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Background
Huang saw a lot of movies when he studied in Tunghai University, but he
did not have access to movies, unlike today like PPS and download.
He rent a place near school, and often played films for discussion, and
he was really looking for an opportunity in this field.
The chance came when he worked in the Golden Horse film exhibition.
Later, he worked in Influence magazine. He spent five years in the
Central Pictures and knew directors, like Ming-liang Tsai, Ang Lee,
Xiao-Li Wang, and Zhi-yan Yi. Huang’s expertise in English became useful
when promoting films abroad.
On the
road of dream
Huang had no teacher, and no one told him to go down this road. He said,
"I just love this work and believe I have the ability. I think the movie
is a dream, but it takes practice and determination."
Discerning eyes can tell greatness from mediocrity
Huang met Director Wei in 2000, and found Wei is very good at
storyboard, which is to draw scenes of the script with the camera
angles. Huang was very impressed, because Wei always quickly completed
work.
Wei wanted to be a director, so started fundraising with Huang, and
borrowed money from Cathay Life. He even lied to director Cheng-Ze Niu
and borrowed 5,000 dollars. Huang said Wei lived very hard before “Cape
No. 7", and told us to read "a director's diary," which describes how
Wei got past these years.
Owed lunch fee of 170 thousand dollars
Huang said the Government Information Office subsidized 7.50 million in
the film "Cape." Wei insisted on the budget of 30 million, and they
still had a gap of 10 million. Wei said, "Let’s take this chance to
fight, or I’ll leave this industry!" Huang was persuaded.
Wei owed lunch fee of 170 thousand dollars to a very poor old couple in
Kenting. Huang said he had never owed someone so much in his entire
life.
Spent money like running water
Huang loaned 10 million from a bank, but the bank was reluctance to give
money. They complained, "7.50 million of the Government Information
Office was like water spilled on the rood. Fortunately, a man helped us
with 7.5 million." "Cape" was finally completed.
The greatest satisfaction in life was to see crowds going watching Cape
"Cape No. 7" post-production work and marketing were not good, so the
box office on the first day was only over 600 thousand, and the first
month was over 10 million.... Huang did not tell Wei, but then it began
to grow and got 30 million in just two days.
Huang said that the greatest satisfaction in life was to see crowds
going watching Cape. The result is pretty good.
Only 3-4 out of 10 movies make profits. Even if you know how to please
the audience and there are a lot of good ideas in the story, it may fail
because of one problem.
Jay Chou was attracted to movie
Huang mentioned Jay Chou. Why does he want to become a director? Because
the movie has a very special charm and the artistic nature. It creates
something new and has great influence.
This is also why a lot of advertising directors want to be directors of
movies.
When Jay shot "The Secret", he also held a concert in China, because the
CD market was not very good. During shooting, he slept in the company
when coming back from the mainland, and did not go home.
When he wanted to become a successful singer and a director, he had to
pay a high price, and usually worked about 16-18 hours a day. The
workload was quite large.
Jay had to discuss the screenplay with Huang, produce, and record music
with singers. Jay also acted in the movie. Every day Jay probably got up
at three. Although he is always fabulous on stage, but in fact he worked
hard.
Film is Huang’s everyday life
Film Festival is the movie stage. People have fantasy for this industry;
for example: Huang deals with stars ... but in fact these are his work.
He works all the time, and during meals.
Huang faces a lot of pressure when seeking perfection.
Maybe a good movie makes a lot of revenue, but he is nobody until he
succeeds.
Behind the movie dream, people paid a considerable price, such directors
Yueh-Hsun Tsai and Cheng Ze Niu. Director Wei Te-sheng is a perfect
example.
Help the dreamers
Wei put all the money he earned from Cape on "Seediq Bale," which spent
600 million NT dollars and ten months in Taiwan's mountains. It is a
story of the Wushe Incident, and the most important is to honor Mona
Rudao. Huang said to Wei, “You have earned 100 million, but before you
realize, you owed more than 200 million."
One day, Huang, Wei, and with "Red Cliff" director John Woo were
watching the first version of "Seediq Bale.” Huang cried three times.
Huang said he has no dream, but he likes to help those dreamers.
“Call me after banking hours!”
He spent six months preparing "Seediq Bale" since October 27th, the date
movie started shooting, and also the date of the Wushe Incident. Huang
borrowed money from that day. He often told friends: "Call me after
banking hours!" Because he tried to borrow more money every day, and was
busy at backstage works from scenes, lunchbox, and so on.
When they were scouting, they almost fell on the edge of cliffs and the
waterfall several times. In the 5-minute trailer, almost a thousand
actors were fighting.
Want to have screenwriters as friends for good stories
Huang said a screenwriter’s job is very different from the producer, but
a producer loves to make friends with screenwriters, because they can
help half of the work. It is not easy to find a good story. The
screenwriter is a very important key, which decides half the fate of the
film.
“Silk,” a
creative ghost story
Huang mentioned a thriller--Silk, which spent NT $200 million. The cost
of the actors, special effect and advertisement on MRT also spent nearly
two million. This is Huang’s favorite movie, because of its creativity.
Different from many thrillers, the movie defines a ghost as the evil
energy. It appears in the day time, and less frightening. It is a story
of love and family, and the question of life and death.
A fighter with high anti-pressure
Huang said finding actors is hard. If his last movie does not earn
profit, it will be harder to find investors next time. Movie is a really
very expensive career. He said to himself, "endure hardship in a good
way.” "I need to be high anti-pressure." |
