Q and A with Alexander King Chen, writer and producer of "Inhuman Love". His film won Best Artistic Direction and Best Visual and Special Effects Awards and was nominated for Best Fashion Film and Best Music Awards at LFFF2020.
Photo Above: from the left — Singer James Yang, Actor Tony Capatch, Actress/Singer Stephanie Hesterberg, Creative Director Alexander King Chen for "INHUMAN LOVE"
Q. How and when did you become interested in filmmaking?
A. 5 years ago, I started incorporating music, plot, ballet, story and visuals into my runway shows. 2 years ago I felt fashion was a bit limiting and I was looking for a broader spectrum to convey my thoughts, so I turned to film.
Photos above: Our shows "BEAUTIFUL HERITAGE" (left) and "DEATH OF A DYNASTY" (right)
Q. What is a fashion film?
A. I love this question because there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer to it. It can embrace everything, yet it can be as simple as a digital catalogue shoot. But to me, it needs to have a volume of crafted costumes especially made for the piece. We would build the clothes first, then simultaneously evolve the story around the costumes — rather than the other way around. The story should be built around the principle: FASHION.
Q. Why make a fashion film?
A. Wow, I've got a lot to say about this. I LOVE music, visuals, storytelling, set design, costume design, architecture, actors, actresses, models — everything and everyone! 2 years ago, my mother passed away, my world crumbled and my heart sank into the abyss. Before her death, she did 10 years of community service, while she was blind, in a wheelchair, and on dialysis, yet her caretaker would push her in her wheelchair to go see patients in hospitals twice a week. In this dark hole, I turned to music, and started writing my own songs. When I was ready to emerge, I noticed how selfish and greedy I was. Even someone who's blind, and in a wheelchair has so much heart and passion. It's then I decided to dedicate 3 years of my life to 3 very worthy causes hoping to carry on her act of kindness. The first being INHUMAN LOVE = save the things we love before we run out of time, metaphorically referring to mother earth. 2nd KILL-Burn = embrace creativity & love and not let social media wash us all out. 3rd Are You In Heaven = pay homage to the animals that have perished for our survival.
My last reason — fashion itself for the past few years has been very restricting. From what's trendy now, to cyber-bullying, to cultural appropriation. Most of the time, a designer just wants to design and appreciate a culture, and to tell their story. Sadly, it can be misconstrued by the general public because it's fashion. Which for me isn't the case. I love culture. I was born in the States, my heritage is Taiwanese, and I went to school in London and Paris. Culture is what we need and bring awareness to so we don't forget it (not in a demeaning manner of course, or capitalizing way!). Therefore, it's extremely important for me to use culture/language/civilization as an element of inspiration to capture what I believe in. A fashion film can do all of that. It allows me to create my world. Sure people can hate our films or be offended by it, but it gives me my freedom, to combine everything that I love — visuals, art, architecture, performance, plot, set design etc… everything that goes on in my mind!
Q. What makes fashion film different to other short film genres?
A. I think the difference would be that the story is being created for the clothes/costume/fashion. We create the clothes, then come up with the story to complement and coincide with the designs. Our 3rd film is actually a fashion THRILLER!!! It will be rated RRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! hahahaha
Above: Our 3rd film "Are You In Heaven"
Q. Do you have friends making movies as well and do you sense competition amongst you. What do you think of their movies?
A. So far I have no friends in this business. I have a lot of creative friends — actresses, directors, producers — but fashion film is super new in Taiwan. Everyone I've encountered has been more than welcoming towards me, helping me, assisting me since I'm so new in this uncharted territory. However, I do have to say that the short films/movies industry in Taiwan isn't as ripe yet. "Packaging" something is relatively new here. Sadly, when working on films in Taiwan, Art Direction, Costumes & Hair and Make Up is the first budget they cut. Costumes are definitely the first to go! The projects I've worked on in film, some have cut my budget by 85%! Some say the producers or film studios pocket the money. That's why with our films, I decided to say "screw you all"! Art Direction/Costumes are the first I SLAMMED all my money in and bet on!!!! Which left other people with very little money. But luckily most of the people that worked on our film were friends. Thank you Friends! Also and luckily, Adam Hayes and Nick Hayes are the most intelligent, understanding, kind and artistically inclined directors! They are the most amazing creative duo I've ever met!!!!! Thank you Adam and Nick for your brilliant Directing, Editing, CGI, Art Direction etc. and thank you for everything!!
Photo Above: left to right — Me, Adam, Nick & Sherrie our AD
Q. What were you looking for in your characters?
A. The first thing I ask actors during auditions is if they can "cry on cue". Because I cannot act to save my life, so I'm stunned at actors being able to cry on cue. If they can, they'll usually steal my heart! At the same time, I look for people that look a certain part for their designated role. Tony Capatch, our lead in "Inhuman Love" plays a military man, looking for sex in an underground club. We casted over 20 male actors — he was the last one to show up, when I saw him, I knew he was the one!
Photos above: Our Leads — Tony Capatch (left) and Stephanie Hesterberg (right)
Stephanie Hesterberg as well! She plays a consultant that works in the "underground" sex club, and when I saw her, it was her! I didn't bother casting any other female leads!!! She's the one! And also! They both can cry on CUE!!!!!!!
Q. What was your original concept for making the film?
A. To explain to people that "we need to start to save the things we love before we all run out of time". We need to do it now. It's not tomorrow, it's not next year. The time is NOW!!
Photo Above: Inhuman Love
Q. What was the biggest challenge for you in the process of making the film?
A. I was also the producer. Luckily 2 of my dear friends Jazmine Huang and Fiona Kao helped me out at the end. I'm extremely unorganized and my thoughts are all over the place. We created 44 costumes, 2 scores, 14 characters, had 15 locations, built 3 sets from scratch, invited visionary directors Adam Hayes and Nick Hayes to fly in from NYC to Taiwan, had a team of 67 people from 7 different countries involved. The biggest challenge… to make sure everything happened! Which it did! Thanks to everyone involved!!! HBF Directors are unbelievable! They made it happen! And our TEAM too! We didn't have that many professional film making people on the team — just a lot of amazing friends willing to help us out and believed in us. Thank you ALL!
Q. What are the key elements to making an effective fashion film?
A.For me it would be to take the work, the concept, the execution seriously but never yourself.
Q. What is a difference between a fashion film and advertisement?.
A. A fashion film doesn’t have to always be directly tethered to a brand. I can have more artist freedom perhaps.
Q.How does a fashion film attract customers and brand awareness?.
A. That artistic freedom allows the brands to tell their story in an unconventional way that can really showcase their creativity originality and taste.
Q.What is your suggestion for making some budgets for a film?.
A.Film can obviously be very expensive and finding brands who are willing pay premium budgets are rare! But getting to make these films is always an opportunity to show you can be creative and resourceful with not much.
Q. What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers?
A.Start somewhere, be bad, fail, try things, don’t be boring, put your work out there, don’t take yourself too seriously and have fun!
