Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a film actor? I was lucky enough to have such an experience.

One of my family’s close friends is a director and wanted to make a project for the Virginia Film Festival. Having lots of experience in the theater, I was sure that my acting skills were good enough for the lead role. But it turned out it was very different from theater acting.

Most people, myself included, think that actors are the centre of attention. However, most of the time everyone is busy setting up cameras. Nobody is paying unnecessary attention to the actors. Each part of the film will be shot（拍摄）many times before it is made into what you see on the big screen. For example, the short film I was in was only five minutes long but I spent half a day in acting. This is because it has to be shot at different angles（角度）and light conditions. The acting is different too. I’ve never actually seen how I look on the camera before. So I was quite surprised when I saw how strange my face was. You’ll find the same skills that work for acting on the stage（舞台）are not so useful in that of the film.

I never thought I would be able to work with a film team. So, the experience was meaningful. However, I’ve decided I would probably do better on a stage than talking to a camera.

The documentary Born in China was shot in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (青藏高原) and shows animals’ lives during different seasons.

It not only brings to audiences the lives of animals that are rarely seen in the wild—giant pandas and Tibetan antelopes (藏羚羊), for example— but also shows traditional Chinese culture. The film mainly focuses on life and love within three animal families— giant pandas, golden monkeys and snow leopards.

A symbol of China, the giant panda is both black and white. Its body is thought to show yin and yang. The panda’s gentle nature (本性) also shows how yin and yang, when perfectly balanced, lead to peace and harmony (和谐). This can be seen in the documentary when a giant panda mother guides her baby to gradually look for independence and explore the world.

Monkeys always have strong personalities. The best example might be the Monkey King, a character from the popular novel Journey to the West (《西游记》). On one hand he stands for impatience. But on the other hand, he shows cleverness and energy. Born in China follows a 2- year-old golden monkey who feels like his life has been changed for the worse by his new baby sister. He quickly joins up with a group of other free-spirited monkeys, but finally returns to his family and understands the meaning of responsibility.

A mother snow leopard faces the challenge of raising her two children in a harsh (严酷的) environment. The leopards, known for their rapid attacks and quick footwork, have inspired a form of pictographic boxing (象形拳) in Shaolin martial arts (武术).

“Born in China is a means to show Chinese traditional culture,” director Lu told the Binhai Times newspaper. “From five-animal exercises to pictographic boxing, Chinese people have learned from wild animals since ancient times.