Directed by Alan Mak and produced by Felix Chong, Hong Kong crime film Integrity is ready to enter the fierce competition during the Chinese Spring Festival. Not only does it have an impressive storyline and a strong cast list, but the production team also paid much attention to the filming techniques and all the details during shooting. In pursuit of the best effect, the three leading actors, Sean Lau, Nick Cheung and Karena Lam, went through fire and water for the filming, and the camera crew also made an all-out effort, ensuring that every scene exceeds the expectation of the audience.
Official Poster of Integrity
Starring as the key witness Hui Chik-yiu, Nick Cheung had to film a drowning scene in the cold wintertime. When he touched the water, he couldn’t help yelling “This is really freezing!” But the freezing water did not affect his professional attitude. He still carefully discussed the movements and positions with the director and tried to achieve perfect results. After the shooting was completed, he did not go dry up and change his clothes immediately. Instead, he walked to the camera and examined his own performance thoroughly with his body still dripping wet, showing great professional dedication.
Nick Cheung starred as the key witness Hui Chik-yiu
In addition, Sean Lau had a scene where he was caught in the fire. In order to create the tension, he and other actors all performed in person, allowing the flame to come out in front of them. “They were really close to the fire,” Director Mak recalled. “Even I could feel the heat sitting at the back watching the video. The actors definitely felt it more. The technical team knows the fire well, but the position really needs to be just right. Moving a little bit closer would be unacceptable.” Karena Lam, on the other hand, had a difficult crash scene. Since she did not have much experience in action movies, she was very nervous before the filming. She recalled, “My car was lifted to be hit by another car, and there were cameras inside and outside the car. I was breathing so fast before filming. The boom operator said I couldn’t act out this kind of fear.”
Karena Lam and Sean Lau
In addition to the actors, the camera crew also played an important role. Lam spoke highly of the cameraman Jake in an interview, saying that the way he shot allowed actors to perform freely and naturally, because he always captured every important detail. “If we cater to the camera, our performance will be limited,” Lam explained. Furthermore, Jake also paid much attention to the lighting. Lam recalled, “Jake demanded that the filming time be in line with the story. For example, if a scene occurs at dawn, we film it at dawn. For some scenes, he even discarded any lighting, and only used natural light. The effect is a great surprise.” With the expertise of the camera crew and the solid acting skills of the actors, Integrity has become one of the most anticipated films in the upcoming holidays.
Integrity is scheduled to be released during 2019 Chinese New Year holidays in the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand by Tangren Cultural Film Group.