Gordon Cheung, vice-president of film distribution at Golden Harvest Entertainment. Age: 49 Career Path: I was born and educated in Hong Kong. I have always been a movie fanatic and this was one of the reasons why I entered the film industry. As a student, I watched movies from all countries, attended most film festivals and participated in cinema clubs. I had friends who were involved in the industry who recommended I start freelancing, such as subtitling, marketing foreign films and creating Chinese titles for overseas films. Movie distribution was not my initial job. I worked for 10 years at a photographic trading company. My job at Golden Harvest has lasted seven years and although hectic, I still enjoy it because I am involved in something I love. My work deals with film distribution to foreign markets such as Japan, the Philippines, North America and Europe. I often have to sacrifice my family time for work, but sometimes take them with me on business trips. Cheung's Day: I arrive in the office at 9:30 am and am usually occupied with business calls in the morning. In the afternoon, I reply to clients' letters, view film screenings and attend office conferences. Late-night long-distance phone calls to accommodate time differences are not unusual. My post also involves hectic days of travelling. I travel two-fifths of the year for promotions and marketing and have to participate in international film festivals in Los Angeles, Milan, Cannes, London, Tokyo and Manila. I usually stay one week, though I had to stay 12 days during the Cannes films festival this year. When travelling, I wake up early to suit the foreign working hours. Usually, I have early meetings from 7-9 am and am so occupied that lunch is often skipped until I finish work at 6 pm. In the evening, I attend social events up until 10 pm. The economic downturn has resulted in a recession in the Asian films market. On average, business has fallen 20-30 per cent. To counter this, our company recently came out with The Storm Riders. Hopefully, our investment in the film's special effects will revive the Asian market. I am currently working on the film's promotion and foreign marketing. Salary: More than $1,000,000 per year. Ambition: I would like to work in the production department. I believe a film's success depends greatly on marketing. I have a clear understanding of film marketing and with my present knowledge, I am confident of handling the affairs of film production. Sandy C.K. Lai, marketing director at Warner Music Age: 42 Career Path: After graduating from Hong Kong Baptist University and one-year's study in Los Angeles, I began working as a sub-editor at a Chinese newspaper. I joined Sony music in 1981 and worked there for 11 years. My job at Warner Music has lasted two years and this is my second time around - I worked here for about two years previously. I have always enjoyed music and this is one of the reasons why I entered the industry. My job involves both international and domestic promotions, advertising and marketing. All in all, I am responsible for promoting the sales of records and products. The music entertainment industry is often perceived as a very 'glamorous' field since one gets to interact with stars and well-known singers. However, being in this business for such a long time and meeting celebrities on a regular basis, this job just seems like any other profession to me. Lai's Day: Record promotion involves irregular working hours as well as frequent business trips. I travel four times a year to Taiwan and Malaysia for marketing sessions and regional meetings. My typical work day begins at 10 am. In the morning, I review all office documents and hold daily office management conferences. In the afternoon, I attend PR functions and media conferences. If I am not occupied with work in the evening, I go home for dinner with my family at 8:30 pm. Late-night phone calls and impromptu meetings are frequent in my work schedule. I often have all-nighter meetings in recording studios, coffee shops and even nightclubs if necessary, when I work from 12 am to 4 am and return home for a quick sleep at 5 am before arriving back in the office at 10 am. November and December are usually my busiest times of year due to award presentations. The recession has resulted in a 45 per cent fall in record sales this year, most of which has to do with piracy. To counter the recession, we are cutting down on expenses and investing diligently in artists. Salary: The entertainment industry is very sensitive to the issue of income. I do not wish to disclose my salary because of this reason as well as tax. Ambition: More sales, more sales and more sales. I would like to expand the record market in Japan, Australia and mainland China.
