关于”细节” | About “Details”
今天听阎连科老师讲”细节”在小说里的作用，他说得非常仔细。他说，只要有一个好的细节就可以构成一个短篇小说。他举例了契珂夫的《小公务员之死》，就是一个喷嚏构成了小公务员的死亡。他仔细分析了细节是怎么推动了这个故事，人物是怎么出场，他为什么那么惧怕，这时候在惧怕中，是如何体现出他的身份以及他人生阅历和阶层地位，最后小说是如何从发展，渐渐走向结局。同时，他也分析了电影《红气球》和《Jaal Gedi》（尼泊尔短片，这片名就是那个玩吸管的女孩名字）里的细节作用。
这让我意识到，有一个好的细节，就同样可以构成一个好的短片！
细节对短片尤其重要，因为片子短，不能铺开来讲故事，所以一个好的细节，就形成了一个核心，它可以串起一个故事，然后把它推向终点。一个独特的细节，短片就能通过它表达出人物、命运以及个性，镜头语言在细节上做足文章，紧紧抓住它不放，把它发挥到极致，故事就在其中了。
后来阎老师让学生谈他们的小说构思，每一个人都讲了很多。但是，他们就是没有抓住阎老师说的重点，就是在他们的故事里，始终没有听见一个学生说出一个独特的细节，他们讲的既不是故事也不是小说，仅仅是素材。素材和细节的区别在于，素材是没有架构，没有取舍的，所以大家听的时候，是没有走向性的，不知所云。如果有一个细节，它就可以帮助你架构故事，围绕在细节上叙述，渐渐地完成故事。短篇也好，短片也罢，就这样形成了。
在这里就是提醒大家，如果要拍短片的话，同学们首先要清楚，自己要说什么，要有一个动人的细节，由它来串起你的故事。阎老师说，《Jaal Gedi》里面，吸管出现了三次。每一次是怎么递进了故事的发展！我非常佩服他看片子的把握能力，他一下就抓到了重点，这是好莱坞的叙述技巧，就是 — 你要让人记住你的细节，你必须让它出现三次以上！
你在架构短片故事的时候，注意人物、时间、地点的集中，否则的话就无法在有限的时间和篇幅里面完成你的人物和故事。在下手写剧本之前，先尝试着，用娓娓道来的方法，把故事叙述给同学听，看看他们是否有兴趣，这是测试你的短片质量的第一步。等到拍完，就来不及了。叙述的时候，记住四个阶段：起、承、转、合！
努力从你的生活里寻找细节，那样你会容易找到只属于你的、独特的文化认同，人物就会表现得比较扎实！拍短片，努力往 “小”里走，就是表现一个细节，一段情绪，一个瞬间发生的事情。不要考虑几代人的事情，不要有”宏大叙事”！
Today I listened to Professor Yan Lianke talk about the role of “details” in fiction, and he explained it very thoroughly. He said that just one good detail can form a short story. He gave the example of Chekhov’s “The Death of a Government Clerk,” in which a sneeze caused the death of a small official. He analyzed in detail how this detail propelled the story, how the character was introduced, why he was so fearful, how his identity, life experience, and social status were reflected in his fear, and finally how the story developed and gradually reached its conclusion. He also analyzed the role of details in the films “The Red Balloon” and “Jaal Gedi” (a Nepali short film, titled after the name of the girl who plays with a straw).
This made me realize that a good detail can similarly form a good short film!
Details are especially important for short films because the film is brief and cannot develop a broad narrative. A good detail forms a core that can string together a story and push it toward its conclusion. With a unique detail, a short film can express character, destiny, and personality through it. The film language can focus on the detail, holding onto it tightly and developing it to its fullest, and the story emerges within it.
Later, Professor Yan asked students to discuss their novel concepts, and each one said a lot. However, they missed Professor Yan’s main point—in their stories, not a single student mentioned a unique detail. What they discussed was neither story nor novel, merely raw material. The difference between material and detail is that material lacks structure and selection, so when people listen, there is no direction, no clarity. If there is a detail, it can help structure the story, narrate around the detail, and gradually complete the story. Whether it’s a short story or a short film, that’s how it takes shape.
I want to remind everyone that if you want to make a short film, students must first be clear about what they want to say and have a moving detail to string your story together. Professor Yan said that in “Jaal Gedi,” the straw appears three times. Each time advances the development of the story! I greatly admire his ability to grasp film; he immediately caught the key point, which is a Hollywood narrative technique—if you want people to remember your detail, you must make it appear at least three times!
When structuring a short film story, pay attention to the concentration of characters, time, and place; otherwise, it will be impossible to complete your character and story within the limited time and length. Before starting to write the script, try using a storytelling approach to narrate your story to classmates and see if they are interested. This is the first step in testing the quality of your short film. Once it’s filmed, it’s too late. When narrating, remember the four stages: introduction, development, turning point, and conclusion!
Try to find details from your own life; that way, you’ll easily find cultural identities that are uniquely yours, and characters will appear more solid! When making short films, strive to go “small”—express a detail, an emotion, or a momentary event. Don’t consider multi-generational stories or engage in “grand narratives”!