Haoran Zhang

Mother:  Father: Grandfather: Risk Assessment:

The primary objective of this editing project is to explore effective techniques in the presentation of evidence, text usage, chapter management, spatial arrangement of similar materials, narrative transitions, and the integration of multi-perspective footage, in order to achieve non-linear storytelling in a personal documentary. 本次编辑项目的主要目标是探索在证据的呈现、文本的使用、章节的管理、相似材料的空间安排、叙事的过渡以及多视角镜头的整合等方面的有效技巧，以实现个人纪录片的非线性叙事。 Film Trailer : https://youtu.be/JV_SI6y3AmQ?si=0bRbCeZRBsmORJw9    

 Shooting Equipments: Canon EOS R5 Canon EOS 5D Mark II Hero Gopro Shooting date: 5. 1. 2024 - Xuzhou (First day back home) 5. 14. 2024 - Xuzhou ( Hospital - Grandpa ) 5. 19. 2024 - Xuzhou ( First meal - Father ) 5. 20. 2024 - Xuzhou ( Talk with my mom ) 5. 26. 2024 - Xuzhou ( Second meal - Father ) 6. 1. 2024 - Xuzhou ( Children's Day ) 6. 17. 2024 - Xuzhou ( Cafe Shop ) The past two months of filming have facilitated better communication with my father and gradually alleviated the tensions between us. Although the process was not as pleasant as I initially anticipated, I can now reflect on that period with a sense of closure. I wish to tell my 13-year-old self, Zhang Haoran, that you should not blame yourself—you are excellent. Through this documentary, I aim to convey to the audience the importance of frequent communication among family members. Many misunderstandings and rifts are often the result of inadequate communication. Therefore, it is crucial to express oneself more to ...

(Sentence below: Only by reconciling with the past can one move towards the future）      The film narrates the protagonist's (my own) journey in pursuit of love and understanding it. In 2023, I called my mother to inquire about the truth behind my parents' divorce, but she refused to discuss it. Subsequently, all those aware of the details avoided the topic and criticized me for my ignorance and naivety as an adult. In 2024, when I returned to my hometown and had a face-to-face conversation with my mother, I realized that she, whom I had perceived as fragile, was much stronger than I had imagined. She had learned to let go of the past and face the future with a smile. After our conversation, I finally understood that what I sought was not merely the truth about my father's departure, but a compensation for the lack of his love during my youth. In this twelve-year misalignment of love, I was the one who had not come to terms with the past. Through this pursuit, I was able ...

Citation:  Bordwell, D., Thompson, K., & Smith, J. (2020).  Film art: An introduction  (Twelfth, International student ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. Annotation: In the third chapter of this book, the author examines how Citizen Kane employs multiple perspectives to achieve nonlinear storytelling. The text discusses Citizen Kane's innovative use of a Multi-Perspective Narrative technique. Initially, the film employs news reports and a journalist's investigation to review Kane's life (a single perspective), introducing the enigma of "Rosebud" to drive the plot. Subsequently, the film adopts a nonlinear narrative structure, using different characters' recollections (multiple perspectives) to transport the audience back to earlier scenes, revealing previously unseen events. This method of temporal regression provides a detailed depiction of the events' progression, offering a more complete portrayal of Kane. Although Citizen Kane is a fictional biographic...

Citation: Rosenthal, A., & Eckhardt, N. (2016).  Writing, directing, and producing documentary films and digital videos  (Fifth ed.). Southern Illinois University Press. Rosenthal, A. (2016).  The documentary diaries: Working experiences of a non-fiction filmmaker . Manchester University Press.  https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv18b5hv5 Annotation: In Chapter 15 of the book, the author discusses how narration can quickly establish the film's authentic background, providing the audience with essential information about characters, time, and space. This approach not only helps the audience quickly become engaged but also lays a solid foundation for the story's development, enabling viewers to better understand the film's context and setting. Furthermore, narration can define the film's narrative direction, facilitating smooth transitions between different scenes and guiding the story's pace in new directions to bridge temporal gaps. This technique contributes to a more...

Citation:  Walsh, S. (2024).  The documentary filmmaker's intuition: Creating ethical & impactful non-fiction films . Routledge.  https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003320296 Annotation: In Chapter 16, the author mentions that during the post-production phase, filmmakers can establish the narrative structure of a film by organizing the footage If a documentary is driven by characters, the editing process can involve organizing narrative arcs through the characters or items related to them, thereby structuring chapter themes or facilitating temporal transitions.  This approach helps the audience understand the content you have filmed, the story you intend to tell, and the overall structure of the film. Finally, the author notes that it is not necessary for the editing process to be entirely linear.  Filmmakers can begin the narrative with a key scene, creating a nexus between scenes and the narrative space.  However, it is crucial to consider the overall struct...