Geek Syndicate Issue 6 | 页面 16

Geek Syndicate
GS: Was there a particular reason behind choosing now as the time to make your Hollywood debut? KJW: Ever since the Tale of Two Sisters (which has been remade in the US), I have been receiving many offers from Hollywood. Unfortunately, most of the projects I was offered were horror films or already packaged projects that were ready to go, and I was not interested in these. On top of that, timing was not opportune due to the projects I was working on in Korea. Then right after the Good, the Bad, the Weird, I received the offer for the Last Stand. I felt that the timing was perfect, and also I was given the opportunity to work with the writer from the beginning of development, so I decided that the Last Stand would be my Hollywood debut. GS: Did you notice any major differences between shooting a film in the US as opposed to Korea? KJW: The whole system in itself is very different. In Korea, when a director makes a decision, that decision is immediately put into action. A director has that much power in Korea. In Hollywood however, the studio and the producer have as much authority as the director does, so the three must work together in the decision-making process. Also, an assistant director (AD) in Korea is someone who supports the director and makes sure that the director’s thoughts and artistic vision is reflected within the film. Basi16

cally, the AD is the director’s closest ally, and also has the ability to make decisions on behalf of the director. However, it seems to me that the main role of the assistant director in Hollywood is to maintain the efficiency of the production. I felt more lonesome as a director here because of that fact. At the same time though, I have learned to make more prudent decisions in this new environment. Another difference would be the existence of strong unions and their strict rules, especially regarding time. There were so many more rules to follow compared to Korea, and now I have new found respect for the US based directors who are able to create excellent films despite the constant burden and pressure of following these rules. In the end, a victory is only meaningful when all the rules of the game have been followed. I must admit that initially, I

was shaken a bit from being in a totally unfamiliar environment, but I’ve began to understand the system in the process and feel more comfortable in it now. By the end of the film, I was able to use my ability to the fullest. GS: The Last Stand looks like a very American film. How are you putting your own stamp on it? KJW: I don’t know. I never make films thinking “This is my film. This right here is undoubtedly Kim Jee-Woon style.” I am not even sure what “Kim Jee-Woon style” is. When I make films I never allow myself to make hard-set decisions ahead of time. This might be shocking from Hollywood’s perspective. In the Hollywood system, everything must be under absolute control. If something is not logically acceptable, then the

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