O TYM ODCINKU
Roger Cheng, producer of Black Tide Island, joins Janine Stein to discuss the making of the premium Taiwan drama, whichfollows five jailed doctors and intellectuals held at Green Island Prison during the White Terror period (1947–1987).
Cheng talks through the storytelling approach to a five-year journey from research to screen, the decision to rebuild Green Island's prison as a full-scale set in Tainan rather than use CGI, the medical and language training given to the cast, and the musical thread running through the series, inspired by prisoners who formed a band while incarcerated. He also discusses reactions from descendants of former prisoners, the interactive online experience built alongside the show, and the wider state of co-production and premium drama in Taiwan.
Black Tide Island was directed by Jim Wang and produced by Hakka TV and Go Inside.
· (00:00) Introduction to Black Tide Island
· (01:03) Why this story, personally
· (02:33) Five years from idea to screen
· (04:05) Handling the politics of the WhiteTerror era
· (05:56) Rebuilding Green Island Prison in Tainan
· (10:08) Medical training for the cast
· (10:28) Music, opera, and the prisoners' band
· (13:02) Filming in Hakka, Taiwanese, Mandarinand Japanese
· (16:19) The interactive online experience
· (18:47) Reactions from descendants of prisoners
· (23:43) Co-production and Taiwan's creativefreedom
· (29:40) Roger Cheng's company, Go Inside, and TheATM Heist
Explore the Black Tide Island interactiveonline experience: https://blacktideisland.tw/en
Roger Cheng's earlier documentary, InsideThe Great ATM Heist, is available on CNA's YouTube channel:
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zId2XwHQAs
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk63FhCWtFM
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