Shrek creator gives shadow puppets a modern spin for film festival

What does this year's Hong Kong International Film Festival mascot, Puppet Kid, have in common with the green ogre in DreamWorks' animation saga Shrek? It's not easy to tell, but in fact they were both created by Hong Kong-born animator Raman Hui Shing-ngai.

'The inspiration came from the old Chinese tradition of shadow puppets. That was the ancient way of telling stories, and that's exactly what we are doing these days with movies,' Hui (pictured), the character designer, animator and co-director of the Shrek films, said.

The design of Puppet Kid looks a far cry from computer-generated Shrek, and Hui said that's exactly the way he wanted it.

'I try to do something different whenever I have the chance, that's why the mascot is totally different from what you would see in Shrek. The mascot is more Chinese influenced. I also wanted it to be fun and modern.'

Hui is now directing a short film with DreamWorks, but refused to disclose further details. He also hopes to work on more projects related to Chinese culture.

Hui advised young, aspiring animators to: 'Work hard and get excited about what you do. Be open-minded and try to learn as much as you can every day.'