REGIONAL (NEW) ACTORS FORUM, HONG KONG FILM GALA PRESENTATION 2023 - An Actor’s Perspective

REGIONAL (NEW) ACTORS FORUM,

HONG KONG FILM GALA PRESENTATION 2023

- An Actor’s Perspective

"Being an actor is an endless journey of exploring time, space, and self. While there are techniques to train one’s physical body and facial expressions, there is neither a final formula to getting it ‘right’, nor a proven path to success. Because of how many ways there are to become a successful actor, I find great value in listening to other actors’ journeys and learning how they overcame challenges to get to where they are today.”

- Agnes Goh, Singapore-based actress and writer of this article

Image of Agnes

I remember when I was a very young kid, there would be Hong Kong dramas on TV and my entire family would watch them together during dinner time. Despite the fast-rising popularity of Korean films (which I am also a fan of), Hong Kong films hold a special place in many Singaporeans’ hearts. Hearing dialogue in original Cantonese just ‘hits’ differently and brings back many fond memories. This year is particularly special because it is my first time attending Singapore Film Society’s Hong Kong Film Festival, called Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2023, which happened from 29 September – 1 October. During the Stage to Screen: Regional (New) Actors’ Forum, I had the opportunity to meet some of the region’s up-and-coming actors in person.

The forum saw award-winning actor Mak Pui Tung from Hong Kong, Season Chee from Malaysia,and Doreen Toh and Xuan Ong from Singapore. All the actors brought with them years of experience in both stage and screen work. Before they introduced themselves, the audience had a glimpse of their strong foundation as actors through a presentation snippets of their recent work.

Poster of STAGE TO SCREEN: REGIONAL (NEW) ACTORS' FORUM

Pui Tung left a deep impression on me with his stellar performance in The Sparring Partner, which was one of the titles in the line-up. He shared that he had intentionally planned a five-year trajectory for his theatre involvement to venture into a new medium of performing thereafter – the reason why he started acting in movies. I was in awe of the unwavering vision he had for his acting career, and his decisiveness to leave his comfort zone and explore new possibilities when the time came.

On the other hand, Season, a character actor, inspired me with his incredible multilingual proficiency. He is undoubtedly a testament to Malaysia’s (similar to Singapore’s) multiculturalism, being proficient in English, Mandarin, Malay and a few Chinese dialects.

Doreen is not only an extremely experienced theatre practitioner in the local scene, but also has many outstanding film accolades under her belt, most notably as the leading lady in Nelson Yeo’s award-winning feature Dreaming & Dying (2023).

Last but not least, Xuan made her recent big-screen debut with Grace Wu’s Seven Days, in which she played a unique and challenging role - an ‘old’ ghost in a young body.

 (From left to right): Doreen Toh, Xuan Ong, Season Chee, Mak ui Tung and Moderator Adele Wong

The forum surfaced relatable challenges, concerns and perspectives they had as actors transiting from stage to screen. One of the most important points highlighted was about understanding the relationship with the audience. In a typical theatrical setting, actors perform on a stage with (usually) substantial distance from the audience. It is essential for any stage actor to project his/her voice, exaggerate their body language, and engage in the physical space around them. Whereas for film, the camera is the audience; theactor needs to be conscious of subtleties and nuances in their performances, since every micro- expression or micro-movement is captured (and magnified) on the big screen.

Another salient point that was brought up during discussion was the preparation process. In a theatrical performance, an actor goes through rounds and rounds of rehearsals to experiment, explore, and express different possibilities with space and the relationships with other characters. During the actual performance, there is no break or interruption to the entire process. The actor is immersed in the environment and has to stay in character throughout the show until it finishes.

Unlike theatre, speed is a key element in shooting for films. There is often little to no time for extensive rehearsals, and an actor must make the best possible creative choice about their performance in a short time. There are often numerous takes for each scene, and it is on the actor to ensure each delivery remains truthful and believable despite potential sensory fatigue kicking in.

On this note, Doreen shared an insight that stayed with me. In her experience, performing on stage in a theatrical performance is a culmination of ten years of preparation offstage (台上一分钟，台下十年功). Like any performing art form, it takes tremendous effort and practice to perfect the craft. However, since actors rarely get to practice or rehearse as much before the director shouts ‘Action!’, they have to rely on their years of foundation and instincts to delivery well - for films, it is a display of those ten years of preparation, onscreen (台上十年功, 台 下一分钟).

The floor also raised wonderful questions, most of which were from prospective and current acting students. One of the questions raised was one that I think about a lot as well in my own career as a freelance actress. How do actors get more opportunities?

Pui Tung, currently acting on a freelance basis, encouraged independent actors to be fearless in pursuing every possible opportunity. ‘Go and send that email, attend that audition, do what you need to open up new doors,’ he suggested.

Xuan related that to how she did everything – from performing at USS to taking on small roles - to boost experience in the earlier phase of her career.

Season emphasised how important it is to ‘do your best in every opportunity, it takes time but eventually you will be seen.'

All three of them gave very powerful and actionable career advice as to how new actors can chart their journey, while Doreen offered rich life advice: It is natural for actors to feel beaten down by rejections, and eventually doubt themselves for reasons that are beyond them. ‘You must find a life outside of acting. Do what you can control, and let go of what you can’t,'she added. Whenever there were no acting gigs for her, she would read, watch films, develop new interests and hone her skills. The actor’s journey hinges on preparation and everything that you do between projects.

It was a truly valuable session for me. The generous sharing helped me ascertain the beauty of performing across different media, as each medium challenges us in different ways. Theatre demands extensive mind-body-spatial awareness and physical stamina for the actor to perform well in a live setting. Mistakes may happen, but the show must go on. Film is a microscopic medium that amplifies each movement and expression, and the actor must be exceptionally purposeful in their choices. It is important to convey emotions truthfully and subtly in cinematic moments that the audience will remember.

REGIONAL (NEW) ACTORS' FORUM Panelists and Moderator, with panel attendees

As I was penning down this experience during the forum, I had concluded my first stage performance and had a taste of what the panelists spoke about at the forum. As they had wisely shared with the audience that day, we would always be a work-in-progress and we should keep creating new possibilities for ourselves.

I look forward to the next edition of the festival, and crossing paths with wonderful actors again.