From black and white to technicolor, there is undeniable magic in film-related technological advancements. The automation and mechanization of processes have given rise to 3D film, 4D film, and even virtual and augmented reality. Truly, the possibilities in this industry are infinite—plus one.
The fusion of tradition and technology reshapes the narrative, offering new avenues for creative expression and storytelling. From virtual production to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven post-production tools, these advancements shake up every aspect of filmmaking, heralding a new age of cinema. Joining the ranks of gifted filmmakers, Xingyu "Harry" Chen points his camera in the direction of change. "The arrival of AI and the heated discussion about its impact on the industry have allowed me to take a second look at what we have achieved over the past decades with technology," shares Chen. "Needless to say, with Digital Intermediate (DI) becoming an almost indispensable process of post-production nowadays, filmmaking has already been intertwined with the development of technology."
Technology has set the bar high in terms of what it takes for a movie to keep people invested from the opening sequence down to the credits. This is where Chen thrives in his element.
Take One: Behind the Scenes with Harry Chen
As a renowned film authority, Chen sees multiple angles of the movie-making process—not just from a camera lens. Chen's mastery of filmmaking spans directing, writing, and editing. With years of background in post-production, Chen also works as a colorist and a digital imaging technician (DIT), making him highly proficient with technology and technically well-versed in post-production.
While the film aficionado has numerous projects under his belt, there is no denying that he has put his name on the map with "Attached," a critically acclaimed film released in 2023. Selected by the Academy-Award Qualifying Urbanworld Film Festival in 2022 and now streaming on Omeleto with 4 million subscribers across the platform, the genre-bending narrative was defined by its thought-provoking themes related to technology—A college student who cannot risk failing his final exam, struggles with a horrific side-effect of his cell phone obsession: His hand and phone are growing into each other and becoming one. Enveloped in a splash of body horror and some dark humour, "Attached" lived up to its name and anchored its frames into people's hearts—and possibly nightmares.
"Directly inspired by David Cronenberg's 80s body horror classic Videodrome, which coincided with the popularization of television, the theme of Attached inevitably makes people think of AI, as we are literally at the dawn of AI," says Chen. "But I created the film as a mirror of myself—based on my own cell-phone-obsession during the pandemic. Attached is ultimately about addiction and obsession. It's almost saying that despite the benefits of technology and AI, without proper regulation, or if you over consume technology, it will end up consuming you."
It was not long before another one of Chen's films, "Flatulence: The Origin," which he also wrote, directed, and colored, was recognized by prestigious film festivals like the LA Shorts International Film Festival and Mammoth Film Festival 2024. It continues to receive accolades as it remains in its festival run. "As a filmmaker and horror film lover, I'd always start my creative process with moments or reflections from my own life and expand them with nightmarish imaginations. In the case of Flatulence, the horrific expansion turned into something very funny—a corporate worker who can generate lethal farts—as I realized there's a thin line between horror and comedy," states Chen, expressing his love for his craft. "Building the world wasn't an easy task: Seven full production days with some 70+ cast and crew members, countless hours spent in pre-production and post-production, not to mention all the unexpected incidents that happened on set," Chen emphasizes. "Maybe in the near future, AI will dramatically simplify the process of making films, but it will never replace the immense joy of collaborating with the extraordinary people behind the scenes, nor the fact that unpredictable events and sometimes even mistakes can lead to something magical on screen."
A Cinematic Reset in the Making
Blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds can create immersive tales that resonate deeply with audiences. Chen's ultimate goal is to use technological advancements to upgrade the movie experience to expansive levels. One such innovation is virtual production, popularized by series like The Mandalorian (2019–Present) and movies like The Batman (2022). Virtual production, which involves giant LED volumes with background plates paired with sophisticated camera tracking, has elevated in-studio cinematography and simplified VFX. "The magic is not just the realistic background as real-time projection, but also the LED screens themselves as a self-emitting light source," Chen shares. "LED volumes naturally illuminate subjects and create realistic reflections on shiny surfaces—something blue or green screens can't achieve. With blue or green screens, light spill from the screens can be a pain to deal with in post-production, requiring meticulous on-set lighting to manage."
Despite the operational complexity and high cost of virtual production, making it currently hard for independent productions to access such technology, it has inspired filmmakers like Chen to achieve their goals using alternative methods. In Chen's most recent music video for artist T-Seals, Night Vibe, where night driving scenes took up more than half of the film and the crew operated under a tight budget, Chen opted for background projections from projectors instead of shooting on location with a process trailer or using expensive LED screens. "The technique, often nicknamed the 'Poor Man's Process,' involves a non-moving car with a manipulated background paired with camera movement and lighting, and has actually been around since before the digital camera era," Chen explains. "My DP, Ricky Jhou, and I shot hours of realistic moving background plates around LA weeks before the shoot to match the style of the music video. I then colored them to match the overall tone of the desired initial look. On set, we projected them through two projectors onto white or grey backdrops. Paired with Gojaks (car dollies) that shake the car, matched lighting, and camera movement, this technique allowed us to film all of the driving scenes entirely on a soundstage, while adding tons of creative options where we could choose either realistic or completely surreal effects to add." Chen continues, "As a working colorist, I refined the look in post-production, using heavy film print emulation and adding artificial lens blurs and background blurs to further sell the illusion." Night Vibe will be a part of Dances with Films 2024 this year, showing at Hollywood's TCL Chinese Theater.
The baton is now in the hands of artistically progressive moviemakers like Xingyu "Harry" Chen to change the screen from silver to gold. Capping things off, he imparts words of wisdom, "We truly live in an era full of possibilities. Technology and AI are tools that, when used thoughtfully, can elevate our storytelling to unprecedented heights. But we must ensure they serve to enhance human creativity, not replace it."
Watch "Attached" Now
Website: xingyu-chen.com
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