DISTINCTIVELY VISUAL SPEECH PRESENTATION

BY WENHAO LIU
Distinctive visual elements are embedded in almost every form of text either directly or
indirectly through composer's manipulation of languages, compositions and visual elements.
Distinctive elements have been given in the process of viewing or reading these texts which
allowed me, as an audience to create distinctive images in my mind to enable me to come to
understanding the development of the text and interpreting messages that are being conveyed.
Such elements had been portrayed in the movie 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' directed by
Ann Lee and song 'People' by Dwagie featuring Dalai Lama .
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon by Ann Lee is a movie that explores the conflict between the
need of individual freedom and the dependency necessitated by love for another through
showcasing the complexity of human thoughts and their relationship between each other.
The song People by Taiwanese singer Dwagie featuring His holiness Dalai Lama reflects on
the society about the things that people are doing to each other and to the mother planet Earth
through a specific form of music expression: rapping.
The idea of love and relationship is the dominate theme throughout the movie, however this
film is essentially a martial arts film which increased Lee's difficulty of showing such ideas.
Ann Lee uses distinctively visual setting of China in Qing dynasty, when people of China
were conservative when considering of marriage. Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien is an example
of two people in love but unable to commit into a relationship because Yu Shu Lien is a
widow, therefore they find it hard to keep their love untold. Through the use of this
distinctive setting characters can be effectively introduced to the audiences as a first
impression.
The most distinctive and memorable visual are created through action sequences. For
example when the sword 'Green Dynasty' was stolen, the leading action greatly fascinated the
audiences by showing incredible kung fu skills within the characters, such as flying across
rooftops effortlessly, and their ability to perceive the opponent's attack direction. These skills
give the characters an unearthly quality. Such qualities are essential to every wuxia genre
films, this also has an effect of introducing the audiences to a new perspective.
Dialogues between characters is another powerful way to create distinctive visual images. "I
didn't feel the bliss of enlightenment. Instead, I was surrounded with an endless sorrow... I
felt something pulling me back.. something I couldn't leave behind." Is a good example of
dialogues containing distinctively visual elements, it allows the audiences to feel and see
what Li Mu Bai is feeling and had saw.
The song 'People' by Dwagie featuring His Holiness Dalai Lama is a song that reflects the
ways of people treating each other by rapping. The dominate theme is revealed by uncovering
history and past events such as The Tank Man, Adolf Hitler, September 11 (911) attacks. And
it is through the uncovering of such events the audiences are emotionally linked to past

events and reflect on themselves. Songs can be a powerful tool when expressing the singer's
thoughts and feelings, which can be better expressed using corresponding tones and speed of
the song.
Distinctive images are created in the audience's mind during this process which further
emphasised the intention of the singer that is to show the audience confronting histories that
had happened.
His holiness Dalai Lama was also featured in the song and participated in the lyrics in the
beginning, middle and end of the song singing the Green Tara Sadhana. This completes the
lyrics of Dwagie while communicating through conveying subliminal messages to the
audience of human race's potential to become kind and helpful, it raises deep hidden feelings
from each listener, conveying the message that mankind don't have to be like this, it can be
free and beautiful, and full of compassion.
At the end of the song an extra audio interview footage from Dwagie and His Holiness Dalai
Lama had been added, in the footage Dalai Lama talks that we as human races should not
underestimate how much contribution we can have toward the society and world, but we need
to consider whether we're doing the right thing or not, if so, that is an achievement.
In conclusion, distinctively visual elements are essentially in texts which allows the
composers to better convey his/her idea and impact on targeted audiences effortlessly through
the use of languages. In the two texts discussed, Distinctive visual elements played big role in
provoking images inside the audiences mind which in connected to a clear attitude/
perspective that helps with the ideas and messages that the composers trying to convey to be
understood.