Guizhou Long March Digital Art Memorial

Guizhou Province, in Southwest China, in 2019 was designated a key construction area of one of the national culture parks for the Long March. Since then, the revitalization and utilization of "red resources" have continued to deepen. 

During the past five years, the large-scale, Long March cultural-immersive performance, "The Great Turning Point," and the Guizhou Long March Digital Art Memorial (known as Hongpiaodai, meaning "Red Ribbon") have opened. A group of young people have devoted themselves to performing on stage, or working as backstage crew members, to tell the story of the Long March and inherit the "red genes." 

Live performance of "The Great Turning Point"

At the "Red Ribbon," a flickering horse lantern gradually lights up, leading the audience back to revolutionary times. 

Zhu Ying, one of the backstage crew members, majored in art. She was intrigued by, and sometimes struggled with, the new technologies, including virtual interaction, holographic imaging, multidimensional mechanical motion, and three-dimensional sound field. To quickly become familiar with the technologies, so she could excel in her work, she purchased on-topic books, and she sought advice from senior technical personnel. She sometimes spent hours seeking the answer to a question. 

"This is not only an innovation, but also a meticulous 'project' that must not go wrong," said Zhu. In the "Blood and Fire Baptism" chapter of the performance "Red Ribbon • Great Journey," the team realistically recreated the trench scene. All of the props (based on historical data) helped create an immersive viewing space, especially when combined with the special lighting and sound effects. The end result has been a show that presents viewers with an unforgettable, immersive experience. Zhu marvels at how she has gone from being an "outsider" to having a deep understanding of the various technologies adopted in the performance. "Only by better mastering the technology can we provide the audience with a better situational experience," she says. 

Zhu Ying at work [Photo by Wei Rong]

In the Great Turning Point Theater, situated in Zunyi, a city in Guizhou Province, the 360-degree-rotating stage contains various scenes. The stage is equipped with LED screens, lighting, a sound system, smoke equipment, and other props. Four video servers, 12 professional laser-engineering projectors, and one high-power engineering projector are located around the stage. 

"Following the plot, the stage can be turned quickly to switch to the corresponding scene. The projector is used to play video images that reflect the history of the Long March, creating a comprehensive, three-dimensional image through montage techniques," says Ran Xuan, another backstage woman worker. "There are many scene transitions presented on the stage, and, as a conductor, one must remember the timing of each scene's sound, lighting, machinery, and other transitions, to ensure the smoothness of the performance," Ran adds. She always carries a notebook, so she can accurately record each transition point. 

The drama incorporates eight technological-stage-design innovations, and applications have been filed to receive national patents for those innovations. 

As part of the "Red Ribbon" project team, more than 30 workers manage the sound, lighting and electricity. The vast majority of those workers are among the younger generations, who were born after 1990. 

"Not only the general control team, but also personnel from various groups, such as lighting, audio, video and machinery, have to follow the scene, constantly monitoring whether equipment will malfunction, and always being ready to deal with problems at any time," Zhu says. 

Perfect timing is key. "We need to cooperate meticulously if we want to bring the audience a more immersive experience," Ran says. She gives an example: "In the scene switch of 'Loushan Pass,' we need to ensure all actors are removed from the lifting platform before calling for a switch. The safety of the theater and actors doesn't allow for any mistake." 

The more the cast performs, the more energized the team becomes. "Along the road of exploring 'red resources' and spreading red culture, our exploration has just begun," Ran says. 

After one performance, Ran opened her notebook and recorded the time taken for each scene transition, and she jotted down her thoughts about what needed to be improved. She vows she and her team will continue taking every step steadily, and they will constantly contribute their strength, as young people should do.

(Source: People's Daily)

(Women of China English Monthly November 2024)

Editor: Dai Rui