Breaking cultural barriers and working together was what enabled Tony Zeng Yizhou and Muhammad Hashim Khan Durrani to win big at the 48 Hour Chengdu International Short Film Festival.
Together with a production crew, which consisted of 15 people from Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, China as well as Malaysia, they were nominated for 15 categories including Best Movie, Best Screenwriter and Best Art Contribution, eventually bagging the prestigious Best Director Prize.
Team Effort
According to them, bringing the prize from the festival took a lot of team effort and they were able to succeed by combining their various talents together.
“We had a lot of meetings,” said Tony who is the team leader, and is currently pursuing Master in Digital Film & Television as well as PhD of Management. “We prepared the storyboard, scripts and we had to search for suitable actors to act in our scenes.”
Each person was able to bring their unique talents into their work such as directing, sound engineering and production management.
“We had to prepare cameramen and other personnel in a short amount of time,” added Hashim who is pursuing Master in Digital Film and Television, and already has 15 years of experience in TV production.
They conducted filming in Huanglongxi Ancient Town near Chengdu. Due to the filming location and the difficulties they faced, they had to multitask and be resourceful.
The team had to prepare the storyboard, script, and to prepare filming location within 48 hours. At the same time, they had to resolve visa issues which made it difficult for the entire team to work in China during the filming.
Resourcing Global Network
With the help of Limkokwing University’s global networking contacts, they were able to find support from other Limkokwing graduates who are already in Beijing.
They were able to obtain several talents from various locations within a short time.
“We had to find a proper actor who was of specific age and characteristics,” said Hashim. “We needed someone who looked French or Russian, and who was slightly older.”
Through the University’s multicultural network, they managed to find a former student from Iran who fit the description.
Success Factor
Tony credited Limkokwing University’s international presence and multicultural environment as the key to the team’s success.
“This gave us the chance to stand out from the competition,” Tony added. “I could easily find partners in different cultures and countries.”
“Since we were working with mostly amateur and inexperienced performers, patience was a crucial factor in making the film,” he added.
He also mentioned that by forming a team of people from different cultures, background and ideas, they were able to create an international short film which everyone could understand.
Cultural Advantage
“As a student at Limkokwing University, I learned a lot from my classmates,” said Tony. “I learned to direct a movie, create a lot of ideas and make all types of films.”
More importantly, he learned to be able to harness his creativity to the fullest through his exposure at the University, which helped him to become a better individual by giving him a lot of opportunities to make films.
Tony also added that the University was very supportive of him in creating new films. “Everybody helped me,” he said.
Hashim Khan added that he came to Limkokwing in Malaysia to further expand his knowledge in the filmmaking industry.
“I came here so that I can collaborate with other creative individuals,” he said. “I hope to gain more experience and more exposure.”
“The environment here enabled me to expand my experience and I have met people from Yemen, Libya and China,” he added.
He mentioned that the practical exposure and multicultural environment enabled him to improve his communication skills as well as his understanding of different cultures.
Extensive Guidance
According to Hashim, the lecturers at the University provide a lot of guidance and support in class.
They received extensive training sessions in terms of storyboarding and scriptwriting which were very informative.
“We can share ideas with the lecturers and discuss changes to the story,” he said.
Tony also added that the University’s lecturers provided encouragement and suggestions for new ways of problem-solving.
Advice on Getting Recognition
“These awards are very important, because they push you to succeed,” said Tony. “Never give up.”
Tony explained that exposure and hard work are a crucial part of every filmmaker’s professional career. His effort has enabled for his short films to be recognised in New York, London, Rio, Chengdu and Kuala Lumpur.
“Participating in film festivals like this allows us to gain more experience and expand our networking opportunities,” said Hashim while adding that having his name and work shown in various theatres around the world gave filmmakers like him a sense of pride.
Hashim said that while he was already known back in his home country, the exposure he receives through international festivals gives him the opportunity to expand his professional prospect to move on to bigger projects.