Be good, Andy Warhol

copyright@Sarah

Andy Warhol's Pop-Show at Taipei

"When he finally 'arrived' - after he had gotten rich and became a star - Warhol manifested the typical syptoms of a poor-boy-made-good.

Typical symptoms of a poor-boy-made-good

"During the week, he took on the role of provocateur, but on Sunday, he crept back into church. Warhol donated alms to ensure himself a place in heaven, but was irresponsible in paying his employees and helpers.

"A consummate Scrooge who appreciated nothing more than the crinckle of a crisp new dollar bill. An artist who loved money so much that he even painted it. A pretty bourgeois who slept on pillows filled with crumpled greenbacks. A pack rat who could not let anything go, who checked every bit of trash for fear that somenone might comb through it and start selling the content as souvenirs. A peacock who let himself be chauffeured around in a Rolls Royce, all the while complaining about his financial troubles.

"And yet at the same time, Andy Warhol was an extremely creative spirit who left almost no field of art untouched. He was a writer and a poet, a film-maker and photographer, and the founder and publisher of the now-legendary magazine Interview."

Are you famous?

That is Hans-Michael Koetzle, the author of PHOTO ICONS, talking about Andy Warhol. And I loved it.

Warhol once said that:"In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes." OK then. When is the future??? Warhol had succeeded achieving everything he wished to and the story developed in a rather different way.

Being a gay and a celebrity, Andy is popular - among his fellow artist friends or crazy fans who might dream to be rich and famous just like him. Yet his sexual-orientation is so disputable this this even has brought him enemies among whom was the guy who tried to end his life. Nonetheless, lucky Andy survived.

Being famous is dangerous.?.

Money-maker-Mr. Warhol

Warhol has been making money for his whole life, and as mentioned above, he loves money.

After he died at age 59 in 1987, mountains of pictures, antiques, and knickknacks that the social climber - forever plagued by insecurity about the future - had been auctioned. The ten-day auction in Sotheby's in NYC was a huge success. The auction house had underestimated the hammer price in almost every case.

Andy's ring, which was estimated at $2000 went for a final price of $28,000 and his candy jars with a market worth of around $2000, were sold for a total of $247,830. The entire estate got doubled over the estimated $15 million...

Warhol's friend Fran Lebovitz joked about Andy's possible reaction over this astonishing figure by saying "Andy must be furious that he is dead."

It was a happy ending, right?

Women Behind the Camera

copyright@Sarah

What does it feel like when you are doing the real job yet it is someone else who gets merits? Well, women behind the cameras experiece this everyday.

Women Behind the Camera is an independent documentary film featuring women who were and are working as camera women in film industry from over 100 countries. When the director was asked about the reason doing such a project, she said it was for herself and her fellow female colleges.

Prejudice towards women in social areas are prevalent, not mentioning in industries like film and journalists. When I set up my mind to be a photographer during my university years, my mentor Mr. Hong told me that to fulfill this dream may take away everything in my life. I thought he was just joking in a serious way. And it turned out that I was toally wrong, and the truth there is that I cannot break the glass ceiling all by myself.

According to a report carried out by Global Media Monitoring Project in 108 countries, women are still significantly underrepresented and misreprented in news media coverage.

This is not even a surprise.The report with a title 'Who Makes News' revealed that news media show significant gender bias with 46 percent  of news stories reinforcing gender stereotypes while  13 percent of news stories focused centrally on women.

This reminds me of many scenes and things. Like the girl I met on tube today, she was wearing a black gown covering her whole body except her bright eyes. Like my favourite novel Wuthering Heights' author Ms. Bronte had to publish her novel in a man's name. Well, prejudice has been exited for such a long time that a lots of women have already got used to it.

Put on your heels and let's fight. And things would change. According to the report, female reporters are responsible for 37% of stories compared to 28% fifteen years ago, adn their stories challenge gender stereotypes twice as often as stories by male reporters.

It is slow yet it is improving. When women behing the cameras could get the same reputation as their fellow male colleges, that would be the end of the story!

Mr. John Doe's inspiring talk

copyright@Sarah

Paul has arranged a visit with the Daily Telegraph for the whole class last Friday and it turned out to be an inspiring trip. 

Mr. John Doe (I do know the man's name yet he himself insisted being anonymous) from the Daily Telegraph has made a three-hour presentation on the British media giant in their posh conference room. And everybody there could feel the proudness in that man's chest.

Of course he should be - as a senior member of the best-selling broadsheet newspaper in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, being honest, the man's presentation was interesting - focusing on the group's business succuss and their smart way of boosting benefits fighting against world's economic downfall.

What I said about the "inspiring" thing is his sharing of British social hierarchy - although this maybe some kind of common sense to others living inside this society, it was totally a new concept to me.

According to this theory, residence of a society would be seperated into different layers: A, B, C1, C2, D and E. Each layer represents a certain life style.

Group A may be less than 1% of the total population yet they control over 60% of wealth and they are extremely powerful and influencial to the society. Best education.

Group B is not so influencial as group A yet they are rich too. Statistics show this group controls over 15% of social wealth and are well-educated.

C1 group could be whitecollars, who work hard and are relatively well paid. They have aspiration. They long for better life and social recognition. Well-educated as well.

C2 group are normally blue-collar workers - better salary compared to those white-collars yet less-educated. They live in contentment - with less aspiration and more desires to show off.

Group D usually refers to those manual workers, less pay yet get paid from a job.

And group E - who rely on social support to carry on living. People who live on pension or jobless students are typical representatives of this group.

However, this hierarchy is not stable - i.e. students may jump directly from group E to group B or C through continuous enhancing of self-accomplishment, and a wealthy general may lose everything after a political persecution. Things change.

And to me, this indeed, is the most beneficial knowledge of that day - much more meaningful than the rest of the talk on how sexual ads on their newpapers were reformed to fit in their conservative tone.

London students protest

Gina went missing yesterday for a while. And it turned out to be she has been staying at a police station in central London for the whole afternoon.

Why would she ended up there??? Well, Gina was mobbed. By a black guy/teenager during the students demonstration against government cuts on tuition fees.

Gina recalled that when the protest started at the very beginning, it was really a civil and peaceful one - with corperative university students and nice cops. Things changed when the parade arrived at Whitehall, where the real riot started.

A police car has been vandalised by some of the voilent protesters and two police officer were hurt. And Gina's phone was mobbed by a passing teen.

That was weird. Shouldn't the protest remain peaceful and harmless??? There must have something wrong - mobs rather than university students!!! Who are those people trying to make the protest bloody and dirty??? Should anything be done to prevent this happening again???

Well, shame on those who tried to make a fuss over this issue and those who just wanted to get other people's purses!!!

Bankers in the City of London

Rena and I have been out in the City of London for a whole day to interview people randomly on our group project and I have found something really interesting about bankers "surviving" there.

Our ideal trip started early in the morning - managed to arrived at the London Bridge around half past eight when bankers are rushing across to get to their destination - the City of London. We have taken a few marvelous shots of the flowing "homosepian" stream by the Thames River successfully, and we even tried to record women's heel sounds as well.

Following the rushing bankers, we have got to the financial centre of the country - although Canary Whalf is apparentlly more famous in the world today, we still cannot deny that London's reputation of being one of the three biggest financial centre, started right from this place.

We saw RBS, HSBC, BOS, BOE, BOC... and numerous other banks with their names written in different languages in totally novel shapes to me. Well, Hello, the City of London.

Rena and I started doing some vox-pops first outside a cafe shop with a blackboard in front of its entrance saying "the BEST coffee in east - by TIMEOUT London". Wow~ Then we assume that bankers would certainly love this east-BEST-coffee and we have set our camera there up.

And we did manage to finish a few... yet none of our interviewees were bankers. Why is that??? Wrong spot???

Definitely not... The reason for this is extremly simple! Bankers are busy!!!

Of course we did not take this phenonmenon personally. And we totally understood their rush yet we have complaint a lot about this afterwards. Both of us thought they don't even have proper lives.

Bankers in the City of London rush, in a really high step pace with "agony" faces. Next time when you come to the City of London, it is quite easy to identify bankers among commoners - they do not smile, they look at the ground, they think while walking... Oh no, while running. Yes, they run.

Actually they are nice people, some of them kept saying sorry after declining our interview requests and murmuring words like "I wish to but I really don't have even a minute..." as they flee-ing away.

Funny experience anyway. And I do feel sympathy for them. We need normal lives. Money is something yet not everything. At least normal lives offer us more chances and mood to smile back at people. :)

Irish lessons for the world

Although once known as Celtic Tiger for its strong economy, Irish government announced to accept outside financial help to tackle its economic deficit officially last Sunday.

Celtic Tiger requires help

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said: "We are now in a position to apply for assistance."

He also has confirmed that the country and the EU have agreed a financial rescue package.

Negotiations would be held in the coming days with the EU and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to decide the final amount, which is expected less than 100bn euros (£85bn; $136bn) according to Irish Financial Minister Brian Lenihan.

The UK and Sweden have also offered direct loans.

Why the country is now in a mess?

The country’s economic growth - helped by low corporate tax rates – was mainly built around the property market.

However, house values in Ireland have suffered a dramatic collapse since 2008. Bad debts built up in the country’s main banks, leaving them with huge liabilities and needing bailing out by the government.

This has opened a huge hole in the Irish government's finances - which will see it run a budget deficit equivalent to 32% of GDP this year.

An alarm to booming economics

What lessons could booming countries like the BRIC four (Brazil, Russia, India and China) learn from the Irish crisis?

Economists warn China that its property bubble burst is in danger now as more houses are built in the country while people who actually cannot afford to buy loan from banks to purchase them. 

Harvard professor Kenneth Grove said that China’s economic recession would have a severe impact on the world’s bank system.

The Chinese government is planning to introduce a property tax to discourage property speculation and contain surge in home prices.

EU concerns

EU Finance Commissioner Olli Rehn said the loans would help preserve the stability of the eurozone - the group of 16 nations using the euro as their common currency.

EU officials fear Ireland's financial problems might spread to other eurozone countries with large budget deficits, such as Spain and Portugal.

The EU and the IMF launched an 110bn euro rescue programme for Greece in May after the government was faced with the prospect of bankruptcy.

One day in Christmas Fair

copyright@Sarah

Thanks for Stephy's camera <3

Exhausted after one day's wandering in a Finnish Christmas Fair. Even though happiness is still there: being free to play, to say and to enjoy. Reminded me a lot about my hidden homesickness. Friends get together so that they could support and feel each other. Oh, I had a smoked reindeer sandwich today as my lunch and! It is really something! REINDEER!
HA!
And lolli pops there are nice too~ Love them!

American girl in London

copyright@Sarah

Caitlin Carlson is an American girl now studying journalism in the University of Westminster in London. Looking at her smiling face and you would be affected by her passion.

Live in London

Why would an American girl choose to study in London? Caitlin got to visit London when her boyfriend studied here two years ago and she fell in love with the city instantly.

“I found London is lovely. Its culture, history, beauty and depth definitely attract me.” She described her feelings towards London. “And the city’s atmosphere is very similar to American cities. That makes me feel like being home.”

“London is a city of surprises, you can always find new things and the experiences are refreshing.” Caitlin said, “And most important of all, I don’t have language barrier living here.”

Sportif girl’s future plan

Caitlin loves sports. “I love running! I run every morning and I have got loads of running songs in my iPod.” Caitlin said, “My favorite part about running is the fact that it always lifts my mood.”

Caitlin has finished two half marathon successfully this year. One is in French Disneyland together with her mom in January and the second one here in London in March.

Talking about her future plan, Caitlin said she wish to do something where her real interests lies in. At first she thought the fashion industry would be something suitable and the idea turned out to be wrong after a three months internship at famous magazine the Teen Vogue.

“I just realized that the fashion magazines are not the thing for me and now I wish to write for health and fitness magazines.” She said. “There is a magazine called Women’s Running and I plan to apply for a position there after graduation. I think this is a better plan.”

Home is the BEST

Although Caitlin enjoys her life in London very much, she cannot stop thinking about her home back in Florida, USA. Being brought up in a Catholic family, Caitlin said her family is relatively conventional and family bonds are very strong. She misses her families a lot.

“Every Christmas, we get together. Although my brother and I are already grown-ups, our parents still play the Santa on Christmas mornings and we could find our presents in red socks.”

When asked about the upcoming Christmas holiday plan, she laughed. “I have booked fight ticket to get back to the States next month and I cannot wait for that day coming.”

“Home is the best place.” She added.

Some thoughts about FEMME LOVE

I happened to read an article from the Leica Magazine today, it was about a female photographer's work on lesbian love. Thought it would be interesting to learn more about both the issue itself and the photographer as well.

Laia Abril is Spanish, she has got a degree on journalism and had a few training experiences in photo-studios which included the famous ICP organisation. She is now working at the COLORS magazine. Today's pictures are from her 2009 project "Femme Love".

From: http://www.leica.org.cn/Femme_Love_Laia_Abril/

Gorgeous, right?

Well, sometimes I always ask myself about the thing - is femme love more stable then the heterosexual relationships?? People always think that femme love is better not only because women would know their group better than men, but also they tend to be more gentle, and thus care their patners more considerately compared to those opposite sex.

Then this reminds me of the BBC drama LIP SERVICE. Do you think Frankie is a nice patner? NO, definitely not. She is selfish and dares not to take responsibility... and most important of all, she is reckless. She is apparently not good enough for Cat.

Erm~ Dizzy thoughts in a sleepy night.

The Lord Mayor's Show 2010

FROM: http://www.lordmayorsshow.org/media/releases/lord-mayor-elect

An introduction from Douban:
The show welcomes into office the new Lord Mayor of the City of London. The three-mile-long parade involves 6,000 people, 200 vehicles (including a horse-drawn double-decker bus and a mobile post-office), 21 carriages (including the 253-year-old, gold Lord Mayor's State Coach), 150 horses, 20 marching bands and 71 floats featuring people from a huge variety of London communities. The procession, which features participants as diverse as acrobats, hip hop dancers and stray dogs looking for a home, begins at Mansion House at 11am with an aircraft fly-past. It then weaves its way through the historic streets of the Square Mile, via St Paul's Cathedral where the Lord Mayor receives a blessing at 12.10pm, and arrives at 12.30pm at the Royal Courts of Justice where he swears his allegiance to the Sovereign. The return procession starts at 1pm, arriving back at Mansion House at 2.30pm. The fireworks display is at 5pm from a barge moored between Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges.

And Rena and I have followed the parade today. Totally splendid... and exhausted as well. Please just wait and see my work...

Back to Xiamen

 copyright@Sarah

I just cannot find a simple adjective to describe my university.
Yep~ MY UNIVERSITY.
One at a life time.
Stronger feeling after a nighty talk with Stephy and reading a post on a social web. 
Perfect.
And I love you.

Chinese Volunteer Teacher in Thailand

copyright@Young

Yang Jing with her students

What is a career like being a language teacher? What if you are a volunteer as well? Yang Jing is a young Chinese volunteer now working at Chiang Rai, Thailand as a language teacher in a local Confucius Institute. She has been in Thailand for over three months after her graduation from Xiamen University.

“It is really happy, being a teacher here.” Yang said, “Students respect me and I love them very much. Staying with them makes me feel young and passionate.” According to Yang, students, especially those new starters always make tons of funny mistakes, reminding her of her early childhood. Meanwhile, she feels “contentment when students learn well.”

Yang setted her mind up to make a change in her life during the last year in the university. Thailand is not only a perfect choice for tourists, but also a mysterious country to those who are willing to “shake the world”. Yang Jing said life in Thailand is easy, with less pressure compared to China. She enjoys living here.

However, Yang feels being forced to represent Chinese people as well. “People judge, and they always think I am a representative of the whole nation. I have to be careful about everything I do here.” She said.

Yang plans to continue her study after this volunteer work and she hopes to go to Africa afterwards - to see, to feel and to help.

The Confucius Institute in Chiang Rai has always been supported by Xiamen University, thus Yang signed up immediately for teaching in Thailand after the programme is launched officially.

Ai Weiwei @ Tate Modern

copyright@Sarah

Sunflower Seeds in Tate Modern

Earlier this year, when Ai Weiwei declared he would be doing an installation exhibition at London, no one cared about it. Yet, this time, Ai Weiwei, a son of the most famous Chinese patriotic peot's son, apperantly has figured out his own way of getting more attention from both inside and outside of China.

Ai Weiwei was not a political artist before, I mean, when he was just being famous for his architecture design and creative installation settings, living in suburb of Beijing, he is just normal - instead of standing on the opposite of the government, pointing its nose now. What happened then? What are the facts that lead Ai Weiwei to such a cynical "political clown"? 

After Wenchuan earthquake in southwest China happened two years ago, social organisations like the Red Cross had called for a national donation for the reconstruction work of damaged areas. And well, people donated, a lot. Ai Weiwei was there helping raise money as a public figure and of course, some kind of representative of the Chinese art industry. A few weeks later after the governement announced to start the post-disaster construction work, Ai published a blog article, saying that a large proportion of raised funds flew into government officers' private pockets instead of being used to build houses and schools. This article, had brought himself into the fierce political center. Then the government started to pay attention to him and of course, becoming suspicious on all of his activities.

Speaking for myself - a citizen of the country, Ai Weiwei has succeeded drawing our attentions onto the money matter after the earthquake which is the only effect his article had left now - for I believe most of Chinese people are just kind and nice yet not wise enough. Although corruption exits in this country, they  still believed in their own government that it would spend their money properly - especially when the money was donated for helping those in needs. Meanwhile, Ai Weiwei himself could not prove what he had said about the corruption problem as well. But this has drew western attentions too.

As BBC has interviewed the artist when the British Prime Minister David Cameron visits China today, people who has learnt basic communication theories could understand the reason of choosing him as the interviewee easily - one of the most famous and influencial media group in the world is just setting another news agenda although their Prime Minister is there struggling to settle business deals with "the booming eastern giant". Of course Ai Weiwei did not let them down, especially when he is planning more corperations with more foreign art galleries.

One of my colleges here in the uni once had written an article defending Ai Weiwei's deeds towards the government months ago, and he said to me this morning that he felt ashamed of defending such an unworthy person after all. He has listened to BBC4 this morning when Ai Weiwei spoke totally like an unreasonable person - placing all other Chinese people at his standpoint and cursing the Chinese government as it had never, ever done anything good to its citizens. How could he become such a "political-driven" artist??? I even went to Tate to have a look at his display there last weekdend! And to be honest, I felt really bad about that now.

Shihlin night market

copyright@Sarah

CCTV warning board at Shihlin night market

Just like all other fellow markets in the rest of the world, night markets in Taipei have got their own life supply: local residence, young backpackers and travel groups across the globe. Shihlin Night Market in Taipei is well-known for its large scale and live atmosphere. It has always been seen as a typical example of busy night life of the city.

Tourists could purchase anything they wish with a relatively low price. In this sense, night markets are like grey markets in some way. Young girls could get a lovely well-made outfit with an astonishing low price. Nepal turquoise accessories are displayed everywhere, keeps reminding wise buyers about its quality – genuine or forged? Stalls are decorated in various creative ways, for the market environment is quite competitive. Products may be designed and made by a stall owner himself, either with a sense of irony or humour, they are distinctive. A tour here is more like a journey of discovery. Surprises keep bumping out into your face and this is just like an inspiring adventure.

People are enthusiastic about the snacks here. One stand selling fried chicken is claimed to cook the best fried chicken in Taiwan by local media – people have to queue up in front of the small stand and wait for an hour to have one piece of chicken breast. Traditional Taiwan drinks named “Lime loves jade” are held in hands by almost every tourist. Others like the “Coffin cake” are surprisingly popular despite of its disturbing name.

Shihlin Night Market is crowded, noisy yet very attractive. Powerful electric lights make the night day again and their bright sparkles provoke your senses all the time. Marvelous bargains, delicious snacks and of course, countless pretty Taiwan ladies would definitely make your experience like a wandering dream.

Live alone

copyright@Sarah

What does living alone mean?

Living alone means that you can toss your pyjamas around after the shower; living alone means that you could eat only when you are hungry or feel like to; living alone also means that you could be naked freely behind your closed curtain.

Living alone is fine, interesting, free, cosy and... anything to describe...em... the feeling when you just live alone.

Then, what's bad about "living alone"???

I read a post on a forum this morning and that post made me think a lot about the living-alone thing. Well, apparently we are free, free from nagging, judging and criticism, and so what? In return, sometimes - I really mean sometimes - we are bored, we have no plans for a certain holiday cos most of nice plans should be shared and joined by friends and families, we may even possibly spend one hour staring at computer screen wandering around useless ads. Well, to be honest, i hate this aspect of living alone.

Living alone sometimes means that when you feel sick, you have no one around you; living alone may bring you feelings like there would be a possibility that some bad guy just force into your place and... the feeling is even stronger especially after watching a brand new episode of Criminal Minds; living alone is a kind of status more or less like helpless when you find out your roof is leaking...

Well, Living alone is a bad idea. Yet! It gives me more time focusing on myself and my own business. I could read more, photograph more and read more. It definitely would be perfect if cinema prices are lower in this place!!!

God bless me! Oh BTW, living along has brought me a new burn-scar on my hand this morning yet also a marvelous view of firework display - for the Guy Fawkes Day.

Support needed for better football

Kick It Out, a London based anti-racism organisation called for more economic backing and support from the society to help them promote their campaigns against discrimination in grassroots football.

Kevin Coleman, Grassroots Development Officer and spokesman from the organisation introduced the prevalent discrimination problem and the future development of grassroots football early this morning in a press conference held in the University of Westminster.

“Our group has managed to carry out specified and diverse activities for local communities for the past years.” Said Mr. Coleman. The organisation’s 2010 event – which is called “One Game One Community Week of Action”, is taking place nationwide and claimed to be the biggest one yet. The event which would end tomorrow included 1,000 activities from park pitches to the Premier League; and according to Mr. Coleman, the week of action is considered “sport’s largest equality and community engagement initiative” till now.

Yet, Mr. Coleman has expressed concern about their financial difficulties as well. Given the fact that the Football Association, the Professional Footballers’ Association and the FA Premier League fund the organisation, it is crucial that the group gets sufficient funds beforehand. However, the FA has reduced financial assistance in the past two years due to the worldwide economic downfall, which takes up the largest proportion of the funds. This has lead direct influences onto the group. Along with drastic cuts in sports funding following the government’s comprehensive spending review, schools and grassroots communities would face a lack of funds as well. Kick It Out’s role to campaign over all kinds of football discrimination and to encourage the diversity of the sport would definitely be held back from this.

The 1997 founded charity group works through the football, education and community sectors to challenge discrimination, encourage inclusive practices and work for positive change.

On The Banishment: Shots as a Powerful Film Language

Andrey Zvyagintsev has utilized vast number of methods to make his film completed and symmetrical as a circle and the goal is reached through focus of filming skills, fair background music and delicate designed details. The composition of each frame is flawless with a pleasing balance of colors and shapes; the original sound tracks in the film are perfectly matched with the story itself and those fine details add more elements and tips worth studying at. With the magic power of film languages, the director is capable of expressing his original idea better and stronger and has also managed to show us marvelous Russian countryside scenery.

Just like Bazin argued that films should be depicting what be seen as "objective reality" and advocated "true continuity" and preferred by many Russian film masters, Zvyagintsev has utilized a vast number of objective tracking shots in his own film. In an important sense, only if a director is fairly confident about the actors, the mis-en-scene and his cinematographer would he prefer to use this kind of shooting method. Iindisputable, Zvyagintsev is confident, especially after the Golden Lion awarded by the Venice Film Festival for his maiden work The Return in the year of 2003. His second film ---- The Banishment (Russian: Изгнание, Izgnanie) (2007) is a loose adaptation of a novel: The Laughing Matter, by the Armenian-American writer William Saroyan. Stylistically, the film draws on both the expressionist and the “silent, oppressive and philosophical” traditions of Russian films. The film represented as an impartial record of a turmoil relationship between the couple ---- Vera and Alex and its ultimate collapse due to the estrangement and mutual distrust.

Tracking shots in The Banishment are prevalently used. Since most of the movements happen indoor, track shots following the actors are of pivotal importance. Take one tracking shot of the couple’s little daughter Eva as an example, when she was brought to a brand new house the tiny creature showed tremendous interest about everything around her. The shot followed her, witnessed the scene she went up to her room and her chosen of a “more ideal” bed. Watching her deeds in the small room like patting on her bed, meditating by the window and blowing on the dust on them makes the audiences feel peaceful at that moment. The whole family is new to this village ---- the hometown of Alex who stayed away for 12 years which suggests somehow that their arrival would definitely wake up those dusted memories and make some stirs. The silence and peace of the village has got an enormous storage for anything: thrilling, sad or harmonic. Another impressive tracking shot is when the husband invited his wife to go for a walk in woods nearby to talk about the so-called “adultery” thing. The dialogue did not go smoothly while the camera focused on the wife’s face: her happiness after the husband expressed his willingness to start all over again and the sudden sadness and desperation when she was told to get rid of the baby. The husband went out of the camera for a deliberately made space for Vera in a noticeable seconds which may make the audiences feel free and happy for Vera having sometime to think about the whole lie-thing while this relief was broken soon by the re-entering of the husband which continued to give or even dense the pressure on his wife, the subtle violence and manipulation of the husband revealed clearly.   

Symmetrical/coordinated tracking long shots are utilized as a powerful way of depicting changes of time in this film although they are usually acclaimed for their effects in completing the film structure and the aesthetic values. Here are three examples: Mark (Alex’s brother) turned to Alex for medical help at the beginning of the film, driving all the way from countryside to town while Alex drove the exact same way to track his imaginary enemy Robert down later after Vera’s death, passing the identical oak tree (this typical Russian film set kept reminding me of Tarkovsky and Angelopoulos’s films). Alex removed all the wood blocks to the windows when they first arrived at the house while the doctor (who was in charge of Mark’s funeral) shut them all down before he left the house. With these identical long shots ---- which were all placed inside the room, the director could emphasize the changes of lights in a more apparent way. Last pair of symmetrical shots is that (1)Kir (their son) asked about the dried spring in front of their house and (2)the longest shot in the film ---- rain started to fall after everything was back to silence in the autumn. The latter shot tracked the raindrops till them get together into a stream down on the ground, wiggling all the way through the house and reach at the spring. This shot is more like a metaphoric miracle, a baptizing ceremony for the sins and wrongdoings and a new start of love and life. This tracking shot may offer us imaginations and wonders along with a sense of final relief from Vera’s death.

Another typical usage of tracking shots is the ones that track in from a long shot to a medium close-up. This kind of shots in the film is intense and the power and energy it released are gigantic. This time in a domestic scene after Vera committed a suicide vividly underlined the condensed ambience of the film. The scene opens with a medium long-shot that gradually tracks in through a doorway. The shot is rigidly balanced as the frame of the doorway lines up perfectly with the sides of the film frame and the bathroom open-door is in the gradually opening center of the frame. A shiver of coldness arose through my spin when the shot closed in on Vera’s strength-less body in it. The camera stops at this point, with the deep, sad background music, this scene brings not only a condensed ambience, a feel of pressure/curiosity/fear but also a bunch of questions: What courage would this woman take to make the decision to commit a suicide, leaving a beloved husband and a couple of children? How much disappointments have she born for these years? All these questions could be explained by what happened later and the depressed shot plays a pivotal role in making up the fearsome atmosphere which showed a calling for love and care from a desperate wife.

While the mass utilization of tracking shots enforced the atmosphere for the film, some other shots which were full of specific details have provided more clues for audiences to analyze and to learn the couple’s attitude toward their children ---- the riff between the couple grows but the two try to keep up appearances in the presence of their children. Like those shots on the train to express the covered love between the families though the close-up of Vera’s face did bring in some disturbance. The struggling mind state of Alex when he was driving after he was told he was not the father. That single shot from his back showed his fear, anger and reluctance simultaneously. When Alex drove together with his son and got to know that Robert may be the man, the medium shot occurred with a facial-expression of resentment and a firm will to revenge on Robert revealed. Close-up shots in the film served a practical effect too. First one, after a talk between Alex and Vera in which Vera argued: I know what Kir is going to be…Just like your father and you brothers…The shot then jumped to a photo frame on the wall in which were a single close-up picture of Alex’s father ---- an old dark man and a larger one of Alex and Mark standing in front of the house. This is a side hint for the hidden lines, with another clue which was shown at the start of the film that Mark was shot in arm; audiences could conclude easily that there is the subtle but definite indication of a mysterious and possibly criminal past in the family. Another one is also about photo, a photo shown to Robert while Vera murmuring: “I don’t want to be alone…Why he stopped talking to me?” after she was rescued, in which Vera’s bright and smiling face before she married was showed. This close-up illustrated well about the ice-cold relationship between the couple, with the acknowledgement of another related clue that Vera has never showed her smile like this in the whole film, we gradually get to know and understand Vera’s sorrow and desperation. Male bonding pervades in this family and women’s role in it is just like some birth machines. Vera loves Alex, however, love without returns turns to be the most difficult one to pursue. When the children were sent to friends’ house, Frida read the very famous paragraph from the Bible about love: Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. The close-up of Frida’s silhouette in a dim light allows only one word to describe her ---- seraph. Zvyagintsev made a girl speak out the definition of love in the Bible to remind us to bear, to believe, to hope and to endure. Love and relationship are the main theme of the film and the use of suitable cinematography skills enforced them. Without as many lines as Hollywood blockbusters usually have, images in this film mean everything.

Only three top shots were used in the whole film, which indeed is a small number. These chosen shots have got substantial and metaphoric meanings along with their delicate and perfect composition. When examined from this point of view, they all serve as hints of the story clue. The most pleasant one is that when all the children were gathered on the carpet and tried to finish a puzzle of St. Mother Maria while Alex prepared to get his wife aborted. The scene first started with a tracking shot moving steadily from the dark doorway where Alex talked to his friend on the phone to keep his children their’s for the night because of the undergoing abortion plan, the shot was set at the level of a child’s height and move to a medium living-room view where had got abundant of light and joy. The tracking shot is a prefiguration of dark and “filthy” plan of adults, the dark telephone-dialogue and the bright game scene contract sharply to indicate the hidden secret and the destination of Vera’s. The top shot appears then, above of the carpet, showing a warm, clear and bright picture of children. Top shot can be seen as an angle from the heaven. Children represented innocence and hope and St. Mother Maria’s portrait added some more religion meanings here. St. Mother is there to watch, to bless and to mercy. All the fear, distrusts, estrangement are wrong. Contrary thoughts mean utterly alternatives in life. A second top shot is the scene when a postman sent Vera her pregnancy test result from the hospital. This is a turning-point of Vera’s life which made her more reluctant of giving up her life and ended up with the decision of testing her husband’s love. The story actually begins here, she started to reconsider the relationship, think about the future of her kids and whether the love she offered to him means anything. Those mess thoughts have eventually pushed her into a dilemma of “to be or not to be”. Love is to sacrifice. The moment she knew that her love was banished by Alex, she made a final decision, and only with her departure would Alex understand the intact true virtue of love. Alex never listens. After times and times of communication failures, she just gave up and she had to. The third top shot coordinates with the previous one closely ---- an old worker is digging, for Vera’s coffin, which represented the end point of Vera’s tragedy life.

Mirror-shots are as important too. They have always been taken as a kind of supplements to the story and the composition of images. What impressed me most in the Banishment is that Zvyagintsev has created a brand-new transition method with the help of mirror-shot. Other methods like the use of sounds, music and cut, etc. have been considered as traditional ways of transition while Zvyagintsev used “time” itself and the mirror-shot to finish the transition task. When Alex appeared in the mirror of the doorway answering a phone after Vera sent Robert away the same place in the same scene, the transition has finished, perfectly clear and refreshing as well. This delicate shot could be counted as one of the most excellent part of its cinematographic designs.

In my point of view, The Banishment is a fair work, apart from its cinematographic beauty; there are still more sparkle points worth our attention, like resourceful metaphors and perfectly handled atmosphere. Besides, details like the friendship between Kir and Flora would definitely contribute much to the feel of warmth which offers hope instead of being over-cruel all the time, especially to women audiences. What could be more romantic than a girl phoning her lonely friend to play a piece of music for him? The picture of Flora holding a phone above of a phonograph is so dear and sweet. When a kitty lying under your feet and playing with the curtain, would not your heart feel like melting? Spectacular Russian rural scenery and perfect utilization of camera languages offer us a feast of eyes and this also makes sense when coming to the matter of whether Andrey Zvyagintsev should be evaluated as a promising film director.  

Amazon’s Kindle leaps Chinese Great Firewall

Although Amazon’s new 3G Kindle reader is not officially for sale in Mainland China, the e-reader is now being snapped up on auction sites and grey markets in China as more and more users have found that Kindle’s browser could leap the state internet firewall.

Customers of Mainland China could not get access to websites like Facebook and Twitter due to central censorship for a long time and Kindle has changed this situation for them. With its own Internet browsing function through Wi-Fi net, this e-reader automatically leaps the “Great Firewall” of the country.

China tops the world’s Internet community with a total web user number of 420 million. Amazon said it is not likely to ship or sell the Kindle to Mainland China earlier this year. Yet Chinese consumers figured out alternatives by themselves: highly developed auction sites like Taobao and EBay provide large amount of smuggled Kindles with prices ranging from RMB700 to RMB5000 (£70-500).

A seller in Beijing told the paper South China Morning Post that he has slipped a few Kindles into China after having them delivered to an address outside the mainland. He has sold 300 in the past month already. Passengers who travel from Hong Kong to Mainland China could bring the Kindles in as well.

Popular bloggers in China are recommending the device widely recently because of the fact that the Kindle could scale the wall automatically. “I still can’t believe it. I casually tried getting to Twitter, and what a surprise, I got there,” the paper quoted a mainland blogger as saying. “And then I quickly tried Facebook, and it perfectly presented itself. Am I dreaming? No, I pinched myself and it hurt.”

The 3G Kindle uses global system mobile (GSM) communication technology, which gives coverage in more than 100 countries, including China.

Professor Lawrence Yeung Kwan of the University of Hong Kong’s electrical and electronic engineering department, said that mainland Internet patrols might have overlooked the gadget: “Kindle has a book-buying focus, so the censors may think these connections are relatively safe.”

Rival warned that Amazon’s Kindle would fail in China due to copycats. As the chief executive of Shanda Literature Ltd in Beijing has expressed his concern that Amazon.com Inc’s Kindle is unlikely to grab a significant market share in China in an interview with a newspaper last month.