MEET THE PRODUCERS: Interview with Daniel Yu (From The Archives)

 

 

Originally Appeared 9/15/10 Midnight Madness Blog

Midnight Producers Part 5: Daniel Yu - The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsman

This is the fifth in the ongoing series, Meet the Producers of Midnight Madness 2010

Let me introduce you to Daniel Yu, producer of The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsman.

Daniel Yu is a well known producer and active member of Hong Kong's film and entertainment industry. In 1990, Daniel co-founded Team Work Productions with renowned actor Andy Lau. The company’s debut film Saviour of The Soul was commercially successful across Asia, and was awarded Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography at the 1992 Hong Kong Film Awards.

From 2004 to 2006, Daniel was Chief Operating Officer for Andy Lau’s Focus Films Limited. There he oversaw all films in which Andy Lau starred, invested and produced. The year 2005 was particularly fruitful for Daniel. He wrote and directed one of the Hong Kong box office’s top 10 of that year: All About Love, starring Andy Lau.

That same year, Daniel spearheaded and produced a series of films which achieved tremendous success at various Asian & International film festivals. Particularly notable was Crazy Stone by chinese director Ning Hao, which was praised as the most creative commercially successful film in China's history. Currently, Daniel holds the position of Senior Vice President for UnionVoole Technology, as well as Chief Executive Officer for Voole Pictures.

How much has the business of funding films in HK/China changed since the handover in 1997?

The climate of funding and financing in HK has changed significantly since the traditional markets for HK films has somewhat been taken over by the growing dominance of local films. After China granted HK films a status of local films that could be released in china outside of the quota system, it presented itself as a new key territory for HK filmmakers to show their films. Now with the increased number of screens and investors in China, China is a key territory not just for HK films but also major Hollywood films. In China, previously, most filmmakers focused on making art house films with the possibilities of winning awards as the exhibition sector was not mature but and the handful of filmmakers making commercial films, collaborated with HK film crews/ cast to make commercially more viable films. Now, filmmakers in china are reaping the success of the china economy by having investments, audience and cast to match those of the rest of the world.

Are films primarily funded by the government or are private investors approached?

In Asia (with the exception of Taiwan and Singapore), films are generally funded by film companies, private investors and commercial sponsors. In China, now city governments are coming on board to support film production but that is an exception and not the norm for most filmmakers. For art house auteur directors, a number of them still work closely with Europe to receive funding grants from European funds.

What were some of the difficulties in getting the film The Butcher, The Chef and The Swordsman made?

Wuershan being a very successful commercial director was one of the few directors that didn't have a track record yet to investors and distributors. The film he wanted to make is also is kinda fresh in approach and people are not sure if the vision he wanted to create would be achieved within the budget the producers were comfortable would recoup. Yet, though the shoot and budget kinda went beyond what was planned, things worked out well. We are happy to collaborate with a good team of cast and crew and now finally we are collaborating with fox international productions and Doug Liman on the film which is very exciting for all of us in the production to bring the film beyond Chinese audiences.

FIRST LOOK: The Next Film by Award-Winning Filmmaker Robert Aaron Mitchell

 Robert Aaron Mitchell deep in South Texas filming a rattlesnake for his next film. (Do not attempt this at home) 

"I am making something vastly different than The Bobby Diamonds Story) I am an American living during this time in America. I have a lot of rage inside because of the fascism this country has become. As I say this another mass shooting has taken place. This time in Minneapolis. Year after year after year these tragedies occur and nothing positive has been done. Gun laws have gotten more lax as time goes on. This country is entering a period of severe instability. The civil war never truly ended. It has remained as embers of hate all these years later. We are entering another period of civil war. While this film I am currently mired in does not directly address these issues the film is serving as a primal scream and it would be naive to think my environment is not playing a role in my artistic endeavors. At the end of the day during the production and post-production phases on my new work I am striving to make a scary fucking movie." 

 Here is a first look teaser trailer:

tiff50 THE MAN IN MY BASEMENT: First Look Poster & Stills

 Here is a first look at the Toronto International Film Festival 2025 selection The Man In My Basement. With actors Corey Hawkins and William Dafoe. This film marks the feature film directorial debut of Nadia Latif. Nadia co-wrote the screenplay with legendary novelist Walter Mosely. The film that unfolds takes a look at evil in it;s most purest form. Here are some first look still from the movie.

tiff50 KOKUHO: Director Lee Sang-il Talks About KOKUHO With Exclusive Stills

 

 

About 15 years ago, I had the idea of making a movieabout onnagata [male actors who play female characters] in kabuki performances. I did a lot of research and got deeper into the world of kabuki. In retrospect, maybe my film, Kokuho, emerged from this early conception. Originally, I intended to write a story modeled on an actual actor, but I didn’t know where to go from there. At the time, the project was too ambitious for me to handle. 

 

 

Then I had an opportunity to speak with the novelist, Shūichi Yoshida, whose novel, Villain,I’d adapted into a movie. I mentioned my idea about a kabuki-themed movie and he seemed interested. A few years later, I heard about his new novel which would be serialized in a newspaper. It was about kabuki, which intrigued me. With no objective in mind, I was keen to know how Yoshida would depict the world of kabuki and what story he would tell. I didn’t immediately think of adapting his novel, KOKUHO, because my earlier attempt hadn’t worked out. Then I observed enthusiasm building around the idea of making Kokuho into a movie until it slowly distilled into reality. 

 

I was cautious but I was certain of one thing. The movie could only proceed if we could find an actor capable of portraying the protagonist, Kikuo, as he would carry the movie. Then I had a fortunate encounter with the actor, Ryō Yoshizawa. Without exaggeration, the project would have
ended if not for Yoshizawa. It went ahead because we had him; Ryō Yoshizawa is the movie. Kikuo, the character that Yoshizawa played, would be the spine of the story. If I had just picked up episodes related to Kikuo from the novel, the movie risked being just a catalog of events in Kikuo’s life. I decided to focus on his journey of ups and downs, on the arc of his life and where it draws him and where he ends up. That would shape the movie. As the son of a gang boss, Kikuo’s life revolves around the blessings and curses of lineage as he dives into the world of kabuki.

 

That was the plot but what was more essential to show was Kikuo’s soulful connection with Shunsuke. There’s a ying/yang component to their relationship and their souls appear to meld on stage. With that in mind, when we developed the screenplay, I carefully extracted scenes from various kabuki acts that would symbolically show the highs and lows of the two men’s lives together and how they become one in communion. Kikuo and Shunsuke are immersed in the unique world of kabuki where the art is passed on through succession. Preserving the intangible art of kabuki through generations of actors. My initial interest in onnagata probably explains my fascination with kabuki. There is a timeless quality to onnagata, they’re an androgynous depiction of other. They’re atypical, in a class of their own. They’re sensual in a sophisticated way and if I may say...the sensuality strikes you unexpectedly. I don’t know where it comes from, maybe from the corporeal intensive training? But I was firm on NOT employing trained kabuki actors as dance doubles for Ryō Yoshizawa and Ryusei Yokohama [who played Shunsuke]. I was convinced that having these two actors perform the kabuki acts would breathe life into the movie adaptation and keep it authentic. The character of Kikuo is on a life-long quest to find an allusive “scenery”. I’ve come to believe that it’s the same scenery that Ryō Yoshizawa would have seen as he tackled the demanding role of a kabuki actor.

THE CROW (1994) Robert Aaron Mitchell in Conversation on the Bratt's Bin Movie Podcast

On the latest episode of the Bratt's Bin movie podcast The Crow (1994) is discussed. Robert Aaron Mitchell joins Jared Bratt and Carl Diamond as the trio conduct a deep-dive conversation about the movie which premiered thirty years ago this year. Entertaining and informative here is the video.

tiff 24 THE GESUIDOUZ ザ・ゲスイドウズ: World Premiere Director Kenichi Ugana in Conversation with Robert Aaron Mitchell

I was able to have a great interview with director and writer Kenichi Ugana over zoom. We spoke about  The Gesuidouz and the reception the movie had at the world premiere at the Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival. We spoke of our mutual love of punk music and horror films. The challenges of making the movie and how they were overcome. The incredible cast he assembled to realize the movie. Here is our conversation.

tiff 24 U ARE THE UNIVERSE ТИ - КОСМОС: Director Pavlo Ostrikov Interview with Robert Aaron Mitchell

On my last day at the 2024 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival I was able to have a sit down conversation with Ukrainian filmmaker Pavlo Ostrikov. We spoke about his science fiction movie U Are The Universe. The seven year journey it took to realize the film, finding his cast, the design of the movie as well as what life is like during the war to stop the Russian invasion.  

 

Here are some more exclusive stills from U Are The Universe.