- I didn’t know it was a film by a rookie director. The casting was great and the new director’s work was comparable to flicks by veteran directors. It was awesome - the framework of the story and everything… I really enjoyed watching it.
- The film was new and original dealing with a new theme and ideas and shot in a different way from how existing directors shoot. People hesitate to pick a movie by a rookie film maker, but the new flick broke that preconception.
Director Jang-hun is very pleased with the unexpected spotlight he has drawn with his debut film.
Did I succeed? Ha, ha… well, that’s relieving. Now I can feel comfortable when I see the cast and the crew. First of all, the film didn’t have a huge budget. I had to shoot the necessary scenes with low resources. That’s why the crew had to work harder. But they did a great job. The actors had to complete the shooting in a short period of time. There were many action scenes. After the violent scene, actors had bruises and some had to be treated with acupuncture. They didn’t have time to recover from the pains and had to keep on filming. So the actors must have had a hard time. I really feel thankful and sorry for them.
The prolonged economic slump has also affected the film industry. As a result, the number of films in production has declined. Nevertheless, the talented rookie directors are emerging as the vitamin for Chungmuro. The film “Crush and Blush” by director Lee Mi-kyeong released on October 16 is also another work in the limelight. The movie “Crush and Blush” revolves around the main character Yang Mi-suk whose face constantly turns red. The story portrays how the high school teacher Yang gets along with the people around her. The solid storyline drew a mixture of laughter and tears from audiences. It attracted the public’s attention even before the film was released.
First of all, I was relieved because the film received positive reviews from the critics. I wanted to meet the audiences and communicate with them through the work. I wondered how successful the film would be. When I first produced this movie, I just wanted to introduce the main character Yang Mi-suk to the public. I hope and pray that the audiences love the protagonist Yang whom I invested many years creating.
Though it’s been only one week since the first run of the film, the audiences who met Yang found a deeper meaning hidden behind the main character’s smile.
I came to watch the movie to have a good time and to have a hearty laugh. But the theme of the film was heavier than I thought, but, still, it was interesting. I only expected to see actress Gong Hyo-jin’s comic act. But the way the flick depicted how the teacher and the students got along was excellent. I think the film wanted to show diverse relationships between the characters. I heard that it was directed by a rookie film maker. But the movie was quite realistic. Since the flick was directed by a female director, some part of the story reflected a sophisticated sentiment otherwise hard to find in other films. I look forward to Lee’s films and will make sure to watch her future projects.
Ambitious rookie director Jang-hun proved that even low-budget movies can be successful, and sophisticated new director Lee Mi-kyeong created a unique character on the big screen. The domestic film industry is in a cheerful mood thanks to the two flicks. And several other debut films have hit the theater recently. Director Kang I-gwan’s “Sakwa” was released on October 13. The theme deals with bold talk about love and marriage between the characters. Movie critic Lee Sang-yong explains that it’s a natural phenomenon for the new directors to make a rapid progress during the economic depression.
It’s a natural global trend for rookie directors to make great progress during an economic slump when the public looks for new and bright ideas. That’s happening in Korea too. It’s unlikely to produce low-budget independent films under the existing Chungmuro system. But the low-budget independent flicks made quite an advancement in 2008. They were also introduced at the recent Busan Film Festival. That’s why a tangible result was achieved this year.
Despite the low-budget, the new directors had the solid screenplays which they can rely on. They could also avoid challenging veteran directors who are slow with production these days and meet with the audiences. But the proper release date and an interesting scenario alone do not guarantee success for the rookie directors. Their projects are grabbing attention because they were encouraged and supported by senior directors. Veteran director Kim Ki-duk wrote the scenario and produced the film “Rough Cut” directed by Jang-hun.
The work is an adaptation of director Kim Ki-duk’s work. The arrangement process took about a year and a half. Since it was my first movie, I had hard time earning confidence from the cast and crew. But I was fortunate enough to have great actors and a supportive crew. Though it’s hard to find sponsors, director Kim supported me in many ways. Kim helped with the casting and he was able to attract investment from several sponsors. That’s how I was able to concentrate only on directing.
There was also a senior director Park Chan-uk behind director Lee Kyeong-mi’s “Crush and Blush.” Director Park, who was the chairman of the screening committee for Mise-en-scene’s Short Film Festival, has been eyeing director Lee who won the award for her short film titled “Feel Good Story.” Park asked Lee to join his production team when producing the hit film “Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.” And in four years, he helped her to debut as a director. In short, director Park discovered talented rookie Lee Kyeong-mi. Here is Park talking about Lee.
You must know about Mise-en-scene’s Short Film Festival, right? I participated in the event from the beginning. I screened the films and also administered the festival. My original goal was to discover talented directors at the event and help them make their debut in Chungmuro. When we saw Lee Mi-kyeong’s short film “Feel Good Story,” all the directors wanted to single her out. I acted quickly and was lucky to recruit her first. I’m sure everyone at the event recognized her talent. That’s why we had to ask Lee to join us. She was so good at directing and developing the story.
Senior director’s strong support increased the possibility of success for rookie directors. But the new directors’ successful debut isn’t only due to the strong sponsorship of veteran directors. Most importantly, the rookie directors must be equipped with basic directorial skills. The opportunity for fledgling directors to prove their abilities through diverse film contests has increased in the past few years. Director Lee was one of the beneficiaries of the supportive atmosphere.
When I was studying movies, there were plenty of opportunities and support for students who aspire to become a director. I benefited a lot. I went to a film school and also won financial sponsorship through competitions. That’s how I was able to shoot a short film. The work was recognized by the public and it became a footstep for the commercial debut. When I shot independent movies, the domestic film industry was booming. We had a lot of opportunity to showcase our works at the film festivals. I was able to present my graduation film through various events. That’s how my projects were able to advance to the next level.
The movie “Sakwa” by director Gang I-kwan was able to survive and present to the public thanks to the film festival. The flick is about a woman who breaks up with her first love whom she has been seeing for seven years and marries another man. But she goes through emotional conflict as her first love returns to her. However, when the film completed its production in 2004, it was neglected by the film industry and didn’t make its big-screen debut. It was even ill-reputed as a ‘warehouse flick.’ Ironically, that very movie was recognized internationally. It won several awards at the Toronto Film Festival, San Sebastian International Film Festival and more. And four years later, this year, the work is being presented to domestic audiences for the first time.
Hello, this is Kang I-gwan who produced “Sakwa.” The film made people think about what love is about. It’s a film that seeks an answer to the question of love. I hope the viewers think about their love, and compare it with the love presented in the movie.
At the film company in Chungmuro, the walls are posted with photos of new candidates for the upcoming motion picture characters. Two men are reviewing the audition video clippings and are talking about the casting. A new film is due for production next spring. Entitled “The Talk about Cats and Dogs,” the flick will be directed by Kim Geun-seon and Lee Sung-ho, the assistant director. It’s a romantic comedy targeting women in their 20s. Though director Kim said it’s hard to find a sponsor and cast the right actors, he is inspired by the recent works produced by rookie directors. And he is pleased with the new atmosphere of the film industry which is recognizing new comers.
It’s true that new directors are attracting attention and are in the spotlight these days. It’s encouraging and I’m also very pleased about it. Some of them are close friends of mine. I’m happy to see them pull through by overcoming difficulties. They offer a lot of help. They give me encouragement and advice over drinks.
Hopefully, more new directors emerge during the economic slowdown. In order to see that, we must recognize each director’s unique characteristics, regardless of his or her level of success. And the existing veteran directors have to put more effort in supporting their juniors. Investors shouldn’t ignore new directors but have to take chances and support them if they are proven to be talented through competitions. All the rookie directors who made their debut recently hope for the same.
(Lee Kyeong-mi) I hope a system that recognizes diversity is established and maintained in the film industry. More support for independent movies is necessary. The experience of choosing themes for their independent movies help directors discover their true colors when producing a major motion picture later on.
(Kim Geun-seon) Though I have the scenario, it’s hard to find the right sponsor and the producer. The process is not that easy. In some cases, we have to wait for more than one to two years to produce a film. Although we find the right actors, their schedule doesn’t fit with ours. Plus, they don’t have full confidence in new directors. That’s the most frustrating part. For us, sponsorship and the cast are the most difficult problems that have to be solved. I hope rookie directors get more support and have enough time to cast the right actors.
A new film director proved that a low-budget motion picture can be successful, while another director showed that even a movie with a single unique character can be a hit. Though a film failed to debut in Korea, the work was recognized overseas and returned to hit domestic theaters. Some new directors are encouraged by their friends’ successful debut. Korean flicks will continue to shine despite the economic slump, thanks to the rookie directors’ adventurous and challenging minds. The young directors’ passion will keep drawing the public to the theater.
