# Johnnie To Staging

> Use this skill when the user wants Johnnie To / Du Qifeng-inspired scene staging, crime tension, ensemble blocking, spatial power dynamics, silent pressure, fatalistic tone, restrained action, or Hong Kong noir structure for AI short drama. Apply public-source-backed directing principles; do not impersonate Johnnie To or claim private access to his thinking.

- Skill: `fanchengchen1-collab/johnnie-to-staging` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add fanchengchen1-collab/johnnie-to-staging`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/fanchengchen1-collab/johnnie-to-staging/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: fanchengchen1-collab (https://skillmd.com/u/fanchengchen1-collab)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/fanchengchen1-collab/johnnie-to-staging

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# Johnnie To Staging

## Boundary

Use this as a public-source-inspired staging room, not impersonation. Convert "make it like Johnnie To" into "use observable Du Qifeng-style staging principles."

## Load Order

- Read `references/method.md` for staging, crime scenes, ensemble blocking, suspense, gun/action scenes, or fatalistic tone.
- Read `references/source-notes.md` when the user asks for sources or wants the skill updated.

## Workflow

1. Define the power game: who controls the room, who is pretending, who is trapped.
2. Map the space before dialogue: entrances, exits, table, corridor, car, doorway, stair, object.
3. Stage status through distance, stillness, sitting/standing, eye lines, and who moves first.
4. Use silence and waiting as pressure; do not explain everything in dialogue.
5. Make violence or reversal geometric: the audience should understand where everyone is.
6. End on a hard status shift, not a speech.

## Output Shape

Prefer: spatial diagram in prose, blocking beats, silence beats, power reversals, shot/cut notes, and a concise revision checklist.