Guest blogger Jane, who made the short film Nanjing Road, shares her director’s commentary and production notes exclusively to Mer-chan. Get updates on her film at nanjing.mer-chan.com
“Hi from Shanghai!” No, I’ll never get tired of saying that. I made my short film Nanjing Road as a valentine to Shanghai. There are many fantastic films about Shanghai, but a city can never have too many lovers (can’t say the same about a**hole guys who dump you). I love this city! In this blogella (short blog) I chronicle the making of Nanjing Road so come back to nanjingroad.mer-chan.com for deleted scenes, production notes and other updates. Many thanks to Film Independent and Mer-chan for making this happen!
Maybe you already know this since I can’t seem to stop talking about it, but I went to Shanghai and made a short film called Nanjing Road. This is the quickie synopsis: Lovers make a horror movie set against China’s economic expansion. Their relationship sours before the film is completed, and the man abandons his girlfriend and their film. She completes the movie, obsessing over real life and myth.
It stars Ge Jin in as Jingle (the boyfriend / Chinese demon) and me as the girlfriend Jane. Big thanks go out to Ge Jin’s amazing family! I wanted to add deleted scenes and production notes, but decided to let Jane do it since she made the film. Look for her updates here and on a special Nanjing Road site: http://nanjingroad.mer-chan.com.
Nanjing Road is a short film by Katy Chang. Jane and Jingle are lovers making a horror movie set against China’s economic expansion. In their movie, Jingle plays a Chinese demon known as a giangxi. The giangxi pursues a girl played by Jane throughout Shanghai.
The changing city is the backdrop and a character in the narrative; they film in locations that encapsulate the city’s evolution: a Taoist temple one day and in Shaighai’s trendiest shopping district, Hua Hai Lu, at night. The giangxi is a superstitious relic of ancient China. Jane plays an independent young woman who is a flanuer through modern, vibrant Shanghai. The shifting urban landscape defines their relationship and power struggle in real life.
Before the film is completed, their relationship sours and Jingle abandons Jane and their film. He leaves nothing of himself behind but a pile of their footage on the hotel room bed. With the footage, Jane is left to complete the movie on her own and looks for clues about their failed relationship. She evokes their problems with communication and emotional awkwardness in the film, which is moody and mostly silent.
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