The BUddy Post – HKBU Alumni Affairs Office

Alumna Norris Wong Yee-lam (Film, Television and Digital Media) won the “Best New Director” award at the 39th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2020 for her directorial debut, My Prince Edward. Four years later, she garnered further acclaim by receiving the “Best Original Film Song” award at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards for the theme song she wrote, a film she directed herself, The Lyricist Wannabe. These two prestigious awards serve as notable recognition of alumna Wong’s work in the film industry. She has shared with us her experiences and vision as she ventured into the world of filmmaking. 

Nurturing the Talents of Filmmaking

Renowned for its excellence in the film industry, HKBU Academy of Film attracts a multitude of aspiring students, including alumna Wong. While pursuing her bachelor’s degree at another university, alumna Wong discovered her interest in film and television. Motivated by this newfound interest, she made the pivotal decision to enrol in HKBU’s Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Film, Television and Digital Media programme after graduation. During her time at HKBU, she realised the importance of involving in hands-on production tasks as a director, a practice that transcended theoretical learning. This experience made her understand the value of practice. On the other hand, alumna Wong was able to establish connections with like-minded peers at HKBU. She elaborated, “Collaborating and exchanging ideas with my classmates was a significant part of my studies. These connections have endured beyond graduation, leading to collaborative opportunities. For instance, the assistant directors for My Prince Edward and The Lyricist Wannabe were former classmates of mine at HKBU.” 

Apart from providing practical film knowledge and fostering connections, HKBU played an important role in realising alumna Wong’s directorial dreams. Facilitated by the Academy of Film, her first film, My Prince Edward, won in the Higher Education Institution Group of the fourth First Feature Film Initiative organised by the Hong Kong Film Development Council. Her victory helped her receive funding from the Film Development Fund to produce her debut film. Furthermore, the original e-book version of The Lyricist Wannabe, titled I Want to Become a Professional Lyricist, was published with encouragement by her mentor at that time, Dr Lo Wai-luk. She shared that HKBU offered valuable resources, professional guidance, and ample support for students who strive to pursue their dreams, setting the stage for them to shine. Alumna Wong was able to seize the opportunities, which pave the way for her fruitful filmmaking career. 

Embrace Challenges: Transforming Adversity into Opportunities

Despite the fact that numerous film production companies were hesitant to invest in films during the pandemic, alumna Wong chose to partner with the producer Mr Wong Hoi to produce the film The Lyricist Wannabe with their own funding. Alumna Wong shared the inevitability of encountering hurdles throughout the production journey, and these challenges inspired her and her team to turn crises into opportunities. In a lighthearted tone, she said, “Every challenge does stimulate my team to seek better solutions, which in turn allows us to achieve more desirable outcomes. Consequently, I am used to anticipating challenges. A day of shooting without challenges feels strangely unsettling.”

Apart from gaining industry recognition through filmmaking, alumna Wong believes that her role as a screenwriter and director has also fostered her personal growth. She said candidly, “Film has been transformative, reshaping my innate introversion and hesitance towards communication, nurturing a profound curiosity about the world. This curiosity, whether derived from savoring life’s subtleties, interacting with friends, or immersing myself in various experiences not only fuels my creativity as a lyricist, screenwriter, and director but also enriches my own life.” Alumna Wong has learned that the objective of filmmaking is to articulate insights and emotions about the world, transcending the mere pursuit of recognition.

Passing the Torch: A Legacy of Excellence

Alumna Wong has demonstrated remarkable achievement in the film industry. The success of My Prince Edward and The Lyricist Wannabe have not made her complacent; and she is eagerly looking forward to her next challenge. She shared that she would collaborate with renowned film director Ms Mabel Cheung to produce a film under the “Directors’ Succession Scheme”, one of the five initiatives supported by the Film Development Fund, which is financed by the HKSAR Government. Reflecting on the collaboration, alumna Wong shared, “During my second year of MFA studies, I received guidance from Director Cheung in one of the courses. I never expected that my assignment would leave such an impression on her that she would remember me, leading to this collaboration.” Alumna Wong expressed her excitement to glean wisdom directly from this distinguished predecessor and revealed that they are currently in the early stages of preparation. The film is expected to begin shooting early next year. 

Beyond Boundary: Pursuing Dreams Unbounded by Time

Even though Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly prevalent in both work and everyday life, alumna Wong pointed out that the use of AI in film production have pros and cons. She emphasised, “Although AI can help the production team save time on repetitive tasks, it is merely an auxiliary tool. Film is meant to express human thoughts and emotions, a realm that AI cannot replicate.” She highlighted that film remains the outcome of human emotions and creativity, and AI has not yet reached that level. 

Alumna Wong encouraged young alumni who aspire to join the film industry to showcase their unique values. She advised, “Don’t be swayed by others’ opinions. Follow your own interests and thoughts, and steadfastly pursue the path you believe in.” Despite Alumna Wong’s modest achievements in film, she has not given up on her dream of writing lyrics. She made efforts to write lyrics for songs related to her films, that eventually led to an opportunity to write lyrics for the song A Box of Chocolates sung by Ms Sammi Cheng, which delighted her immensely. She quoted a line from the song to encourage everyone: “No need to impose a time limit, and enjoy what you’re doing.” This was meant to inspire everyone not to be constrained by time limits, but to fully pursue their dreams and to enjoy the process without regret.