As He Prepares to Remake the 1980S Classic Kickboxer, Actor Turned
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AsMAN he prepares to remake OFthe 1980s classic TA Kickboxer,I actor CH turned directorI Stephen Fung tells Arthur Tam about finding inspiration from video games, the limitless possibilities in China and making an assault on Hollywood. Photography Calvin Sit. Art direction Jeroen Brulez n the late years of the colonial era, Hong prostitute to a disabled pianist, Fung never Kong saw a trend of arriving overseas-born quite climbed to the heights enjoyed by some IChinese talent and returning international of his contemporaries, many of whom have school kids trying to make it big in the gained an international level of fame. Yet, while entertainment industry. Nic Tse was among he may never have reached his full potential them, as were Daniel Wu, Maggie Q and Shu in front of the camera, Fung has made a Qi, all now household names. And another significant mark behind it. such hopeful, who rose to prominence in what Since making his directorial debut with was Hong Kong’s own school of international 2004’s gangster comedy flickEnter the starlets, was the adorably dimpled Stephen Phoenix, the now 39-year-old has shed his pop Fung Tak-lun, a fresh-faced Hong Kong-born, idol persona and gained respect as a serious US-educated youngster who was looking to filmmaker. After writing and directing his cut his teeth in the film industry. Indeed, at the next two films,House of Fury and Jump, Fung, time, few could have anticipated that Fung alongside Wu, both in search of a more creative would become one of the few respected multi- outlet, started their very own production talents in the city, carving out a career that company in 2011, Diversion Pictures, backed would start with singing, then shift to acting, by the titans of Chinese film, Huayi Brothers and later, start him on a directorial path which Media. With big investors and a huge budget, may now lead him to Hollywood. Fung wasted no time in releasing the first two During his student years at German Swiss instalments of his steampunk martial arts International School, Fung already showed trilogy, Tai Chi 0 and Tai Chi Zero, which signs of following a creative path, practising collectively grossed $50m at the box office. away at the guitar with the dream of becoming Indeed, this duo of films laid testament to a rockstar while also developing his taste for Fung’s aptitude to make films that sell – a film with his self-recorded, spliced and edited talent he is next putting into use with a remake home movies. After high school, Fung went to of the Jean-Claude Van Damme 1989 classic, the University of Michigan to study graphic Kickboxer. And as Fung prepares to commence design, but would return to Hong Kong every filming on what will be his very first English- summer to find work, eventually landing a gig language release, Time Out sits down with at MTV (based here at the time), where he made him to talk about what may well be the young connections with some of the industry’s top director’s launching pad to Hollywood… influencers. Jackie Chan’s manager, Woody Chan, was one of them, as was composer Mark Hey Stephen, thanks for sitting down Lui. But it was the relationship he forged with with us. So, we’ve been very interested Gold East CEO Paco Wong that eventually led in what you’ve been doing as a director. to Fung’s first big break. Fung signed for Gold Take us back to the start of your love for East, spent a brief period as singer of mediocre filmmaking – where did that begin? band Dry, and then started taking on small I think it was when I realised that I had the roles in films. He landed an important leading ability to do so. It’s not like I came into this role in the tragic gay romance tale Bishonen, business thinking that I knew I wanted to be a where he starred alongside his future business director. But through acting, I started picking partner and best friend Daniel Wu as well as up how different directors wanted to tell their future girlfriend Shu Qi, which led to even story through film. So I started with my friends bigger roles in films such as young adult action to shoot MVs and other small production thriller Gen X Cop and the hit TVB series scripts and one thing led to another. The Green Hope. Despite building a relatively successful So it was purely out of interest? acting career, playing everything from a male Yes, it was. Back then, I had no editing 20 timeout.com.hk MY FILMs wouldn’T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE CHINESE MARKET Styling Arthur Tam Hair Alex So @ P.O.P 8 Makeup Will Wong Blazer Hermès Shirt Attachement Pants Hermès timeout.com.hk 21 I USED TO DRESS UP LIKE CHOW YUN-FAT, WEARING My dad’s TRENCH COAT AND CARRYING A BB GUN machines, so I just used a video camera and There has to be something of importance that pressed the start and stop button each time. I warrants a remake. I hope it’s going to be a knew technically how to put things together challenging experience. though. I think because of that, I knew I was interested, so I started shooting MVs and So is Van Damme going to have a cameo in commercials. This was around 2003. For me, the film? money and making a living is important, but Maybe… nothing is confirmed just quite yet. it’s not the only thing. It’s also about doing what I like doing, because if I do that, it leads to Compared to your previous films, what’s a more fulfilling and prosperous career. If you going to be different with your approach do what you like to do, you’ll win in the end. on Kickboxer? Style-wise, this movie is going to have a gritty Do you have a preference for acting tone. With Tai Chi 0, we were trying to achieve or directing? something that was more family friendly If you ask me now, I would say I like directing because there are not a lot of those films in the more, but I still enjoy acting. But maybe in a Mainland. We wanted something like National few years, things will change. It’s probably Treasure to cater toward a younger audience. because the first 10 years of my career focused For the next film, it’s probably going to be continuously on acting, which can get boring. something more brutal and mature. You’ve taken on quite a diverse range You mentioned you hope Kickboxer will be of roles, though – surely that was quite a Hollywood release, but you’ve worked a exciting still? lot in China so far. What do you think about True. I try to choose roles that are quite risky, the Chinese film industry at the moment? Tank top Hermès but those roles weren’t plentiful. Ten or more Hong Kong’s film industry is still moving, but Pants Hermès years ago, Hong Kong films were all quite the golden era of the 80s has passed. We used to similar. The roles that usually came to me were pump out maybe 300 films a year, but now we playing college students or cops. When you get have around 30. In terms of quality, though, I We’ve got to aim for something new. I want too many of those roles, it gets boring. I usually think we have a better percentage of good films. to do something different or at least try to do like playing roles that are less commercial. So, We have directors like Wong Kar-wai making something different. I think I’m going to be focusing on directing for some really good films. And now we have a lot the most part. of co-productions with China and their large So you are kind of a geek then? box office distribution. For example, movies I guess you could say that! As a director, you’ve made a lot of martial like Tai Chi 0 would have never been made arts action films. Would you say this is 10 years ago, simply because of the cost. So in Throughout your directing career what are your main genre? terms of realising what I want to do, it wouldn’t some of the major challenges that you’ve I would say I enjoy action-drama the most. I be possible without the Chinese market. I know had to face? don’t like directing anything that doesn’t have a lot is being said about censorship in China, At first, going from an actor to a director, I had interesting characters. I like movies where the but luckily with titles like Tai Chi 0, there is to earn people’s trust. People see you in front characters are not just there to provide action nothing much that can limit my creativity. of the screen, so they see you as an actor and sequences. There needs to be a purpose to not a director. But once you do a decent job, the action. The film that I just directed called So you like working in China? that perception changes. Come the second time Tai Chi 0 doesn’t have a complex story, but it Yeah, it’s cool – different and exciting. We used around, it’s much easier. makes sense and has strong characters, which to shoot a lot of movies in Hong Kong and the makes the story compelling.