Hongkong Entertainment 2012/11/28

[2012.11.28] KELLY CHEN MAKES NEW FILM TO REPAY LEE CHI NGAI

Kelly Chen

An actress in horror make up

Tony Leung Ka Fai takes a breather

Kelly Chen Wai Lam has always been a favorite among directors, as she had many scripts for her to choose from. After giving birth to her second son "Little Dragon Bun" Lau Sum, Kelly finally chose the thriller SAU SUM DIK YUT GOR JI (A WORD IN THE PALM OF THE HAND, tentative title) as the first film of her return to film. Reportedly Kelly chose the film mainly to thank her benefactor director Lee Chi Ngai, whose film LOST AND FOUND (TIN NGAI HOI GOK) successfully landed Kelly in the Japanese market. Thus she was willing to work for a friendly rate. Actually this film consisted of three parts from three famous directors. Aside from Lee Chi Ngai, Fruit Chan Gor and Lawrence Ah Mon (Lau Kwok Cheung) will participate. Both are directors who are known in the international film festival circuit. The thriller will definitely receive international film festival attention.

Earlier at late night, Kelly secretly worked on the promotional short film along with lead actor Tony Leung Ka Fai. Kelly at first was somewhat surprised to find reporters at the coffee shop where the shoot was taking place, but finally stood still for pictures and chatted a little before going in for the shoot. Leung Ka Fai arrived earlier than Kelly. Film company boss Bill Kong Chi Keung was also on hand late night to supervise.

Kelly supposedly will play crystal fortune teller in the new film and have many scenes with Leung Ka Fai. During the shoot Leung Ka Fai stepped outside for a break, reporters took the chance to interview him but he declined to reveal anything about the new film. Speaking of Hong Kong films winning many awards at this year's Golden Horse, he excitedly said, "Hong Kong will continue to have many good film releases."

Speaking of Kelly working on the new film to thank director Lee Chi Ngai, her manager Claudie Chung Chun said, "Right, but I am not at liberty at answer anything else. Please ask! the film! company."
[2012.11.28] AARON KWOK SUPPORTS THE CELEBRATION ALONE

courtesy of on.cc

The Tony Leung Ka Fai and Aaron Kwok Fu Sing starred new film COLD WAR (HONG JIN) accumulated 230 million RMB at the Mainland box office. Sing Sing two nights ago attended the celebration but Leung Ka Fai was busy with a film and did not attend.

Sing Sing said, "I really don't know how to say thank you, I can only say 'I love you all! (Would the new film have any pressure from Ang Lee's LIFE OF PI?) The films are of different genres, I hope Ang Lee would watch COLD WAR, which is just as good as LIFE. (Would you like to win Best Actor?) Earlier I have already won two Golden Horse awards, I wanted to win a third but I didn't expect to lose to (Tony) Leung Chiu Wai. Later I felt the greater the expectation the greater the disappointment. Now I am beginning to value audience word of mouth."
[2012.11.28] JUST FOR FUN: ERIC TSANG LOSES "CONSCIOUSNESS"

Alan Tam holds a birthday banquet for his mother

Nat Chan puts birthday buns on Eric Tsang's chest, much to the amusement of Alan Tam

Eric Tsang has to be "carried out"
courtesy of mingpao.com

Alan Tam Wing Lun two nights ago held a birthday banquet for his mother and invited his friends, including Eric Tsang Chi Wai and Nat Chan Pak Cheung. Chi Wai who "drinks when he is there, and drunk when he drinks" earlier did not collapse at Kenneth Fok and Sam Lee Chan Sam's wedding banquets, but two nights ago Alan and friends got him drunk and had a little fun at his expense.

Ah Lek put birthday buns on the unconscious Chi Wai's chest and friends teamed up to carry him out of the venue. They even said that he needed to operate on Chi Wai. Chi Wai truly was so drunk that he was at their mercy. If he woke up and found out that his "bed photos" were posted on Alan's microblog, who knows if he would regret drinking too much.
[2012.11.28] THE GRANDMASTERS POSTPONES ITS RELEASE AGAIN

courtesy of mingpao.com

Wong Kar Wai's THE GRNADMASTERS (YUT DOI JUNG SI) originally was scheduled for a December 18 Mainland release. Yesterday the film announced its release delay to January, a simultaneous release in Hong Kong and the Mainland on January 8. The film was postponed due to the strong competition in mid December like CZ12 (SUP YI SUN CHIU), THE GUILLOTINES (HUET DIK JI) and in the end of this month like 1942 and THE LAST SUPPER. With the rare condition of multiple big film releases, THE GRANDMASTERS chose to slightly adjust its schedule for a New Year release. In the Mainland it also faced strong competition from Hollywood films like THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and SKYFALL.

The film yesterday released its lead wave breaking version of the poster like "Wing Chun" Tony Leung Chiu Wai, "Eight Diagram" Zhang Ziyi, "Baji" Chang Chen and "Xingyi" Zhao Benshan.
[2012.11.28] VERONICA YIP TAKES A PRIVATE PLANE TO RETURN TO FILM

Veronica Yip returns to mainly visit her mother
courtesy of on.cc

courtesy of mingpao.com

Veronica Yip Yuk Hing will return to Hong Kong to work on the Lunar New Year film I LOVE HONG KONG 2013 (NGOR OI HK 2013 GUNG HEI FAT CHOI). After 16 years away Yip Yuk Hing's acting bug acted up again. Under Elaine Lok Yi Ling's invitation she agreed to return to Hong Kong to work on the film for two weeks. Yip Yuk Hing yesterday said on a radio interview that her children were grown and they supported her to return to Hong Kong and make a movie. She said, "I only got an oral agreement but haven't confirmed that I would take the role. My daughter Victoria found out that I would have to come back to Hong Kong for so long and cried day and night. The two sons were fine. Although she couldn't help but cry, but letting children learn to be independent is a good thing. Should they still need Mommy to live in their dormitories when they go to the University?" Yip Yuk Hing has never made a Lunar New Year film. Eric Tsang Chi Wai agreed to complete her shoot in two weeks so she agreed. ! "I told them not to say anything yet, let me think for a few more days first. Now I am forced to take it! The character will not be young or pretty, so I should be able to handle it. In the past I acted for a living, this time it is for interest. I feel it's a lot of fun. The movie is actually secondary, mainly I want to return to Hong Kong and visit my 89 year old Mama. Mama can't take the flight at her age, and I am so busy I rarely go back to Hong Kong. So I want to keep her company more."

TVB production resource director Lok Yi Ling was asked whether they made Yip Yuk Hing an offer that she could not refuse to return to Hong Kong? She said, "Yip Yuk Hing will take a private plane, how much the salary is not the focus of the agreement. She is doing it for interest, and she has not seen the Hong Kong viewers in a long time."
[2012.11.28] LIU YE REVEALS THAT CHANG CHEN COOKS FOR DANIEL WU

Zhang Ziyi appears as a guest

courtesy of singtao.com

Daniel Wu

Liu Ye, Qin Lan, Chang Chen
courtesy of mingpao.com

The film THE LAST SUPPER held its premiere in Beijing. "Xiang Yu" Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho), "Liu Bang" Liu Ye, and "Han Xin" Chang Chen attended. They accepted the challenge and answered Chu-Han Contention idiom and knowledge questions. Liu Ye repeatedly answered incorrectly. He shamefully joked that he lost all his face. During the 8 month long production, the three kings were with each other day and night. They wer! e like brothers but were made fun of a "heavy in gay flavor". Liu Ye even revealed, "Chang Chen cooked for Ng Yin Cho everyday!" Chang Chen struck back and and pointed out that Liu Ye was tight with director Lu Chuan and were very ambiguous!

Although LAST was a male drive film, when actress He Dujuan performed "Farewell My Concubine", her emotional dialogue almost made Ng Yin Cho cry. Another actress Qin Lan had more scenes with Liu Ye. She played Empress Lu from young to old and was just as much a bright spot. A surprise segment of "director interrogation" took place. Chang Chen accused Lu Chuan of being a masochist who "does not use doubles even for dangerous stunts". Liu Ye said that he "has no upper limit during the shoot". Actually everyone is secretly complimenting the director for his serious production.
A Fistful of Stances reunion picture
Kevin Cheng is back in Hong Kong for a month and he took the time to reunite with his family from A Fistful of Stances. I really liked the series and am very happy to see this cast so close. I love seeing new pictures of them together.

From Jazz Lam's weibo: (Natalie Tong, Jazz Lam, Stephen Wong, Kenneth Ma, Kevin Cheng)
Izz Tsui gets a belly full of water in order to save Charlene Choi

Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin and Dior Cheng Yi Kin worked together on the film MY SASSY HUBBY (NG LO GUNG NG SUN SING). In the story they have been married for 10 years, their relationship has faded as good looking rivals appeared. Ah Sa's romantic encounter was a reunion with an elementary school classmate Izz Tsui Ching Hei who has had a crush on her for years. She said that now an innocent guy was truly hard to find, the pace of the society was too quick. People could easily get together and very quickly part; she has not met someone who had a crush on her for 20 years. In one scene Ah Sa fell into the sea, Tsui Ching Hei dove in to save her. During the shot the waves were huge. Ah Sa drifted further and further with a life saver, thus Tsui Ching Hei had to expend a lot of energy to swim and rescue her. He also had a belly full of water. Ah Sa said that when she saw Tsui Ching Hei on the boat he was pale, his performance was very manly and professional.
Source: On.cc
Translated by: hktopten
Sonia Sui and James Wen become a professional couple

Sonia Sui and James Wen two nights ago attended THE FIERCE WIFE Hong Kong premiere. Sonia Sui said that she would only stay two days in Hong Kong so she would not have time to visit and shop. She could only order a variety of Hong Kong food to enjoy back in the hotel. James Wen already had the pork chop bun but not the pineapple bun yet. As for THE FIERCE WIFE film version, they both were confident about the Hong Kong box office. Sonia Sui said, "Before coming to Hong Kong, fans already asked about the Hong Kong release date. So we should have supporters." James Wen joked that if the film would become a big hit he would come to Hong Kong to shop and contribute to the Hong Kong economy. Will FIERCE make a sequel? He felt it would not. James Wen said that he has already worked with Sonia Sui on five films already and joked that they were a professional couple. Sonia Sui said that each time she worked with James Wen they did not have a happy ending. She hoped that next time it would be a good ending.
Source: On.cc, Mingpao
Translated by: hktopten
Lau Ching Wan's victory receives the highest golden horse rating

At the Golden Horse Award in Yilan, Taiwan last week, the historic moment of Lau Ching Wan winning his first Golden Horse Best Actor award created the highest rating record with a 9.42 rating as 2.077 million people witnessed his moment of glory. The entire award show received 5.15 average rating. Aside from Lau Ching Wan, another popular moment was when Andy Lau Tak Wa announced the Best Feature Film award, rating reached 8.48; when Kwai Lun-Mei received an award the rating also received 8.14.
Source: On.cc
Translated by: hktopten
Jacky Cheung: My daughter has reached teenage rebellion

Hong Kong heavenly king Jacky Cheung was recently invited as a charity ambassador for a shopping mall's Christmas tree lighting ceremony. He revealed that he would be celebrating Christmas with his family in Hong Kong this year, as his daughter has to prepare for her upcoming exams.
Jacky, who seldom shares about his family life, commented on his two daughters openly at the event.
The 51-year-old commented that his eldest daughter, 12, has started to reach "her teenage rebellion."
"She walks away during the midst of our conversation when she is uncomfortable with the comments. She also isolates herself in her room," Jacky sighed.
Jacky denied that his daughter has a boyfriend, mentioning that she was "too young to date," but he would let her have the "freedom to date" if she really has one.
However, Jacky felt relieved that his 7-year-old younger daughter is still very close to him and likes to follow him everywhere.
Source: Xinmsn
Translated by: llwy12 @ AsianFanatics
TVB executive says no room for new players

If the battle over new free-to-air television licences is as much about public opinion as it is about the government's long-delayed decision, then TVB executive director Mark Lee Po-on is coming out swinging.
While a recent poll by the University of Hong Kong found that 85 per cent of the city's viewers want more choices, the two existing terrestrial stations, Television Broadcasts (TVB) and Asia Television (ATV), have been the most vocal critics, arguing that there is simply not enough advertising revenue to support more players.
"We are not against having more [fishermen] join us to catch fish, but you have to create more fish in the sea first," Lee said.
TVB is fighting the new licence applications by City Telecom (CTI) and subsidiaries of iCable and PCCW on three levels: on government procedure, public opinion and in the political sphere.
Lee has questioned the government's right to award new licences before TVB and ATV's latest licences (which were secured with the promise of vast investment) will expire in 2015. He is prepared to go to court to press the claim, and has written to all lawmakers, Executive Council members and board members of the Office of the Communications Authority for support.
"If others are escalating this [dispute] to this level, we have to follow," Lee said, perhaps referring to City Telecom chairman Ricky Wong Wai-kay's high-profile "please" for an answer on the licence applications, which the government has been considering for more than 1,000 days.
TVB planned to offer better benefits to its staff. From next year, they would work five days a week like many office workers in Hong Kong, and would get pay rises according to the inflation rate. But if anything goes wrong, the company would have to take the opposite direction.
"The bottom line is, if there's no money, we will have to cut costs. And there's no way we can improve the quality of our productions."
Would this be Plan B if more competitors emerge? "It would be inevitable," h! e says.
"The government must be clear about its logic and rationale [about granting more free TV licences]. It owes society an explanation on how many licences Hong Kong can accommodate. The government has never been clear," Lee said.
Commerce Secretary Greg So Kam-leung, he says, has been reluctant to even discuss the issue. "Greg told me: 'Mark, let's not talk about free-TV licences today.' What else can we talk about?"
Lee wants the government to clarify three things: how many licences it will issue in the long run, how it arrived at that number and when it will issue them.
According to Lee, the government's consultants never contacted TVB or ATV when they assessed the television market, raising concerns about the accuracy of their studies. Maintaining a tight grip on advertising and content, while introducing competition would kill the industry, the executive argued.
"There is no government around the world, which would bring in a few more stations, knowing they would fail in the end. Such behaviour is not responsible," he says.
But it seems the viability of stations is not the main concern of the city's viewers. While millions of eyes are glued to TVB's shows, audiences are quick to complain about programme quality and illogical plots.
Actor Raymond Lam Fung appears invincible to bullets or explosives in his role as a police narcotics officer in the action drama Highs and Lows. A bottle of oolong tea appears on Qing dynasty emperor Daoguang's desk in Curse of the Royal Harem. The same faces appear repeatedly in various shows: actor Law Lok-lam "dies" five times in different dramas aired on a single day.
Dramas tend to be restricted to a handful of genres featuring either an upper-class family's dispute, or the wives of an ancient emperor fighting for his love - the kind of tear-jerkers housewives enjoy after washing the dishes. It is in stark contrast to shows, such as Seven Women, that TVB produced in the 1970s, challenging vi! ewers' mi! nds and tastes.
And worst of all, some online users have nicknamed the station "CCTVB", accusing the broadcaster's news arm of taking its lead from the mainland's official broadcaster.
However, Lee rejects the criticism. He says TVB respects editorial independence and gives enough freedom to its creative team, allowing it to produce dramas like last year's hit When Heaven Burns, which won the hearts of young viewers (who usually reject free-to-air channels) with its subject matter - cannibalism - and political undertones.
But amid that creative freedom, ratings remain king, Lee says. "Why would [TVB] have to produce programmes that have low ratings? They can't generate revenue. No commercial operator would create products that have no market. We won't go against the market."
So, while ATV's major investor, Wong Ching, chooses to dance Gangnam Style outside the government headquarters during a protest against the licences, Lee, nicknamed "the maths man", centres his argument on the figures.
While licence applicants cite TVB's billion-dollar profits to support their argument that the market is big enough for more, Lee thinks otherwise. "It would be harsh for me to put it this way, but TVB is earning more at the expense of ATV," he says.
In 1996, TVB earned HK$2 billion from advertisements, while ATV earned HK$855 million. By last year, Lee's station was earning HK$2.8 billion, while ATV only had HK$100 million, he said.
Local television advertising revenue remains at about HK$3 billion, Lee says, much lower than advertising monitor admanGO.com's estimate of HK$18.2 billion last year.
And with ATV and TVB spending HK$2.5 billion between them, the money would soon run out if CTI lived up to its pledge to spend HK$1 million per hour on its proposed drama series.
There is a big difference between the two ! stations'! revenue and admanGO's figures because they offer hefty discounts to major advertisers and frequenters, Lee, a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, says. He worked for accounting firm KPMG from 1977 to 1987 prior to his television career that spans both TVB and ATV. "If there is indeed HK$18 billion worth of advertising, I won't really care how many stations there are," he says.
Advertising revenue has fluctuated in recent years, slumping after the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) scare in 2003 and dipping again in 2009 after the economic crisis. When the economy goes down, advertising is the first thing many firms cut.
The amount that companies devote to television advertising has not increased as more channels have been added.
"Before 2007, there were four analogue channels in the city. The number went up to more than 10 after the introduction of digital channels, including our three [channels] and ATV's four," Lee said. "But having more channels doesn't mean more advertising revenue."
With more stations to choose from, he says: "Total advertising revenue could increase a little, but that definitely won't be a large increase."
And there are other challenges for the industry. Hongkongers work ever longer hours and are likely to become more selective about which channels - if there are more available - they should devote their time to.
"People need to work and to sleep. It's a global trend that they are watching less TV," Lee said.
There is also increasing competition in the ad market - internet ad revenues grew 27 per cent last year while magazine advertising was up, according to admanGo. "You can see all the outdoor ads in MTR stations. Video ads appear in buses' TV sets and even in lifts," Lee said.
He draws on his own experience at the helm of ATV between 1992 and 1996 to explain the likely consequences of too many stations competing for too little revenue. "You cut the costly local productions and buy overseas dramas! ," he say! s. Dramas produced elsewhere are available at a fraction of the cost of locally produced series.
"I cut the hours of drama production from 600 to 260 [at ATV]," he recalls. The struggling station, which ran two dramas of its own every day during the 1990s, has since purchased more dramas from the mainland and the rest of Asia for dubbing. ATV still produces variety shows, but local dramas have been completely wiped out.
Lee says the situation is aggravated by the government's reluctance to allow the stations to expand beyond Hong Kong's small market. While their signals spill over into the heavily populated Pearl River Delta, ATV and TVB are not allowed to air their own ads. Instead, they have to hand over the rights to the mainland authorities for a paltry annual fee of less than HK$100 million.
TVB has made overtures during discussions on the mainland-Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, but there has been no sign of a breakthrough.
The uncertainty over the new licences has also stymied TVB's plans for overseas expansion, which might be risky. To step up its presence in the West, over the last six months it was planning an international version of the English-language Pearl channel to be broadcast on satellite stations. News would be its focus, mixed with travel shows and programmes about Chinese culture.
But Lee had to turn his attention to finding ways to fend off rivals, and he has harsh words for Ricky Wong. "I don't like the aggressive way he does things."
He says Wong's CTI plotted to poach half of TVB's 80-strong drama team in one weekend last year. "[CTI] wants to paralyse our operations. In the end, 25 of our staff quit. … If it is working for the well-being of the whole industry, it should train its own people instead of doing something this hostile.
"He keeps bashing our station's quality, but at the same time recruits our people and highlights what TVB dramas they worked on in the past."
But Lee strikes a more optimistic note ! when he t! alks of reforming the station's operations - regardless of the competition
"People are craving openness, and we are heading in that direction," the TVB executive says.
For the first time ever this year, for instance, TVB invited members of the public to choose the winner of the Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant. But the experiment backfired, with the system crashing as millions of people tried to cast their votes. The winner was eventually chosen, as in previous years, by a panel of judges.
This has not deterred Lee. Viewers will be able to vote for their favourite actor, actress and drama in TVB's annual awards show at the end of this year.
It is also going to scrap its three-decade-old Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation in favour of a more authoritative show jointly organised by TVB and three radio stations. The show - which other stations say has yet to be finalised - will also feature public voting.
"TVB does not have hegemony. We want to give the power back to the people," he says.
Lee emphasises that his station is an institution. "Victoria Harbour, Ocean Park and TVB come to people's minds when they talk about Hong Kong. The wrong policy could crush the 45 years of achievements that TVB has attained."
Source: South China Morning Post
Translated by: llwy12 @ AsianFanatics
Collapse Candy Chang Involved in Drug Concealment Case, Acting Career is Over

Recently the 'smell' of drugs has been strong in the entertainment industry. Following five artists caught using drugs at Suki Tsui's husband (Kenny Wong) restaurant, yesterday morning former MCI Candy Chang and her boyfriend were linked to a drug concealment case. The police found 12 small packages of illegal drugs, suspected to be marijuana, in a van with Candy inside of it and she was arrested on the spot. Although Candy was released on bail yesterday, her acting career is most likely over because of this incident.
In the recent year, TVB has been heavily promoting Miss Chinese International (MCI) such as Christine Kuo, Eliza Sam and Candy, who is known as "Jing Jing" in the popular TVB drama The Hippocratic Crush. Next year, TVB had plans to cast her in the sequel The Hippocratic Crush II (THC2) as the second female lead and have her involve in a love triangle Him Law and Eliza. However, due to this drug concealment case, on one hand TVB pitied her, but on the other hand she basically destroyed her acting career because the reputation of an artist is heavily valued by TVB. Candy hasn't joined the crew of new series Master . Understood yet, but Virgina Lok is certainly going to replace her with someone else. In addition, Candy plays a doctor in new series THC2 and the crew is collaborating with the HK Hospital Authority (HA), so it is very likely Candy will be taken out of the case due to her damaged image. It looks like she is about to suffer serious consequences for her mistake!
Producer (Chan Yiu Chuen) expressed he will wait for TVB to notify him before he considers finding a new person. Asked if he's worried Candy's case may bring negative news to the series overall? He said: "Performance and the individual are two different things. Also, she hasn't started shooting yet. After all, we will just wait for more details before announcing anything!" THC2 producer (Poon Ka Tak) is not in HK, therefore was unable to comment.
After being detained for a whole night! , yesterday Candy was released and left the police station. She reported to Virgina Lok and was immediately summoned to TVB City for a lecture. Last night, Miss Lok expressed she has already talked in detail with Candy for two hours and her father, a senior dubbing actor, accompanied her. Miss Lok said: "I know she's innocent. She was released on bail and the police is investigating now. (What happens to her new series?) Master . Understood, she is getting replaced because filming takes a whole month and in between, she will have to coordinate with the police on their investigation, so she cannot participate in it. (How is Candy feeling?) She used an entire box of tissues. (She met a bad person?) The driver was a friend of Candy's friend. (Pity her?) Innocence is innocence. The police is investigating! (Why does she have to go on hiatus?) Although she's a well-behaved girl and a Christian, she still has to show it to the public and audience. She is a hard working artist."
Eliza Sam participated in MCI the same year as Candy, yesterday she let out a 'wow' when she heard about Candy's case, "We met while running for MCI. My impression on her was she is a friendly and enthusiastic person. (How is she different?) I don't know how to answer this question. When we chat, we don't chat about those things! Drugs is not good and I hope it's not true. As for myself, I will not touch drugs nor will I get influenced into it. Usually after work, I go to Church. (There are a lot of artists involved with drugs lately!) I can't understand or read Chinese well, so I don't know."
Joe Ma was one the guest judges for MCI during Eliza and Candy's year. He said: "Is it confirmed? It's really hard for me to comment. We are all colleagues, of course I hope it's not true. I haven't collaborated with her before, but I saw her at one of the banquets and we chatted before."
Candy's partner in THC, Nathan Ngai, was very shocked when heard the news. He said: "My impression on her is she is very behaved. I r! arely hea! r her talk about going to night clubs. She is a person that goes home every night. (Will you comfort her?) Yes, I will call her and ask her what's going on; if she's okay. Of course, I hope the incident isn't related to her, after all drug use shouldn't be happening at all." Him Law expressed he just got back to HK and is not sure of the issue. He expressed he cannot comment: "I don't personally keep in touch with her, but I think she's a very hard working girl."
Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU Forum