Like other entrepreneurial-minded expats in Taiwan, Michael Geier has created a niche for himself in the filmmaking industry. His secret? Wearing many hats. Sometimes he’s a set photographer for his friends’ music videos. Sometimes he’s a line producer for indie feature productions and other times, he’s collaborating with high-profile, multinational companies to make snazzy-looking corporate videos.
Geier, who is originally from Austria, co-founded the production and design house Aduzai Co Ltd to pull all these roles together — his company does everything from promotional videos and animations to photo shoots.
After years of filmmaking experience in Taiwan, Geier says one major difference with working in Austria or Germany was that “smaller budgets work on very efficient team work where people have skills in several jobs rather than being specialized in just one ... Here, it is a bit more about going with the flow.”
Photo Courtesy of Michael Geier
Geier will be sharing his experiences being an expat filmmaker in Taiwan along with insightful tips for those aspiring to break into the industry here at the monthly Filmmakers Night organized by filmmaker Tobie Openshaw at New Taipei City’s Yang San-lang Art Museum on Sunday.
CAPTURING MOVEMENT, PROMOTING COLLABORATION
Geier is a particularly talented set photographer. From shooting behind-the-scenes photos for hair product advertisements to capturing shots from music videos about dancing drag queens, he manages to capture movement in still shots. His pictures draw you in and make you want to know more about the story behind it.
Photo Courtesy of Michael
One of his most beautiful photo series is on the set for the Black White Wall (黑色的白牆) music video directed by Chinese-American filmmaker James Feng (馮錚). The essence of the music video, which tackles the problem of bullying and homelessness in Taipei, is dramatically captured in Geier’s pictures. The fight scenes are especially powerful — shards of broken glass hang suspended in mid-air.
This production in particular was an interesting collaboration between filmmakers, photographers and actors from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Geier says the collaboration between expat and local filmmakers is “definitely growing and improving.”
Photo Courtesy of Michael
“Taiwan has a lot to show and offer – it’s often times even surprising for locals, so showing that and amaze and inspire people about their own country is something very special,” he adds.
As per if Taiwan will ever become internationally recognized as a filmmaking hub, whether for shooting simple commercials or feature length films, Geier says that it’s certainly trying very hard. The government has been providing many incentives such as funds for location shootings – “and having somebody like Ang Lee as an icon helps,” he adds.
The difference, Geier says is that “international clients have very strong brand awareness…these companies are always trying to be more innovative and progressive, having the latest look compared to often a bit more conservative approach here.”
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