Metro
Apple Taps Zhang Meng for Chinese New Year Film ‘The Comeback’
Apple has tapped mainland Chinese language director Zhang Meng for “The Comeback,” a heartwarming movie that’s releasing in time for the Lunar New Yr holidays. It was shot solely utilizing the newest iPhone units.
The corporate’s Chinese language New Yr film custom is now into its fifth version. Apple’s 2021 movie “Nian” was shot by “The Farewell” director Lulu Wang.
“The Comeback,” which weighs in at 23 minutes (watch above or on YouTube), is a multi-genre film about making a film. It mixes up Hollywood sci-fi, conventional Kung Fu motion and nostalgic feel-good comedy. Apple says it’s “set to encourage and encourage everybody to by no means cease believing of their desires — even when that dream is as distant as Mars.”
The brand new movie additionally serves as a showcase for the video capabilities of the newest iPhone. These embrace stabilization, slo-mo, time-lapse and Dolby Imaginative and prescient seize and edit. Zhang and director of pictures Luo Dong used solely the three native cameras of the iPhone 13 Professional, with none extra lenses.
Apple can also be releasing a behind-the-scenes take a look at how “The Comeback” was made. The making-of exhibits how Zhang and Luo utilized options together with cinematic mode, macro, filmed in low gentle and used the cellphone’s ultra-wide and telephoto cameras.
Zhang is greatest identified for 2010 function movie “The Piano in a Manufacturing unit,” which he wrote and directed. One other never-say-die story, the film a couple of manufacturing unit employee who struggles to construct his musically-inclined daughter the instrument she wants, earned quite a few prizes at movie festivals together with in Tokyo, Miami and Sydney. “Piano” was additionally the premise for a restricted TV sequence that performed in China from 2014.
Apple has a deep, advanced and, at instances, controversial relationship with China. The nation is one in every of its largest markets for iPhones, the place the model stays aspirational and premium-priced. And far of Apple’s manufacturing provide chain for iPhones, iPads and Mac computer systems relies in mainland China and Taiwan.
The brand new movie, nevertheless, emphasizes the optimistic. Apple gives the next synopsis: “A younger stunt-double, who desires of being behind the digital camera not simply in entrance of it, returns dwelling for Chinese language New Yr to spend time along with his father whereas nursing an harm and escaping his perceived failure. The villagers have fun his return because the ‘large director’ and he’s reluctantly satisfied to assist the village create a film of their very own, to make their unknown village ‘web well-known.’ What it actually does is deliver the villagers collectively as they craft and create a film set on Mars — writing the story, making costumes, constructing units and organising stunts — and reignites the younger man’s perception in changing into a director and fulfilling his filmmaking desires.”
“The Comeback” was produced in affiliation with Apple advert company TBWAMedia Arts Lab Shanghai. It options an authentic rating by Varqa Buehrer.
Along with “Nian,” Apple’s earlier movies marking the Chinese language New Yr are “Daughter” (2020), “The Bucket” (2019) and “Three Minutes” (2018).
