good to see the sea?" and I feel that this bad idea is a luxury.
Bankou: But, I can't end the close-up of her here? Regarding such a question, I think it's really necessary to show the sea. If you only see her and only hear the sound of the sea, then the audience's imagination will be tempted by the invisible sea. Here, it is the most important thing to let the audience's imagination concentrate on Chaozi. I think it is necessary to show the sea and limit the use of imagination to Chaozi. In the end, the ocean was left. Although it felt dull, I think this period may be a bit too fast for many viewers. My intention was to make the audience slightly reconcile with the rapid development of this movie.
I felt that there were several shots that were very straightforward, and it was even at the point where the movie was over, but unexpectedly, this was the battle between me and Mr. Sasaki, and I probably realized this this time. I feel that when I edit, I always cut off the picture I want to keep watching and force myself to move forward.
The first thing you do in Cannes
Lianshi: There are a lot of questions you want to ask about this movie, but I want to listen to Cannes first. "Happy Hour" was released almost simultaneously in France under the title of Senses, and critics may have watched it, so Mr. Hamaguchi is not an unknown person from Japan, it is considered to be a bit famous. Where is the hotel you stayed in?
Binkou: a place called JW Marriott.
Lianshi: What did you do first after entering the room?
Binkou: (laughs)... After entering the room, first spread the suitcase and open the window.
Lianshi: You can open the window.
Binkou: JW Marriott is a hotel directly opposite the sea, but if I have my room, I can’t see the sea without leaning out of the window. After confirming that this is the place, I feel that I am still far from it (laugh).
Renshi: Cannes is a place where serious mistakes are made, cool review (Robert) Bresson's "Money" (1983), and then gave Imamura Kazuhei's Palme d'Organ, which is a shameful past (The "Yashan Festival Examination" won the award). It cannot be asserted that something similar to this has not happened this time. No, I think it is Mr. Zhi (Yuka)'s " Family of Thieves " (2018) that is definitely not bad, but have you watched other people's movies?
Binkou: See, (Rang = Luc) Godard , Jia Zhangke and Stephen Busse , and (Jafa) Panasi.
Lianshi: Panasi has read it. After reading it, how is it? Sure enough, it's better for yourself, right?
Binkou: No (laughs), how could it be, what to say... I think Godard's words are completely unconventional.
Lianshi: Cannes will publish a daily star chart. Did you see that?
Binkou: I saw it. "Day and Night" is probably the average score. However, the difference between 1 point and 4 points is very obvious, giving people the feeling that it is an average score, and the likes and dislikes are very clear.
Lianshi: I feel this way. That means that the person who likes it completely likes it. Also, the May issue of "Movie Manual" is almost a special collection of Hamaguchi. Promesses Cannoises, the promising newcomer promised by Cannes, isn’t the first page of this column already a photo of “Day and Night”? Don’t you think this will win? (Laughs)
Binkou: No, why? It's just an excessive preferential treatment.
Lianshi Before this page of the stills, this time it was the advertisement of "Happy Hour" that jumped into the eyes with a full page size. This is amazing. The number of mobilizations should exceed that of Japan.
Binkou: Yes, I heard that about 140,000 people have gone to see it now. However, after dividing by three, I think there are less than 50,000 people. Because it is divided into three releases.
Lianshi: Look at the last page of the "Handbook", "Happy Time" ranks third in the star table.
Binkou: Ahhh, I didn’t see that.
Lianshi: Ranking far ahead than (Steven) Spielberg (laughs). I have felt the limitations of the magazine "Movie Manual" a long time ago, but I feel very happy to see the people who can still be crazy about it.
Similarity problem
Lianshi: What do you think of the French title of ASAKO I II?
Binkou: World marketing company mk2 gave several suggestions on how to get English titles before Cannes, which is one of the recommendations. What exactly is ASAKO I II talking about? This is the idea of seeing this title at first, but after listening to the explanation, the words of European audiences should be able to interpret the meaning of Act 1 and Act 2. It can be understood as a story of some transformation, change of a woman named Asako (Erika Daoda), or a story of her shakenness. After listening to the explanation, it was indeed convincing.
Lianshi: When I talk about movie works, even if I know the original work, I always take a stance that I don’t understand to listen to the other party’s conversation. I have actually read the original work of this movie, so please allow me to act like I don’t know it here. The title ASAKO I II is a premonition that it is a film that deals with similarities. Image similarity is the most difficult for movies, tragedy, or the crime drama has a " Ecstasy " ( Director Alfred Hitchcock , 1958). "Ecstasy" also allows the same actor to play two roles. There are also comedy, such as Preston Stitches' "H Palm Beach Story " (1942), which allows almost the same-looking people to play similar-looking characters. However, "Day and Night" is serious, or it is more appropriate to be a popular drama. Where does the courage to introduce similarity in popular dramas come from? But if there is one in the original work, there is no need to say more.
Bankou: I think it is part of the reason for being attracted by the content written by the original work. However, according to the original reading, Mai and Lianghei (partner of Higashima Masato ) are actually based on Asako's subjectivity. So, it can be understood that it is actually quite different in appearance. But to be honest, it is not very interesting to make a movie like this.When I was reading the novel, just the moment Liangping appeared, I thought that this novel could be made into a movie. If it was to be made, it would be one person and two players, and it must have the same face.
Lianshi: From the perspective of similarity, this is exactly the same actor performing, so it surpasses the cool similarity and becomes the same. The two had to appear in the same picture. There is a single shot of a micelli appearing from the depths of the restaurant. How was that shot?
Binkou: It is the hardest place in the program. When you come from the opposite side and when you take Chaozi away, but when you come from the opposite side, you can use the method of segmenting in the picture. At the beginning, you can shoot the mode of Liangtai and Chaozi, and then shoot the model of Asahi and Mai, and finally join in the post-production stage. What's even harder is the pulling of the camera when you take it away. Recently, using special machine materials can allow the camera to make exactly the same movement, so after programming, shooting two modes in exactly the same camera motion, and then synthesize them. This is difficult to adjust and it took a long time to stay busy until late at night. We called someone who could operate special machinery and asked for help.
Lianshi: There is a climax in a sense. Although it was Mai and Liangping, something like "Ecstasy" appeared here. Are you aware of this? I think it may be good to give people the impression that it is good to be bright and bad, so that it will feel like there is a feeling of overlapping with the "Emoji" of "The Ecstasy" that appears with good women and bad women.
Bankou: As for the movie, I thought from the beginning two people with the same face must receive a single shot. Therefore, I think of it as a decisive scene, which is probably the most prominent part of the comparison. Ordinary people are photographed in the most prominent way with the fantastic Mai. I'm afraid Mr. Tokio will perform in the same way. However, from the stage of reading the original work, readers may have the expectation of making movies like "Emoji", and they are eagerly looking forward to the movieization. However, "Emoji" is indeed a logical story. People with exactly the same face are indeed the same person, which is a very realistic story. However, the situation in this movie is that although it has the same face, it is not twins . There is no other reason. It should be said that the clone thing appeared in extremely daily life and became such a story. At this point, it is constantly away from "The Ecstasy", or dealing with even more unreasonable and difficult things. I started filming like this after I had this feeling.
Lianshi: It does feel like a strange movie.
Hinkou: This is often said in Cannes. All the things you must say are performed according to the real story, but it will naturally tear the story apart in a strange direction.
Question point 1
Lianshi: Of course this is a great work. I'm afraid that interviews and other things will hear praises, but I'm very dissatisfied with it, so I just wanted to try to point out the problem point.
Binkou: OK, please.
Lianshi: Chaozi met Mai, and then the scene of the barbecue restaurant. Here Mai said "It's fate", and a very good shot of Mai was inserted here, but then Mai said "cheers", and the focus was only on Chaozi, which was very blurry. Is this OK?
Binkou: First of all, if the amount of light is insufficient, there will inevitably be bokeh. When I first talked to Mr. Sasaki, I said that this time I should try not to give instructions to the actors from the photography side, and hope not to say anything. Even if it is a millimeter difference, I should look here, tilt my body to this side, and skew a little, etc. Mr. Sasaki made it clear. He said that he had been doing this two or three years ago, so everyone filmed it from this standpoint. So, he took the helm on the spot in a direction that saves a lot of time for lighting preparation. Install all the basic lighting before the photography begins, and then use one mirror and one mirror to the minimum lighting. The actor's concentration and feelings are the most priority in the scene, but at this time, I think I will also alienate the desire to do things in the form of images.Even with so little freedom of the camera, Mr. Sasaki still took such wonderful photos, and I think others would never be able to do it. Therefore, the nearby wheat is too blurry, which is already helpless in this situation, or in other words, the wheat should not have entered the scenery frame but still came in.
Lianshi: I have another feeling. Although it may be enough to just take a photo of Chaozi, it is still not enough to not reflect my face when I say "cheers". I think about it. Is it good to do defocusing? I think this is a problem with lighting and also a problem with the camera lens. What are the shots with a few millimeter lenses?
Binkou: That one is about 75, maybe look a little further.
Lianshi: Let’s be the same. Isn't it OK to use 50 or 40 there?
: If you want to talk about why 50 or 40 is not possible, it is probably a lens with a millimeter number that will have to let the camera enter the field of performance. At that time, in that occasion, the space to maintain the acting skills was preferred by itself compared to painting. From the perspective of the production system, acting is the most preferred when it is not yet possible to control everything. Compared with standard lenses, Mr. Sasaki and I made the choice of telephoto lenses. That's the scene.
Lianshi: But, the blurred Mai face will be reflected in the next shot. At that time, I paid special attention. So isn't it good to take another actor's side face between the two cameras? This is my luxury hope.
Binkou: This... is indeed... This is true, but I didn't expect it when I was photography and editing.
problem point 2
Lianshi: Because there are three problems in total.
Binkou: Good (laughs).
Lianshi: The second is to go to the coffee pot , escape from Liangping to the stairs in the smoking area, where the two of them face each other. The scene was very exciting. You want to get this outdoor shot, but Liang Ping reached out to Koko's cheek and changed the camera here. Then the camera approached the two of them on the subject, but here according to our feelings, from the feeling of the people who have been watching classical movies, it looks like a duplex clip.
Hamaguchi: Yes, repeat the action (『ブルアクション).
Lianshi: Yes, it looks like a repeating action. Is it okay to repeat the movements?
Binkou: This is also a bit of trouble for me during editing. The three types of scenes reflected here are Take, which is really a scene that takes one at a time. One was taken from a telescope, the other was approaching the scene that was almost towards the scene on Zi's chest, and the other was approaching the scene that was closer to the close-up. Only these three shots were taken, but the problem with the repetitive action was that each shot did not shoot in a way that seemed to be able to connect to each other, and each shot told the actor that there was no need to do the same action as the previous shot. This is consistent across the scene, but there, the actions are not correctly matched there. Take2 and Take3, select the clip that looks the most suitable part of the clip, and the result looks like a repeating action. However, it is also possible to choose the long-distance camera and not move it, because every scene is shot to the end. However, in my opinion, it is better to show the rise of emotions in the third mirror.
Lianshi: The one closer?
Binkou: Yes. Therefore, it would be better to show this shot, so I chose such a edit, so I became like repeating the action. I felt that there was a noise there, but it was helpless and accepted as an editing choice.
Lianshi: I think I can also deal with it afterwards and take bold actions and plays, but in this way, the actors will become props, in a sense. That's the case. Although I understand the reason, for those who have watched classic movies, I care about repeating the action.
Binkou: Yes... I'm really grateful for this even if I see it. I don't think this completely gets rid of the idea of treating actors and photographic material as "material". Although I'm totally aware that this is necessary at some point.
Question point 3
Lianshi: The third question.
Binkou: Please.
Renshi: There is a scene where Asako, who has returned from Northeast China, appears in front of her home in Osaka. Then a ball came over from the right and threw it back, and Liangping stood behind her. It's wonderful here. But after that, the two of them spoke through the fence of the entrance hall. From the beginning, did they plan to shoot here without a mirror?
Binkou: No, it was decided on the spot.
Lotus. Perhaps, because it uses a practical and realistic entrance, it is very difficult to determine the location of the camera, etc., but only in that place, I feel the lens relaxed. Liangping, who was close to him, came over and said something like "Go away" and "Is your brain broken?", but he always felt that it was different from the previous shots, but it was the performance you decided to do. Do you feel that something was different from before?
Binkou: It's exactly what you said. If there is something different from before, it is true that you can't take the most ideal lens. If you take a photo at your actual home, you don't have the camera's backing space, so you have to use wide angle shooting. Moreover, this is because we keep the habit of not watching the actors' movements before the scene. Maybe you can cut the mirror, but for there, it would be best if you pull a little further.
Lianshi: Yes, I think so too.
Hamaguchi: Just pull back a little longer, the acting skills there will definitely be the best. It was also the first time that Liangping said the truth.
Lianshi: Say "I don't believe you anymore."
Hamaguchi: I want to capture the expression of Asako who heard this without mirroring and at the same time, and hope that the focus should be aimed at both. In this case, the lens can only do this. This will happen since you have decided not to say to the actors, "Can you go back a little further and act there."
Lianshi: I feel incongruity there. I thought that I had to keep shooting, so it was difficult. I understand that the director’s hard work is “can’t pull it back”, but I think there is no other strategy for this.
Binkou: It’s just like I’m back to the scene. Trepidation.
Lianshi: The shots will become more and more exciting in the future. Asako went to Okazaki house. There was a bed nearby. The shot from the indoors and out was very beautiful. It was the same place as before. Although this shot was wonderful, what moved me the most was the silent shot of the direction of the bed. Chaozi was crying before. Chaozi, who said that at this time, was only considering her own affairs, looked back silently as if she had made up some determination. Didn’t you think about “victory!” after taking this photo?
Binkou: I was intoxicated when I was shooting. There, Miss Tang Tian’s own concentration is also very high. At this time, the mirror cutting itself becomes scary. If this concentration is cut, it may not be able to recover. Especially when you aim at the camera and call her to perform, everything may be ruined. There is such horror, but I think I still took the camera before things like concentration and feelings disappear.
Lotus: Then behind this, that super long-range shot.
Binkou: a place to run.
Lianshi: That, it is really wonderful. It is because the clothes she wears are white, so it is possible. If it is other colors, it will be impossible.
Binkou: Yes, I think I can't see it.
Lianshi: Can't see it. In fact, Liangping couldn't see clearly, but she could see her white clothes immediately. That shot lasted for quite some time.
Binkou: Yes. There was a description where the cloud happened to pass through this, but in order to get the clouds to pass through, they ran for a long time. Like this year, it was a pretty hot time.
Lianshi: After filming that, what do the two actors say after shouting "OK"?
Bankou: "I'm thinking about where to go" like this (laugh).
Lianshi: I have never seen such a wonderful vision before, I am already crying there. It's really wonderful. Then the color of the mountain is also good. Have you ever seen such a lens?
Bankou: I don’t know if I can say this to this point… (laughs).Mr. Sasaki said, "Only in this weather can be taken, so take a photo quickly." It is a very eager shot.
Lianshi: Ahh, the photo is very urgent.
Binkou: Yes. Although the shadow of the cloud itself was added in post-production, the actual clouds moved extremely quickly that day, with only a very small period of time when the sun came out. So if you miss this time period, you can't take pictures, so you can't take pictures now. All staff and camera positions are already very far away, just like shooting while racing.
Lianshi: The two continued running, which would end when they would end. ...Ah, it's really wonderful.
Binkou: Thank you very much.
Sato really remembers
Lianshi: Change the topic abruptly. When I met Mai and Liangping, the photos and photography were involved (scene). Regarding the photographer named Shigeo Niu, Mr. Sato Masashi [Translator: Sato Masashi who committed suicide in September 2007, directed a documentary with a reputation internationally]. Do you have any tribute to these arrangements?
Hamaguchi: Ah, although I don’t know if it can be considered a tribute, but when I saw (a documentary filmed by Sato Masashi) “SELF AND OTHERS” (2001), it was said that it was touching, maybe a little wrong—was impacted. Compared to the photos, Niu Chan Maofu's voice shocked me even more. When I saw "SELF AND OTHERS", I felt such a real thing: Ah, people with this sound are taking such photos. Before that, I knew nothing about Mr. Niu Caimaoxiong, but after that, I went to browse Mr. Niu Caimaoxiong's actual exhibition. There is no doubt that Mr. Sato made me meet Mr. Niu Chan Shigeo.
Lianshi: Is that true? This is gratifying. Here, the director Hamaguchi considered Mr. Sato's affairs, and I was so happy that I wanted to cry just by seeing Mr. Niu Chan appear. "Ah, film writer, what else has he given to (other) film writers?" Although (Hamaguchi, you said) this is not a tribute to Mr. Sato who did something regrettable, if there is no (this meaning), there may not be such a scene in the movie. This made me very happy and almost wanted to say thank you.
Hamaguchi: In "Living in Ahga" directed by Sato ("Aga" (1992)) [ Documentary of the victim of Minamata disease ], Mr. Renshi participated in the form of "cooperation" or something. In today's terms, it's probably crowdfunding or donating?
Lianshi: My wife and I send some money every month, which I think is a considerable amount. My wife and I also appeared in a film like behind the making of "Living in Ah He" (laughs). So, twin siblings appeared in the photos taken by Mr. Niu Chen. Is this a bit related to the theme of this film?
Binkou: Yes. Although the script says "Photography Exhibition", as usual, there is a question: what photos are used to hold the photography exhibition? The first one that came to my heart simply was the photo of Mr. Niu Cai Maoxiong. I think (his work) can play the most directly with what I want to do, the original content of "The Original Works of ", and how to install a camera. It would be better to say that when I think of the photos that sound like this, I was a little confused because of it.
Lotus: Because it is really suitable.
Binkou: For the first deputy director, Mr. An, who helped me negotiate with Mr. Niu Chan who has relevant rights in such a place, and borrowed actual prints, so I could leave this scene behind - I really feel grateful.
Cassavetes-style embarrassing
Lianshi: In addition, there are embarrassing scenes in this film. Ryohei's colleagues Junohashi (Seto Yamashita) watched the video of Chekhov drama starring Maya (Maya, Yamashita Riya) together. For Maya's acting skills, Junohashi initially tangled and provoked, and finally apologized.How does photography feel in this section?
Binkou: There, that means that physical strength is the most difficult place.
Lianshi: That really has a lot of physical strength.
Hamaguchi: This is really a kind of incompetence of myself, and the actors are really asked to do the same thing over and over again. From beginning to end, every time you turn on the camera, you do the same thing. Sometimes only Tang Tiansang is filming, but everyone outside Tang Tiansang also acts in a complete round of scenes, and this kind of thing will happen, so of course the actors will become tired.
Of course, these scenes can be completed with editing (カットトり), and shooting with editing will definitely not be so tiring, but... There, Chuanqiao and Maya make the story unfold, but the one who is really at the center of the relationship is watching the commotion of Asako and Ryohei. You have to take pictures of both sides. It is not enough to just shoot people who say lines. People who listen to their lines should also take good photos. Moreover, because listening to lines and (listeners) will also have very subtle things, so I must shoot in a form that can convey this subtlety. Therefore, this filming method has become such a big burden on the actors, but it finally took a day to shoot.
Lianshi: Is it done in one day?
Binkou: Yes, one day. For our current production system, it is already a natural thing.
Lianshi: I thought it would take three days to do this. I took the scene in one day. This is the director's ability [width].
Hamaguchi: Because this is the scene where Seto San and Yamashita San work very hard outside the main cast. I think the actors will be honored if you say that.
Lianshi: I think these actors are really great. Although they seem angry but not angry, there is something deep in it. Has the director ever felt like this kind of restlessness?
Hinkou: Speaking of this, that is (John) Kassavitz.
Lianshi: Ah, that's it, that's it.
Hankou: And I think what is reflected in this kind of scene is the fidgeting feeling that is truly alive. Why do you say that kind of words there in "Faces" (1968) and the pasta scene in "Faces" (1974)? If I said that in this place, wouldn’t it mess up the happy atmosphere so far? ——I am afraid that the people sitting on the table in the scene can also feel it. This situation can be reflected in the movie, and it is Kasavitz who taught me this.
Lianshi: After shooting this scene, are you relieved or even more upset?
Binkou: This is one of the most difficult scenes in the post-editing stage. Because this is a scene that looks like it deviates from the so-called main line, even if the tension in the performance is maintained, the audience's interest is very likely to disappear and disappear. This scene is about eight minutes. How can the eight minutes that can be considered useless at the story level become humane? I've tried various path methods. Because the camera position that can be placed is shot, the possibility of post-production editing is infinite in a sense... The lines are the same no matter how you change them, but the trouble is that I said that it doesn't matter if the action changes, so (Translator: Different batches of actions?) will become unconnected. This and that are good, but in many cases this and that cannot be spliced at all. Under such a difficult and distressing situation, the post-editing work was completed.
Lianshi: Well, but this scene is still done.
————
Miura: Let me put aside the words, the name Kasavitz just popped up. Kasavicz generally believes that he is an actor (will to perform) who will support the filming scene even if he breaks the classical storyboard [右体ィニュイティ, continuity] production method, and will not allow photographers to interfere with it - saying that is so, but is this true?
Lianshi: Although I don’t know if this is the question I should answer, I think the camera is chasing the actors persistently because it is not possible to shoot.Therefore, it is not a problem with the so-called camera awareness. If you like actors, this (Kasavec's approach) is OK. Then, luckily, director Hamaguchi also likes actors.
Binkou: Yes.
Lianshi: An actor, or someone who performs acting as a subject [written] - I like it. I recently watched Miyake's movie "Your Bird Can Sing (2018), and I also like actors' movies. This work also made me admire and impressed. This movie is very good as Komori's "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" (2015). Have you read it?
Bankou: I think that's great.
Renshi: The three people who submitted the article in "On Collection of Renshi Shigehiko" (Translator's Note: Miyake, Komori, and Hamaguchi) will build the third golden age of Japanese films, so I thought it was almost time for me to retire.
Hamguchi: No... (Japanese movies) Golden Age I remember one refers to the 1950s and the other is the 1930s?
Lianshi: That's exactly what I said.
Binkou: If so, then what you said just now is a very valuable evaluation to me.
——
Miura: In the movie directed by Hamaguchi, are there any moments where you can feel something like Kasavitz?
Lianshi: No, there is no. There is that spirit, but I don't think it's on the camera of the movie. Kasavutz is really close to the actors and hardly considers composition, but San Hamaguchi can consider composition. Take the view frame into consideration.
Binkou: I will consider it. Kasavutz and I also really like classic movies, so it's impossible for me to stay away from problems like the view frame and camera position. Every time, when I watched "Rio Bravo" (1959, directed by Howard Hawks) and "Husbands" (1970, directed by Casaviti), I started working on photography (when doing this), while thinking about what kind of work would be done like this. Therefore, I imagined this movie as a battle with Sasaki Sang, especially? Composition vs. actor like this. A considerable part of the editing was considered by me, and the final camera position and view frame were given to Sasakisan's feeling. Sasakisan has the absolute power to strongly decide the frame, so the challenge is how to keep the actors alive and energetic in it. I pray that this tension can be reflected in the movie while doing it. So, I think it would be impossible to make sense without Sasaki Sang (this movie).
About location
Renji: Another thing is the house where Okazaki (Watanaki Daichi) I just mentioned. Where was the house taken?
Hamaguchi: Tokyo... I feel like I'm near Qingmei.
Lianshi: Ah, I didn’t know why, but I was convinced that this was not a filming in Osaka (laugh).
Bankou: Yes (laughs). This is a budget that I didn’t lead the team to shoot in the past, so it became that choice.
Lianshi: Did you borrow everything in that place and take all the clips of that scene in one day? Or did it take two or three days?
Binkou: Because there are two scenes using that house, I spent two days shooting there.
Lianshi: "February Bedding" has emerged (laughs), is it really that bed?
Hankou: Yes (laughs). (Translator's note: The one in which Okazaki was lying down?)
Renshi: When he came out, a portable radio also appeared. There is a sense of peace of mind that "Ah, he is out". Using such small props to connect to a character, especially to Okazaki - is it an intentional move to do this?
Hamaguchi: Yes, there are really a lot of TV\screens in the original work. The things that reflect the flow of time on that screen are different from the life of a person.I want to port it to the movie as much as possible, but if the TV appears in the movie, I have to make a show that is played on the TV screen, and we don’t have this energy to produce. That's why I chose the radio. (In the video) The first radio appeared on the radio was played on July 22, 2008 when the Eighth Prince was broadcast. So in a sense, it is telling something like society. The second episode appeared not like the first time, but the radio appeared as a link to Okazaki's life.
Lianshi: In the same form as the radio, in the scene where Toko visits Nakamoto's fortification [Mr. Hirakawa]'s house, the electronic microwave oven suddenly rings, and (the scene starts with one hand opening it. Who turned on the microwave? I don’t know, right? After that, I realized that it was Zhongben Fortification. I think the way that electronic microwave oven appears is also great, but is that hand the hand of Nakamoto Fortification?
Binkou: Yes. There we borrowed the actual temporary residences, which were very narrow and not enough places (Translator: Come and install camera materials, etc.?). Therefore, it is impossible to photograph the whole body of Zhongben Fortification San. When considering what to do in this scenario, I thought of this idea (scene) to start with the electronic microwave oven.
Lianshi: However, if you want to shoot a microwave, you don’t have to shoot in a real temporary residence, right?
Binkou: Yes, yes (laughs). This is because it is quite difficult to tell Nakaben Fortification Sang that "shooting for another day" and the result of implementing "deciding things on the spot (shooting)" has become like this. To be honest, there are many bad things to do this. Things decided on the spot may not be time to take pictures again. In this case, there will be irreversible repairs.
Lianshi: How many days have the Zhongben Fortification Sang been [restrained]?
Binkou: Just two days. Stayed in Northeast China for two days.
Renji: Then, Okazaki's mother (Tanaka Misako) said the word "Shinkansen", but while this movie uses Tokyo and Osaka as the stage, the Shinkansen is excluded. Is this an intention?
Hamaguchi: It is written in the script. Lianghei uses the Shinkansen to go from Tokyo to Osaka, but he cannot take the Shinkansen. It is impossible to shoot the Shinkansen in Tokyo, in the form of driving away from the Tokyo station in the feeling of Tokyo. If Dongtu Masato was riding there, that would be even more so. As Mr. Kiyoshi Kurosawa said, the entire shooting made me feel that Tokyo is really a difficult street to shoot.
Lianshi: As an alternative, most mobile uses cars. At the beginning, when I went to Northeast China, I would have said, "Ah, does this couple own such a car?" The type of vehicle that I think of. Although I later learned that it was a rental car, the footage of the rental car and the expressway to the northeast was great. Several highways appear in the movie, but each time it is different?
Binkou: The overlook of this highway is on Changpan Road. I decided to take such a overlooking shot when I was inspecting the site in the Northeast. However, about the shot of driving forward, it was in Tokaido. When I went to Osaka to inspect and check out the site, I thought I would take a photo together here, and I couldn’t see it around (the road). Therefore, the things I took when I went to Tokaido (with the overlooking shot of Takabando) were combined into the so-called Tohoku Road.
Lianshi: I think it is probably the case, but their respective lenses are great. Looking down at the helicopters after the earthquake, they would fly over occasionally, and they wouldn't be borrowed, right?
Hamaguchi: Sasaki San said that there was a helicopter flying, and then took a snap and took a picture of the helicopter, including the building that was thrown aside after taking pictures.
Lianshi: Although I thought about it, it probably wasn't a borrowed one, but I was very upset about how I shot it (laughs).
Binkou: Oh, thank you very much.
Osaka and Tokyo, River
Renshi: The question is almost over (I'll say one more), Asoko started by walking through a city that we couldn't understand easily by watching it alone.(In this scene) There is nothing to symbolize this is Osaka. That scenery is not much different from that of Tokyo. Is this OK?
Binkou: Ah no, I think this is not good. The place where the filming was the National International Art Museum, which is an art museum that is actually located in Nakanoshima, Osaka, so it is actually connected with my own memories of life in relation to life, so for those who understand it, you will know that this is Osaka - that's the level. For now, a difficult shot was also added to Tongtian Pavilion. But at the beginning, including Nakanoshima in Osaka, I thought that by having such a river [waterway] circulating in the streets, Osaka was photographed as a river, about Tokyo, it turned out that the meaning of rivers was not emphasized that way...
Renshi: But it still shows it, right?
Binkou: Yes. The locations found by the production department were rivers, and because of this and that, they decided to shoot them all there. As a result, although I wanted to shoot in the form of the streets of Osaka No River and the ordinary cities of Tokyo No, it eventually became a movie with all rivers reflected in it, and it was homogenized in a certain sense. There was nothing I could do about it. The last theme song is called "RIVER", which is also what I told to tofubeats Sang, please write it with the last river watching the two protagonists, and then the song "RIVER" is brought up. So, I thought in my heart that this was a last resort.
Lotus: Then there is the problem of fireworks [firecrackers]. The fireworks play a good role. The two people [Mai and Chaozi] finally met because of the sound of the fireworks. My only question is whether slow motion must be needed after the fireworks?
Binkou: This is where I am quite confused while doing my homework. Here is a decision to shoot with slow motion. This is because compared with the original work, the film's depiction of wheat has been greatly reduced. The first half is about 20 minutes. In the novel, half to one-third of the descriptions have been reduced to that level. If Mai cannot see them in the main line, he cannot fully generate suspense and also has the intention to restore the balance of the description weight. So he took slow motion at the beginning, but he was a little embarrassed and shy when editing later. Going back to normal speed, this will turn into a very fast instantaneous encounter. I wonder if this is also a refreshing and good practice. However, I was in trouble with adding tofubeats' music. Although I got a musical material that is very good at using it, when considering how to use it, I wondered if I could use the four-beat sound like Dongdong Dongdong as the main accompaniment, wouldn't it be possible to revive the slow motion (version) at this time? In fact, (slow motion) also matches the music very well, so slow motion is adopted. In fact, the producer and marketing company mk2 also have the opinion of "Isn't slow motion quite rustic?", but I feel that just using slow motion with privilege can indeed restore the balance of this movie. So, in the end I made a judgment that this was by no means a bad thing.
Lianshi: The scheduled time has passed. Once again, thank you for making this work.
Bankou: The so-called happy time is really (talking to you) like this. It was the first time to accept an interview with the feeling of being back at the shooting scene. It was the first time I knew that being interviewed was so interesting. I feel sincerely happy that I can feel the reason for the lotus and solidity.
