The snake sequence was the most challenging to Tommy Tom and his crew at Hong Kong-based Centro Digital Pictures. All images © 2004 Sony Pictures Ent. Inc.

Hong King cinema is getting a makeover at the hands of writer/director/actor Stephen Chow. The Shanghai-born filmmaker and self-professed martial arts addict is one of the hottest names in Hong Kong cinema, having starred in more than 50 films and directed seven. Chow’s name in the west is only just getting mainstream recognition from the success of Shaolin Soccer in 2001. The quirky action-comedy film mixed kung fu, soccer and outlandish visual effects, producing what might best be described as Shaw Brothers meets The Matrix by way of the Looney Tunes. Soccer made important ripples with critics and enthusiastic cult audiences, creating enough buzz to open the door for his new follow-up film, Kung Fu Hustle (Gong fu in Asia, opening April 8 on a limited basis).

With Hustle, Chow again goes back to classic Asian martial arts films for his basic inspiration, but then twists expectations by taking his signature, skewed use of visual effects and humor to an even more heightened level. In the film, he plays Sing, a small time thief yearning to join the ruthless Axe Gang. Looking to become worthy, he attempts to extort the residents at the apartments known as Pig Sty Alley. He accidentally kicks off a turf war between the residents and the Axe gang, leaving him stuck in the middle of an outrageous battle of legendary martial art proportions. In helping him achieve the film’s distinct look and visual effects sequences, Chow returned to Centro Digital Pictures in Hong Kong, the vfx house that helped him create Shaolin Soccer. Visual effects producer, Tommy Tom says they happily accepted the challenge of collaborating again with the filmmaker to bring his gravity defying ideas to life.

Yuen Qiu as the landlady blows up in a unique way. This was Centro’s second tour of duty with writer/director/actor Stephen Chow. Photo by Saeed Adyani and Tang Chak Sun.

“Four months before the shooting, Centro’s vfx team started pre-production meetings with Stephen Chow,” Tom explains. “Stephen was confident that Centro could bring the visual effects of Kung Fu Hustle to a new level, so we discussed the concept and possibility of the vfx during those meetings. After we had a rough idea of how Stephen would like the vfx to be, concept artwork was developed by Centro Creative Art Department. We also started to develop our software for creating certain effects and animation tests.” Having worked together before, Tom says Hustle was easier to develop from the start. “One advantage of working with Stephen on this film from Shaolin, was that he understands what effects can and can’t do now. We worked with him on Shaolin Soccer and we think he’s a very talented director and a really fast learner when it comes to special effects. When he was shooting Shaolin, I feel that he didn’t feel as safe and as confident in using effects. Now, I think he has confidence with us and in using effects as well. Also, when he would suggest what he wants to do and we think it was quite impossible to achieve, we would talk to him and he would listen. He’s the smartest director that I’ve ever worked with and he actually listens to us!” he chuckles.

Due to the intense visual effects sequences blocked in the film, Tom and other Centro colleagues made sure they were present on set during the shoot so they could help facilitate the post-production process as early as possible. “We did read the script before the production began and we had many meetings before the shooting to discuss about the treatment of the visual effects. He will always listened to us whenever there was an effects shot. When there was an effects shot, we would have a meeting first and we would suggest to him how we needed him to shoot the effects shot. Sometimes, he even asked our opinion with other shots. He will not always accept our opinion and he would always make the final decision, but he would digest our input and listen. Stephen was also filled with creative ideas during the shooting, so there were visual effects shots that were improvised along the way. He loves to improvise, not even just on effects, but also with the script… He’s a thinker.”