Hollywood film instructor Dov Simens is a long-time fan of Hong Kong films

Eminent American film instructor Dov Simens will stage a two-day independent filmmaking crash course in Hong Kong on August 21 - 22.

"This will be a no-holds barred, rapid-fire weekend designed for anyone from first-time filmmakers to industry professionals seeking to succeed both in Hong Kong and internationally," said Simens, who has helped launch the careers of numerous Hollywood directors including Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee, Baz Luhrman and Guy Ritchie.

Simens has been Hollywood's leading film instructor for over a decade, as voted by the US National Association of Film Schools. His students have grossed over HK$47 billion (US$6 billion) at the box office and have been honoured with nine Oscar nominations, 22 Emmy wins and nominations, and 87 Sundance, Cannes, Toronto, and Raindance festival entries.

Simens' decision to run a film school in Hong Kong is recognition of the SAR's movie successes and its growing status in the international film industry. He hopes the course will help further the careers of the enormous pool of talent currently based in Hong Kong.

Participants will learn how to produce, direct and shoot a feature film in Hong Kong on budgets from as low as US$5,000 including hiring, casting, scripts, digital filming, cameras, lights and sound. Also covered will be issues of distribution, finance and profit, selling a film globally, and studio deal-making.

Profits ripe for the reaping

Simens believes the time is right for Hong Kong movie-making to come of age and reap billions of dollars in profits.

"Chinese and Hong Kong audiences are demanding more high quality, story-driven films and the region hopes to build a film industry which rivals Hollywood with large budget blockbusters," he said.

As longtime fan of Hong Kong-produced films, Simens hopes his Hollywood know-how can help create a surge in feature film production.

"Filmmaking, thanks to inexpensive digital cameras, is no longer the rich boys' game," he says, adding that the path to Hollywood could be as straightforward as making a film in Hong Kong, keeping the foreign rights and securing sales agents in London and North America.

The two-day independent filmmaking course is priced at HK$3,995 (US$513) with class materials provided in both English and Chinese. For details visit www.dragonhollywood.com

The Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) recently concluded in June attracted 304 exhibitors from 25 countries. More details in Mega entertainment event to sparkle next March

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