Lights, Camera, Beijing

XING WEN

WHEN he fi rst arrived in China in 2010, Hugo Tickler, 25, did not expect his life in this country to be fi lled with so much excitement and so many opportunities.

Hugo was born and raised in Oxford, England. After graduating from the University of Winchester in 2009, he dove into fi lm and media production and looked set for life in his home country.

That changed one year later, when Hugo made the decision to suspend his budding career to seek out different life experiences in China.

“I knew little about Chinese language at that time,” Hugo recalls. “But Ive always wanted to study a language that is very different from my mother tongue. Besides, China lured me in with its amazing history and culture.” Believing that the best way to study a language properly is to live in the country for a time, Hugo came to China in 2010.

Life, China-style

Hugo first worked as an English teacher in a middle school in Yueyang, Hunan Province.

Having never lived alone abroad, he says the first few months were quite a challenge. “I couldnt speak Mandarin at that time, let alone the Hunan dialect, nor did I have any friends at first,” he says.

Though there were difficulties, Hugo feels lucky he had the “real”experience – it taught him to live independently and helped him to mature. He quickly adapted to the local life, making friends with school colleagues, his students and even local workers as he joined a football team organized by nearby factories. He was warmly welcomed by the locals, who would often invite him out for dinners and parties. “As I got to know some Mandarin, we hung out, chatted and talked about cultures –both sides learnt a lot from each other.”

In Yueyang, Hugo got to know two philosophies essential for living in China – mianzi (saving face) and guanxi (social networking). “Mianzi is especially interesting to me because it pops up in situations you wouldnt except in England. For example I have some friends here who would say they are busy with other things and cannot meet if they are low on money. In England, friends would just say, ‘I dont have any cash, and wed do something cheaper or I would just lend them some money. We dont worry about what people think as much as is the case in Chinese company.”

Hugo says he has also witnessed similarities between Chinese and British. “People in small cities seem much happier than those in metropolises,” he says. Countrysiders may not earn as much as their urban counterparts, he points out, but the stronger ties between family members and neighbors in rural areas seem to compensate. “Even in the smaller cities in China there is a sense that society is community-based, and people help each other out a lot. But in big cities I see that less,” he laments.

“Big cities all over the world resemble each other in that people living in them are never satisfied. They want more and more stuff and feel compelled to live life in the fast lane, all of which leads to heavy pressure and excessive consumption.”

Hugo says life in Yueyang was enjoyable and meaningful, but a move to Beijing was also necessary. “Im a professional filmmaker, and this is where the action is,” he explains. “Having learnt much about Chinese society, I would like to shoot some films about the country that has come to mean a lot to me.”

In 2011 Hugo entered the Beijing Film Academy to improve his language skills while continuing to work on film projects. For a while Chinese was the focus, and he passed the intermediate level of HSK (the state-sponsored Chinese language proficiency test). He is currently preparing for the highest level of the test.

Does Hugo think his Mandarin skills will give him an edge in the job market in the future? “Of course!Mandarin is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, but the number of English people who have mastered the language is rather limited,” he says.

“Companies expanding their business to China are hungry for bilingual individuals like me,” Hugo confides. Indeed his language proficiency, understanding of both English and Chinese societies as well as his skills in filmmaking should stand him in great stead wherever he decides to work.

Hollywood, Bollywood... Beijing?

Hugo has made several short films and music videos during his stay in China so far. In England, his focus was on directing and editing. He doesnt have a crew behind him here, so he usually makes films completely by himself and does his own scripting, directing, cinematography, lighting and editing. He says this solo work has actually turned out to be a good thing, allowing him the creative space to shoot in accordance with his own ideas.

“Instead of shooting significant stories, I would rather use my own, scattered experiences as my subject matter,” he says.“A good story is not necessarily grand, but it must be touching. In my eyes, the most crucial factor in making a film lies in the way you shoot.” He believes an outstanding director is one who has the ability to transform a plain script into a gripping adventure of the senses.

In recent years, China has made remarkable progress in its film industry. Increasing numbers of Chinese films are shown around the world. Most Westerners are familiar with Chinese kungfu films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero. These films feature beautiful cinematography and their sets and costumes are lavish.

But Hugo feels that China is making a mistake in trying to copy the Hollywood action blockbuster model. “In England, we try to compete with American films, not just copy them. I hope that Chinese filmmakers will get a bit more creative in their approaches,” he says.

“I love Chinese movies with complex historical plots. But I love them because I know Chinese history and culture. Overseas audiences, I would say, have little interest in watching such films, whose historical narratives they cant know. In order to engage more with foreign audiences, Chinese directors should shoot more films based on modern lives.”

“Mainland directors would be well-advised to look to Hong Kong as a model. The special administrative region makes some of the best modern films in the world. Hong Kong flicks have their own, distinct style. They dont copy Hollywood. Hopefully with time Chinas mainland will develop its own distinct, cinematic voice,” Hugo says.

The Flowers of War directed by Zhang Yimou is one of Hugos favorite Chinese films, and he says his interest in the film was actually first aroused by his favorite Hollywood actor, Christian Bale, who stars in the film.

“Ive been a huge fan of Bale since I was five years old. But I was pleasantly surprised at being touched by the films story and style,” he says. The film focuses on the fate of 13 women who seek refuge in a church during the Japanese “Rape of Nanking,” and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. “But I think the most poignant part of the film was the depiction of the united spirit of the Chinese people. It was uplifting,” says Hugo.

The young director is happy with his current life in China. He is learning a language and culture that he admires and enjoys observing and thinking about cultural differences. But more importantly, he is shooting short films.

Hugo hopes he can branch out into different kinds of films in China in the years to come. He also thinks being an “outsider”in China is something that gives him the advantage of juxtaposing two societies to create films. “I can fuse the two cultures to create engaging and relevant stories. Theres a wealth of subject matter,” he says, clearly thrilled at the prospect.

“As a matter of fact, Ive already written scripts and organized my ideas; Im just waiting for opportunities to shoot them alongside Chinese filmmakers.”

“Hollywood is known the world over as the home of the biggest and best films. It has the technology and the best actors and directors. But perhaps someday in the future China will be number one. For now, the country needs to attract more foreign talent and give greater opportunities to its young directors to excel and innovate.”

In the meantime, dont be surprised if you see the name Hugo Tickler or Yuguo in Chinese or British movie credits in the near future.