Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Thought Leader's Corner: Streamlined Productions


I recently took part in a new initiative set up by Pierce Conran over at Modern Korean Cinema. It's a great monthly piece that asks those in the know about Korean film some thought provoking questions that cover trends, developments or concerns facing the industry today. 

I was very happy to be included as one of the thought leaders, who trace their origins from all around the world to give a well rounded opinion. I think they are all worth a read, and you can see the full January entry here. Below I have posted my personal response to the question that was posed. Hope you find it interesting and if you have any thoughts of your own feel free to reply in the comments section!

 MKC Thought Leaders' Corner: January 2013


Given the enormous success of Korean cinema in 2012, is there any cause for concern over a rise in streamlined productions as quality gives way to financial interests?

"I think this trend for streamlined productions that focus on financial success is indeed something that we should be cautious of. While big successful films can be good for the industry as a whole, and can create a thriving production environment, the quality of the output must also be maintained. Thankfully in 2012 films such as Masquerade, The Thieves, A Werewolf Boy, Nameless Gangster, The Grand Heist, Architecture 101, Unbowed and All About My Wife, all of which were tremendously successful at the box office, had an overall quality that was commendable and are a positive representation of Korean cinema. 

So far it seems that while productions are becoming more streamlined and focused on an end product, this has been achieved by compiling together a solid story, talented director and all-star cast that can achieve both financial success and a quality result. Hopefully this balance of financial interests vs. quality product is maintained for future years, and Korea will remain known as the Hollywood of Asia, rather than Hollywood 2.0."

Kieran Tully
Artistic Director, KOFFIA Korean Film Festival in Australia
Programmer, Cinema on the Park Korean Film Night Sydney

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