Shuai Cheng Pu
Taiwanese videomaker
biography
Interview: 10 questions
1. Tell me something about your life and the educational background
When I graduated from high school I suffered manic-depressive because I did not get used to the high school teaching system. I took for years to get rid of the sick. After that I started to read some philosophy and psychology books and recovered. About seven years ago, I was admitted to Taipei national university of Arts, majoring in new media art, eventually I got BS degree of Chinese painting and then MA degree of new media art.
2. When, how and why started you filming?
When I was in the sophomore I bought my first camera and my first time started to create moving image pieces. In the meanwhile, I doubted that traditional material not really can express inspiration completely due to their verve of material. There are limits in conventional forms such as Chinese ink painting, oil painting, sculpture, etc. So I shift conventional material to digital material. It is a method that conveying the contemporary thinking. Moving images got the high speed just like the activity of cerebration. Hence, I firmly believe that using moving images could exhibit the real sensation.
3. What kinds of topics have your films?
Spiritual images , delirious movement, the description of my home environment, body performance, thriller feeling of my life Those are indicating my main ideal of my works. I am really honest to myself to listen the vioice inside my mind, then transform them into moving images simultaneously.
4. How do you develop your films, do you follow certain principles, styles etc?
I really like poet and an literary form called “streams of consciousness“ , when I got a concept I always let it occur without organizing ,using feeling to conduct my pieces.
5. Tell me something about the technical equipment you use.
I usually use computers, camera, smart phone, and green screen to do my works.
6. These days digital technology is dominating also video as a medium. In which way the digital aspect is entering the creation of your videos, technologically and/or conceptually?
Generally, media are the extension of body that referring to the thinking of contemporary. Digital video technologies play an important role in the new media art. So I believe that it reflect a real situation of our world. Personally, I use this skill to recompose my meditation presenting and bring them into visualize.
7. How do you finance your films?
I have attended several Taiwan awards winning some money from competition .It hardly support equipments for my works.
8. Do you work individually as a video artist/film maker or do you work in a team?
if you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you prefer?
I always work alone at my home. In my opinion, working alone is preferable because individual can get free spaces and absolute for one’s creation
9. Who or what has a lasting influence on your film/video making?
Historically, I extremely like Fracis Bacon’s pieces there are very organic line in his image. The muscular fragments and sensation are comprised in the figure in his painting. In addition Hiraki Sawa’s animation are really touching my soul. His pieces gave a fantasy atmosphere of daily life.
10. What are your future plans or dreams as a film/video maker?
I really want to pursuit PhD degree aboard. I hope to go to England for my study .I considered that when individual exposed in exotic environment oneself would absorb different strength for life.
Can works of yours viewed online besides on the CologneOFF platform? Where?
List some links & resources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKkmO4vCO2g