Introduction: "Human World 2" has brought many people their first thoughts about life in 2019. Medical documentaries are no longer unfamiliar to domestic audiences, but this work still brings some novel elements. MV shooting, narration and dubbing, focus on perspective... There are reasonable changes, and there are also some questionable attempts.

Text | Duomi

After two and a half years, the second season of "The World" returns to the audience's attention. The stories of life are always different and often unexpected. With the hospital as the background, medical documentaries are produced and broadcast one after another, and there seems to be a pattern to follow. But "Human World 2" shows us that documentarians have not stopped on the road to updating their storytelling methods. Amidst the changes, what attempts reflect the characteristics of the times? Do aggravated emotional expressions apply equally in different situations?

Follow their wishes, not "consume"

The first episode of "Fireworks" immediately caused controversy on the Internet after it was aired. Watching this work with expectations for a traditional documentary, the audience felt very uncomfortable when seeing MV-like scenes. In slow motion, a child with osteosarcoma wears cosplay clothes and walks into the ward to break ice. This scene was originally a common artistic expression of courage. However, due to their true illness and fate, this work has been criticized by public opinion as "consumption pain".

Keep this question mark. As we continue to watch the documentary, new understanding will follow.

At the New Year's Eve party, Choi Hyun-an chose to cosplay Shanks, who lost his left arm like him in "One Piece". At this point in the story, the number of barrages suddenly increased, and many viewers "saw Shanks burst into tears." Anzai, who had just undergone surgery the day before, with the encouragement of his mother, medical staff and friends, repeatedly practiced just two lines, preparing to shout "I will stay with you to the end" at the party in response to the pain.

"Louder, shout louder." The intention behind Cai's mother's words can also be felt through the screen. She hopes that the performance at the party can divert the children's attention and increase their confidence in facing life. The party has become a way for children, family members and medical staff to face difficulties with laughter and relieve worries.

In the hospital, apart from the documentary footage, what is even more reluctant to let go of every scene is actually the cell phone footage in the hands of parents. Wang Sirong’s mother said that she took these videos in the hope that she could listen to her child’s voice and see what she looked like in the video in the future. It’s as if you can capture every minute and every second of time together with your mobile phone.

Therefore, the purpose of shooting the "Reverse War" MV is very easy to understand. Whether from a performance or documentary perspective, the most important audience for this artistic expression is not the documentary audience. If the wishes of the children and their families can be fulfilled, these scenes are worth recording.

Documentary narration, carefully modified

The "Reverse War" MV was edited into a separate short video and was not cut into the feature film as a complete work. This choice is appropriate . The children with the disease want youthful expression, but the documentary only needs the simplest and most sincere reality. Narration in documentaries, as a means of expression for the audience, should avoid the tendency of over-processing.

The episode directors of the second season of "This World" differ in the way they tell the story. The narration of the first episode "Fireworks" is quite special. After it was written by the director and writer, Du Kemeng, a child with bone tumor, came to the recording studio to record the dubbing alone. The little girl's reading adds a sense of immersion to the narration explaining the background, but the simulated first-person expression when the documentary writer writes is a bit distorted even through the mouth of the child. On the one hand, the intimacy brought by the dubbing of the subject, and on the other hand, the principle of striving for authenticity, the choice of dubbing person and narration content may need to be reconsidered.

The third episode "Breathing" tells the story of the long torture faced by patients with pneumoconiosis. The treatment problem for pneumoconiosis patients, in addition to the cost of surgery and condition, also depends on whether a lung source suitable for transplantation is found. In the context of a serious shortage of lung sources, patients experienced long waits in the hospital, and many people left before they had a chance to be reborn. The objective description of the current treatment status of patients with pneumoconiosis is already very distressing. As for the documentary narration's statement, "Who will be blessed, who will be happy", such sensational rhymes and confrontations are actually unnecessary.

For documentaries, truth is the most appropriate choice to trigger a stir. Narration can carry over the plot and increase narrative efficiency, but the way documentaries modify narration has to be different from other image types.

Story boundaries are a new breakthrough

Medical documentaries are set in hospitals, but they often tell more than just stories in the hospital. This is particularly evident in the three episodes currently aired in "Human World 2".

In the past many years, the broadcast of medical documentaries has eased the real-life doctor-patient relationship. In the process of documentaries promoting the reconciliation of doctor-patient conflicts, "Human World 2" broadcast in 2019 has quietly changed its direction, expanding the scope of the story to more real issues beyond the doctor-patient relationship.

The second episode "Birthday" is a story about obstetrics and gynecology, and it is also a story that contains the most controversial values. In the critical maternal consultation and rescue center of Renji Hospital, many mothers take the risk despite doctors' advice. The danger has been predicted, but the reasons why the mother or her family persist despite the risk are, "It feels a bit incomplete not to have a child", "Will you divorce me?" "Children are a carrier of desire, and the family system is also the whole society. That's fine."... What the footage and interviews left behind is the epitome of various thoughts on a certain topic.

In the third episode "Breath", the creative team is not only focused on stories about oxygen machines and surgical operations. As a vulnerable group, pneumoconiosis patients are going through a difficult journey in order to get more attention and protection. Chen Jingyu, a doctor at Wuxi People’s Hospital and a National People’s Congress representative, has been calling for and promoting the development of relevant policies for many years. The documentary also carefully combed through the process of the government increasing assistance to pneumoconiosis patients. From the policy animations in each building, we can see the progress of medical policies along the timeline.

Breakthroughs are not always surprising, but the attitude of pursuing innovation is an important factor in promoting the healthy development of the industry. Just like "Human World 2", I hope more documentary teams will not be limited to conservative models and find a documentary storytelling style in the new era amidst discussions and even controversies.