Hong Kong Baptist University Alumna Miss Momo Wu Zhimo (Cinema and Television)

The BUddy Post has interviewed alumna Momo Wu Zhimo of the Academy of Film, a multi-faceted scriptwriter who participated in writing the scripts for the controversial TVB comedy-drama serial Inbound Troubles in early 2013. She will share with us her passion for films and television as well as her journey in scriptwriting.

Reporter: Why are you interested to choose cinema and television as your field of study?

Momo: When I was studying secondary school in Zhuhai, China, I was crazy about watching movies and in particular I was fascinated by Wong Kar-wai’s movies including Ashes of Time and Happy Together. To me, his way of portraying the mood and his unique style of directing movies are fascinating.

Reporter: In your opinion, what are the essential qualities to become a scriptwriter?

Momo: Firstly, being sensitive to people and things happening around you is an important quality for a scriptwriter. Secondly, one must be very tough and hard working. For instance, I have been working from 11 am to 4 am daily for two consecutive months when I was doing the script writing for the TVB drama Inbound Troubles. Therefore, strong passion for script writing is a must. Being creative is also one of the essential characteristics for a scriptwriter as we always need to think out-of-the-box and brainstorm ideas amongst the script writing team.

Reporter: Can you share with us some unforgettable experience during your script writing career?

Momo: I have been working as a scriptwriter for two years now. Upon my graduation from HKBU, I got a good opportunity to do script writing for a TVB comedy-drama serial Inbound Troubles. All we want to do is to convey the message of happiness and harmony to the audience. The content of the drama itself touches on the growing cultural differences and conflicting social issues between Hong Kong and the Mainland China. Yet, due to my background I have received hundreds of criticisms on the internet and newspapers. I felt really depressed and hurt having received all these negative reviews. Yet, as time goes by, I understand that every cloud has a silver lining. Despite the controversial reception, feedbacks from the audience somehow helped boost the publicity and viewer rating for this drama. The premiere episode attracted over 2.12 million viewers, receiving an average rating of 31 points.

Reporter: What are the prospects of the script writing field?

Momo: I believe that script writers in the film and TV industry are in great demand, not only in Hong Kong but also in the Mainland China and the USA. On the other hand, script writers can explore more performing opportunities on the silver screen rather than concentrating only on script writing.

Reporter: Which film director do you admire the most?

Momo: During my secondary school period, I admired Wong Kar-wai the most. I also enjoy watching movies directed by some talented local directors such as Derek Kwok and Johnnie To Kei-fung. The leading filmmakers of the Taiwanese New Wave cinema movement Hou Hsiao-hsien and Edward Yang were also my cup of tea. Another Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar Caballero who directed Volver, which was awarded the Best Screenplay and Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival, has become one of my favourites. I am also quite impressed with the way the French director Luc Besson directs Léon: The Professional.

Reporter: Can you share with us your future career plan? Would you consider writing screenplays or even acting in the movies?

Momo: I am currently writing scripts for both movies and television programmes in the Mainland China. Apart from script writing, I also enjoy performing and acting very much. I would not mind expanding my horizons and becoming an artiste or programme host. To fulfill my dream, I have enrolled in the TVB’s Performing Artist Training Programme to enrich my performing and acting skills after I have completed the script writing for Inbound Troubles. The admission to the Programme was very competitive. I was so fortunate that I was being selected as one of the students amongst the 2,000 candidates. The Programme is indeed very helpful because it has provided me with a broad spectrum of internship opportunities in various TVB drama and shows. I believe in learning by doing and I have gained a lot of insights from more senior actors and actresses during my interaction with them. On the other hand, I am currently writing film critics on newspaper despite its minimal remuneration.

Reporter: What are your favorite pastimes?

Momo: I enjoy staying home most of the time when I don’t have to work. Like many others, I love reading all kinds of books especially novels, literature reviews and any books related to movies of television. Moreover, I enjoy travelling. I had visited Tibet alone and it was amazing to be so close to the nature, the plateau and the lake as well as experiencing the culture of Tibetan people. If time allows, I really want to visit Europe for sightseeing in future.

Reporter: What advice will you give to HKBU students who are interested in the field of film and television?

Momo: Writing scripts for film and television has been quite an eye-opening experience for me. I strongly encourage students to better equip themselves to become a multi-faceted person. Apart from script writing, students who are interested in the entertainment industry could try to widen their horizons in acting, performing or hosting a programme.

Interviewee’s Biography:

Graduated from the Academy of Film with a major in Cinema and Television at HKBU in 2011, alumna Momo Wu Zhimo has been working in the field of script writing for two years. She was one of the scriptwriters for the TVB Comedy-drama serial Inbound Troubles. Apart from writing scripts, Momo is also an artiste, a programme host and a columnist.