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• Daniel Wu - "The Boxer"
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  Wednesday, Nov 28, 2007 10:30AM / Standard Entry / daniel's film / Members only
  19 comments
  
  
  
  
  

  Having gotten my feet my wet directing 2 music videos for AnD.com I was eager to get behind the camera again.  And when Dan told me about his idea for his short film I cracked up. When he asked me if I was interested in directing it I leapt at the opportunity.
  
  The idea was simple, Dan would play a boxer training for a big fight, a fight that would test his mettle to see if he really had what it took to be a champ if given just one shot at it.  Eminem's lyrics from the song "Lose Yourself" were the inspiration:
  
  "Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment Would you capture it or just let it slip?"
  
  After all the training and hard work Dan finally steps into the ring for his one shot, his one opportunity.  His one moment has arrived and as he psychs himself up for the battle ahead of him he looks into the eyes of his opponent:  a six foot chicken.

  I loved the idea for this short because on the surface it's simple and funny, Dan Wu gets his ass beat by a chicken but I felt it had more layers.  For me the chicken represents fear, the fear of failure, the fear of success and all that goes with that, the fear of disappointing friends, fans and family.  Also I loved the idea of seeing Dan who is clearly a winner in real life play a loser.  In this short we get to see a comedic side of Dan that is rarely seen on film but that's apparent to all who know him off-camera.
  
  One of the things I wanted to do with this short was to create a simple 3 act structure.  In the first act we're introduced to our hero.  I've always been impressed by they way Steven Spielberg introduces his main characters, especially in the films "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan".  With that in mind I decided to show glimpses of Dan in the boxing gym without revealing his identity till the end when he states, "This world isn't for losers, it's just for winners."
  
  In the second act we see Dan training for the fight, very much inspired by the 'Rocky' films and then the third act is the fight itself.  In some ways I think this works but in retrospect I think I I would have made the film shorter.  But I think it represents the filmmaker that I was in that moment.
  
  We chose to shoot on Super 8mm film and I'm very pleased with the result and the look.  It also appealed to my ego because I could now call myself a filmmaker and not  a video maker.  On that note I'd like to thank our cinematographer Jam Yau.
  
  I would also like to thank everyone else involved in the project.

  They are:
  
  Daniel Wu
  Glen Chin
  Conroy Chan
  Marina Hinterhauser
  Kim Chan
  Terence Yin
  Jam Oochi San
  Maritin Chappell
  Don Cruz
  Zero
  Lui Cheuk Hang
  Ah Sui
  Dave Kebo
  Berton Chang
  Jay & Def Boxing Gym
  Alive Not Dead
  
  Thanks guys I appreciate all your hard work and patience.
  
  Enjoy the film!
  

  - Jason