BEYOND THE ONIROS FILM AWARDS®
VIP Interview with Jasper Ku, composer for the short film ‘A Red Rose for My Love’
by Alice Lussiana Parente
Today, we introduce Jasper Ku, a classically trained in pianist and composer, originally from Taiwan and now based in Los Angeles. In this interview we talk about Jasper’s latest short film: A Red Rose for My Love, the inspiration behind the story and the role of the soundtrack in movies. Enjoy!
1. Hi Jasper! Congratulations on being an Award Winner at the Oniros Film Awards!
As a classically trained pianist, could you share more about your studies and what initially sparked your passion for music?
I fell in love with classical music after taking my first piano lesson at 7. I then fell in love with film music after crying to the Love Theme in Cinema Paradiso. Now I study film scoring at UCLA Extension. I also take private lessons in classical composition and MIDI programming outside school.
2. You are also a dancer and a filmmaker. Did the dancing lead you into directing or was it the other way around?
I learned dancing, filmmaking, composition and writing independently and concurrently before I focused on film scoring. For this film, in particular, I came up with the choreography first, and discussed with Yunni how to capture it on film.
3. When composing a soundtrack for a concert or for a movie, do you approach the work differently? If yes, how?
With concert music, I identify what type of emotion(s) I want to convey and go from there. With film music, I write according to the director’s instructions/music references. If the director prefers me to write independently without their instructions/references, I approach film music like I do concert music.
4. How do you perceive the role of the soundtrack in a film? Do you believe it should primarily support the story, or do you think the music should function as a character itself within the narrative?
I don’t think they’re mutually exclusive. Musical form mirrors story structure: both have a beginning, middle and end. Film music supports the story on screen by going on a journey mirroring the characters’ journey.
Jasper Ku, composer for ‘A Red Rose for My Love’ – www.jasperkucomposer.com/
5. Where does the Inspiration of the short film A Red Rose for My Love come from?
I fell for a straight man once. I loved him throughout his rocky relationship with his girlfriend, hoping for my turn that never came. A Red Rose for My Love illustrates that experience.
6. You wrote, co-directed, and produced your short film. How was this experience for you? Which part did you love the most and which part did you find more challenging while working on set?
I learned a lot about the filmmaking process: coming up with funding, translating the story/screenplay to choreography, and figuring out when, where, and how to shoot it. My favorite part was working with everyone: they’re good friends of mine and great people to work with. It was quite challenging to direct, dance and act simultaneously, though.
7. When working on the soundtrack of the film did you already have the choreography in mind?
I wrote the soundtrack as a standalone piece of music. After listening to it a few times, I started dancing to it, which turned into the choreography for this film.
8. What skills have you learned as a dancer that make you a good choreographer?
I make my choreography specific both in terms of physical placement and storytelling quality. It helps not only with executing the movement but also with acting out the story.
9. How do you work with the dancers? Can you tell us more about the rehearsal process?
I taught them the choreography and made adjustments after looking at our rehearsal footage to align it more with my vision. We rehearsed twice in total, three hours each, and shot it in two hours.
10. Charlie Chaplin was known for his multifaceted involvement in his films; not only did he star in and direct them, but he also contributed to composing, choreographing, editing, and more. Do you envision this as the type of filmmaking you aspire to, or would you prefer to specialize in one aspect moving forward?
Currently, I spend most of my time composing. If I do get to direct another film, though, I’d like to participate in as many aspects of filmmaking as possible. Making “A Red Rose for My Love” in this fashion taught me a lot about filmmaking, especially about the role of film scoring.
11. Who are the composers, filmmakers and choreographers that inspire you the most?
Composers: Alexandre Desplat, Hans Zimmer, Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Filmmakers: Xavier Dolan, Xavier Dolan, Xavier Dolan (chef’s kiss).
Choreographers: Matthew Bourne, Tessandra Chavez, Zoi Tatopoulos.
12. What are you working on now? What’s next for you?
just composed music for a UCLA MA animation film “Joe” (dir. Matt Haro) that will premiere at the UCLA TFT Film Festival Animation Extravaganza. I’m also developing another dance film that should be done mid-November.
