My Films
My first attempt at filmmaking was at Carleton University in 1998 when I directed a student film called The Gary Busey Story. After graduating the same year I moved to China and began writing and travelling extensively. In 1999 I visited China’s remote northwest region and worked as a crew member on the documentary film Xinjiang is Good. In 2003 I directed my first feature film, Not Much. Since then I have continued travelling and writing. Currently I write screenplays full time.
MEI SHEN ME (Not Much) – 2004
Country: China, Language: Mandarin, Subtitles: English
Running Time: 58 minutes, Shooting Format: DV, Year: 2004
dir. Paul Hackett
An up and coming Beijing businessman begins a fated love affair with a singer working in his jealous business partner’s club.
Synopsis
Believing that changing the people around him will lead to happiness, successful Beijing businessman, Zhang, cuts himself off from his wife and his business partner. After meeting Xiao Mei, a singer working in his partner’s nightclub, Zhang begins a love affair that fills the recently created void in his life. His wife, who barely speaks to him anymore, is afraid of what will happen if he leaves her for good. She seeks help from Zhang’s former business partner whose main business involves running a prostitution ring in his nightclubs. He is secretly jealous of Zhang’s success and resents him for keeping his hands clean by breaking off ties. Seeing that Zhang is really in love with Xiao Mei, he orchestrates an ominous plan that will ruin her life and hit back at Zhang’s self-righteousness. When Zhang sees Xiao Mei degraded and in trouble he abandons her when she needs him most. Once he realizes his mistake it may already be too late.
On the net: http://www.notmuchfilm.com
XINJIANG HAO (Xinjiang is Good) – 1999
Country: China, Year: 1999
dir. Rick Curnutt
Synopsis
Xinjiang is Good is a documentary examining the people living along the ancient silk route as it winds it way through China’s northwest Xinjiang province. A recurring theme in the film is music, which is “a medium that really works when it is shared.” This became apparent when our multi-lingual and multi-national film crew of four found itself in a remote part of the world where there was no common language for communication.
On the net: http://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=202
