My newest film
: A Culinary House Production
: 4 years of college &
: 1 cup . cake
(4 mins 18 sec)
This is my newest film, which is about a ordinary student’s simple life. This is my most professional work so far. Every second and every frame is intentional and carries a message. I hope that you are watching this film with very high expectations, so be as critical as you can. Please give me your constructive criticism.
Leave a message and I will email you the password.
February 20th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
I’m interested in that, can I have the password?
February 20th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
pass the word
February 21st, 2007 at 12:31 am
The editing and the camera angle are really outstanding, especially for the first part and the last part. We don’t see a lot of shots last for a minute but here we got one, no wonder people think it is not a student work. The music seems to be the final touch and if there’s no music, this film cannot come to live… or say the visual and the music combine quite well to create some magic moments.
表達了最後的 love, learning and community 的主題.但如果不是那一句, 我沒有感到很強烈的 love learning and community … 其實也很明顯, 但感覺上不夠濃. 不知怎的, 感到很空虛.. 說得到甚麼, 其實也感覺不到… 但感覺不到又看完了整部. 總括來說, 主題較散, 三個主題沒有很好的fuse 在一起. 但內容很豐富, 很多不同範疇的感覺燴雜在一起. 技巧很突出, 手法很熟練. 導演的確下過苦功.
one more thing.. since I have never lived in hostel… or uni lounge or something, I may not get it. but for those live in hostel, part with their parents and think school lives only have lecturer colleagues. this film quite concludes their lives I guess.
Also I feel the camera was not involved in the community scene.. and seems each people has not much interaction.
I don’t feel that is a community.. I can only see that … seems it is a fact rather than a feeling
很喜歡最後一段. 一take 過直去. 再warm 一點就更好了.
第一段的情侶例行動作並不太明解. 再看一次才真正明白.
February 21st, 2007 at 9:07 am
Stephen Yu gave me your site, and it reminds me how long we haven’t seen each other. I really miss you guy and long for hearing from you. Now I can discover your life through your blog. I’ll keep an eye on it.
Very comprehensive comments from Stephen. Do you mind sending me your movie? I wanna take a look on your great oeuvre!
Congrats to your brother and glad to hear that your family has a chance to reunite. Perhaps the next will be my turn to come to the States.
February 21st, 2007 at 10:41 am
Good stuff, Wain!
Can’t say much about it other than it looks great.
Maybe just add some ambience to the audio track. Might have been intentional.. but it was a bit too dry and midi-sounding for my ears.
Any basic reverb would probably do it.. and some panning.. while keeping the sound in general the same.
Best, Taavi
February 21st, 2007 at 8:14 pm
単純なことからすべてへ・みんなへ関係している何かを伝えようとしたいたことは分かりました。それは何であってもいい。
あと、ウェインが撮影や編集を実行しているのを最後の字幕で知り、いい人達に囲まれているなと思ったよ！幸せ者！
ひとつアドバイスするなら、もしウェインが上に書いたようなメッセージを込めたならもっと人間を移したほうがいいと思う。人間の行動で握手や抱き合うことなどね。
これからも期待しているよ！
February 21st, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Think it’s about college life. And I check the title again, oh yes, it is. At first, I thought it was about some life and friend problem and emotion. coz at first the mood created is like thinking (sadly) about the past. and i guess, the place should be the dorm that guy is living. The camera shooting is good, it flows very comfortably. and the cuts are good too….[the music is cool by itself; though i feel at the beginning the mood it conveyed is a bit mysteric, not very suitable for the nostagic one you are creating] The guy is eating very consciously…which is …you know…we wont do that. and at the kitchen, he should be sweeter and hug the girl more eagerly…now he is not, reflected by his hand on her waist.
When going back to the fridge, i suddenly why there is still a cake there, isn’t it being eaten..? and then i start to wonder the time in the movie…what is thought..what is being done?…[remember for babel…the movie is actually telling story before and after the phone at the SAME time…and at the end you will feel that a simple story from his kids, usually being felt bored by parents, was actually very touching and precious…now THAT touches our heart. You are surprised with the time the movies tells with some morale in it..with a need for conveying the msg…not technique]
Then, I don’t know why suddenly the movie moves quicker than before…probably, I guess…related to the consious eating, showing that the character suddenly feel determined to create a happy party…or to go to school or …but at the first glance, he doesn’t seem like thinking…or planning or what…just eating consioulsy
I like specially the rythmn created by snap shots of pictures. They show history, culture, arts, modern science, v powerful in showing the energy and power…[of course, i don’t know the place you show is Carleton before..and now i know] And i think you are trying to link one’s college life..with Carleton’s spirit… I Don’t feel much from the library…it’s ordinary..I like the church part…and the book showing the words Carleton..
Then they are having party…very happily…the scene helps me to realized the theme, if i got it wrongly, of the movie…and then it ends…and remember I need to ask what it is about…think that is the main problem…
now i going to see it again…see if there would be any additional comment or amendment…
ar ha!…i got sth wrong..
I saw that he now choose not to choose cake maybe because he wants to for the future, not the past, go for the happy, not the sad, go for the energetic , not nostagic…so that’s his determination…
The quick part shows Mac computer…lecture hall…[no “church”, showing “book” of Calrton] for whcih I feel consistant with the modern theme …the place with brown background and you end at showing on the table a few words, which ican’t see…perhaps showing the old and the cultural..but i still wonder what it is about…I love the art galllary..and other places
The party is not happy enough…the camera shows happiness and excitment…the picture is happy..the link to the picture…is a bit weird..
Overall, I would suggest… the relax part at the beginning can be more relax, perhaps with smooth shoting…and mood should be very relaxing..and then gradually …nostalgic,…thinking about the past…and the gradually eating faster …then shot him back for to the fridge..and take the cup..and then move…showing clearly he is going to somewhere determinedly, first..then with snapshot of picture in between…with all the scene showing him or his cup..(e.g. put the cup on the lecture hall stand, which shows “Carleton”; ask his friends to move out for the party..poiting his figure at each friend…and the move up one by one..accompany with the angle you have used.. Then they can have some game…jumping and shouting…and then with the cake…they focus on it..or a prof came to the party, with his book at the door…they all welcome him (hence the audience, very happily..with love..)
Many other good points..can talk to you later…I am outsider of movie..I just watch movie leisurely… Hope the comment would be helpful.Cheers,
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:51 pm
A wonderful film and a grand piece of art, if i may be so bold to say, being from the literal aspect of art rather than the visual. The symbolism runs deep and has a little something for everyone. At first I muddled with the title “Four Years and a Cup . Cake” overlooking the supposed typo I focused intensely on the cupcake, ignoring the cake. After speaking with Yee-san and discussing the varied meanings of that signal culinary delight it became apparent to me that I had been blinded by my own literal preference. What started out as one film quickly became a trilogy, a three prong fork in the road where the traveler had the chance to revisit his or her decision. Moving from personal revelation to a community consciousness stroke a cord with me as it summed up the journey of a four year education. I am still unclear about the montage after he picked up the mug, or cup. My initial interpretation is that it is the daily routine of a busy and studious Carleton student, I could be wrong.
February 22nd, 2007 at 11:37 pm
The filming and editing is pretty good in general, though improvements could be made in particular shots. For instance, the scene where you zoomed into the window, I feel that the camera is kinda shaky, not smooth enough. Also, that actor…lol, his eyes were following your camera, he shud hv stared straight ahead instead. The last scene in the kitchen, maybe can focus on the food on the table instead of including parts of the body of your friends before you zoom out to take a full snapshot of everyone.
I like the editing a lot, and that scene sliding across those computers with different screen images are pretty creative and meaningful, though in general, I believe a viewer will not be particularly attached to it, coz the theme is not expressed strong enough, and that none of the three themes, love, college, community is thoroughly captured and expressed..
ADD OIL!!! HV FAITH IN YOU WAIN!!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:47 am
好勁呀~
How can you make such a wonderful film! I can feel your passion through the film. You know my major is Chemical Eng. I believe everything is just true or wrong, black and white, yes or no. Human being is the most difficult thing to capture. But in your film, you show me a strong personal feeling, full of color. I can sense your individual characteristic, really strong. Just like that night we talked….
You are an art of genius ………..
You ask me to give you “constructive” criticism. It’s a challenge for me, even more difficult than solving a hard equation ^^.. Ok, let me try to say something as a whole. I think the pace of the film is too fast for me to understand every frame. You mentioned every second carries a message. I watched it 3 times. But some frames I still can’t understand. My eyes were too busy in the second half of the film. I think every feeling needs time to bring out. If we want the audience to feel something, time is important for the brain to think, for the heart to feel. Am I right?
In general, you did a great job. I like your film so much. Go ahead!! 加油!
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:29 am
Wain,
Although I typically don’t go for imagery, I really liked the cupcake/cake. It’s pleasant, as an image and memory that’s both sweet (and delicious) while still seeming to have a lot reluctance (to finish it) and possibly even sadness. It’s hard to tell… maybe, because I know you, I assumed that the boy would represent you and the cake would be a kind of signifying relationship thing. Though, after finishing the movie, I’m not really sure anymore.
The camerawork was nice - there are a few scenes where the resolution is poor around the corners, but that’s more a mechanical failure than an individual one.
I’ll disagree with an above comment:
I didn’t think the flashing scenes (the quick shots of history and such) were very effective… I thought the quick flashes were too either fast to be effective or randomly chosen. Maybe I missed the meaning of them, but I didn’t have time to think about it.
If you’re talking about things you learned (science and technology and such) maybe you could integrate it with the Carleton library, or something, but to me it didn’t fit well with the otherwise thoughtful and deliberate pace of the rest of the film.
Showing images on the computer screens was pretty artistic, though I wonder why you chose what you did? To show wastes of time?
Lastly… the transition between the main character as entering the community of the house was a little quick. But, now I’m just picking on little things that don’t matter much.
I enjoyed it a lot, and I hope what I mentioned is useful in some way.
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:48 am
give me the password! i wanna see it
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Wain, I’d be happy to take a look. send me the password and i’ll get going
February 25th, 2007 at 12:03 am
When I first saw the film, honestly I didn’t have a solid idea about its message until I saw the the title of the theme ‘love, college & community’ at the end. It helped me to flash back and to relate the scenes with the theme. So I’d say it’s not easy for me to understand it without that last tag line.
Speaking of each sub-theme, I think the love part was the most explicit one amongst all which was shown with a couple’s daily life. And it was so much like college kind of love.
But I was confused about the transition from love to college when the guy preferred the mug (or cup) other than the cake. I was thinking if there was any special message behind.
And it came to the college part, it was more like the guy could acquire a great deal of knowledge from his college life, but mostly it was shown with the help of information technology.
Finally was the community part, I wasn’t sure if that referred to the very last part which all his friends gathered together. If so, I thought that’s not so convincing to me because community to me expresses a more inclusive and broader group of people.
Hehe, I hope you don’t mind me being critical to some extent. Well, commenting on the context is the only thing I can do within my ability.
After all, I think the photography was fantastic, and so is the music.
I really appreciate your awesome work, and thanks for sharing it with me.
ADD OIL!!!
February 28th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
Wain, long time no see. I stayed with David Maes in Chicago this weekend and he mentioned your short film. I’d love to see it!
Hope you’re doing well
Cheers,
Mathieu
March 3rd, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Well, I gotta ask, but who made the cupcake?
March 6th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
The beginning of the movie is very impressive. You made good use of
camera movement which injects so much momentum to the movie. I really
love the scenes merging with the past. In the second scene, you changed
the pace and mood, that’s fine to contrast it with the first part in
this way. But it seems that your school days are just like those
flashing pictures, which leave no concrete memory in you and in
audience’s mind. Is that what you want to convey in the second scene?
Pardon me for my reckless guess.
I genuinely appreciate your movie (and your talent of course)! Keep
going, and let me know when you have the next production.
Kelvin
March 6th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
I’d say it is very stylish, and I like it. I’ve watched it many times now. It makes me smile–the concept of it, the style of it, the teamwork reflected, and your knowingly effort and passion in the production. There were certain things I didn’t quite get the first time watching it, just like what FF said in that comment, but I was still immediately drawn to the pacing and effects. 最后回过头来想一想片名和片尾点题的love, learning and community，又更加领会到构思和剪辑中的良苦用心。不愧是professional effort哦！my favorite part is the ending–the very fluid motion of the camera that traveled through the house, picking up individual and group actions in a community that centers around good food and great company, also highlighting individuals such as the female lead and Iris with the pie in the end–I thought the whole part was brilliant!
用心作出来 的东西，和对一段刻苦时光的回忆一样，即使存在只有你自己知道的遗憾，终究还是美的。从认识你到现在，看你一路走来，在carleton学生时代尾声之际，有love, learning and community的感悟，更为你高兴。so, hope to see great things from you, always.
March 6th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Hi Wain,
I liked your film a lot. I watched it a few times because you have so much going on there - particularly the videography. There are some really nice moves and transitions in the first segment that are subtle enough to not call too much attention to themselves but that are very sophisticated and effective.
Overall the choreography, i.e. your direction, is really fantastic. The camera moves appear to be really well thought out and executed. I liked the focus pull on the pull back from the kitchen to the CU of the cupcake. Very slick. The last section, which if I remember right, is one continuous shot also is really well done. I know how hard it is to direct actors and camera moves but you made it look natural and smooth - very Scorsese-ish.
Some questions I have are:
There’s no natural sync sound, was this a stylistic choice or a technical choice? If it was a stylistic choice, I’m curious why you wanted it that way? I’m asked this question all the time but I wonder how you would answer.
Secondly, the three sections all have a very different feel, which ultimately I like. But I could imagine someone asking you to explain your reasoning behind the differences. The middle section for example is to me less engaging than the beginning and the end, partially I think because of the fast pacing. And I am curious to know if you intended it that way. As a filmmaker/director having to justify stylistic choices is really important, but difficult.
All the best.
- John
March 8th, 2007 at 3:16 am
好的就不多说了。只说你想要听的毛病哈。
第一，个别慢镜头有顿滞。最后一段的快镜头又不够清楚。明明是特写，却一晃而过，看不清楚桌上的东西。不过后者可能是因为设备不够专业的原因。
我感觉这个短篇大致上是分三段的。但是内容还是不是很切题。你要表现的是四年的友谊还是四年的岁月？
但是都表现得不是很清晰。感觉第一段表现时间过长。人物表情变化缓慢，不够丰富。第二段的含义（如果不看题目，会不知所云）。第三段除了镜头的问题，还有就是不明白最后一大帮人聚餐是什么意思。不觉得最后一个镜头可以包括四年的大学生活。
我不是专业的评论家，如果评的不是很到位的话不要介意。
March 30th, 2007 at 10:57 am
It’s pretty nice overall~~ didn’t know that Wain has such talent
Seems that u have put lots of efforts into it. The skills of cutting are very good. You divide a day into three parts: morning, day time and night. But I think that you could spent more time on the third part. Besides, the connection between first and second part doesn’t seem so smooth….but gerenrally speaking it is great~ look forward to your next work! 加油！
May 6th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
As per your request. I’ll just copy paste what I said In MSN since I’m that lazy!
he editing is pretty good but Id say it has too much of a ‘positive add’ kind of air. mean, it doesnt make it believable it’s like you where doing a project of the admission’s office (I’d like to see a messy kitchen! I’m sure they exist). Everybody is too happy. The middle part with the images + the coffea mug is pretty interesting I dont see the relation to the house though except of maybe saying that its kind of a sanctuary from globalization or something silly like that.
end of stream of thought.
July 10th, 2007 at 10:34 am
hihi ywk, haha.. sorry that i finally remember to leave comments on ur DIY movie.. i was so busy in the term… now i’m enjoying my holiday la… haha…. i hv to confess that the movie starts to fade out in my mind … BUT.. i still remember there are 2 “lines of story” conjoined by a guy getting stuff from the fridge..right?hehe.. and i remember there were lots of shots from different angles to link different scenes… as an “amateur viewer”
, i believe i like these 2 things the most as i can still remember…. cant give u much comments tim 
..as i aint a professional like u..hahahaha.. good job!! do tell me when u hv ur next work ar!!hehe