Cover Edward Berger, who came to shoot ‘The Ballad of a Small Player’ at The Londoner Macao, was enthralled by Macau’s majestic architecture (Photo: Netflix)
Edward Berger, who came to shoot ‘The Ballad of a Small Player’ at The Londoner Macao, was enthralled by Macau’s majestic architecture (Photo: Netflix)
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The Oscar-winning director, who was in Macau to shoot ‘The Ballad of a Small Player’ with Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton, wants to shed light on the city’s true side for global audiences
Edward Berger is a filmmaker who “wants to do something different from what [he has] done before”. This quest led him to Macau this year to shoot his upcoming Netflix film The Ballad of a Small Player. Based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Lawrence Osborne, the production stars Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton in leading roles and has been shot in Macau’s casinos and vibrant neighbourhoods.
Ahead of the film’s release on Netflix, which has yet to be announced, Berger, who won an Oscar for his 2022 film All Quiet on the Western Front, spoke to Tatler about his casting process, his favourite Asian directors and why he’s enthralled by Macau.
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What drew you to film in Macau? How does the city’s blend of Eastern and Western influences contribute to your creative vision for The Ballad of a Small Player?
Macau has a wealth of locations, from Portuguese colonial country houses to new high rises. It has the glamour, the architecture, the shine, the pulsating lights at night … visually, it’s very attractive, and almost completely overlooked by the rest of the world. I was very drawn to the opportunity to bring the true Macau to audiences with my upcoming film The Ballad of a Small Player.
You’ve worked on both European and American productions. How does your experience in Macau for The Ballad of a Small Player compare to your previous international projects?
It’s wonderful to be in Asia with such talented people and to get to know the culture in an everyday work environment. We have great professionals here who work hard, have an incredible work ethic as well as amazing creativity and inventiveness. They bring a wealth of knowledge to the film, which is extremely gratifying.
Above ‘The Ballad of a Small Player’ was shot at The Londoner Macao and other prominent hotels in Macau (Photo: Instagram / eeedwardberger)
‘The Ballad of a Small Player’ was shot at The Londoner Macao and other prominent hotels in Macau (Photo: Instagram / eeedwardberger)
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Your film All Quiet on the Western Front received critical acclaim and multiple Academy Awards. How has this success influenced your approach to your current project?
It hasn’t. I have always been a director who wants to do something different from what I’ve done before and find new challenges with each film. If I have something that I’m afraid of, that I could possibly fail at, then perhaps that is something I could learn from and could make me a better filmmaker. I’ve always been that way and I will continue to be this way, Academy Awards or not.
Your work often explores complex human themes. How do you ensure these universal stories resonate across different cultures?
I think no matter where you’re born, what you believe in, or what culture you’ve grown up in, people respond to human stories that touch their hearts, that’s why they’re called “universal”—we’re all the same in the end. While each culture has its nuances, we are all touched by human stories. Something I always try to do is find a very strong main character, one that audiences can relate to and resonate with. I want to put the audience in the character’s shoes so that they are invested in their story and go through all the ups and downs with them. That way they can go on an adventure while watching the movie.
In the era of CGI and visual effects, how do you balance practical effects with digital enhancements in your films?
If most of the frame is real, then CGI and visual effects can be a great addition later on. I aim to film the actors in front of the real thing as much as possible, because then you feel the humidity, feel the light on their skin. Of course, some things are not possible to shoot in reality, for example, because of location or budget restrictions, but ideally, I try to get as much as I can on camera, then where necessary enhance that image with visual effects afterwards. I very much believe in having 90 per cent real stuff on the frame.
Above Edward Berger admires Macau’s beautiful cityscape while shooting for his new film at The Londoner Macao; the film will be released on Netflix (Photo: Netflix)
Edward Berger admires Macau’s beautiful cityscape while shooting for his new film at The Londoner Macao; the film will be released on Netflix (Photo: Netflix)
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How do you approach casting for your projects?
I am a very diligent caster—it takes me a long time. I believe once you find the right collaborators for the film, 90 per cent of your work on set is done. They will understand that character, the heart of that character—the thoughts, the fears, the joys—because they’ve spent so much time studying them. I spend a long time looking for actors and once I’ve found them, I have a couple of conversations with them and then I hand over my trust to them.
It’s very much a game of trust between the director and the actor. It’s a huge leap of faith for the actor to come on board a film and work with the director because they don’t know what that film is going to end up like, and some directors most likely don’t know either. It has to be a collaboration where everyone comes to work fully engaged with the film and wants to do their best.
What qualities do you look for in actors beyond their on-screen performances?
Diligence, kindness, passion—but mostly that they are themselves and understand the film’s tone. Then we can hopefully make a beautiful film together.
Above Edward Berger was in Macau for ‘The Ballad of a Small Player’; The Londoner Macao is one of the settings in the film (Photo: Instagram / eeedwardberger)
Edward Berger was in Macau for ‘The Ballad of a Small Player’; The Londoner Macao is one of the settings in the film (Photo: Instagram / eeedwardberger)
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How do you think the rise of streaming platforms is changing the landscape for directors and filmmakers?
The streaming platforms are a great addition to the traditional studios. We have more people to work with, more people who can work together, more ways of bringing a film to an audience. Different types of releases work for different types of films; it may be that sometimes a streaming platform is the right path for some films, while for others, releasing them in theatres makes more sense.
When it comes to my films, I don’t differentiate—my priority is wanting to create a big, emotional experience for the audience, and whether that film is shown at a premiere, a festival, in cinemas or on a streaming platform, I fundamentally just want it to be a good movie that can touch the audience and give them a new experience that they’ve never had before.
Are there any Asian filmmakers or films that have particularly inspired or influenced your work?
Yes, Asian filmmakers have inspired my work very much. I love the Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda; he’s a master at what he does. For example, his 2004 film Nobody Knows is an inspiration for a film I did earlier in my career called Jack (2014).
I love movies by the Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To and Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu. I have studied their filmmaking [styles], and I’ve seen their movies again and again.
Suchetana Mukhopadhyay is the Digital Content Manager for Tatler Hong Kong. In this role, she leads all digital editorial and branded content on Tatler Hong Kong’s website, from brainstorming story ideas with the writers to editing and publishing the articles, and from managing the overall content flow to driving search engine optimisation. She also leads the beauty content at Tatler Hong Kong and across the region, and is always looking to champion diversity through her articles. She was previously with Cedar Hong Kong and Gafencu, and freelanced for the South China Morning Post, Campaign Asia-Pacific, CNN and more. Contact her here.
