When Ling Yichen and Jun Mozhan set foot on foreign soil to embark on their international film and television collaboration, the first thing they strongly felt was the overwhelming cultural differences. These differences, like a fine mesh, permeated every aspect of their lives and work, bringing both novelty and challenges, while also prompting them to constantly adapt, understand, and integrate.
Upon arriving in Los Angeles, home to Hollywood, Ling Yichen was immediately struck by the local social etiquette. At his first meeting with the international team, everyone greeted each other with hugs. Accustomed to the reserved handshakes of the East, this enthusiastic physical contact initially made Ling Yichen feel somewhat uncomfortable. He tried to adjust himself, learning to hug and kiss on the cheek naturally like the locals, but deep down, he still felt a little shy and nervous. Jun Mo Ran faced a similar situation. During their interactions, the directness and openness of the Westerners caught them somewhat off guard. When discussing personal topics such as family and relationships, the emphasis on privacy and reserve in Eastern culture left them unsure how to respond, while their Western colleagues readily shared their experiences, their laughter echoing in the room, making them feel slightly awkward.
In terms of food, cultural differences are even more obvious. Los Angeles is filled with various Western restaurants, fast food outlets, and specialty food stalls. Ling Yichen and Jun Moran walked into a traditional American restaurant, looking at the menu's dazzling array of hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, pizzas, and other dishes, filled with both curiosity and confusion. Those enormous hamburgers, with their thick patties, cheese, vegetables, and various sauces, stood in stark contrast to the delicate Chinese dishes they were accustomed to. Jun Moran tried ordering a steak, and when the waiter asked how well-done he wanted it, he was momentarily stunned. In China, steak is usually cooked to a degree of doneness like well-done or medium-well, but here it's expressed in odd numbers, such as rare, medium-rare, and medium-well. He hesitated for a moment, then chose medium-well, but when the steak arrived, seeing the still-bloody meat, his stomach churned. Ling Yichen ordered a pizza; the rich cheese and various unique toppings gave his taste buds an unprecedented adventure. Although they tried to adapt to these foreign foods, they often missed the taste of home, the steaming rice, the fragrant stir-fries, and the delicate desserts.
Cultural differences in their work also presented them with numerous challenges. On set, the Western work pace and methods differed greatly from those in China. Hollywood film production emphasizes efficiency and clear division of labor, with each department having strict workflows and schedules. Ling Yichen and Jun Moran discovered that the shooting schedule here was precise down to the minute; a delay in any环节 could affect the entire shooting progress. In contrast, the shooting process in China was more flexible, focusing on the actors' performance and on-set inspiration. During an important scene, Ling Yichen wanted to make some adjustments to a character's detailed movement and communicated with the director. However, the director stated that according to the established storyboard and shooting schedule, there wasn't much time for revisions, leaving Ling Yichen somewhat frustrated. He realized that in international collaborations, it was necessary to respect and adapt to this rigorous workflow.
In terms of performance style, as they learned during their previous training, Western actors' performances are more extroverted and dynamic. In an emotionally charged scene, Western actors convey their characters' emotions through loud shouts, exaggerated physical movements, and rich facial expressions, while Ling Yichen and Jun Moran's preferred Eastern performance style emphasizes more restrained and subtle emotional expression. During their performances, they need to strive to maintain their own unique style while increasing the intensity and extroversion of their performances to match the Western actors' styles and create a more harmonious and unified scene. This requires them to constantly study and practice, finding a balance between Eastern and Western performance styles.
Religious culture was another significant difference they faced while living in a foreign land. The United States is a religiously diverse country, and Christianity has a wide influence in society. When filming scenes involved religious elements, Ling Yichen and Jun Moran needed to understand the relevant religious knowledge and etiquette to avoid making mistakes due to ignorance. For example, when filming a scene inside a church, they needed to follow church rules, remain quiet, respect religious rites, and not touch or damage items inside the church. They also participated in religious culture training organized by the production team, learning about basic Christian doctrines, holidays, and rituals to better understand and interpret characters and plots involving religious content.
In their daily lives, they gradually experienced the unique charm of Western holiday culture. During Halloween, the entire city was immersed in a joyful and mysterious atmosphere. Streets and alleys were decorated with various ghosts, pumpkin lanterns, and other elements, and children dressed in costumes went door-to-door asking for candy. Ling Yichen and Jun Moran were infected by this lively festive atmosphere, and they also tried wearing Halloween costumes and joining in the local celebrations. On Thanksgiving, they received an invitation from American friends to attend a family dinner. At the table, they saw traditional Thanksgiving foods such as roast turkey and pumpkin pie, learned about the historical and cultural connotations behind Thanksgiving, and felt the Western family's values of valuing family ties and gratitude for life.
Faced with these cultural differences, Ling Yichen and Jun Moran did not back down or resist, but instead embraced and learned with an open mind. They proactively communicated with local friends and colleagues, inquired about cultural customs, participated in various cultural activities, and gained a deeper understanding of the connotations and charm of Western culture. They also shared their experiences in a foreign land with their family and friends back home, introducing Western culture to people in China and becoming a bridge for cultural exchange between East and West.
In their collaboration with the Western team, they also incorporated elements of Eastern culture. During a break in filming, Ling Yichen demonstrated traditional Chinese martial arts to his Western colleagues. His impressive performance drew cheers and sparked their interest in martial arts within Eastern culture. Jun Moran introduced Chinese calligraphy and painting, creating a beautiful calligraphy piece on the spot, which he presented to his Western friends, allowing them to experience the profoundness of Eastern culture.
As time went by, Ling Yichen and Jun Moran gradually adapted to the cultural differences in a foreign land. Based on respect and understanding of different cultures, they found a tacit understanding to cooperate with international teams. In the process, they also continuously enriched and improved themselves, laying a more solid foundation for their development on the international film and television stage.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
