In 1997, Guo Jingyu, newly minted as an assistant director, was enthralled by the wonders of a new video-editing software. However, the use was not cheap: RMB100 per hour of footage. Also, the budding filmmakers had to fiddle with the software themselves in the clunky editing suite instead of having someone do it for them.
Nevertheless, the technology deeply impressed and inspired Guo, who was then in his twenties. In the two decades since, he has remained curious about technological developments and the potential they hold for motion pictures. “We have a company-wide philosophy that’s close to my heart: we will always stay open to new things,” says Guo in an interview with The Edge Singapore.
That’s certainly true for Guo himself. As director, his remake of the 2008 Mediacorp hit series, The Little Nyonya, was released on streaming platform iQiyi earlier this year. Also, Guo is moving from one director chair to another — this time in the boardroom. Now, the Singapore-based GHY Culture & Media, of which Guo is executive chairman and group CEO, is planning a listing on the Singapore Exchange (SGX).
