Profit not culture drives Asian filmmakers

Early this month, Singapore hosted a three-in-one media festival: The Asia Television Forum (ATF) 2002, the Asia Animation 2002 and the Asia Film Market & Conference (AFMC). Invited by organizer Reed Exhibitions, Hera Diani of The Jakarta Post filed the reports on the last two events.

What is the definition of an Asian film?

The subject, among many other issues, emerged during a discussion by professionals from the international and local film industries at the recent Asian Film Market & Conference (AFMC) in Singapore.

Held for the first time, the AFMC aimed to offer a comprehensive and integrated platform for professionals to meet, exchange ideas, carry out business transactions, explore co- production opportunities and promote Asian content.

During the three-day event, which kicked off on Dec. 3, producers, distributors, buyers and broadcasters sat together to address issues relating to the Asian film industry. The first discussion addressed the definition of an "Asian" film.

The speakers concluded there was no such thing anymore.

"With the world becoming a global village, it becomes more difficult to define what an Asian film is. There is no longer boundaries in language, story line and financing, where the movie comes from and the location," said Thomas Chung, chief executive officer of China's Han Entertainment which produced this year's The Touch, an action flick starring and co-produced by Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh.

The success of 2001's Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, he said, was an exceptional case as there were few Asian films finding international success.

Chinese producer/actress Luo Yan said the world market was still pretty much ruled by the United States and therefore Asian filmmakers should produce movies to meet that desire.

"A movie is a product. At the end we have to make money, that's the reality. Hollywood (films) have no local content but it sells everywhere in the world, including Asian countries. Asian filmmakers have to get out of the circle and dream bigger," said Luo, president and chief executive officer of Silver Dream Productions.

The filmmakers thus have to develop a film with Asian content that appeals to the West.

"Language is a big issue. Again, Crouching Tiger is a miracle. But if you make the film in English, it will be easier to be marketed and will make the price increase," Chung said.

Singaporean producer/director Jonathan Foo added the "West" had certain views on Asia that Asian filmmakers must refer to.

"It's OK as it's a part of an educational process," he said.

The speakers' conclusions, however, were a little contradictive as there seemed to be a growing interest in Hollywood toward Asian films.

Despite Chung's remark, the success of Crouching Tiger is clear proof. There is also the remake of Japanese film The Ring by Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks Pictures and The Eye, the undisputed sleeper hit of 2002, which is creating waves in the United Kingdom, and attracting Tom Cruise's production company who has bought the rights for a remake.

It is indeed the uniqueness and diversity of Asian films that have won the hearts of the so-called global audience.

Sharing that opinion was Hong Kong director Kenneth Bi who said the speakers' focused more on the business aspect instead of art.

"When French people buy an Asian film, they want to see Asian people, speaking Asian, in Asian costumes in an Asian environment. That's the success of Crouching Tiger," said the 35- year-old director, who is considered one of Asia's pioneers in digital movies with 2000's A Small Miracle.

The Touch, he added, was basically a bad English movie with a Chinese setting, which only did well due to excessive promotion.

"You try to sell a global film but people around the world don't consider it a global film. They see it as it is. Great arts always come from the roots of the country. Even great commercial films have that. If it's just floating in the air, it won't work for anybody. Unless its for 10- to 13 year-old kids," Bi told the Post.

While the definition of "Asian" film is still debatable, the conference came up with interesting issue on co-production, the key strategy to overcome, particularly, budget constraints.

"Other advantages are the dual market, and creativity-wise, you have access to people and location," said Foo, who recently co-directed Song of the Stork, the first Singapore-Vietnam feature film co-production.

The historical film is the first international feature project about the Vietnam War shot entirely in Vietnam.

"It would be impossible to shoot a film with such story in Singapore," he said.

According to Michael Lionello Cowan -- producer/writer/joint managing director of Spice Factory in the UK -- fundamentally, co-production has to be driven from a creative point of view.

"Script is the least expensive thing. You can go around the company to find a co-production partner and bring the script," said Cowan who has written and produced several films as well as entertainment shows in the UK.

Unfortunately, he said, the script is the big weakness in Asian films, despite many talented human resources.

Meanwhile, Luo said she started going around studios in Hollywood with scripts she found on the internet or developed from novels.

"I didn't have any access so I just walked around the studios and offered them the scripts. You also have to prepare the budget and sales estimation for the company you want to co-produce with," said Luo, whose 2001's Pavilion of Women is a co- production with Universal Studio's starring Willem Dafoe.

Though the release in U.S. was hampered by the U.S.-China plane crash crisis, the film was ranked among the top three box office sellers in China in 2001.

"As a consideration, in China, actually there are many institutions that are willing to offer budgets, although the size (of the budget) is limited," Luo said.

There is also another institution like Comerica Bank - Comerica Entertainment Group who lend money for aspiring Asian filmmakers.

"The procedure starts from seeing the script first and then we discuss the budget of the film, sales estimation etc. There's no limit for the budget as long as the film is selling," Peter Anshin, the Asia Representative for the group, told the Post.

Asia, he said, was promising but it was hard to find Asian films that could be financed.

"The main problem is the language, the lack of stars and lack of understanding the system," he said, adding that Hong Kong is the most promising country.