7 December 2012
“Making movies is my life,” Ang Lee
One of my directing heroes, Ang Lee, spoke for over 90 minutes about his illustrious career at BAFTA on Sunday 2nd December 2012. The talk tied in with the impending UK release of his adaptation of Booker prize winner, LIFE OF PI.
Beginning at the beginning, Lee talks of himself as a spaced out child, growing up in a conservative and artistically repressed household. Father was also his high school principal, and was disappointed with his son’s academic direction. Lee did a degree to show that if his ambitions did not pan out, he could teach – be a useful member of society. He didn’t like theatre directing, wanted to study film. Went to New York University. Spike Lee was the year above him, and Ang worked on his thesis film.
Post uni, Lee was in “development hell” pitching projects for six years. He had hope, was optimistic, but still the experience was pretty depressing. However, he won a screenplay competition back in his native Taiwan. Not only that, he won the second place prize too. Impressive. That first place meant he had $480,000 to make PUSHING HANDS, which turned out to be successful in his homeland. That led to THE WEDDING BANQUET, with a budget of about $750,000. At the same time he met James Schamus and Ted Hope of Good Machine – eventually becoming Focus Features. They produced BANQUET. Ang hoped they weren’t crooks. Schamus helped beef up parts. And the result was the most profitable film of 1993, even against JURASSIC PARK – NB/ Not highest grossing.
One of my directing heroes, Ang Lee, spoke for over 90 minutes about his illustrious career at BAFTA on Sunday 2nd December 2012. The talk tied in with the impending UK release of his adaptation of Booker prize winner, LIFE OF PI.
Beginning at the beginning, Lee talks of himself as a spaced out child, growing up in a conservative and artistically repressed household. Father was also his high school principal, and was disappointed with his son’s academic direction. Lee did a degree to show that if his ambitions did not pan out, he could teach – be a useful member of society. He didn’t like theatre directing, wanted to study film. Went to New York University. Spike Lee was the year above him, and Ang worked on his thesis film.
Post uni, Lee was in “development hell” pitching projects for six years. He had hope, was optimistic, but still the experience was pretty depressing. However, he won a screenplay competition back in his native Taiwan. Not only that, he won the second place prize too. Impressive. That first place meant he had $480,000 to make PUSHING HANDS, which turned out to be successful in his homeland. That led to THE WEDDING BANQUET, with a budget of about $750,000. At the same time he met James Schamus and Ted Hope of Good Machine – eventually becoming Focus Features. They produced BANQUET. Ang hoped they weren’t crooks. Schamus helped beef up parts. And the result was the most profitable film of 1993, even against JURASSIC PARK – NB/ Not highest grossing.
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Because of BANQUET, landed SENSE AND SENSIBILITY. Lee supposes that it was because UK directors were jaded with such subject matter, and his ability to mix humour and sadness. SENSE was intimidating, his English was not good, but knew the themes, he’d done it already; the sensible understanding of what sensibility is about. The first signal he got was that the team didn’t want to a BBC/Merchant-Ivory-esque adaptation – no disrespect to them. Ang was torn between the direction he desired to take and being true to Jane Austen, a fine line. Lee speaks highly of writer-actress Emma Thompson. He had to:
- Learn culturally,
- Take a big step up scale-wise, and
- Tackle a period piece.
We then move on to THE ICE STORM. He was happy to return to New York, but nervous about the American reception of it. Re RIDE WITH THE DEVIL, was interested in the losing side of the civil war. Sees the Yankee invasion as the beginning of globalisation. Lee states American is an idea, not a culture, is the centre stage. He likes messy, not clear-cut. Says ICE and RIDE commercial flops, but thinks their reputations have turned around, looked on well now.
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: low tech – Industrial Light & Magic HULK peeps asked how he did it. He said it was real, they’re hanging there. Lee had a lot to learn from choreographers and acrobats; though insisted fight scenes have drama. Was worried that CROUCHING TIGER would be his third flop in a row, and end his career. However, it worked well for global audience, not so in Asia who know the genre. After a clip, Ang jokes that it was a dream to see two ladies fight over a phallic symbol. He was worried about the cast’s safety, they were so devoted. The choreography is like a conversation, as in SENSE but non-verbal – but must look intuitive, not choreographed, and has to express emotion too.
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THE HULK – what I’d been waiting for. Lee is asked why it didn’t do well. He thought of it as a psychodrama and horror. It didn’t work in genre, Problem that SPIDER-MAN came out the year before – very genre. Ang says he was questioned on what he thought of THE AVENGERS’ Hulk. Lee’s response is that when he saw that film, he observed he had thought too much with his version.
BROKEBACK – he cried when he read story, so different to him. Ang states they were brilliant young actors. Received short story and screenplay while making HULK. Had a blast on the latter. Spent five years on childhood fantasy and mid-life crisis, was wrecked. Those two experiences were a peak then a drop. Feels like retiring, but didn’t want to end on THE HULK. Thought BROKEBACK was already made. Talked to father, first time his dad told him to make another movie. He died two weeks later.
Lee speaks about what motivates him. Comments that he is curious. His career has been like a prolonged film school. Ang wants to have fun, play around. Cinema should touch people, but they don’t know why. Talking about 3D on LIFE OF PI, there is so much more info presented than 2D. In five years time, supposes he would be too old to pick up something new like this. PI is too expensive to be art house. It is not about confidence, it is about faith.
On making movies, Lee’s advice is don’t do it if you want security; if you like adventure give it a go. Write he advises – it is a free experience. You’ll get commercial and artistic feedback. You’ll learn about structure.
Ang says he feels possessed when making a film. The film directs him.
