No. 55, Nov. 13, 2006
Zhang Huancai (Nov. 10)
"It makes my day!" This is how I felt when I learned that Wu Yanhua and Prof. Deng liked my article. I didn't expect that as I'd thought that what I wrote was at best documenting. It's a far cry from literature.
In my next article I'm going to write about my experieces as a cotton picker in Xinjiang. This one is more difficult to write as I didn't keep a journal when I worked there and can rely solely on my memories.
You were right, Mr. Wu, I did take my video camera with me on both trips. I'm always armed with the camera wherever I go. Just wish that I could make better footage.
I'm running out of tapes and would appreciate if you could kindly supply more.I'd like to thank Mr. Wu and Prof. Deng for your kind recommendation.I also thank Old Zhou for his ambiguous concern. You're certainly a master of writing styles!
Wu (Nov. 10)
Ni Lianghui: first a short note for you to tell you that after a discussion with Prof. Deng, the conference decided to include you on the invitation list and will cover travel expenses and accommadation. We'll be delighted to welcome you in Guangzhou.
Ni Lianghui (Nov. 11)
Mr.Wu, I'm thrilled to hear the good news. Thank you and Prof. Deng for your encouragement throughtout the past year.
Jian Yi (Nov. 12)
Dear all, sorry for not writing for a while. I've had little time to sit down and think about things due to changes of jobs and frequent travels in the past months. Despite being quiet, I literally read every word in every one of your emails, for the simple reason that, if not for better ones, I have to translate all your emails into English so they can be put online and be shared with non-Chinese speakers who want to be kept informed of the project.
I truly enjoy translating your emails. On one hand, it is a easy job because your emails are always written in a simple, concise, and straightforward style, almost the reverse of typical CCTV news style. Mr. Wu's emails are also terse and vigorous. On the other hand, it takes some efforts to translate your words because when the more lively the source language is the harder the translator has to work to bring out the original feel¡. In summary, translating your emails is more difficult than translating official documents, which can be so dry that no translation can possibly be done worse.
I'd like to thank Prof. Deng for his efforts to bring most of our filmmakers to Guangzhou. This is going to be the biggest gathering of the participants of the project for more than six months. I myself will be excited to see you again after all these months and to view your footages and discuss future shooting plans with you and Mr. Wu. Until about six months ago, I was fully engaged in my job with the EU project and could not spare much time and energy for the project. So we should feel thankful for Mr. Wu for his relentless efforts during the implementation of the project. Since the closure of the EU project, Mr. Wu and I have been exploring new ways to carry the project further¡. Look forward to seeing you all in Guangzhou.
I have many other things to say, about Old Jia's co-op, Ms. Shao's misfortune, and Zhang Huancai's article¡. But given that in a few days, I myself will have to translate all these into English, please allow me to save them for the future. It is better to eat little but often than to eat more than one could in one meal.
Wu (Nov. 13)
In ten days we will have a reunion in Guangzhou. So far we will certainly have eight villager filmmakers with us in the conference. I have talked with Nong Ke, Wang Wei, Ms. Shao, and Old Fu on the phone. Please tell us when you will be arriving so the conference organizer can send someone to meet you at the station. Please make sure that you arrive on Nov. 23.
I have to say sorry to Sgrol Ma and Yi Chujian for not being able to invite them over. I believe that we will meet again some other time.
I believe you have read Jian Yi's email. Jian Yi used to be a lecturer at China Communication University and later employed by the EU project for three years before its closure this past May. He is now self-employed, making his own documentaries and working with Caochangdi for the villagers' documentary project. We discussed how we could push this project forward. He and I together drafted English proposals and he translates your emails into English on voluntary basis as the project does not have any money to pay. He is going to take care of his own expenses for his incoming trip to Guangzhou.
Pei Yanfeng from Caochangdi will also be with me in Guangzhou.
Good news: CCTV finally will be able to materialize their promise to pay you. They gave us countless excuses for postponing the payment, not because they did not want to pay but because CCTV is a huge bureaucracy where they can hardly pay attention to things like this. Having been harrassed by us repeatedly, they finally will pay us so we can take the cash and pay you in Guangzhou. Every one of you is promised RMB 1,000 and will eventually get 960, after tax deduction.
Sgrol Ma and Yi Chujian, how can we pay you? Sgrol Ma, please let us know your new address or bank account. Yi Chujian, do you want us to buy books for you with this money or do you want it to be sent to you via money order?
No. 53, Nov. 6, 2006
Zhang Huancai (Oct. 30)
Thank you for your compliments. As a matter of fact, I first have to consider making a living before thinking about taking the time to shoot. Moreover, I cannot shoot in an open manner. That is the best I can do - you know - being with my fellow migrant workers for only a couple of weeks is not enough to dismiss their suspicion and antipathy toward camera.So I couldn't take it light. And perhaps because of the time constrains, I missed some really good shots.I did not explore deep enough the topics I am tackling.It seems like I cannot live up to my own expectations.
If only five people can go to Guangzhou, I would rather see someone else take my place.
Weng Diedie (Nov. 1)
I have forwarded your contact info to the rural community project.Thank you for your support. A few questions on the training of villager filmmakers: What kind of training activities did you offer to the villagers?What should the organizer pay special attention to during the training? What kind of video cameras did you give to the villagers?
Fu Jiachong (Nov. 5)
I have read your emails. I would love to attend the conference in Guangzhou.I will be glad to have such an opportunity to learn and exchange ideas.
I have received your new tapes and have been shooting with them.
Lets talk on the phone should anything else come up.
Jia Zhitan (Nov. 6)
My reflections on Lanxi Orange Co-Op of Shimen County
The positive part:
1. Raise members' income from orange sales by over 50 percent straight away.
2. Members can learn new technology and professional know-how in the DV Room on a regular basis.
3. Respect the democratic rights of the members.
4. Clients swarm to the co-op as they think it provides them with efficient and good quality service.
5. Clients think the co-op is more reliable than individual sellers because it is an NGO with juridical status.
The challenges:
1. The local government does not give sufficient support.
2. Be short of young talents.
3. Lack managerial experience. Learned some lessons.
4. Lack financial input.
Wu (Nov. 6)
First thing first, the conference in Guangzhou: After careful discussion with Prof. Deng, we decided to invite seven villager filmmakers over to the conference. The conference covers travel expenses for five and accommodations for all seven of them while Caochangdi takes care of travel costs for two.
The seven invitees are:
Jia Zhitan, Wang Wei, Shao Yuzhen, Nong Ke, Zhou Cengjia, Fu Jiachong, Zhang Huancai. We have to say sorry to Ni Lianghui, Tshe Ring Sgrol Ma and Yi Chujian, whom are not invited this time. I hope you understand the financial difficulties of the organizer. Prof. Deng has done more than he can already to have seven people on the invitation list. I believe there will be other opportunities for you in the future.
So the seven invitees, could you please arrange for your train ticket (hard sleeper) to be bought so you will be arriving at Guangzhou on Nov. 23? After you get the ticket, let us know your train number and arrival time so the organizer can send somebody to meet you at the station. The conference lasts between 24 th and 26th and you will be leaving Guangzhou on 27th. We will reimburse you for your ticket to come and will buy your return ticket for you.
Please open the attachment to this email to see the itinerary and agenda of the conference. Let us know if you have any questions.
The following is the response to your questions:
I agree with what Zhang Huangcai proposed as making a living first and shooting second. Nobody makes a film while starving. This is true to almost all independent documentary filmmakers in this country, including the professionals. I am totally with you on the notion that shooting is always something you do on the side, a continuation of life itself, like keeping a journal or having a hobby. Do not turn yourself into a professional. You will do no good to yourself by doing that.
When you shoot, do it in an open manner. Be frank to whom you are shooting. If they are fine with it, go ahead. If not, then just forget it. Of course when you ask for their permission, do it in the same familiar way that you pat them on the back in daily life. I believe you know what I mean. You are one of them. Few of your fellow workers is going to give you a rough time.
In response to Weng, our training was not complicated. At first, there was the training on the basics of using a video camera, which takes at most an hour. We reiterated to the villager filmmakers that the camera they received was a fool-proof one which anyone with two hands can learn to how to use. We wanted to get the burden off their mind so they would not look up to the camera as some sophisticated high-tech gadget. We then gave them two class assignments: first one to shoot landscape and second to shoot footage of a person. Either of the footages had to be within five to eight minutes in length. We then screened their assignments, analyzed and discussed them together. That was the basic trainings we offered. We bought them Panasonic home video camera, each with a worth of some RMB 4,000, indeed nothing fancy.
Old Fu told me over the phone that he has completed shooting of several topics. I suggested that he carry on shooting the school and the elderly lady in need. I told him that he did not have enough time to depict the school in his first film because the film was mainly about the village committee and that now he could feel freer to use footages that were previously left out and continue shooting more on this topic.
We now have all got to read what Old Jia thinks as the advantages and challenges of having his co-op. I actually suggested to him over the phone that he should write about it and pass on the experience to others. We will listen more to what he will have to say when we meet in Guangzhou.
Let's talk more later.
No. 52, Oct. 29, 2006
Zhang Huancai (Oct. 23)
It was great to hear from Wang Wei, who was the last villager filmmaker to speak out in this email exchange. I hope that we all will exchange information by speaking as we wish, like we did at Caochangdi.
I was concentrating on shooting My Name is Pepper-Picker. I plan to shoot a few more "nobodies." I am still at the stage of negotiating. Guess one always has to make efforts to do what he likes. The only risk is if I can or cannot rub my wife the right way to get her support.
In shooting pepper-pickers, I heard a lady said "men are elusive." [In some Chinese dialects the two words are homophonic. -- translator] What a maxim! I too am going to be elusive before my wife.
Jian Zhitan (Oct. 24)
Dear all,
Huancai asked me how to start a co-op. To be honest, I am not sure mine will eventually be successful so lets wait till the end of the year when the national co-op law passes.We then will talk more.
I cannot wait to read Prof. Qin Hui's article Mr. Wu mentioned in his last email. I hope all of you will read it.
Having known Mr. Wu for more than a year, we all appreciate the trust and support he provides us. He sent me ten more new tapes. I think owe it to Mr. Wu and all of you to carry on shooting my fledgling co-op.
Weng Diedie (Oct. 24)
Thank you for recommending the article on Southern Weekend. I found its perspectives rather inspiring.I have been busy with a local community media activity lately. It takes faith and patience to get anything done.
Can I give your contact info to a Chinese organization planning a rural community media project? They have heard of the villager documentary project and do have questions to ask.
Ni Lianghui (Oct. 28)
It feels really good to anticipate what will be there when I open the mail box. It has been a year since we first met in Beijing. Although it is still rather warm here in Guangdong, I miss the landscape of the north, because it gives me the inner warmth. With your help I have learned so much in the past years. I want to thank everyone and would like to remind fellow villager filmmakers the blessed fall of last year.
Wu (Oct. 29)
Hi folks! I am taking a break from work back in my home city in Yunnan. It has been a hectic year. I finished work at the end of October and came back home to be with my mom, take a rest, and contemplate on the coming year's work.
Ni Lianghui remembers that we started the project at Caochangdi this time last year. The best commemoration of this will be that we all continue to live well and to shoot in our spare time. The EU project is now over but the villagers' documentary project, as we discussed before, carries on under Caochangdi Workstation. Of course, Jian Yi also continues with us. He has finished his job with the EU and has thus become a free-lancer. Jian Yi is making his own documentaries while continues to be our partner in the new phase of the villagers' documentary project. Other friends we made during the process of the project, for instance, Prof. Deng of Sun Yet-Sen University, Wu Yanhua of Popular DV magazine, NYU professor Angela Zito and Weng Diedie, who studies in the US, continues to give us their supports.
Weng, feel free to ask people from the rural community media project to contact me.
Old Jia called us the other day. We talked a lot over the phone, mainly about his co-op. According to Jia, his co-op is forging ahead amidst many challenges. They indeed have seen the advantages of having such an organization. I suggested to Jia that he should sit down and write a journal of his experiences, say those advantages and challenges. Jia said that he kept shooting the entire process of his co-op, which I think is very good.
Zhang Huancai keeps shooting on diverse topics. It is good that he shoots at work. That's what they say "from the people, to the people." I believe that these cumulative footages will be of great value in the future.
We had hoped to invite you over to Caochangdi for a new post-production editing workshop at the end of this year. We have to postpone it owing to financial difficulties. Lets hope that we can do it early next year, probably after the Rural New Year. Please keep shooting footages and tell us when you use up your tapes.
I would like to tell you a little more about the visual anthropology conference organized by Prof. Deng at Sun Yat-Sen University. As I have told you before, Prof. Deng has exerted himself to come up with funding so all of you can go. Deng wrote me the other day, saying that they would invite you over but the number of invitees has to be limited to five, owing to short of funding. It is of course my wish as well Deng's that all the ten villager filmmakers can go, because we believe it will be a very good opportunity for learning and idea exchanges. I also know, however, that it is already not easy for Deng to invite a limited number of people over and that only someone like Prof. Deng, who knows the project and its people, will exerted all his powers to make whatever possible to happen. I am discussing with Deng if he can invite more villager filmmakers to attend on the condition that Caochangdi covers your travel expenses and the conference takes care of lodging and food. I will keep you informed of this. The conference starts on Nov. 23rd for signing in and lasts between 24th and 26 th. Please also notify us should you already know that you will not be able to attend this conference.
No.50, October 6, 2006
Zhou Cengjia (Oct. 3)
Wish all of you at Caochangdi triple joy in the three festivals to come.
Don't worry about mailing me the tapes if you're busy. Congratulations to Old Jia for his success. You set us a good model.
Jia Zhitan (Oct. 4, quoting newspaper report) [only main points are translated]
A recent national symposium on rural issues discussed a sensitive question: allow peasants to have their own organizations. It is reported that later in October the National People's Congress will debate on such a law and hopefully it will be passed by the end of the year. The law will ensure the legal status of peasants-run co-ops.
The omnipresence of state power and the government's direct involvement in all walks of life led to serious problems in the countryside. Unorganized peasants are left in a disadvantaged state and cannot be counted as an effective interest group.
There is a great need to increase political accessibilities for peasants and to enhance their political participations. As the topic of peasants' associations remains to be political sensitive, despite proposals by academics to resume them, such organizations are yet to enter the agenda of policy-makers. Many have actually questioned the absence of peasants' associations by referring to the Labor Union, which represents the workers; the Youth League, which represents the young people; and the Women's Federation, which represents the women.
In the context of the present time, peasants' association should be regarded as organization representing the interests of peasants. This should by no means be regarded as the peasants' associations aiming to overthrow government during the revolutions.
Tshe Ring Sgrol Ma (Oct. 5)
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to you all!
Old Mei (Oct. 6)
Dear tutors and friends, happy Mid-Autumn Festival! May you have a happy family reunion!
Wu (Oct. 6)
Good wishes to you all for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Hope all goes well.
No.49, October 2, 2006
Zhou Cengjia (Sept. 25)
I did researches in five villages trying to find a good location for the DVD Room. There isn't any public space in four of the villages and I don't think my own village is ideal either.
Thank you for loading me with my tapes. Please excuse me if I cannot live up to your expectations.
Perhaps, we (except Old Jia) all share Lianghui's concerns and anxieties.
A Letter Forwarded by Old Jia (Sept. 27)
Dear Director Jia,
I am a student member of the Rural Studies Association at the Central-South Forestry Polytechnic University. I heard of your Orange Co-op while doing my internship in the Hebei Yanyangchu Village Development College and was impressed with what you have achieved. Our association organizes study tours to villages during school breaks and we wonder if we could organize such a trip to your place in the coming fall break so we can study your experience. We would appreciate if you could kindly agree to give us such an opportunity to learn. My number is 13203305940.
With best wishes,
Li Dianbin
Secretary General, Rural Studies Association, Central-South Forestry Polytechnic University
Old Mei (Oct. 1)
Wish all of you a good National Day break and a pleasant Mid-Autumn Festival.
Jia Zhitan (Oct. 1)
Wish you a good time in the holiday.
Our Co-Opt keeps moving forward thanks to supports from you and others. For me, it is real hard work though. I now have my share of hardship as an entrepreneur.
It is the season for orange sales. Much like last year, disputes and fights have begun in the market.
Please let me know what my camera should focus on and whether I should let the camera run for an entire day. How many tapes do I need to capture a full day's events?
I am running out of tapes. Please send me more if you can. If not, I will try to buy some myself.
Wu (Oct. 2)
May all of you have a good holiday. Good luck with everything in life, work and especially your filming.
Old Zhou, you should know that Old Jia isn't having an easy time either. I truly admire Jia for his persistence in making documentaries while pushing the ground-breaking Co-Op to happen. I believe that we will see his endeavors result in remarkable achievements. I too will draw inner strength from Old Jia.
At Caochangdi, we will organize an art festival, staging eight performances presented by two overseas and five domestic troupes. Plus, there will be documentary film screenings, workshops and talks. All these will keep us busy until the 16th, after which we will move on to Shanghai to give more performances. All of us are busy like hell at the moment.
Old Zhou, we're really sorry that we had to delay posting you the tapes. We will do it soon. We will send you more tapes too, Old Jia. Simply let us know if you need more. It is hard for me to put into words what you should focus on in your shooting. Follow your instinct while shooting.
No.48, September 25, 2006
Zhou Cengjia (Sept. 17th)
I roamed about for three weeks in a row and achieved very little more than a few wasted tapes. I am now done with all the five tapes I brought back from Caochangdi in May. Given how little I have managed to get done so far, I regret that I failed to live up to your expectations and would hate to ask you for more tapes.
Mr. Wu, could you please resend to everyone the story of the Kuomingtang veteran soldier I wrote in my last email? I look forward to hearing more suggestions from folks here.
Zhou Cengjia (Sept. 19th)
Mr. Wu, please send me more tapes and film as soon as you can. I have recycled all those that could be reused and am idling around waiting for more tapes. Do you have more advice?
I had wanted to build the DV Room in town to maximize its impact. It seems like this will not work out. Can I build the DVD Room in Shanlian village office instead? You have photos of the office from last year's contest.
NI Lianghui (Sept. 25th)
Sorry for having not written emails as I have been busy. I am writing to say express a few thoughts on the living conditions of migrant workers.
Living conditions of migrant workers have without doubt improved significantly but unfortunately fail to keep pace with the nation's development. I once met a migrant worker from Hunan who had not had a haircut for four months simply because his factory was gravely understaffed and the workers always had to work overtime, which left them with very little time for anything more than work and sleep. I have met other workers like this friend.They have to toil day in and day out and are left with little time for rest or pastime. I am not much different from them. I have to open store at 8 am and close it at 11 pm. I have to get up at 6:30 am during weekdays to escort my kid to school. How little time there is for me! Our municipal TV station sent people to visit me in June after they saw my documentary on TV. They encouraged me to keep up the good work. They did not, however, respond to the above-mentioned proposal of mine. I really would like to explore the possibility of making a documentary about the migrant workers. Mr. Wu, I would appreciate your advice on this since you have done a great project named Dancing with the Migrant Workers before. One other question of mine comes from the fact that migrant workers are suspicious of strangers. I wonder how you managed to complete your project last time. Well, apart from these questions, the biggest one comes from the limit of time and the fact that my family does not support me. Will write you more later.The Internet bar is going to close.
Wu (Sept. 25th)
Old Zhou, we have bought the new tapes you asked for and will send them to you shortly. As far as I know Shalian Village office is very far from where you live so it is not realistic for you to go there for DV Room on a regular basis. The best location for the DV Room I envision is your home village. If you are able to set it in town, fine. If not, wait till you can.
I suppose everybody understands the difficult conditions of migrant workers, which Ni Lianghui discussed in his email. My advice is that you film migrant workers from your home village. You yourself belong to this community and you can approach your fellow villagers more easily. It is where you can begin. As far as time limit and lack of family support are concerned, you will have figure out how you will solve these problems in the context of your own life. How to keep documenting on top of daily chores is a common problem all villager filmmakers face. Ms. Shao paid us a visit the other day and told us that she keeps shooting between work loads and that she never quits filming. I interpret what she said as documentary-making with DV has become part of her life. Thus what used to be difficulties are not difficult any longer.
As a matter of fact, except a very small number of privileged ones, most documentary filmmakers have to attend to other businesses to make a living besides filmmaking.
This much understood, we all face similar problems and will have to come up with our own solutions.
No.47, September 16, 2006
Zhou Cengjia (Sept. 07)
I am excited to see so many email exchanges among us.
I roamed the roads with my DV camera. On Sept. 4th, I went into a household to ask for some drinking water and met a man and his son. The father is 90-ish and the son 51. I learned from our chat that the father had fought in a battle to guard Shanghai from Japanese invaders during the Second World War. He was forced to become a soldier at the age of 18 and fought in several southern provinces before participating in the battle to protect Shanghai . He later got wounded and was hospitalized for more than eight months¡. The father does not remember the exact date he got back home but he does remember he came back in patient's uniform. He also remembers that his division commander married a homely lady and got a quick promotion because his father-in-law was a general. I asked the father for evidence to prove his experiences and was told that his only evidence to prove his war experience was confiscated before the Cultural Revolution.
I think this elderly veteran should be better taken care of by our government. Regardless of which army he was in (Kuomingtang or Communist), he fought against foreign invaders and was wounded because of that. A great many of his fellow soldiers died while fighting for the nation. This veteran needs to get what he deserves. His name is Xiong Zhengming. He lives in Pingjiang county of Hunan province. I hope that the words can get to the Kuomingtang (National) Party heads in Taiwan.
I have spent one and half hours to type the above words into this computer of the internet caf¨¦. I hope what I am doing now will help the elderly veteran. Best wishes to you all.
Fu Jiachong (Sept. 15)
Hi folks. We have completed the village road leading to the town. I am excited to see people enjoy a more convenient transportation to town for shopping. We are now busy with the village's forestry project. I will send you my footage concerning the construction of the road.
Can I have ten more new video tapes?
Wu (Sept. 16)
Huangcai, thank you for sending us your article entitled "Stories of the Old Wall Slogans." We like it a lot. Have you taken photos of all the wall slogans you mentioned in the article? It will be great if you have. We will share your article with everyone on our website.
BTW, you should not keep your still cameras idle either. Shoot anything you like. Let us know if you need more film and we will mange to send you more. Still cameras and DV cameras are two different tools and are not interchangeable. I hope that you will continue to use both. Please also help us check if the other villager photographers in your village are still working with their cameras. We will also support them with new film should there be needs.
Old Zhou, we understand why you make the efforts to tell us the story of the veteran. Old Fu, we will soon send you the video tapes you asked for. Tell us when you receive them.
China Education TV aired a forty-minute version of the documentary Seen and Heard two weeks ago. We received more than sixty phone calls from villager audience in a few days followed. The callers all expressed their interest in participating in future project like this. We are deeply moved by their enthusiasm. Below is one of the letters we received.
Dear project staff,
I found out about your project on TV. I saw documentaries made by fellow villagers and think that your project will do a lot of good because it reflects true lives.
I am a veteran soldier from Nanyang, Henan. I have been working as a migrant worker in [the coastal city of] Ningbo for over three years. I gradually fell in love with this city. Having learned about your project, I hope that I too can also join and start documenting the true lives of the migrant workers with a DV camera. I wonder what the requirements are for people wanting to join the project and whether I would be lucky enough to be selected for your next project. Please find my basic personal data and contact information below.
Name: Jin Wei Gender: Male Date of Birth: 02/1981
Cell phone number: 13957886675
Mailing address: Rm 5-508, Century Jinmao Tower, # 158 Baizhang Rd., Ningbo, Zhejiang
No.46,September 4,2006
Zhang Huancai (September 2)
I appreciate Mr. Wu's commentary about appeals and I know exactly how weak a peasant's voice can be. In this country nobody listens to us.
As far as doing practical work is concerned, I choose to make documentaries. I document what I really want to voice an opinion about.
I have not received your tapes yet. I guess it takes time.
Congratulations on Sgrol Ma's recent achievements.
Shao Yuzhen (September 2)
I saw your emails in my brother's house on 18th and tried to send you two emails back. Since then I had been busy doing farm work at home, until my son came back home yesterday and brought me print-outs of your new emails. Again, thank you for all your concerns.
I need to farm almost every single day, working on my crops. It is now fall, the season for harvest. Every now and then I have to go and trade some eggplants and peanuts for cash. So do all the other villagers. The only difference between me and them is that I have a digital video camera. I am leading a more fulfilling life.
Thank you for offering me more tapes. I will go and fetch them at Caochangdi when I am free. I then can also say hi to my friends there. I miss you all, especially Hui Feng. Do come and visit me sometime. It is not far.
My son has already helped me assemble a computer. I will practice on it whenever I find time.
Ni Lianghui (September 4)
I did not have time to get online as I was busy with finding the missing girl. I checked my emails today and realized that there were so many messages waiting.
After two trips up to Beijing,Old Jia has already set up his own co-op. I look up to him as a role model for us.
I also feel thankful to Prof. Deng for his arrangement of our presentations at Sun Yat-sen University.
My congratulations also go to Yi Chujian, Ms.Shao, Sgrol Ma, Zhang Huancai, Zhou Cengjia, Party Secretary Fu, all of whom have made continuous efforts in order to forge ahead.
Wu (September 4)
It was great to find Ni Lianghui's message among the email exchanges for the first time. Nong Ke and Wang Wei are so far the only folks who have not written yet. Wang Wei may still need time to figure out how his email account works, while Nong Ke can receive no more emails with his account because it might have been frozen after one month's inactivity. All emails sent to Nong Ke's account bounced back. I will try and contact both of them and help them register a new account so they can hear what the other have to say.
Old Fu called us the other day, inquiring about fees CCTV promised you for their airing. They do act very slowly. Every time we called them, they assured us on the phone that everything is going well "according to the procedure." Don't worry. I guess we have to have patience for them. We will keep urging them.
Ms. Shao, come and fetch your tapes when you find time. Ni Lianghui, how have you been doing with your shooting plan since we talked about it over the phone last time? You told me that it is more convenient for you to shoot at where you live now rather than your home village. We do not have any objection to that choice of yours as long as you keep focusing on the lives of those villagers living in the city, just like yourself. We can talk more about it anytime you feel like it.
No. 45, August 30, 2006
Huifeng (August 19)
I was very pleased to read all the email exchanges among folks. Uncle Jia, thanks for remembering what I was longing for doing, but I now realize that studying abroad may not be the most important or the most feasible thing to do. I was glad to read Aunt Shao's first comments. I also tried to teach my mom how to use the Internet and found that the elderly are paranoid about breaking the "expensive" computer and tend to ask questions immediately if they see some changes on the screen.
Tshe Ring Sgrol Ma (August 22)
Dear all, it's been a while since I last checked my emails and I was amazed to see how much you guys have achieved during this period and how relatively little I have done myself. I have shot all those different footages without having been able to completed any of their editing. My laptop stops working if I use it for long. I have been negotiating with some local NGOs, trying to persuade them to let me use their desktops. I hope this gets settled soon. BTW, I'm going to present my previous works in a Taiwanese film festival on an invitation from Southern Taiwan Art Institute. Mr. Wu, may I ask if I could present the Spirit Mountains in addition to my previous works? We'll be there to represent the Community Unit of the Yunnan Multi-Culture Visual Festival (Yunfest). We're still not sure though if we will eventually be able to make it there, as travel arrangements with our local authorities are complicated. FYI, this year's Yunfest has announced their call for proposals on http://www.yunfest.org/yunfest07/announce.htm. Feel free to enter in your video works if you have any.
2007 Yunfest also has a Community Unit, in which I think what we have produced fit. The problem is that the participants will have to pay for all their travel expenses. In 2005 participants of the Community Unit were all sponsored by their recommending agencies and organizations. So I'm wondering if Mr. Wu can come up with some funding for a few of the folks here you would like to recommend for Yunfest. We then will have an opportunity to meet up in Yunnan. This much for today ¨C need to go down to the villages with some filmmakers ¨C this time me as an actress. I realized only when I was here in the hometown that I know so many people around. There're people coming up to my place every week with proposals that I cannot refuse. Haha, I guess Tibetans can never learn how to say 'no'.
Zhang Huangcai (August 30)
Thank you all for your support.
I just completed three tapes of footage in a pepper-growing mountainous region. I'm quite satisfied with the output of those a dozen of days.
There were five new email messages waiting for me when I came back. I was excited to read Ms. Shao's email telling us that she has recovered. I hope that she has also recovered from psychological trauma. It is important to raise greater public awareness about the rights of the peasants. As peasants we should fight for our own interests. I believe my fellow villagers on this list will all agree with what I said.
I also read Old Jia's email. I admire his entrepreneurial spirit and wish his co-op all the best in their future endeavors.
Zhou Cengjia (August 30)
First please allow me to ask why I couldn't see in the listserv my email sent in August? Did I operated incorrectly? I'm thinking of taking a month off from work, take up my camera and hang around. We should perhaps consider a new location for the Villager DV Room. I keep my fingers crossed. Hope I can find someone who understands or with whom I can work together.
Sorry, folks, that I've been in Europe since 21st. Our Living Dance Studio is touring three art festivals here. We also presented villager documentaries and pictures during the festivals. These presentations met with an enthusiastic audience. We were told by our audience that they felt as if they had met the villager filmmakers and photographers in person when they viewed these works, which are so much different than what professionals can produce.
I'm at Zurich at the moment. Internet access isn't easy on the road. I'll try my best to get online and keep in touch with all of you though.
For your question, Sgrol Ma, I think there should be no question about you presenting your own film. I'm also very happy that you'll be able to do it. It's of course my hope too that villager documentaries will be screened in the Yunfest. If the filmmaker themselves can go, their interaction with the audience will be exciting. As far as the costs are concerned, however, I'm afraid that I do not have better ideas than you do. I hope that at least some of you guys can make it to Professor Deng's event at Sun Yat-sen University in the coming November. I'm truly grateful that Prof. Deng was able to come up with the funding.
Old Zhou, I checked your last email message. It was dated end of July, rather than August.
Huancai mentioned the awareness raising of peasants' rights. In my view, oral expressions of this appeal have never come short in the past years. The outcomes, however, are far from optimistic. Important as oral appeals are, I think it is also important that we as individuals strive to create certain space and try to express and realize what might be possible. The key issue about the villagers' documentary project is the rising of civic awareness, or in simple words: "through lenses I want to say and express something."
This is merely the beginning and we cannot expect to solve many real problems at this stage. Yet our efforts may at least serve as a catalyst for changes. Ms. Shao is a vivid example of this possibility for changes. Afraid of even speaking to the microphone, she now insists her rights to speak, with the assertiveness of an autonomous villager, never to be daunted by the "troubles." Old Jia shows us another example with his unique approach. He set up his co-op and DV Room after he returned to his home village, together with his fellow villagers, helping to create a better dynamics for changes. All these became possible as a result of working on real issues rather than appealing.
Huangcai, it's great that you carry on your film production while working outside your village. Old Zhou too also strives to continue his shooting. It must be fun to document people and what their doings around you in addition to completing chores. You voices will be heard by more.
Last week, China Central Education EV aired a shorter version of Seen and Heard, the documentary of the project it, reedited at Caochangdi. We have heard from many enthusiastic viewers ever since, sometimes a dozen of phones calls a day from villagers around the nation. They inquired the possibilities of joining the project.
I hope that all of you will continue your shooting, if it doesn't interfere with your household chores. Documenting is a slow process. When we can invite you to do postproduction editing in Beijing next time, the footages you will have complied will serve as a proof how effectively you have worked.
Huangcai and Ms. Shao, have you received the tapes we sent you? Does anybody else need more tapes? Let us know.
No.44,August 18,2006
Weng Diedie (August 17)
I have been back home for almost a week and have been busy with chores like house renting in the US. Congratulations on all the new development in your lives. I wish I could attend the international anthropology symposium in Guangzhou. All these make me wonder why on earth am I staying in the U.S. I look forward to reading the fourth volume of the Document. I finished Volume I on the train and am reading the second one. I feel I had never been as close as I was to the artists you interviewed for these books. For these artists, life is a continuous struggle for survival against lack of material well-being and against questioning of the public. They souls nevertheless seem always to rest on the pursuit of art. I certainly lack this spirit.
You brought up the issue of setting up an online documentary archive during our last conversation. I have already written to ask the professor who is working on this and will let you know as soon as I hear back from him.
I thoroughly enjoyed Caochangdi's simple but warm artistic atmosphere. I was thrilled to meet this gleefully busy Wenhui.
Shao Yuzhen (August 18)
I had had no chance to play with a computer until visited my younger brother yesterday and was thrilled to read this listserv for the first time. Thank you for asking about me all this time and came and visited me in my most difficult times. You have given me courage to carry on with my DV production.
I have been busy with farming lately, apart from receiving journalists. I also found time to go out and shoot footage. I have used up all my DV tapes and am considering if I should recycle previous tapes. I have completed shooting the entire process of watermelon planting. I would like to edit these footages when there is a chance. I also plan to make a video on what I feel about being a filmmaker in the past year so I can share my experience with others. This is still an idea. I am not sure if I could complete it. I need more self-confidence. I hope that I can get more advice from you.
You must have been very busy lately.
Please take good care of yourself.
Wu (August 18)
I was excited to read Ms. Shao's email ¨C first time ever. It was more exciting than eating Ms. Shao's watermelon. Ms. Shao might still need to ask someone else to type in the message for her. It is all right as long as you make us feel that we are together all along.
It was great to hear that Ms. Shao continues shooting. Don't worry about what your films turn out to be in the end. At the end of the day, what matters is that you really want to do it. You will have more faith for yourself if you are doing something you like.
Tell us whenever you have exhausted your tapes. We are always ready to give you more. We are starting to tour Europe in the coming Monday and will not be back until early September. We will prepare ten tapes for you before we leave and you are welcome to come and fetch them whenever you find time. We will have people here at Caochangdi. Just give us a ring before you come.
Ms. Shao, it will be great if you can continue writing emails. We can easily call each other as we both are in Beijing , but I guess others want to hear from you too.
Weng, I am glad that you enjoyed Caochangdi. I wish that you had been here in the past May, when the villager filmmakers were here editing films, discussing issues, etc.-an exciting time of the year.
No.43, August 17,2006
Zhang Huancai (August 15)
Again there is good news. Thanks to Prof. Deng, we will be blessed with the opportunity to visit Sun Yat-sen University. How fortunate we are!
I have shot some more footage at my home village lately. Farmers are harvesting corns.?The corns reminded me of the election I filmed last year. How time flies! Almost a year has gone by. Oh I wish I could always achieve more in the lapse of time.
I am thinking of finding some odd jobs outside my village. I can continue filming my life while doing these jobs. I am running out of blank tapes. Could Mr. Wu please provide some more support on this?
Deng Qiyao (August 15)
A few more words on Wu and me: We were roommates back in college. A fan of motion pictures, I started a course on visual anthropology after I found the teaching job in college.
Wu invited me to serve on the panel of judges for the evaluation of this documentary project. I enjoy reading your news and stories in this listserv, which I regard as a continuation of the documentary project. I have tried to put my thoughts about it into written words and would like to share them with you when I complete. I hope to share with you also works of my students in November.
I was entitled to manage one sub-topic (visual anthropology) of the conference in November (23th? 25th? ¨C27th). I have secured RMB 50,000 yuan of funding and am quite positive about providing funding for half of the villager filmmakers to participate in this conference in Guangzhou. Since overall budget is limited, I cannot spare any funding for the scholars who are going to attend. I am sure they are more experienced in coming up with money for such events. I would like the key topic for the discussions to be Villager Documentary Project, which broke new ground in the field of visual anthropology.
Jia Zhitan (August 16)
Dear Prof. Deng,
On behalf of all members of our co-op, I thank you for your kind support.
Trying to document the development of our co-op, I have already completed 21 tapes of footages since its Day One.
Our co-op is the first non-governmental organization in Shimen county and one of the few true NGOs of the province. We have experienced the best and the worst.
I also try to keep a journal in the little spare time I have found.
I will feel honored if I will make it to Sun Yat-sun University. I believe it will be a precious learning experience for me.
With best wishes, Jian Zhitan
Jia Zhitan (August 17)
Dear Huancai,
My dear brother, thank you for your congratulations! You were doing artistic creations while I was creating the co-op. You are in the prime time of your life while my time is almost over. We both should keep up the good work.
I believe the co-op will live up to everybody's expectations, thanks to the full support of all members and their friends.
I am sure you will find inspirations for writing in our minor but rather realistic topic: the Lanxi Organge CO-Op Getting into Good Shape. With all my best wishes for your filming.
Wu (August 17)
Huangcai, the tapes you asked for were already bought. We have already sent ten new ones to your address. Let us know when you need more.
I must thank Old Deng for his continuous support for our villager filmmakers. Since April, the films from the project have been screened at various events but none of the sponsors of these events could spare funds for the villager filmmakers to be there to present the films. Given the limited budget of an academic event, Old Deng must have gone out of his way to come up with some funding for the filmmakers. We really appreciate your thoughtfulness. The book we proposed includes the synopsis of the ten shorts and journals of the ten villager filmmakers.There will also be a section which includes pictures taken by 100 villager photographers as well as a final section introducing the works of the ten young directors. The total number of Chinese characters of this book is estimated to be between 130,000 and 160,000. These plus some 350 photos will make a book of some 300 pages. We still have not found any publisher who could publish this book.
No.33, July 1, 2006
Zhou Cengjia (June 29)
[¡] Village Committee chairman Wu Aiguo (protagonist of Zhou's first short) has a big mouth!?Our county party and government authorities were amazed how a clumsy peasant, supposedly a "layman" of filmmaking, knew the tricks of DV cameras, how could his documentary get aired on the CCTV, especially given the fact that the documentary threw positive light on the local authorities¡. The local authorities, therefore, have bent their minds to getting a copy of the CCTV-12 program and airing it on the county TV. They have haunted me with many phone calls asking for help. I too can only turn to you for help. Because you have made all these possible in the past, you have to help me out this time. Without your unprecedented efforts, I could have been living a banal life still.
I have to find another place for the DV Room for I cannot find someone to take care of the current location.It's sad and frustrating that things do not move well on as we hoped. I have to exert myself or there will be risks, especially when my little dime store is also facing changes.
I have not yet received my fees from CCTV ¨C nothing has been heard from then. Perhaps, this is the typical style of government agencies.
The DVD copies I have do not always play well.Sometimes they pause without a reason. Perhaps I accidentally crushed them on my way back? For this reason I cannot give one copy to the Village Committee chairman. I haven't shot anything yet. For me, it's either nothing or something genuinely powerful. I wonder if I'm courageous enough.
Wu Wenguang (June 29)
Old Zhou, I have contacted CCTV-12 regarding what you said. They'll send you a DVD copy of their program soon, together with another DVD copy of all villagers' films. I'd rather that you do not give the latter to the county authorities, in fear of they getting overexcited and airing all of them.
As far as your DV Room is concerned, my advice is that you move on slowly with good patience. Its success takes time, as all good things do. Projects like the Villager Documentary especially tests our patience, which I think I have more now than before. China's villages have crawled on so slowly for so long. What we are trying to do is so insignificant so we need to be patient about how fast it can crawl into the village culture. The verb"fly" has never come across my mind.
Fu Jiachong (July 1)
I still haven't got my fees yet. Could you please urge them? Thanks!
(Wu Wenguang, in response to Fu Jiachong)
Old Fu, I'm wondering what you referred to when you said "fees." In May, Caochangdi has sent you and the award-winning photographers of your village cash awards for your film and photos, along with a fee of RMB 1,000 paid to you by the China Education TV. If this is the money you refer to, we will immediately check with the post office as we have the postal receipt with us. Plus, if Popular DV used any of your photos, it should have sent you some cash too. CCTV-12 promised to send each villager filmmaker RMB 1,000 for using their films. They might not have sent it out. We'll urge them if you want.
So please tell us, which fees you have not yet received. We then can help you check.