ifva+
Storytelling Series

From October to December 2013, Lam Kee To will curate and host a series of seminars entitled “ifva+ Storytelling Series”, focusing on storytelling techniques and how to use images and sound to tell stories. The seminars will also feature well-known directors and scriptwriters who will share with participants how they could express their stories in words or via audio-visual means.

Curator and Host:

Lam Kee To (an all-round creative person, having worked as a television scriptwriter, film critic, comic’s creator and TV host)

ifva+ Oct: Storytelling — How to tell?
Date & Time:  3 / 10 / 2013 (Thu)

Description:
Legend has it that Steven Spielberg and his screenwriter used only two sentences to pitch the story of Back to the Future(1985), and convinced the studio to invest in this multi-million dollar movie. Why would these two sentences of around two dozen words be worth so much? How to tell a story in an enticing manner? The first seminar will feature expert storytellers who will share with you on how to turn the little ideas inside your head into a filmable story!

Speakers:
Lam Chiu Wing (Host of Hong Kong Today and Headliner and Scriptwriter of Vulgaria)
Yeung Sin Ling (Creator of My mother is an Alien animation trilogy and Scriptwriter of The Bullet Vanishes)
ifva+ Nov: Storytelling — How to film?
Date & Time: 7 / 11 / 2013 (Thu)

Description:
A novel tells its story in words, but a film must rely on images and sound. The words in a script are only the first step in making a film, but the key to filmmaking is turning words into audio-visual reality. The second seminar focuses on turning a story idea or synopsis into different genres including drama, documentary, animation, shorts or series in order to give the story idea it’s most effective expression and conjure different audience reactions. The seminar will also touch upon how independent films differ from mainstream cinema in terms of storytelling techniques.

Speakers:
Fruit Chan (Director of Made in Hong Kong)
Vincent Chui (Artistic Director of Ying E Chi and Independent Film Director)
Toe Yuen (Director of animation My Life as McDull and CJ7: The Cartoon)
ifva+ Dec: Storytelling — How to interpret a story?
Date & Time: 5 / 12 / 2013 (Thu)

Description:
The same basic story can take on vastly divergent forms depending on the times, choice of actors or other factors, which results in totally different viewing experience for the audience. The third seminar centres around how even an adapted story can result in different versions, just like in Rashomon(1950), when different authors inject it with their own ideas and style. It will also cover how to anticipate the audience’s reactions and effectively communicate with the public.

Speakers:
John Chong (Experienced Film Producer)
Adam Wong (Director of The Way We Dance)
Heiward Mak (Scriptwriter of Love in the Buff and Director of Diva)