In a benevolent deception, “Bamboleo” is a film that is not at all what you expect. It might be described as a modern day fairytale that has more to do with the silent films of yore than its contemporaries. Focusing on the actions and internal emotions of the main character, a dancer named Malene Ostergaard, the story has more in common with Cinderella than Black Swan. While viewers are captivated by Ostergaard’s exceptional dance abilities, it’s the pressure brought about by her domineering teacher that creates the conflict in the film. She escapes into an illusion where a prince (played by Riria Niimura) helps her learn to dance. The inevitable return to reality is accompanied by setbacks.
In reality, the film’s version of the prince is Zheng who continually confronted and overcame the many setbacks that almost every film faces; this is the definition of a producer’s role. Paramount to every film is the cast. No matter how high or low the production value, the right cast can drive a film to success while the wrong one can sink it. Masters claims brilliance on the part of Huang in locating an exceptional cast within a very defined set of qualifications. He notes, “I still can’t believe that he found our amazing cast in an astoundingly short amount of time. This cast might be the best I will ever have. I was very adamant and demanding to Zheng that I required a great actor and actress who can dance exceptionally well. Without this there would be no film. He did several rounds of casting and finally found Malene and Riria. Not just that, they are awards winners as well; that really met any casting needs I had for the film. On our entire two-day shoot, everything went smooth with him there.”
Interpreting what your director says they want and what they truly want is a large part of being a great producer. Having studied the script and knowing the director well, Zheng adjusted his casting requirements accordingly. Because the dialogue is so brief in “Bamboleo” and the focus is exceedingly on the dance, Huang concentrated on this aspect for his potential leads. Malene is a professional acclaimed dancer with acting abilities, rather than vice-versa. The producer had previously worked with Malene on a short film called “Dancer from Picture” and had a feeling that she would be perfect for “Bamboleo.” With a knowledge of the background his director had in photography, visual emphasis on storytelling, and the script of this film, Huang had a clear idea of how the shooting would proceed. He explains, “I was eager to do this film for a somewhat selfish reason. This was essentially my first film as a producer that was a ‘song and dance’ movie. I was confident that I could handle it but it’s always good to test yourself with a real application. It’s a very different type of film. The dancers are in motion, the dolly is in constant motion…there is a unique sense of timing and thus artistry to these type of films. It was very intereseting for me to be a part of this. Of course, it was reaffirming to prove to myself and others that I could handle whatever the needs were for the entire production.”
You can plan all you like for making a film but, as in life, it’s often the surprise events that teach you what you are truly made of. When one single incident threatened to derail the entire shoot, it was Zheng who made it his job to assess the situation, support everyone, and keep a cool head. When Malene’s ankle was injured during the shoot, everyone on set was concerned for her and the film. Speaking with the actress and director, Huang made the appropriate alterations which included shot changes and pain medications (followed by an immediate visit to Urgent Care after wrapping) to allow everyone’s needs to be met. Very often, professionals are willing to go the extra mile for the benefit of the group…they just want to be heard, which happens to be this producer's forte.
Finding more budget-conscious locations with tools like Airbnb, making concessions to cast and crew, and fulfilling the director’s desires; none of these things seem cumbersome to Zheng. He confesses, “I didn’t get into filmmaking because I thought it would be easy. No one does this. It’s a calling. Some people avoid work in independent films but I think there is a lot of freedom and creativity in them, especially for a producer. Money doesn’t make things easier or harder, just different. Sometimes having a limited budget forces you to be creative and you find out things about your abilities that even you weren’t aware of. Ultimately, I think the budget of the film should be used in front of the camera, starting with the venue. If there is money after that, give it to the art department and the actors because these people are making the show in front of the art of the camera. I’d follow this with equipment, good equipment to bring unexpected results to the film. These are simply what I feel based on what I’ve seen so far in my experiences. I know that I see my abilities improving with every project I work on, that is the main compensation for me. As I improve, I get to work with others who I learn from. All of this is very exciting and what drew me to filmmaking in the beginning.”