The Department of Humanities, Languages and Translation, in the School of Arts and Social Sciences (A&SS) of Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) recently held a guest lecture featuring Hong Kong film director and singer Mr Juno Mak. He shared his creative journey and insights on Hong Kong's cultural industry with an enthusiastic audience of about 400 HKMU students and staff.
The event was organised and moderated by Prof. Chow Yiu-fai of A&SS, who was joined by Dr Ip Tsz-ting, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities, Languages and Translation, along with two HKMU students from the New Music and Interactive Entertainment programme, in a panel discussion session. Together, they engaged in a meaningful interaction on artistic creation with Juno.
Juno has long adhered to an experimental approach in his creative work, spanning various art forms, including film and music, and has navigated the possibilities between commercial and artistic expression. He shared with the audience his creative philosophy, saying that he wants to engage in cross-media creation to achieve breakthroughs. He illustrated this concept by explaining how songs can maintain narrative continuity across a series.
Regarding the diverse public views on his works, including his recently released film Sons of the Neon Night, he believes that every work has its own life after it is released. He mentioned that whenever he completes a work that spans multiple years, he feels a sense of relief, and he has learned to let go. “It's not about avoiding feedback; different art forms often come with some controversy,” he says. Even if others may not understand or agree, he finds this very romantic.
He shared that his creative inspiration comes primarily from reading and encouraged students to travel more, engage with different cultures, and broaden their experience and perspectives.
During the Q&A session, students from various departments seized the opportunity to pose questions to Juno. They engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as cinematic language, song concepts and challenges encountered during filming, which provided profound inspiration to the audience.
To conclude the event, another two HKMU students studying the New Music and Interactive Entertainment programme performed Juno’s songs, playing and singing to express their appreciation and gratitude through music.
As the only self-financing institution in Hong Kong with self-accrediting status, HKMU has always swiftly offered a wide range of programmes across various disciplines to meet the needs of society and economic development, while nurturing professional talent.
The programmes offered by the A&SS cover creative arts and media, languages and the humanities, and the social sciences. This includes the newly launched Bachelor of Arts with Honours in New Music and Interactive Entertainment programme for the 2024/25 academic year, which focuses on cultivating students' artistic literacy and aims to develop interdisciplinary multimedia talent on all fronts, thereby contributing to the development of the Art Tech industry. The University will also launch a new MA in Applied Cultural Studies in the 2026/27 academic year.
Various schools organise guest lectures featuring field experts and industry practitioners to share the latest developments in the professional world. These lectures enhance the learning experience beyond the classroom, enabling students to stay abreast of industry trends and broadening their horizons.
