吴世平
王雅颂是好莱坞雅颂影业的导演和制片人。她的导演之旅始于她的处女作《冷酷》，这是一部凄美的戏剧，描绘了主人公对祖母去世的哀叹和哀悼，探讨了悲伤和家庭关系的主题。在这部充满感情色彩的叙事中，王雅颂巧妙地处理了失去亲人的复杂心理，巧妙地描绘了主人公与祖母关系及相依为命的深情。这部电影的成功，包括在一个著名的墨西哥电影节上获得奖项，预示着王雅颂作为一名才华横溢的导演的发展轨迹。
由王雅颂编剧和导演的电影《何处藏身》进一步展示了她对社会现实的洞察力和创作引人入胜的叙事能力。这个故事讲述了一个正在海外留学的贪官的儿子张永贵，在他的父母因受贿和贪污被捕的消息传到中国和海外华人社区后，陷入绝望的困境。在他的资金被切断，他的朋友和熟人与他断绝关系后，他别无选择，只能返回中国，配合检察院调查他的父母。王雅颂巧妙地刻画了主人公被社会唾弃的心理痛苦。这部电影反映了公众对腐败的憎恨和对反腐败的渴望。
王雅颂导演的电影《追梦者》反映了美国的社会现实。18岁的女孩卡桑德拉·安妮（Cass饰）想去纽约的一所艺术学校上学。然而，她病重的母亲抱怨纽约太贵，说服她选择一所成本较低的州立大学。母亲去世后，卡斯生活拮据，不得不在图书馆工作谋生。当她发现其他一些年轻人也很穷，甚至她的朋友嘲笑她时，她感受到了社会现实的严酷和世界的冷酷。她甚至想死。然而，她终于意识到自己应该面对现实，并在反思后决定申请一所负担得起的学校。王雅颂导演将她的讲故事能力提升到了一个新的高度，上演了一出凄美的戏剧，引起了观众的共鸣，尤其是年轻人。通过精彩的对话，王雅颂导演探索了一对母女在悲痛中的深厚情谊。这部电影的荣誉，包括多个奖项，展示了王雅颂导演与观众建立深厚情感联系的能力。
由她导演和编辑的电影《我的选择》讲述了一个瘫痪的年轻女士Jane（简）的爱情故事。她真的很爱迈克，但她不想在她因车祸瘫痪后拖累他。王雅颂导演通过一系列微妙的动作和表情展示了她揭示主人公矛盾心理的能力。例如，当迈克来看简时，简把迈克的照片藏了起来，她假装对迈克漠不关心。但在迈克进来之前，她深情地看着他的照片。她“不耐烦地”要求迈克离开她，尽管她发自内心地爱他。这些冲突充分显示了她的矛盾心理。
在《订婚》中，王雅颂导演大胆地把她的电影题材拓展到心理恐怖的领域，展示了她作为导演的多才多艺。这部电影由她联合编剧、导演和剪辑。它讲述了关于一个雄心勃勃的年轻女演员罗斯的故事。她总是梦想成为明星，在她平庸的男友乔向她求婚后，她患上了婚姻恐惧症。她内心充满矛盾，因为乔不关心她的事业，她觉得很难平衡事业和婚姻。当她假装接受乔的求婚并与其热情拥抱时，她最终通过咬死乔来反抗乔的大男子主义。王雅颂导演运用高水平的艺术技巧揭示了主人公的情感和心理恐惧，包括血腥的噩梦。例如，乔和“婚后的Rose”手持的剪刀刺伤的噩梦场景，不仅反映了她的婚姻恐惧症，也反映了她事业抱负的“死亡”，具有深刻的双重含义。通过令人不寒而栗的视觉效果和扣人心弦的叙事，她让观众沉浸在一个噩梦般的现实与幻觉之间模糊不清的世界里。
王雅颂导演引人入胜的纪录片《快马邮递》（Pony Express）不仅是一部电影，也是一次穿越时间的体验之旅。她导演了这部纪录片，带领一组工作人员沿着从密苏里州圣约瑟夫到加利福尼亚州旧金山的1900英里长的Pony Express路线驾驶和拍摄。与传统纪录片不同，王雅颂的作品超越了单纯的历史叙述，它演变成了一场电影般的公路旅行，邀请观众与电影摄制组出身的角色一起穿越。
王雅颂导演对细节的一丝不苟在每一帧画面中都表现得很明显，多机位摄像捕捉到了《快马邮递》旅程的精髓。从用于采访和关键时刻的红色史诗龙，到用于快速捕捉的佳能和索尼无反光镜相机，每台设备都成为讲故事的渠道，无缝融入叙事结构。无人机的使用增加了空中视角，提供了全景，增强了Pony Express遗产的宏伟性。
这部纪录片令人回味的声音和音乐与令人惊叹的视觉效果相得益彰。配乐将观众带到了美国旧西部，营造出过去时代的氛围，让观众沉浸在崎岖的地形中，并与奔腾的骏马的蹄声相呼应。通过声音，王雅颂导演巧妙地唤起了过去的历史，让观众体验到“快马邮递”，就好像他们和勇敢的骑手一起骑行一样。
王雅颂的《快马邮递》与其他相关题材的纪录片不同，因为它带观众踏上了一段身临其境的旅程，与摄制组一起沿着路线前行。此外，她对历史准确性的执着使她的工作与众不同，因为她通过现场调查和历史研究仔细验证了Pony Express的真实位置。在这样做的过程中，王雅颂不仅记录了历史，而且重塑了我们对历史的理解，证明了她关于《快马邮递》纪录片经得起历史的考验。
王雅颂的导演才华在各种类型和语言的电影中得到了精彩的展示。她不断突破电影故事的界限，以自己独特的导演风格吸引观众。从温情的戏剧到令人不寒而栗的恐怖，她非凡的唤起原始情感和内心反应的能力证明了她是一名非常有前途的导演。（作者系中央新闻纪录电影制片厂纪录片总监、原中央电视台台长助理。作于2024年5月9日）
A Comment on Yasong Wang’s Films
Wu Shiping
Yasong Wang is the director and producer of Yasong Studios in Hollywood. Her directorial journey began with her debut film, "Cold", a poignant drama depicting the protagonist's lamentation and mourning of the death of her grandmother, exploring themes of grief and familial relationships. In this emotionally charged narrative, Wang delicately navigates the complexities of loss, deftly portraying the strains it imposes on the protagonist's relationship with her grandmother. The film's success, including an award at a prestigious Mexican film festival, foreshadowed Wang's trajectory as a director of extraordinary talent.
The film "Where to Hide" which was written and directed by Wang further showcased her insight of social reality and ability to craft compelling narratives. The story tells about Zhang Yonggui，the son of a corrupt official，who is studying abroad, caught in the toils of despair after the news of his parents who were arrested for taking bribes and corruption has spread all over China and the overseas Chinese community. He has no other choice but to return to China and cooperate with the procuratorate in the investigation of his parents after his financing was cut and his friends and acquaintances cut ties with him. Wang skillfully depicts the protagonist's mental anguish for being spurn by the society. The film reflects public hatred towards corruption and desire for anti-corruption.
The film “Daydreamer” directed by Wang reflects the social reality of the US. Cassandra Anne (Cass), an 18-year-old girl, wants to attend an art school in New York. However, her seriously ill mother complains that New York is too expensive and persuades her to choose a lower cost state university. Cass suffers hardship and has to work in the library to make a living after her mother died. She feels the harshness of social reality and the coldness of the world when she finds that some other young people are also poor, and even her friend mocks her. She even wants to die. However, she finally realizes that she should face the reality and decides to apply for an affordable school after reflection. Wang took her storytelling prowess to new heights, delivering a poignant drama that resonated with audiences, particularly the youth. Through masterful dialogues, Wang explores the profound bond between a mother and daughter amid the throes of grief. The film's accolades, including multiple awards, underscore Wang's ability to connect with audiences on a profound emotional level.
The film titled “My Choice” written, directed and edited by her tells about the love story of a paralyzed young lady called Jane. She really loves Mike. But she does not want to encumber him after she became paralyzed by a car accident. Wang demonstrated her ability to reveal the protagonist's ambivalence by a series of subtle movements and expressions. For example, Jane hides Mikes’ photo when Mike comes to see her, and she pretends to be indifferent to him. But she fondly looked at Mike’s photo before he comes in. She “impatiently” asked Mike to leave her although she loves him from the bottom of her heart. These conflicts fully show her ambivalence.
In "Engage," Wang boldly ventures into the realm of psychological horror, showcasing her versatility as a director. The film was co-written, directed and co-edited by her. It tells a story about an ambitious young actress called Rose who always dreams of stardom suffers from marriage phobia after her mediocre boyfriend, Joe, proposes marriage. She suffers from ambivalence because she feels hard to balance career and marriage since Joe does not care about her career. She finally resists Joe’s male chauvinism by biting him to death when she pretends to accept his marriage proposal and passionate embrace. Wang used high level artistic skills and techniques to reveal the protagonist's emotional and psychological fears, including bloody nightmares. For example, the scene of the nightmare that Rose was stabbed by a pair of scissors held by Joe and “married Rose” reflects not only her marriage phobia, but also the “death” of her career ambition, which has profound double meaning. Through chilling visuals and a gripping narrative, she immerses viewers in a nightmarish world where reality blurs with hallucination.
Wang’s captivating documentary “Pony Express”, has not only delivered a film but an experiential journey through time. She directed the documentary by leading a crew driving and filming along the 1900-mile Pony Express route from St. Joseph, Missouri to San Francisco, California. Unlike conventional documentaries, Wang's work transcends the mere recounting of history. It morphs into a cinematic road trip, inviting audiences to traverse alongside the film crew-turned-characters.
Wang's meticulous attention to detail is evident in every frame, with a plethora of cameras capturing the essence of the Pony Express journey. From the Red Epic Dragon for interviews and crucial moments to Canon and Sony mirrorless cameras for swift capture, each device becomes a conduit for storytelling, seamlessly blending into the fabric of the narrative. The use of drones adds an aerial perspective, providing sweeping vistas that enhance the grandiosity of the Pony Express' legacy.
Complementing the stunning visuals is the documentary's evocative sound and music palette. Transporting viewers to the Old West, the soundtrack conjures the atmosphere of bygone eras, immersing audiences in the rugged terrain and echoing hoofbeats of galloping steeds. Through sound, Wang masterfully invokes the presence of the past, allowing viewers to experience the Pony Express as if they were riding alongside its intrepid riders.
Wang's “Pony Express” stands unparalleled among the other relevant documentaries in that it takes viewers on such an immersive journey, literally following the route alongside the camera crew. Moreover, her dedication to historical accuracy sets her work apart, as she carefully verified the true locations of Pony Express by on-site investigation and historical research. In doing so, Wang not only documented history but reshaped our understanding of it, ensuring that her documentary on the Pony Express stands the test of history.
Wang’s directorial prowess showcased brilliantly in a diverse array of films that span genres and languages. She has continually pushed the boundaries of cinematic storytelling, captivating audiences with her own unique directorial style. From intimate dramas to chilling horrors, her extraordinary ability to evoke raw emotion and visceral reactions is a testament to her status as a very promising auteur.
(The author is the Chief supervisor of Documentary Production, Central Studio of News Reels Production; former assistant to the president of China Central Television.May 9, 2024)
（责任编辑：李欣欣）
