Shanghai will become more and more exciting, Jan Schutte, Distinguished Professor of Shanghai Theater Academy: Support young people to dare to venture and try News | Shanghai | Shanghai Theater Academy

Shanghai citizens love art, and the city of Shanghai is also playing a strong role in attracting senior art workers and art educators from around the world. The internationally renowned film director Jan Schutte is one of them.

In September 2020, Jan Schutter came to the Film School of Shanghai Theater Academy as a full-time distinguished professor. He devotes himself to teaching and has unique insights into how to cultivate more creative talents and how Shanghai can become a more attractive cultural and creative city.

Jan Schutter has served as a full-time distinguished professor at the Film School of Shanghai Theater Academy since September 2020, and has been successively selected into the national and Shanghai high-level talent plans. The films he directed have won the François Truffaut Award, the German Film Award, the Venice Film Festival Best Feature Film Award, and the UNESCO Award. He has taught at Harvard University and Harvard University School of Continuing Education for many years, and served as president of the German Film and Television Academy and the American Film Institute.

The main place where the story takes place is a restaurant called "Shanghai"

Shangguan News: You studied literature, philosophy and art history in college, but later became a film director. What led you to become a filmmaker?

Jan Schutte: When I was 16 years old, I became obsessed with photography. By chance, I started writing news for a newspaper that specialized in sports reporting. When I was almost 17, I was taking match photos for a nationally influential football magazine in Germany. At that time, every football match required two photographers to capture exciting moments from both sides of the field. I was lucky enough to be one of two photojournalists.

Shortly after graduating from high school, I embarked on an independent trip that lasted several months. Starting from Germany, I first took a train to Russia, and then took a boat to Japan. I stayed in Japan for four weeks, and from there I went to Taiwan and Hong Kong. At that time, I really wanted to travel to mainland China, but because I didn’t have a visa, I had to give up.

I took a lot of photos while traveling and even held a photography exhibition after returning home. I started working as a reporter for a television station and at the same time working for a news magazine. During those days, I shot a large number of 30-second, 50-second, and 60-second newsreels and tried almost all kinds of themes. By the time I was almost 23, I had completed hundreds of short films. Although they are very short in terms of duration, for me, the experience of shooting these short films was my "film school" and the starting point for me to become a professional filmmaker.

The feature film "Dragon's Chow" was shot in 1987 and won an award at the Venice Film Festival.

After college, my friends and I wrote scripts and made feature films. We met a man who was selling flowers around the port. He was an immigrant who met a waiter from China in a Chinese restaurant. Our script is based on the story between the two of them. The first line of the entire film is spoken in Chinese. The restaurant in the play, which is also the main place where the story takes place, is a restaurant called "Shanghai".

Shangguan News: Your first film is closely related to Shanghai. It is said that it was later invited to participate in the Venice International Film Festival and was given the opportunity to be screened in the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and other countries?

Jan Schutte: Yes. It won three awards, which gave me and my friends a big surprise, but it is actually a very small-scale production.

Shangguan News: What do you think is the reason why this film is recognized?

Jan Schutte: Both protagonists are immigrants. The story tells that they wanted to engage in a very simple business together, but even though what they wanted to do was so simple, they still failed to get the chance to realize their wish.

I chose to shoot the film in as simple and straightforward a way as possible, focusing on the characters. I tried to explore how a wealthy country like Germany should treat outsiders from less wealthy countries, whether in a rough way or otherwise. The film depicts certain aspects of German society from a position that shows neither pity nor respect for the fate of individuals. I think this may be what impressed the moviegoers.

Later, many of my films were recognized by some national and international film festivals. If they have anything in common, it is that they all pay attention to people, their fate and fate, and they are all independently produced films. Fortunately, in the 1990s, there happened to be many cinemas and film festivals, which gave these films the opportunity to meet the world.

It is these opportunities that make us who we are and bring us a lot of support. These supports and opportunities have allowed me to continue experimenting with various types of filmmaking and production.

The documentary "Ugge Bärtle–Sculptor" was filmed in 1982 and won an award at the Oberhausen Film Festival.

Teaching at Shanghai Opera gives me the opportunity to bring my years of cross-cultural teaching experience to Chinese teachers and students.

Shangguan News: In the early 1990s, you began to teach in some film schools while filming films.

Jan Schutte: One school asked me if I could teach students, and I gladly accepted the invitation. In those days, I spent about two months every two years teaching in schools.

When I met my wife in my 30s, she already had three little boys, and we later had a girl. After having such a big family, my time is divided into three parts-making movies, teaching, and spending time with my family. Around that time, I was invited to teach at Harvard University. Around 2005, we spent two years in the United States. I will teach in the United States for a while, then go back to Germany to make a movie, and then come back to teach in the United States.

Teaching is becoming more and more important to me. Around the age of 53, I accepted the position of director of the German Film and Television Academy. This also means that my film shooting work can only come to an end temporarily.

The feature film "OldLove" was shot in 2001 and won an award at the Venice Film Festival.

Jan Schutte: I said to myself, "You have been making movies for 25 years. Next, just teach well. You can't do everything well." What's more, in my opinion, it is better to focus more on Teaching was a better decision for my family. I can spend more time with them.

I worked at the school for over four years until I was contacted by the American Film Institute and asked to serve as dean. The American Film Institute is probably one of the best film schools in the world. By then, my children had grown up, and my wife and I decided to accept the invitation and stay there for five years.

It was also during my tenure at the American Film Institute that I had exchanges and contacts with my Chinese colleagues. They invited me to come to China to give small workshops. Some friends came here to teach first, which also gave me a better understanding of this place.

Thanks to the help of friends, after I returned to Germany after completing my term at the American Film Institute, I had more opportunities to communicate in China. I taught at the Zhejiang University of Communication in Hangzhou for two years, where I met Huang Changyong, the dean of the Shanghai Theater Academy. Dean Huang invited me to come to Shangxi Theater to teach. It was the autumn of 2019, and I agreed.

In September 2020, I officially started teaching at Shanghai Theater Academy. Also teaching with me is Professor Keith van Ostrum. He is my close working partner.

Shanghai Theater Academy is an arts institution with a long history and high reputation. Dean Huang attaches great importance to my experience of working in many countries and film art schools in Europe and North America. He hopes that I can bring international vision, concepts, and experience to the Shanghai Theater Academy, and bring new knowledge and experience here. new ambience. He also hopes that my teaching methods can inspire teachers here. I am very happy to have the opportunity to bring what I have gained from many years of cross-cultural teaching to Chinese teachers and students.

The feature film "The Farewell" was shot in 2000 and won the award at the Cannes Film Festival. The picture shows a working photo of the crew.

Shangguan News: What is your biggest gain from your years of cross-cultural communication and coaching experience?

Jan Schutte: The biggest gain is the cross-cultural perspective.

As you saw in my class yesterday, it was a graduate course called Screenwriting Workshop. In class, I, the teaching assistant, and the students would sit in a circle. The flow of the class is usually that students take turns reading the outline of the script they have written. Students ask each other questions, and I lead the thread to trigger discussions. Students communicate and ask questions again.

Shangguan News: I noticed that you would introduce your personal experiences and observations in scenes related to the script, and guide students to compare the expression and presentation of similar themes in different cultural backgrounds. However, in the process of hosting and promoting the discussion, it seems that you always With some restraint and reservation, I hope to leave more time and discussion space for students.

Jan Schutte: Yes, rather than me asking questions, I would rather they ask each other questions and exchange views. In this process, I play the role of "thinking midwife."

Combined with the plots and scenes they created, I will select some movie clips to play. Some of these clips are good at structuring stories, and some have insight into the subtleties of human nature, conveying information and promoting the plot through details such as dialogue, responses, and expressions between characters.

I very much hope to inspire them to think about some common propositions in human life and explore the ingenuity and differences in the creations of filmmakers from different cultural backgrounds.

My students are still very young, mostly in their 20s, and they may lack real and solid life experiences. I think what I should do most is to inspire thinking, guide them to feel rather than accept some methods of turning scripts into movies, and push their thinking deeper and deeper. This is something I care about very much in my teaching.

I believe they will slowly find the feeling. Develop independent and in-depth insights into both your own creations and the creations of others.

The feature film "Supertex" was shot in 2003 and won an award at the San Sebastian Film Festival

No question is stupid, the more you ask, the more you learn

Shangguan News: In your past teaching, you have trained many outstanding film talents. Damian Chazelle, one of your students when you taught at Harvard University, won the Academy Award for Best Director in 2017. During his tenure as president of the American Film Institute, its students won numerous medals at the Student Academy Awards. Can you tell us about your favorite student? What characteristics do they generally have?

Jan Schutter: This question is really difficult to answer. Different students have their own characteristics and strengths.

Generally speaking, German students are extremely critical. They are good at thinking, but placing too much emphasis on thinking can become a double-edged sword. Sometimes, being too critical can make them less enthusiastic about life.

American students are always full of fantastic ideas. Some of them place too much emphasis on the opportunity to work in Hollywood, which may not be a good thing for their long-term development.

The biggest characteristic of Chinese students is that they are full of enthusiasm for learning, always open to exploring new knowledge, and eager to learn. If there is anything that could be better, I think they could be a little more proactive and brave in creative innovation.

I once chatted with my Chinese students about education-related topics. They told me that since childhood, they have been required to follow the teacher's ideas in class. The teacher will ask a lot of questions, but asking questions to the teacher is not so popular. "People who often ask questions will be considered a bit stupid."

When I hear them say this, I will emphasize: "In my class, questions are always welcome. You should care about your own judgment and thinking, rather than following the teacher. You must value creativity and dare to innovate!"

I have always believed that no question is stupid. The more you ask, the more you learn. It is important to have your own judgment and ideas. I would encourage them but say no problem, “I’ll help you!”

I generally don't tell students what they should do. Instead, I will try to help them get closer to their goals through their own thinking and trying. In class, I will provide plenty of practice opportunities to help them learn and experience methods of incubating creativity and innovation.

I believe that as long as they dare to think and try, inspiration will burst out of their minds.

In the blink of an eye, this is my fourth year teaching theater. I made an interesting discovery: every year, we get better students than the previous year. This is true every year!

In front of students, Professor Jan Schutte always hopes to play the role of "thinking midwife"

Jan Schutte: I'm also curious about the reason.

After thinking about it for a long time, I think the answer may be that in recent years, the school has changed the entrance examination method and the criteria for selecting students, such as adjusting the weight of interviews, college entrance examination scores, etc. in the entire selection criteria system, making the selection more likely to reflect a comprehensive strength of students. It is changes in this area and the courage to try that allow the school to select better students. It would be great to have better quality, smarter students!

Our students are getting better and better, and I think there is another factor that is also very important. That is, Shanghai Theater Academy is a school with a strong artistic atmosphere and is well versed in cultivating artistic talents.

Some administrators and teachers in the school are writers, artists, humanities and arts workers, and creative workers themselves. Not only can they create, they also know how to make creativity happen. They run the school and provide support to teachers and students based on this.

Whether it is teaching or management, the school always tries to think from the perspective of the interests and development of teachers and students, and attaches great importance to and respects the opinions of artists.

Shangguan News: It is very important for an art school to value and respect the opinions of artists and the rules of artistic creation.

Jan Schutte: Exactly. Unlike in some colleges and universities, administrative staff may only be engaged in administrative management. This makes them think more in terms of administration rather than in terms of building a creative school. I'm glad that I don't have this problem on stage. This is commendable.

If we can stick to this for a long time, I believe that more positive changes will happen and make this school better and better. The better the school, the students will have a bigger stage and better development opportunities.

Shangguan News: Today, the development and iteration of digital technology is getting faster and faster. Short videos are equipped with mobile clients, occupying more and more people's time watching mobile phone screens, and are also subtly changing people's patience and attitude towards serious thinking and in-depth humanistic and artistic works. In your opinion, will this have any impact on film production, production, and teaching?

Jan Schutte: I think so. As an educator, I hope that more technology and equipment will be introduced into campuses and become tools for teachers and students to gain more practical opportunities and learn from practice. We need to learn to dance with new technologies. When some new technological means make film production simpler, cheaper, and more efficient, why should we refuse?

However, it needs to be pointed out that for movies and film creation, technology is never so important, storytelling is the core.

Even with a very cheap camera that you can buy for $20, it's possible to take a great photo. The decisive factor in whether you can take a good photo is never how good or expensive the camera is, but the eyes behind the camera and the person holding the camera who wants to take the photo.

Shanghai is a friendly city with a rich atmosphere of life that relaxes both body and mind.

Shangguan News: You have a deeper connection with Shanghai because of your teaching. In your opinion, what kind of city is Shanghai?

Jan Schutte: In 1988, I made a documentary. The protagonist is a German young man. He survived after escaping from the Nazi concentration camp and settled in Shanghai after various experiences.

I have a good friend from Austria who is also a well-known actor. His parents were sheltered and accepted by Shanghai during World War II. My wife and I once visited the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Memorial Hall in Hongkou and saw his parents’ names on the wall. This moved us very much.

Because of these past experiences, Shanghai has always been a friendly city in my mind. Now, I work and live here for 9 months every year, and my friendship with Shanghai has become even deeper.

The documentary "Lostin America" ​​was filmed in 1988 and won an award at the Oberhausen Film Festival.

Shangguan News: How do you feel about working and living here?

Jan Schutter: I have received great support from the school in my work. There are two young teachers who support my teaching throughout the process. They are all excellent and great helpers. In addition to daily teaching, promoting international exchanges and cooperation is also an important part of my job.

During the epidemic, when offline international exchanges encountered difficulties, I would introduce internationally renowned filmmakers to give lectures to students through online methods such as video conferencing. Right now, I am organizing international exchange programs for teachers and students of the Film School, and I am also promoting Shanghai Theater Academy to join international organizations such as the World Federation of Film and Television Schools.

In terms of life, I think Shanghai is a city where people can relax physically and mentally. Not only is life convenient and transportation developed, the environment of the entire city is also very pleasant, with greenery everywhere. I really like the small shops and markets that can be found everywhere in the central city. They are much cuter than large shopping malls, full of life and human touch.

Shanghai also has some of the best cafes in the world. Recently, my wife happened to be in Shanghai, and I took her to my favorite cafe. It is not far from the Huashan Campus of Shangxi Opera and can be reached on foot. The store owner is very friendly to customers. It makes people feel particularly comfortable to sit outside and watch the street view and pedestrians. On the day we went, we even took a photo with the store clerk.

After the interview, the reporter visited Professor Jan Schutte’s favorite cafe. Photo by Liu Sen

Shangguan News: I heard that you love cycling and you also joined a cycling enthusiasts club organized by citizens.

Jan Schutte: Yes. I have two road racing bikes that I ride in the city center and out in the countryside.

On Sundays weather permitting, I will plan my route in advance. We set off from Shangxi Changlin Campus in Minhang around 5 a.m., rode for about two hours, and then returned to the dormitory to have coffee and breakfast.

One of Professor Jan Schutte’s favorite cycling routes

Shangguan News: As a cultural worker, how do you evaluate Shanghai’s public cultural facilities, including theaters and museums?

Jan Schutte: The public cultural resources here are very rich. This time my wife came to visit relatives, and I watched many exhibitions with her, and also went to listen to the solo concert of Russian soprano Anna Netrebko.

Usually, if I want to discuss cooperation with friends, I often ask them to meet at the Pudong Art Museum. There are always great exhibitions there and a restaurant on the top floor with a great view.

Unfortunately, I don’t speak Chinese, so it’s hard to get to the essence of Chinese works. And, you know, Chinese is a complex language and it's not easy to learn. If I have the opportunity to work here for a long time in the future, I would like to spend some time learning Chinese. This is very necessary for me to understand Chinese culture and Chinese people, and to have more in-depth exchanges with people here.

Shangguan News: Do you think Shanghai is a city that can bring creativity and inspiration to people?

Jan Schutte: In the eyes of many people, I am a filmmaker. But in my own understanding, the core of my work is actually to discover people, feel people, and then record and present their stories. From this point of view, there are many stories worth recording in the social changes of Chinese society in recent years, especially family stories. Shanghai is also the place where many interesting family stories take place.

There is life here, this is a city that pays attention to the quality of life, and life itself is a rich mine of creativity and inspiration.

Shangguan News: Many cities with global influence attach great importance to supporting cultural and creative industries. Shanghai is also striving to become a more creative and dynamic city, eager to cultivate and attract more outstanding creative talents. What suggestions do you have in this regard?

Jan Schutter: Faced with such a goal, talent cultivation and talent support are the most important, especially supporting young people to dare to venture and try. Please believe that they can definitely bring more excitement to this city.

In terms of talent cultivation, daily teaching from the perspective of cultivating creative talents is the key. The Shanghai Theater and Film School where I work has a very beautiful campus, fully functional teaching buildings, studios, recording studios, studios, etc. for various purposes. The slight downside is that the equipment we now have available for film production is not adequate.

This requires greater investment from the government, as well as more personnel and technical input. Equipment of good quality and sufficient quantity is important for students to learn specific skills and develop practical abilities.

Film shooting and production can be said to be a science of "learning by doing". More practical operations will not only help accumulate experience and hone skills, but also shorten the distance between students and real film workers, making better preparations for future development.

In terms of talent support, taking the film industry that I am familiar with as an example, I think it is very necessary to create some support funds for young filmmakers. The scale of funding required for each support project does not necessarily need to be large. Sometimes, support can also mean providing opportunities to use high-tech production equipment. The important thing is to let dreams take off and let more talented people be discovered and seen.

Professor Jan Schutte’s favorite cycling route 2