Cultural and Technological Crossover in the Asian and Hollywood Film Industry

Part 1: Cultural Crossover

REQUIREMENTS:

-Need to include at least 2 experts as quoted source (interviews attached below)

-Reference must be recent

-Essay word count between 2400 – 2500 (including in-text citation)

-Harvard Referencing (must have in-text citation and reference list)

-Needs to clearly explain what industry is being covered and who is involved which includes descriptive elements, and describe what’s happening in the industry right now.

-Must show evidence on research (analyse, quotes from research etc)

-Provides critics when necessary, include own arguments (agree/disagree etc), and predict the future direction of the chosen topic.

TOPIC: Cultural and Technological Crossover in the Asian and Hollywood Film Industry

ESSAY OUTLINE

1)INTRO:

-Explain the film industry

-What is going on in the industry right now

-How film from Asia and Hollywood shifted through time

2)PART 1

-Dissect both continent’s culture

-Cultural crossover - Asian culture in Hollywood films and VICE VERSA

-Must add in movie examples and can refer to experts’ interview (attached below)

3)PART 2

-Dissect Hollywood’s technology - cgi, filming style etc

-Usage of Hollywood’s technology in Asian films

-Must add in movie examples and refer to experts’ interview (attached below)

4)PART 3

-Asian cinema refusing Hollywood influences

-Can focus on South Korean cinema (Parasite etc) - Films that focuses on its roots

-Must add in movie examples

5)CONCLUSION

-The future direction of film industry (mindset and quality of future filmmakers to ensure a future for a variety of diverse voices)

Movies example to discuss in essay (may have more add on examples):

-Crazy Rich Asian

-The Wandering Earth (for technological adaptation part)

-Parasite (refused Hollywood influence)

EXPERTS’ INTERVIEW

PRODUCER, SCREENWRITER - ROBERT WOLFE:

1) What is your opinion of Asian culture depicted in American movies and vice versa?

While I'm no expert, I think, by and large, Asian culture has been historically simplified and often stereotyped in American cinema, and I suspect the same is true of American culture in Asian cinema. That said, I think the situation with regard to American cinema is slowly improving as more Asian-American talent gains opportunity in the film business. Movies like THE FAREWELL and CRAZY RICH ASIANS benefit from having Asian-American directors and writers and thus provide a somewhat more nuanced portrait of Asian culture, at least from the point of view of the Asian diaspora. Though in the end, the best representation of any culture in film will always been from that culture's filmmakers. Hopefully the willingness of American audiences and critics to embrace a movie like PARASITE is a sign of increased openness to genuine Asian films in the west. I'm not versed enough in Asian audiences viewing habits to know if the same is true there. Historically, only big budget, star-driven American productions do much box office overseas and those sorts of films are hardly geared toward thoughtful portrayals of American culture. I doubt there's much appetite in Asia for movies like PRECIOUS, MOONLIGHT or WINTER'S BONE, but maybe I'm wrong about that. Still, I hope that in years to come, audiences worldwide will take time to watch smaller, more nuanced films in addition to big blockbuster, which by their nature aren't really vehicles for cultural truth.

Part 2: Hollywood Technology

2) Do you think the advancement of technology (CGI etc.) in American movie scene nowadays plays a role in affecting Asian filmmaking style?

I'm sure it does. American movies, with their wholesale adaptation of CGI as a film-making tool, have set the bar for visual spectacle extremely high. Movies like THE WANDERING EARTH and MONSTER HUNT definitely seem to be emulating effects laden blockbusters like the AVENGERS and FAST AND FURIOUS franchises.

3) How do you think films from both continent have shifted throughout the past century? Do you think that Asian filmmaking and Western filmmaking have advanced at a similar rate or has it differed? Why do you think so?

I think, especially over the past few decades, the rate of advancement in technical terms has been about the same, though American cinema had a tremendous head start and remains, for now at least, ahead of the game. Also, due to a vigorous pool of experienced screenwriters, I feel like American films are often better written. I think, quite honestly, Asian films, especially in China, have lagged behind a bit in terms of storytelling, though that gap is also closing rapidly. South Korean filmmakers, in particular, have, for a long time and perhaps out of necessity, embraced story over spectacle and have developed their own sophisticated filmic narrative traditions.

4) What do you think aspiring young filmmakers should have (in terms of mindset and qualities) to uphold to what has been accomplished in the filmmaking industry?

Obviously, aspiring filmmakers need to embrace a strong work ethic. Film-making can be an all-consuming career and requires strong commitment and drive. I'd recommend young filmmakers work on their writing ability, even if they don't intend to write themselves. Nothing happens without a script, and the abilities to understand screenwriting and to express oneself on the written page are a major assets for a filmmaker. And these days, if you want to make movies, there's no excuse not to be making them constantly, writing scripts, shooting footage of your own, working with actors and fellow filmmakers, editing, etc. The barrier for entry in the film business has never been so low; equipment is inexpensive and readily available.

5) What are some of the things you foresee (or hope to see) in the future of filmmaking in both continent?

I hope film-making and screenwriting become even more accessible in the future for a variety of diverse voices. Art is best when it accurately reflects culture, and that can't happen when voices are overwhelmingly male, for example, or straight or from a dominant ethic group. So hopefully the film business will continue to accept and nurture new voices and allow film-making to continue to grow and evolve as an art form.

OPPOSING COMMENTS (can be used as an argument in essay)

Professor Chris Berry, King’S College, London

“I don't think there is any such thing as "Asian culture" or "Western movies" or "Asian filmmaking," and I think using those terms perpetuates a false binarism that is adversarial and dangerous -- as is clear from the behaviour of people like both Trump and Xi.  There are no common characteristics that bind together culture from Japan to Turkey and distinguish from culture from Canada to Romania, and that's also true for filmmaki