Yann Cheung
My name is Yann Cheung (zhang yan) I love film, I have been working in film sound for 18 years and I started directing films in 2022.
Your project has entered in our festival. What is your project about?
Thanks, Great pleasure! this short film is about how rumors affect peoples and overly COVID－19 prevention and control.
What are your ambitions with your project?
Hopefully, it will be seen by more people.
Tell us something about your shooting? What pleasantly surprised you?
There are many moments, Because the actors were a little unnatural when facing the camera, we decided to take the approach of not shooting the faces, not realizing that this would be more in line with the symbolic crowd I wanted to express. Because without showing his face, he alone is more representative of a large group of people.
For what group of spectators is your film targeted?
Patient viewers, because my movie is so slow that it seems a bit boring.
Why should distributors buy your film?
It's a difficult question and I'm not good at selling it, even if I love the work.
How would you specify your work? What characterizes your film?
This is a political metaphor film. It is about a young man who is told on his way home that "there is a snake in your kitchen", and from then on, he is afraid to enter his fake kitchen, and later, he simply closes it up and turns it into a paper wall. Eventually, he himself became a rumor spreader.
This short film is almost all long shots, narrated with sound, using binaural recording, I want to restore the atmosphere of the shooting scene as much as possible. But, this film only have one dialogue.
Why did you decided to become a filmmaker?
Wanting to tell a story, and film is something that can be expressed in many ways, is what suits me best.
Who is your role model?
Abbas Kiarostami; James Benning.
Which movies are your favorites? Why?
I think is <Teste of cherry>,Because of the slow pace of the film, the topic of death was discussed very naturally and was very appealing to me.
Where do you look for inspiration for your films?
Poetry, dream
Which topics interest you the most?
Human Rights; Women's Rights; Love...
What do you consider your greatest achievement in your career?
I am at the beginning of my career as a director and I hope to achieve something
What do you consider most important about filming?
Enthusiasm! And the faith that the cast and crew had in the director and the film。
Which film technique of shooting do you consider the best?
Fixed Shot
How would you rate/What is your opinion about current filmmaking?
In terms of art films, I think it's great that people always assert themselves.
What can disappoint you in a movie?
Too much music in the movie.
Who supports you in your film career?
My director of photography (Chu Kewei), who took on a lot of extra work and invested in the next film.
What are the reactions to your film? (opinion of spectators, film critics, friends and family)
It was heavily polarised, with some friends reading it and finding it very enjoyable, and some watching it and saying they didn't understand it.
Have you already visited any of the prestigious film festivals?
Not yet, this is my debut.
What are your future plans in filmmaking carriere?
My only hope is that it will continue to be filmed.
***
The Snake - A man who is afraid of snakes was told this sentence on his way home. Back in his apartment, this man dare not step in the kitchen. After days of torture, he blocks the kitchen door and pretends it part of a wall. In the end, he walks out of the house, passing the snake-message on to someone else.
Your project has entered in our festival. What is your project about?
Thanks, Great pleasure! this short film is about how rumors affect peoples and overly COVID－19 prevention and control.
What are your ambitions with your project?
Hopefully, it will be seen by more people.
Tell us something about your shooting? What pleasantly surprised you?
There are many moments, Because the actors were a little unnatural when facing the camera, we decided to take the approach of not shooting the faces, not realizing that this would be more in line with the symbolic crowd I wanted to express. Because without showing his face, he alone is more representative of a large group of people.
For what group of spectators is your film targeted?
Patient viewers, because my movie is so slow that it seems a bit boring.
Why should distributors buy your film?
It's a difficult question and I'm not good at selling it, even if I love the work.
How would you specify your work? What characterizes your film?
This is a political metaphor film. It is about a young man who is told on his way home that "there is a snake in your kitchen", and from then on, he is afraid to enter his fake kitchen, and later, he simply closes it up and turns it into a paper wall. Eventually, he himself became a rumor spreader.
This short film is almost all long shots, narrated with sound, using binaural recording, I want to restore the atmosphere of the shooting scene as much as possible. But, this film only have one dialogue.
Why did you decided to become a filmmaker?
Wanting to tell a story, and film is something that can be expressed in many ways, is what suits me best.
Who is your role model?
Abbas Kiarostami; James Benning.
Which movies are your favorites? Why?
I think is <Teste of cherry>,Because of the slow pace of the film, the topic of death was discussed very naturally and was very appealing to me.
Where do you look for inspiration for your films?
Poetry, dream
Which topics interest you the most?
Human Rights; Women's Rights; Love...
What do you consider your greatest achievement in your career?
I am at the beginning of my career as a director and I hope to achieve something
What do you consider most important about filming?
Enthusiasm! And the faith that the cast and crew had in the director and the film。
Which film technique of shooting do you consider the best?
Fixed Shot
How would you rate/What is your opinion about current filmmaking?
In terms of art films, I think it's great that people always assert themselves.
What can disappoint you in a movie?
Too much music in the movie.
Who supports you in your film career?
My director of photography (Chu Kewei), who took on a lot of extra work and invested in the next film.
What are the reactions to your film? (opinion of spectators, film critics, friends and family)
It was heavily polarised, with some friends reading it and finding it very enjoyable, and some watching it and saying they didn't understand it.
Have you already visited any of the prestigious film festivals?
Not yet, this is my debut.
What are your future plans in filmmaking carriere?
My only hope is that it will continue to be filmed.
***
The Snake - A man who is afraid of snakes was told this sentence on his way home. Back in his apartment, this man dare not step in the kitchen. After days of torture, he blocks the kitchen door and pretends it part of a wall. In the end, he walks out of the house, passing the snake-message on to someone else.
