Contrary to popular belief, the filmmaker did not grow up dreaming of lights, camera and action. His childhood dream was to actually be a comic book artist, “I started off actually doing comics, I used to do [comics] for magazines, newspapers and all that. So even before I started making feature films, I was doing comics.”
“I never really stopped drawing. Even when I do TV commercials or my feature films; I do a storyboard so I still draw from time to time. I also do oil [paintings], but I stopped because it takes up so much time. I do other stuff as well, like canvas and watercolours.”
Eric has also thought of launching an art exhibition, as some people suggested it to him, so that may be in the pipelines as well. Could this be the start of Eric Khoo, the artist?
But don’t worry; Eric won’t be quitting his day job just yet. He will carry on making films, “because I think there’s so much pleasure in terms of the creative aspects of telling stories through this medium and as long as I can carry on, and make different types of films as well. I’d like to be able to tell new stories, to find new ways and do it in a different way. “
Best known for works such as Mee Pok Man (1995), 12 Storeys (1997), Be With Me (2004), My Magic (2008); his films have been shown in Cannes, Pusan and various film festivals all over the world. So what does Eric dream to do next in his career? “Well, hopefully I would have directed a 3-D film in ten years’ time.”
[ Photo: Google Images ]
Career dreams aside, what are the dreams of Eric Khoo, the individual? “Well, I think my personal aspiration is just to really carry on making films, and if I can; also help to nurture young filmmakers, I feel that that’s important [too]. And I would love to have a local film really break out in the international market; like a real big successful film to emerge, to have something that would make a lot of money,” chuckles the 43-year-old. It sounds like Eric is a filmmaker through and through.
Back to that childhood dream of being a comic-book artist; Eric’s latest project is slated to be an animation film inspired by Yoshihiro Tatsumi, the Japanese manga artist. The 74-year-old cartoonist started a movement in the ‘50s to do adult comics- comics that would be more than just for children, and has also recently published a book on his life, entitled A Drifting Life.
[Photos: Drawn and Quarterly]
(Left: The artist himself,Yoshihiro Tatsumi ; Right: His latest work - A Drifting Life)
Eric’s love for Tatsumi’s artwork and comics has thus led him to create his first animation film, to be based on the manga artist’s life and short stories. “I met up with him (Tatsumi) last year because I was so inspired by his book, and I wanted to pay tribute to him,” says the award-winning director.“In a sense, I am on a real high because this is so exciting to me. And I started going back to drawing. [Since] I needed additional artwork from Tatsumi as well, I would do sketches and email them to him, then he comes back with new drawings and it’s been a very exciting process,” says Eric.
“I used to dream of being a comic-book artist, and I’m going back it [now], so it’s almost like coming full circle.” Well, maybe his next film can be about a little bit closer to the heart – a film about Eric Khoo and his comic-book dreams.
[Photos of Eric Khoo: Google Images]
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