[2026.03.18] VENUS KEUNG TO DIRECT HONG KONG'S FIRST XR MOVIE

Venus Keung's Infinity Zone (Hong Kong) Technology Limited will jointly produce with Sil-Metropole Organization Hong Kong's first XR movie HONG KONG STORY
courtesy of mingpao.com

The famous cinematographer and director Venus Keung Kwok Man has been in the industry for 42 years, has been a cinematographer for SEVEN SWORDS (CHUT GIM), ONE NITE IN MONGKOK (WONG GOK HAK YEH) and DOUBLE TAP (CHEUNG WONG), has been nominated for the Hong Kong Film Awards and Golden Horse Awards, and directed BULLET AND BRAIN (SUN CHEUNG SAU YU JI DOR SING) and TREASURE HUNT (MO GAN JI BO), etc. He yesterday at the Hong Kong International Film and Television Market (Filmart) announced the creation of Hong Kong's first XR "6D immersive experience" film HARBOR DREAMS: HONG KONG XR ADVENTURE with a duration of 20 minutes, combining innovative technology and Hong Kong's multiculturalism, saying that it subverts the traditional movie viewing concept, allowing the audience to experience the sight, fragrance, touch and add game interaction, the production cost is about four to five million, and it takes 4 to 6 months.

Audiences would need to wear monitors to enjoy XR movies, and Keung Kwok Man said that he would simultaneously prepare to open experience halls in various parts of China and abroad to connect movie screenings, each accommodating 6 viewers, requiring hundreds of thousands of computers, head-mounted monitors and vibrating tablet equipment; another plan would be to negotiate with traditional cinemas to set up XR movie experience stores, "Everyone can spend 20 minutes in the experience hall to experience XR movies before watching big movies, and have different enjoyments."

Starting in film, Keung Kwok Man's first XR movie production would have content, picture and quality according to film standards. He admitted that the cost would be relatively higher. "I started developing XR movies more than two years ago. Last year when I participated in the Mainland Golden Rooster Awards, I noticed this track. This year I have confirmed to make two XR movie, hoping to compete for related awards." AI technology invading the film world has become a hot debate in Hollywood, threatening all professionals' livelihood. Keung Kwok Man said that he would regard XR movies as one of the projects in the film industry, although he joins AI technology, he still needs the help of talents in various positions of film production, believing that it will not destroy the ecology of the film and television industry, but to give everyone an extra way out; and educate the audience to watch various films from different angles, which is the real film development. "AI is a general trend, AI films are just generated by human instructions. Many films are exactly the same, the value of filmmakers lies in their thinking and creation. I have been making films for decades and have not been afraid, and generations are getting more and more advanced, from film to the digital age, everyone just follows the steps. Are we going to destroy AI? There are long and short film and television productions, all kinds of things, each has its own market, the market is very large, no one kills whom, but everyone takes what they need, some people want to watch AI movies and have to supply, if you want to watch actors acting, you can continue to watch big movies."

Keung Kwok Man said that XR movies also need to use real scenery and virtual images. In addition to technicians and engineers, they also photographers, directors, screenwriters, producers, voice actors and post-dimming, etc., even if it is an action scene, it requires a martial artist to design the action, of course, without a large number of manpower, "I have not abandoned traditional film talents. This industry has raised me, I want to help the industry and be the trailblazer in alternative movies. I also want to maintain the survival of some professionals. I will not give up making big movies." He revealed that he was in negotiation for actors to participate in the virtual performance of the movie. The actors were exempted from performance and manual labor, only sketching portraits and appearances to match computer production. Would he save a lot in actor's fee? He said, "Buying actors' portrait rights needs to be given a reasonable value, depending on the broadcast channel, if there are 1,000 theaters for screening, if you can pay for it, you should."