Time to explore HK and filmmaking
Both amateur and professional filmmakers are vying for top prize at this year's 'I Shot Hong Kong Short Film Festival'. For a week next month, their films will be publicly screened and critiqued by industry judges.
The judges say anyone can become a filmmaker as long as they are willing to give it a try, and submissions are expected from industry professionals to part-time hobbyists.
'I realise the budget is usually limited,' says Lloyd Chao, business director of Shaw Studios and one of the judges. 'Technical quality is therefore not as important'.
Mr Chao says he is looking for a short film that has a good narrative, or at least evokes an emotional response.
'The hardest thing for any short filmmaker is to focus in on what they're trying to say,' he says. 'First-time filmmakers, especially, cram everything they can think of into their piece. They have to be willing to leave things on the editing room floor.'
Festival judge and movie producer Colette Koo says: 'I look for creativity and the ability to tell a story.'
She adds that previous film entries have been long, often missing the point. 'They tend to be a little self-indulgent.'
Koo says good filmmaking is all about teamwork.
'A group with the right chemistry can bring the best out of each other,' she says, adding that this is particularly the case for a team that has to deal with long hours of planning, shooting and post-production.
'An editor and director that have a common vision can certainly help the process.'
Koo is interested in films that explore the multiculturalism of the city.
'We have Americans, Europeans, Southeast Asians, Filipinos and Chinese,' she says. 'There are so many cultures untapped in Hong Kong that many people don't know about.'
Chao agrees: 'There's so much of Hong Kong we haven't seen. Local filmmakers should explore that.'
Having helped launch the careers of numerous Chinese stars, including Jackie Chan and John Woo, Chao believes film festivals will help bring about a resurgence of filmmaking in Hong Kong.
Having followed and written about the film industry for the past decade, freelance writer and festival judge Mathew Scott says: 'Twenty years ago, there was no access to making movies. Now it is being taught at school.
'All you need is a camera and a computer. There's no reason for anyone not to be creative these days.'
The judging criteria
Each judge will score films on a scale of 1 to 10 based on the following criteria:
The degree to which the film has used Hong Kong as a location
The strength of the script/story
How well the director has told the story
How original the film is
The artistic value of the film
The aesthetic or visual value of the film
The production value of the film
How technically proficient the film is - camera, sound, equipment usage and editing
How good the acting is
The overall entertainment value
