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There seems to be a common fact to a group of new filmmakers who recently became noticed by the local film industry for their talent. LEE Yong-seung whose 10 Minutes was screened in the Forum section at the 64th Berlin Film Festival and July JUNG whose A Girl at My Door was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 67th Cannes Film Festival, are both beneficiaries of industry-academic partnership programs.

The industry-academic partnership program is barely moving into its second year. Korea retains a variety of film schools that annually releases a number of talents. These academic institutions include Chung-ang University, Dongguk University, Dankook University and Hanyang University as well as the Korea National University of Arts (KNUA) founded in 1993 with the specific purpose to train specialists in the field of arts. Unfortunately, only a minority eventually get the chance to make their directorial debut at an early stage of their career. This is why such industry-academic partnership programs are significant as they support up-and-coming young filmmakers who may be passed over in more commercial circles but definitely have the potential to rejuvenate the driving force of Korean cinema.

 

The school displaying the most impressive output in 2014 is the Dankook University Graduate School of Cinematic Content. Headed by KIM Dong-ho, former Festival Director of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), this graduate program signed an agreement with Lotte Shopping Lotte Entertainment Co., Ltd this February with the initiative to provide a total of KRW1.2 billion (approx. USD1.1 million) during a course of three years. Spread out in yearly amount of KRW400 million (approx. USD393,000), this fund will support film graduate projects from Dankook University Graduate School of Cinematic Content. Keibi LEE, Contents Business Team Senior Manager at Lotte Entertainment explains, “We reviewed the possibilities after receiving a request from Dankook University who was quite passionate with the program’s potential. We share the university’s goal of discovering new filmmakers and producers who face difficulties in making their own films.“ LEE also added that this initiative “corresponds with other social contribution programs the company implements such as our screenplay contest which we personally produce and distribute award-winning scripts.”

It is projects like LEE Yong-seung’s 10 Minutes that benefited from this program. Dealing with the story of a 20-some young man facing the cruel reality of the workplace, the film was first introduced in the New Currents section at BIFF. The film then went on to receive considerable attention in the international film festival scene including Cyclo D’Or award from Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema and an invite to the Forum section at the Berlin Film Festival. A Fresh Start directed by JANG Woo-jin which was another Lotte-supported project along with 10 Minutes, picked up the Korean Competition’s Grand Prize at the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) this year, and is invited to the Locarno International Film Festival opening on August 6th, 2014. Another Lotte beneficiary LEE Kyung-sub’s Miss the Train was invited in this year’s JIFF Korean Competition. 

PARK Ki-yong, professor at the Graduate School of Cinematic Content at Dankook University who is in charge of the school’s production part states, “Although it’s been a short time, I feel we are slowly settling down thanks to our field-oriented curriculum.” Dankook University grad school is a 2 year-long program whereby practical training in theory and field skills are offered during the first year, and after going through a 3-part coursework in directing, producing and screenplay writing, the students must participate in an integrated training program through actual production during the second year. Renowned producers such as Jaime SHIM, LEE Choon-yun, KIM Mi-hee and OH Jung-wan as well as filmmakers currently working in the field such as Bong Joon Ho, LEE Myung-se, YOUN Je-kyun, KIM Tae-yong and KWAK Kyung-taek will attend as instructors during this 2nd portion.

PARK Ki-yong assesses “One reason why I think we were able to see noted results during a short period of time is due to our program which enables filmmakers to just focus on production without distraction for an entire year.” In addition, “The 4 projects that came out during the program’s first year each received KRW50 million (approx. USD49,000) which means a lot to us. This may be an insignificant amount to make a feature film, but its contributions in raising the bar for each project’s production values are beyond words. Ours is the only program for any existing graduate school film production to receive financial support.” Dankook University Graduate School will be introducing its first year projects such as 10 Minutes, A Fresh Start and Miss the Train as well as Get Up Choon-ja (W/T) currently in post-production along with its second year program project The End of Winter (W/T). Furthermore, the graduate school is also in the process of launching its global talent incubating program in collaboration with Australia’s Brisbane-based Griffith University and China’s Bejing-based Bejing Film Academy which will result in an international co-production feature film.

 

CJ Entertainment which has been far ahead in the race to discover upcoming talents by joining forces with the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) is also aggressive in offering industry-academic partnership programs. JUN Hyo-sun of Content R&D states, “‘Butterfly Project’ with its experience in producing and distributing films such as CHOI Jin-sung’s Steel Cold Winter and NOH Young-seok’s Intruders will be our gateway for introducing films from new talents through various channels.” Since 2011, CJ Entertainment signed an agreement with KNUA to implement a ‘feature film screenplay contest and a co-production program’ with filmmaker LEE Chang-dong of Poetry and Secret Sunshine as producer overseeing the entire operation. A maximum of 5 projects in development are selected yearly to receive KRW10 million (approx. USD9,800) whereby one outstanding project will be chosen to actually be made into a CJ-produced film. The first project among the program’s 2012 first year alumni is July JUNG’s A Girl at My Door produced by Pine House Film headed by LEE Chang-dong with star cast including BAE Doo-na and KIM Sae-ron. Another alumni that was in the first year program with A Girl at My Door is KWON Oh-kwang’s Mutant (W/T) which is currently in production with the goal of reaching in theaters early 2015. YOON Ga-eun who showcased her short Sprout at this year’s Berlin Film Festival was also selected in this year’s program with her feature project We are (W/T). Hanyang University is also planning to launch an industry-academic partnership program with CJ Entertainment who is preparing an MOU agreement this June for the initiative, to start a treatment and screenplay contest to find projects for development and select an outstanding project to go into production.

 
“I hope there will be more opportunities for more filmmakers.” In every interview, filmmaker July JUNG has constantly mentioned that “A Girl at My Door started out with the help of an industry-academic partnership program.” She also expresses hope. “There are so many talented filmmakers but few opportunities. I hope this will change so that there will be more room for good films to be made.” The opportunities offered by industry-academic partnership programs may be limited, but they definitely seem to be effective. It is up to the industry professionals to understand why it is so.

 

By SONG Soon-jin