So the original set, replete with kimonos and Buddhas, was turned into a more realistic post-modern Tokyo, and the character of Han, the mentor to the main character played by Lucas Black, was created specially for Sung Kang, who played the working-class high-schooler in Better Luck Tomorrow.
“The Asian-American actors I have worked with are talented people but never have any opportunity in the business. Now we are in power, we should create opportunities [for] ourselves,” Lin said, “as a director, you have to have the courage to say no to the studio and to fight for them [the actors].”
Part of Lin's mission is to broaden the range of roles that Asian-American actors play, which are now generally confined to kung fu fighters or slapstick nerds.
When asked how he felt about being hailed as the next Ang Lee (李安) by Entertainment Weekly, Lin said he is following his own path and tries to keep a fine balance between Hollywood and independent filmmaking.
“It's fun making big-budget movies … . The whole budget of Better Luck Tomorrow can't even cover the cost of one-day of shooting for The Fast and the Furious,” Lin said.
Out of the approximately 2,000 indie films made each year, only 16 screened at the Sundance Festival and four or five get distributed. Lin is indeed an overachiever who is just beginning enjoying his success in Hollywood. Nevertheless, the fast-rising director still remains true to his indie roots and frequently returns to independent filmmaking.
Five years of experience in mainstream cinema has shown the director that filmmaking is all about business. In the eyes of Lin, ethnicity is not an issue in Hollywood, but money is. The studios don't make a film with an all Asian-American cast simply because it can't make a profit.
“Everything I make is Asian-American because it is seen through my eyes,” Lin said. “Hollywood isn't racist and they don't go like ‘we should make films about African-Americans.’ They make those films because market research shows African-Americans want to see films about themselves. But the spending pattern of Asian-Americans, most of who belong to the middle-class, is shown to be the same as the white people. When Asian-Americans go to theaters, they just want to see Hollywood superstars.”
Better Luck Tomorrow can be seen at the touring film festival from tomorrow through Sept. 8 at Taichung Wonderful Cinema (台中萬代福影城) and Kaohsiung Oscar Theater (高雄奧斯卡戲院) from Sept. 15 to Sept. 22. For more information, visit blog.yam.com/serenity_movie.
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