For the climax of a love story, should the hero commit suicide in the foamy ocean surf or in still lake waters? Should the clown have a sad face or a happy, fleshy one? Should the gangster's bodyguard carry a gun or would darts be more the style? Such small details do not worry most audiences, but they do concern the people behind the scenes. Among their number, the art and costume designers' tasks rank as most important. They, in the words of Wang T'ung, winner of this year's Golden Horse Awards for art design and costume design, "are responsible for everything that the audience sees on the screen."

Art designers take care of such matters as an actress' hair or a comedian's whiskers and walking stick, memories that stay with a moviegoer long after the theatre has emptied. In "The Time To Live And The Time To Die," the protagonists's family was poor at the beginning of the story, and so the paper doors of their house were a simple white. Later the family's situation improved, and the doors began to be more colorful.

Such touches come from the art director. To quote Wang T'ung, "Art design is one of the more avant-garde parts of the cinema. It can help the director achieve whatever he wants." The purview of the art director includes sets, props, opening scenes, posters, and promotional materials, which requires a close reading of the script and close cooperation from start to finish with the director and many other members of the crew.

Standards of art design have risen markedly for movies made in Taiwan. Tsou Chih-liang of Huakuo Studios is perhaps the dean of art design in the industry, being the teacher of such lights as Wang T'ung and Ku Chin-t'ien. Tsou looks back on the progress made in the past few years and reflects that the younger generation is far more fortunate than he when he entered the field.

Records show that the first movie in China was shown in 1897, with the first one made on Chinese soil being filmed in 1906 in Peking. Most early movies were newsreels, produced by the film section of the Commercial Press. Not until 1922, with the founding of the Ming Hsing Movie Company, did Chinese movies have conventional plots. Little attention was paid to design during this period, and soldiers wielded weapons of strawboard in films about ancient China.

Later, as more cinema firms were established, makers began to pay more attention to design. In the 1930s, for example, while shooting the film "Home," the Hsinhua Film Company was unable to find the desired style of light bulbs in Shanghai, and so, sparing no effort, sent teams to search in Soochow and Wuhsing. Such high standards paid off in what was a film of high craftsmanship.

In the 1950s makers were hard pressed to locate many articles and were required to improvise. Necessity again proved to be the mother of invention. For one film, designers were obliged to use a mosquito net and then tie several bows for lack of the desired shades. Furniture was borrowed from the Changhua Bank. Tsou Chih-liang used copper pipe, glass, resin paper, and string to make what turned out to be a fine chandelier. Equipment today, of course, is far superior to that found in those days of poverty, but art budgets still remain limited. As a result, designers must give careful consideration as to where they should spend their money.

One major question regards location. Should the film be shot on location, on the studio set, or should a new set be built? On-location filming offers the advantage of greater realism, but is often inconvenient, since the general public also uses the given department store, police station, or dance hall. Shooting in the studio yields lower costs, but loses in realism, requiring greater creativity from the art designers. Over half of all commercial movies are made on the set, but this does not limit those with imagination. In the spirit of "if Mohammed will not go to the mountain, then bring the mountain to Mohammed." the crew of "All the President's Men" transported the editorial room of the Washington Post, including 200 desks and paper, to Hollywood for filming. For "A Flower In The Rainy Night," Wang T'ung visited frequently establishments in the red-light districts of Taipei and Keelung, remembering such details as room size, furniture arrangement, wall paper, and light specifications in order to build a realistic set.

Set construction is sometimes unavoidable with period films. "Run Away" involved scenes at a broken-down temple, made in the style of the T'ang dynasty. Taiwan simply does not have such structures, and one had to be built. The result, stunning, true-to-life, and bearing no traces of the carpenter's hammer, helped win the art designers a Golden Horse Award.

Color and color coordination also can play a major role. "Lawrence of Arabia" left audiences dazzled with the breadth and majesty of the desert. In "To Catch A Thief," Grace Kelly appeared in the beginning with a golden purse that sent viewers wondering immediately about its contents, which later turned out to be the stolen money. Hu Chin-chuan for a fight scene in "Anger" arranged for protagonist Ch'en Hui-lou to have his face suddenly caked in white flour, making him appear as the villain as seen in traditional Chinese opera and a sign unmistakable to all in the audience.

The line between costume design and art design is a thin one, and is probably negligible at that, given the need for close cooperation between the two departments. With regard to the difference between costume design and everyday dressing, Wang T'ung gives a clear explanation. "When we dress in everyday life, we do so to cover our bodies, keep warm, attract the opposite sex, and even to represent our social position. The more fussy look for things such as comfort, looks, and fashion. With movies, we're looking for something that adds to the beauty and dramatic nature of the film, that meshes with the plot, the setting, the lighting, the camera position, to make sure everything fits that character in the story."

Art designers generally first read the script, analyze the characters, and then consider how best to portray them, trying to fit their personalities together. Beggars' and bandits' costumes are not necessarily easier to reproduce than those of aristocrats. The latter can be taken straight from a book, but the former must go through a process involving appropriate application of dust, blood, mud, and patches.

Being a good art designer requires patience, persistence, and curiosity. Ku Chin-t'ien goes to flea markets in his spare time, advising designers to spend their time hunting for what could be useful articles. Study, travel, and frequenting of museums are recommended, to build a ready storehouse of information. Sometimes the needs of a demanding director can be met by models found while perusing a book of photographs or viewing a museum exhibit.

Wang T'ung began as a set builder at China Studios. He took full advantage of the opportunity, learning all he could. On one job he spent stretches of seven hours suspended high above the ground while painting a set. Climbing up and down was too much trouble and so Wang carried cookies to alleviate his hunger. As a result of the experience, Wang permanently lost his fear of heights.

Ku Chao-shih was the co-winner with Wang of the Golden Horse Award. For "Run Away," Ku collected and selected materials, painted sets, and matched colors and articles. She was Wang's classmate and is his wife. Due to illness, she was unable to attend the award ceremonies, and so Wang gave an acceptance speech on her behalf.

Wang, Ku, and Ku are all veterans of over a decade in the film industry. It would be no exaggeration to say that they are in love with movies and moviemaking. Though constricted by limited budgets, they still throw themselves body and soul into every picture. Their work is often quite demanding but has its rewards. After being named winner of the Golden Horse Award, Ku Chao-shih's spirits improved and her illness began to go away. For her and Ku and Wang, the award is a much-deserved affirmation of their efforts behind the scenes.

[Picture Caption]

Who would guess this magnificent chandelier was put together with copper pipe and glass rods by the art design department? Above is Tsou Chih-liang and his pupil, Wang T'ung. (Photo courtesy of Tsou Chin-liang)

Wang T'ung was both director and art designer for "Run Away." Below he shows his verve and dynamism on the set.

The armor, vest, and sets in the rear were all designed by Wang T'ung.

Ku Chin-t'ien (right), Lin Ch'ung-wen, Wang T'ung won the Golden Horse f or their art direction in "Run Away."

Wang T'ung won the Best Costume Direction Award for "All The King's Men." Above is T'ang Pao-yun in a costume from the film. Below at center is classmate and wife Ku Chao-shih. The two have collaborated on several fine films.

Who would guess this magnificent chandelier was put together with copper pipe and glass rods by the art design department? Above is Tsou Chih-liang and his pupil, Wang T'ung. （Photo courtesy of Tsou Chin-liang）

Wang T'ung was both director and art designer for "Run Away." Below he shows his verve and dynamism on the set.

The armor, vest, and sets in the rear were all designed by Wang T'ung.

Ku Chin-t'ien （right）, Lin Ch'ung-wen, Wang T'ung won the Golden Horse f or their art direction in "Run Away.".

Wang T'ung won the Best Costume Direction Award for "All The King's Men.

Above is T'ang Pao-yun in a costume from the film. Below at center is classmate and wife Ku Chao-shih. The two have collaborated on several fine films.