The New Normal of Filmmaking with Writer/Actor Ken Zheng
The way that you consume entertainment and information is most certainly different than the way that your parents did at your age, and for that matter different than your grandparents as well. You can be sure that your children will also experience the same divide. In spite of the immense variation that technology brings to these different generations, the essential element that cannot be separated is great storytelling. From tales told around the tribal hearth to projectors connected to smart phones, the brilliant minds that communicate the stories which transfix is permanently attached to every culture in the world through the ages. Congruent with the evolution of technology’s relationship with storytelling is the dissipation of cultural barriers, resulting in the prominence of the industry professionals who fascinate us with tales regardless of the people or locations which serve as their setting. Indonesian writer/actor Ken Zheng has gained notoriety in the US for both his tremendous talent and his ability to synthesize different cultures in the productions he brings to life. Theatrically released feature films, award-winning shorts, and streaming productions have all been utilized by Zheng to deliver his ideas and concepts to a global audience. All avenues are available and pursued by a modern entertainment master such as Ken Zheng, his body of work illustrates the merits of doing so.
Having the dual roles of writer and actor has allowed Ken Zheng to create the kind of stories and roles he wants to manifest on the screen. His acting work has displayed a range from grueling melee (Brush With Danger) with dazzling fight choreography to relationship comedy (The Last Supper). As a writer, Ken concedes that a longer format is preferable to him noting, “The most appealing productions for a writer are feature length films and television. Storytelling through this medium and format is very liberating as a writer because of the ability to stretch certain ideas, expanding the way we are able to instill concepts and values into the script. Nuances in the story are more clear to the audience, allowing complex interactions and concepts are able to be fleshed out.”
As the film market steers into streaming services, more and more filmmakers are creating original productions to premier via this platform. Zheng’s Brush With Danger was a theatrical release but is now viewable of Amazon Prime. Ken stipulates, “I didn’t create Brush With Danger to appear online but I’m happy with the warm reception it has received. Services like Amazon Prime have opened up a whole new avenue for filmmakers, one which allows a more direct relationship with their audience. Of course, it’s a method for instant global viewership as well. While I don’t think it will replace the experience of seeing a film in a theater, streaming services are going to help support a whole new wave of filmmakers and it’s going to be exciting to see what is created.”
Ken Zheng has been a force as a writer, actor, and producer of numerous productions that are viewable online; which hints to be a prominent future trend, at least for the time being. From the cultural exploration of Vibrant Jakarta to the international music collaboration documentary Bali: Beats of Paradise which features Indonesian traditional music composer Nyoman Wenten’s collaboration with Grammy Award Winning artist Judith Hill, Ken’s writing has taken advantage of the ubiquity the internet offers a global audience of these productions and others. Zheng professes, “There will definitely be a return to normalcy in the film industry once the pandemic is able to be controlled and safety can be guaranteed but certain aspects will change and the timeline in which new media is established as a more viable medium for storytellers will have been fast forwarded. The accessibility filmmakers have to posting their content in social media platforms and video streaming services allows for more stories from around the world to be told. The power of streaming services such as Netflix and YouTube is that it is the removal of geographic obstacles in regards to delivering content. As soon as a video is released or posted in Netflix or YouTube, subscribers and viewers from all parts of the world have access to this content and can enjoy it anytime and anywhere. I am interested in exploring extended short movies, possibly animated ones as they can be created remotely without the need for a large crew on set. There are most certainly changes that will come as a result of the pandemic and forward minded artists will find a way to utilize these in a productive way.”
