30 April 2024 – In a Director’s Talk hosted by Netflix, Indonesian director Joko Anwar and Korean director Yeon Sang-ho, both celebrated for their work in the supernatural genre, came together to discuss their latest projects, Joko Anwar’s Nightmares and Daydreams and Parasyte: The Grey. From the ascendancy of Asian cinema to sharing insights into their creative processes, their conversation was a meeting of minds.

Yeon had high praise for Joko’s series, noting its unique structure. “I was fascinated by how each episode builds anticipation for the next. It was a format I’d never seen before. I think the universe you’ve created holds significant potential to go global.”

Building a universe

Both Joko Anwar’s Nightmares and Daydreams and Parasyte: The Grey heavily rely on visual effects to create unique worlds, but they still had to look believable, a challenge that both directors shared.

To help actors fully engage with their environment, Joko’s production team built some of their set props, like an actual-sized clock tower and a small house. With that, they were able to maximize on-set filming and layered VFX to enhance the visuals.

For Yeon, his challenges lay in adapting the manga “Parasyte” for the screen. While it was important for his team to preserve the original manga’s aesthetic, they had to adapt some scenes for realism. Their CG team also worked tirelessly to model the dynamic movement of the parasites so that each transformation looked authentic and convincing.

From Asia to the world

Noting that Indonesia with its many cultures and folklore can inspire intriguing stories, Yeon is optimistic about the current industry momentum, built on the popularity of Japanese animations, Hong Kong noir films, and K-drama. He added, “Now is the opportunity for Asian genre filmmakers to present Asian genre films to a larger market.”

Parasyte: The Grey is now streaming, while Joko Anwar’s Nightmares and Daydreams premieres on June 14, only on Netflix.