Action in the East

Codirector of The Lion King and director of the two acclaimed Stuart Little movies, Rob Minkoff most recently directed The Forbidden Kingdom.

Rob Minkoff is an animator and director who began his career at Disney. In 1994, he codirected Disney's The Lion King, the most successful cel-animated picture of all time. He then directed two acclaimed Stuart Little pictures and, most recently, The Forbidden Kingdom. Minkoff has had an interest in Asia for many years. Following are his answers to my email interview.

millimeter: As an artist, what so you find inspiring in China?

Minkoff: China is in the throes of tremendous change. The economy is exploding and with it the lives and lifestyles of its people. Almost as if waking from an endless dream, China is finally emerging into a consciousness filled with possibility. But what makes China so interesting is the juxtaposition of its modernity with its history. As one of the most ancient cultures on the planet, China has incredible depth.

What film conventions in China have you had to adapt to — for example, editing, acting, and staging styles?

The action [for The Forbidden Kingdom] was choreographed by Yuen Woo-Ping, the premier martial-arts director in Asia. As opposed to an American action film, where you cover action from many angles and have tremendous flexibility in the editing room, his approach is to stage and shoot each piece without overlap so there is essentially no coverage.

What accounts for your interest in China?

My deep interest in China began after reading two remarkable books on Chinese history. The first was Lords of the Rim by Sterling Seagrave and the second The Soong Dynasty by the same author. Having grown up during the Cold War, Communist China was an utter mystery. Dressed in Mao jackets and riding an endless stream of bicycles, the traditional culture of China had all but disappeared to Western eyes. But in these books, Sterling lifts the veil on modern China exposing the dramatic history of the last hundred years of political turmoil. The characters are dynamic, the settings exotic, and the interpersonal politics fascinating. These books shone a light through a darkened window and exposed many of the mysteries and contradictions of modern and ancient China. I consider them absolutely essential reading for anyone interested in Chinese culture and history.

How long have you been coming here?

I made my first trip to mainland China in 1997. At that time there were about four construction cranes on Chang An Jie near the Forbidden City. Ten years later, there are thousands of new buildings, cars are more common than bicycles, and high-rises have replaced many of the hutongs, but the culture and character of China has remained.

What do you like about working in China?

The two most important ingredients for happiness are people and food. I happen to enjoy both. And the energy and vitality of China are infectious. There are so many possibilities.

What should Western producers know about working in China before they come here? In what ways can they prepare?

It's critical to understand the local culture. China is a world of guarded sensitivities. One must look past the surface to understand the meaning and intention of its people. The concept of “face” is that individuals, out of a need for social acceptance, cannot risk exposure and, therefore, will not be entirely straightforward. This must be understood in its social context and never seen as disrespectful. When working with any of the artists on the film, I always want honest feedback. This is sometimes hard to get. As the director, it's imperative to create a safe environment to encourage the free exchange of ideas. If speaking one's mind brings ridicule or ostracism, you can expect the whole system to shut down. Trust is paramount, and the leadership must provide a framework in which it is fostered.

How big is the language barrier and cultural differences when working with a film crew in China?

The most challenging aspect to working in China is the language barrier. Although I've been learning Chinese, it's still vitally important to have good interpreters. All the actors were required to speak English, and although Jackie [Chan] and Jet [Li] have done many English-language films, they were still challenged by the colloquial style of the dialogue. Both had dialect coaches working with them regularly to master the unusual phrases. But the chatter of the crew [in Mandarin and Cantonese] that always flies around the set put me at something of a disadvantage. It became necessary to have someone stand over my shoulder whispering in my ear to keep me up to speed. It required a tremendous extra effort but ultimately was worth it.

Compare the visual-effects experience of working with Los Angeles/San Francisco studios and those in Asia.

The language and sensibility of film and filmmakers is surprisingly similar all over the world. But if you're not based in Asia, as we weren't for postproduction of Forbidden Kingdom, be prepared to log a lot of air miles or get used to working via cineSync and Skype.

What are the opportunities for filmmakers in China?

China more and more will become a filmmaking hub for the world. With expanded facilities and experienced personnel, China is in a fantastic position to compete as an alternative production pipeline. Artistically China offers a unique range of skilled artisans eager to expand their horizons. Furthermore, it appears that in the next 10 to 15 years, China will become the largest film market in the world.

What is the mix (local vs. international) of the crew when working in China? Can you bring a U.S. DP to China? What essential production job categories need to be filled by Westerners when coming to China?

On The Forbidden Kingdom, 90 percent of the crew was either from mainland China or Hong Kong. Very few Westerners were brought over. Mainly the editorial staff, production designer, and sound department were the critical personnel imported for the job.

Are there big savings to making movies in China?

Productivity is a function of proper planning and management of resources. Therefore if you emphasize pre-production, it's possible to fully capture the benefits of cost-effective production. That being said, it is equally critical to make the right choices in terms of local hires. Any weak link in the chain will end up increasing costs.

What production story or anecdote best sums up working in China?

We needed to find a location for the fight in the peach blossoms. We discovered an enormous grove of trees in full bloom. When it came time to shoot, the blossoms had all fallen off the branches. So Bill Brzeski the production designer had a team of people glue tens of thousands of synthetic blossoms by hand.

Are there any government incentives to be had in China? What about individual cities or provinces?

Apart form the lower cost structure of working in China, I'm not aware of any specific incentives, either national or provincial.

Did you use storyboards and previz?

Although we had barely 10 weeks of preproduction, we storyboarded and prevized as much of the movie as possible. Thankfully, we had a board artist who was fluent in Mandarin and English who could help translate between departments. The previz started quite late because we didn't get set up until the crew from the visual-effects house in Korea arrived to Hengdian. But once we were set up we had a very effective system that allowed all the departments to keep an orderly workflow moving through the pipeline.