A Study on Exploring the Anthropological Audiovisual Narrative : Collaboration and Extending the Senses in the Ethnographic Filmmaking Process(<Special Theme>Towards a New Age of Anthropology with Visual Practice)

<p>The purpose of this paper is to consider the collaborative relationship with informants in the field and my own sensory experiences while involved in local visual practices. Taking my own process of ethnographic filmmaking as a case study, I explain the realization of the anthropological audiovisual narrative in response to my own film. I aim to contribute to the theorization of filmmaking in ethnographic research and scholarship by providing this study as a methodological example. In recent years, filmmaking has become more widespread because of the miniaturization and low cost of video production equipment; as a result, we have come to see various visual practices and media products in peripheral areas where many anthropologists do fieldwork. However, as shown in this paper, depending on the genres of self-produced video that have begun to circulate in the local market, there are also locally-produced works that are difficult for outsiders to appreciate in the same way as their local informants, because of their imperfect understanding of the indigenous audiovisual narrative that has been devised in the local social context. Judging from the discriminating visual and auditory senses of people who appreciate such local self-produced videos, the visual data and/or films that anthropologists shoot according to their scholarly interest may often be criticized by informants. But I suggest that if we receive such criticism with a positive attitude and sincere interest, we may find the possibility of innovative ethnographic filmmaking via a process of negotiating each other's "senses" and audiovisual narrative styles. In this paper, I clarify the current situation of local visual practices in the Dehong Tai society of Yunnan Province, China, and provide detailed ethnographic descriptions of my experience in producing commemorative videos of Tai rituals at the request of my Tai friends and informants. First, I review the various effects of the spread of video production equipment on urban areas in Yunnan, such as the piracy problem and the academic applications of video media; I also address the current situation of audiovisual media that have penetrated ethnic minority communities. Recently, activities such as commemorative filming of ritual, family or social events have become popular among ethnic minority societies in Yunnan. Next, based on my experience in Dehong Tai society, when I was asked by people to shoot and edit their commemorative videos, I examine the cultural characteristics of the local audiovisual narrative style that has developed. Tai people have established their own styles of audiovisual narrative to represent their cultural activities; these are often difficult for outsiders to understand, because of their lack of knowledge about the cultural context. Finally, taking my first ethnographic film I have produced so far as an example, I discuss the production process and methodology of negotiating the discomfort I felt during participant observation when making videos for my Tai informants, namely, the difference in gaze between us, and the effect of that on the anthropological audiovisual narrative. In Dehong Tai society, people in recent years have started to shoot commemorative videos of private Buddhist rituals, into which individuals or entire families may pour resources they have saved for many years. They invite private singers to the ritual to give a performance of improvised singing in honor of the guests. In the local market, these commemorative videos of folk singers' performances are ubiquitous, and highly-praised works are copied under the table and circulated as pirated editions. This video genre records the main guests as well as the singers; it offers confirmation of social relations and underlines the importance of the traditional auditory culture, such as improvised songs and chanting of Buddhist scriptures. However, the</p><p>(View PDF for the rest of the abstract.)</p>