Alfred Cheung wants to make TV series after watching “Dwelling Narrowness”

As a versatile person in the film and television industry, Cheung became famous in Hong Kong in the 1980s. He was awarded Best Screenwriter in Hong Kong’s first movie awards. He has been director, screenwriter and actor and devoted himself to filmmaking for many years. As a judge of Shanghai TV Festival, Cheung tells the reporter that “Dwelling Narrowness” stimulated his inspiration for making TV series.

Daily News: You’re one of the representatives of Hong Kong’s film and television industry. What’s the biggest culture conflict between mainland and HK in this field, and also in teamwork?
Alfred Cheung: Hong Kong prefers commercial films and series, so there must be some conflicts when working together except for works about history. For instance, the city drama “Loving You in 7 Days” led by Mike He and Li Xiaolu was shot in Beijing recently, and we found some problems caused by culture. We need time and urbanization to make the world more alike, so there will be some chances for the two sides to learn about each other.

 

Daily News: Well, more and more HK film and TV play professionals are coming to the mainland. Do you think it’s in regard to the market and also aiming to get a balance of different tastes?
Alfred Cheung: Commercial directors need a larger market, so they must want the balance of various tastes. As I said, there are differences and similarities, and I hope the co-productions can promote cultural communication as the market becomes larger.

 

Daily News: The debate about the decaying of HK films has been raging for a long time. What do you think about it? Is the mainland market the hope of the HK film business?
Alfred Cheung: I always say that HK films will not decay but have finished their mission. There are too many films now but our good time is just beginning. Hong Kong filmmakers have a great influence in the mainland and there are works of great competitiveness.

 

Daily News: Some of your representative works are small-budget films. What’s the secret of this?
Alfred Cheung: In a word, it’s unexpected but reasonable. The secret is that I just had HK$5,000 then, but there were too many scripts, so I had to make film with very little money. I couldn’t believe that those films were that popular and one of my best films received over HK$20 million. It’s up to luck, not secrets.

 

Daily News: Hong Kong directors and their works are comparatively internationalized. What do mainland directors have to strive for in internationalization?
Alfred Cheung: We have to define the meaning of internationalization, which does not simply refer to winning international prizes, but the opportunity to make money from foreigners. Making action movies is the best way to be international, but this is not just for internationalization. It is still means internationalization if the market share in China accounts for 50%.

 

Daily News: Are there some contradictions between the gross and artistic quality of the film?
Alfred Cheung: Actually, we live with contradictions every day. Sometimes I would prefer some hit and high-grossing movies, and some movies reflecting what I want to say deep inside. I am neither a director for making art films only nor a filmmaker who focuses only on commercial movies. I direct movies according to different standards, depending on the amount of money and the special situation.

 

Daily News: As a writer, director and actor, do these different roles and thought patterns interact with each other when writing? Is this an advantage or disadvantage for writing?
Alfred Cheung: The development process from screenwriter to director begins with a creative idea, then the character, the story, and then the investor who want to make the story into a film. It is impossible for me to write the leading roles for myself, which is a kind of suicide. I have no partiality for any of the three roles, which I have occupied in different times and different positions.

Daily News: As the judge for the two special festivals, what\'s your criteria?
Alfred Cheung: Attracting me to see through the film is the first, and then the direction, such as show, lighting, music and so on. There are many standards for judging, but the most important is whether it can move me.

Daily News : What\'s your feelings and expectations for the Shanghai TV Festival?
Alfred Cheung: It is my pleasure to be the judge and director and expect to see more good works. The series “Dwelling Narrowness” highlights the fact that Hong Kong series are inferior. Actually, I was not planning to direct a TV series, but now I have changed my mind and am preparing to shoot a story reflecting the happiness and sorrows for a mainland student studying in Hong Kong.