First-time director makes a spirited debut with ghost film
After years in the business Maggie To takes her directing bow with a ghostly tale, writes Yvonne Teh
The roots of Maggie To Yuk-ching's first film as director go back to her days as a university undergraduate.
Twilight Online is a supernatural drama based on a real-life incident: the 2003 Tuen Mun Road traffic accident that claimed 21 lives and was the most serious road accident in Hong Kong history. From that tragic event came an urban legend about a ghost in a red dress who returned to the school where she had been a teacher.
To, who also wrote the screenplay, first learned of these stories from a friend from her time at Lingnan College (now University) in the 1990s: "horror DJ" Edmond Poon Siu-chung. "Edmond is a well known 'ghost show' host," To says. "I got his permission to use the title of his online show as the film title, and then invited him to perform in my film."
To's love of cinema was cultivated at university and her involvement in the film industry began soon after she graduated in 1993. Hired by United Filmmakers Organisation (UFO) as an assistant production manager, she considers the seven years she spent with the company behind a number of 1990s hit movies as "the best of my life". She had the opportunity to work with many famous directors, such as Peter Chan Ho-sun, Lee Chi-ngai, Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting and Sylvia Chang Ai-chia. "I learned a lot from them," she says.
Although she dreamt of becoming a director at university, To now considers it a blessing in disguise that she didn't become one immediately after graduation. "If I had had a chance to be a director at that time, I might not be a good one because I didn't have that much experience yet in human relations," she says.
But after serving as production manager on award-winning films such as Chan's Comrades, Almost a Love Story (1996) and Chang's Tempting Heart (1999), To decided to study directing at New York University. Already experienced in the organisational and business aspects of cinema - "controlling budgets, arranging schedules, negotiating prices, all the admin things" - she wanted to move on to the creative side.