The Multifaceted Editing of Weibo Feng
The discussion about the future of video content online is over. The success of subscriptions streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, as well as YouTube and other platforms have proven that stories will be delivered via whatever is most accessible to an audience. The professionals who adapt to this modern template understand how to sculpt the story to be most impactful through these varied means, either traditional or contemporary. Editor Weibo Feng is known for vacillating between both of these with great ease, making him popular within an international community which produces vastly different forms of these works. Whether with his work in traditional cinema like the LA Femme International Film Festival Official Selection Dankalicious, the sports app “More”, or a bevy of other productions, Feng has become the preferred craftsman of tales for an eclectic group of storytellers.
New York born and University of Southern California educated is not the background you’d expect for a crossover Chinese-American singer/ entertainer but it applies completely to Victor Ma. Created for China’s largest social media platform [Weibo], Ma’s vlogumentaries are massive hits. Produced by Big Monster Productions and edited by Weibo Feng, the videos were created to allow Victor’s rabid followers to experience some of his life in Los Angeles. The first three episodes of this vlogumentary have earned over twelve million views. From shopping for clothes and food to rapping on the streets of LA, the videos expose the singer’s fans to this Southern California entertainment mecca and the day-to-day of their favorite multicultural artist. The incredible success of Victor Ma’s vlogumentaries is yet another indicator that the power of Social Media is directly tied to the entertainment industry of the present and future. Already signed on for the next season of this production, Feng notes that the versatility of tone for this type of production is intriguing to him as an editor.
Proving that he is also well versed in the world of scripted productions, Weibo recently edited the LGBT theme drama Mint Relationship. Viewed through the lens of the 1980’s, the story revolves around the love triangle of bride-to-be Molly, her fiancé Ian, and Molly’s brother Casper. Through the experiences of these characters we understand what being gay and being loved was like more than three decades ago. The climax of tension and release in the story is when Ian and Casper spend a moment together in the dressing room of a store. The emotional volley is ideally realized via Weibo’s edits which place us within the characters’ hearts and minds. He explains, “I focused on how the process can evolve smoothly and not ‘on purpose’ because the audience should be uncertain up to this point in the film. I chose the takes in which the actors’ performances are feeling loose and natural for the beginning part. By editing, I made the blocking very effortless with the two characters getting closer to each other both physically and mentally. From Casper’s entering to Ian showing him the suit, from Casper apologizing to Ian touching his shoulder saying ‘don’t worry’, I tried to make the whole process unnoticeable, which was critical to the scene. Most importantly, I decided to extend the actual time of them staring at each other before the kissing by cutting back and forth with two close ups to emphasize it. This conveys much more emotion and creates more impact. For the kiss, I decided not to do so much because we didn’t want audience to feel erotic about it. I kept it on a two shot without cutting because we wanted the part smooth and floating as we are all just witnesses of it.” It’s this deep perception into pacing and body language, amongst other facets, that allows Weibo to sculpt these transfixing moments in the film.
Many artists aspire to the kind of career course and history that Weibo Feng has attained. Films that are critically praised in a variety of genres, a strong presence in the future of online/streaming productions, and the ability to work with creative communities of different countries with equal ease; this is the template for editors of the future; most likely the template for all of us. For Feng it’s not so much about being ahead of the pack but rather about doing what he has always loved to do.
