Gus Van Sant and Jiang Wen

I saw a great film today called "Milk" directed by Gus Van Sant. It's a very powerful film. There is a strong message for all human beings in the world - "Have a hope to live your own life!" Such an uplifting film!!

"Gus Van Sant and Jiang Wen"  - it sounds that there are not many connections, but I know at least one. They use the same studio to do their post-production!! hahaha... I recall when I visited a studio where Jiang Wen was editing "The Sun Also Rises 太阳照常升起" in Paris, I saw they were chatting and I briefly greeted Gus Van Sant there. He was editing "Paranoid Park" at the time.

The head in the middle is in the way,  actually it is Mr. Jiang Wen laoshi's ...

Then Gus Van Sant's next feature film is this amazing film "Milk"!!  He must have been thinking about his next film "Milk" at the time he was editing "Paranoid Park". If I had known it, I would have talked a lot about the film with him then!!!

It was the first time to see how the process of post production works. Actually, I normally work in a location or set while filming. Once I worked in a pre-production in Lu Chuan's "Nanking! Nanking! 南京!南京!" . So basically I didn't know what's going on after filming. I was very excited, but I soon realized it's a very complicated and time-consuming process. So,the hard work is not confined to the filming.. Everyone is very busy and gets nervous.... Thank you for Jiang Wen laoshi inviting me in such circumustance. I learned a lot from it. 

Having lunch with everyone outside was maybe the only relaxing time for them.

Nonetheless, their job has been completed, I was lucky to be there and share the champagne.

Thinking about Jiang Wen laoshi, I was just looking back at the pictures when I was working with him for "Devills on the Doorstep 鬼子来了" in 1998. It's been more than 10 years. "The time flies!!!" I scanned the pictures when I went back to my hometown in Japan last year so here they are. I'd like to share some of them. Enjoy!!

In the above picture I am still a drama school student in Beijing and my hair is still long. But we were sent to military training before the shooting...

But soon after, I had to get my hair done!! bye-bye my hair...

Happy memories before shooting.....

Filming on set.  I'm the one wearing glasses.

Each day the director discussed every detail before filming in order to get things as realistic and as good as possible.

Night scenes were shot until the following morning...

This location was on part of the Great Wall...

Sorry, David Wu 吴大维, I took the picture of you while you were sleeping on set...

The shooting started in the beginning of the summer, and ended up in the end of the winter. It started snowing, but it wasn't finished...

I added more pictures to share with you in the album here

http://www.alivenotdead.com/junichikajioka/film+-Devils+on+the+Doorstep%E9%AC%BC%E5%AD%90%E6%9D%A5%E4%BA%86-+by+Jiang+Wen%E5%A7%9C%E6%96%87-profile-350692.html?r_andhpphoto

It was the first feature film that I got involved in. Thinking about this film brings back many memories......