In reel life: a conversation with Water Wild Month’s Shawn Fung

What kind of a story can be told in just 90 seconds? For Shawn Fung, the creator of the popular Instagram account and YouTube channel Water Wild Month , a minute and a half is all he needs.

Since creating Water Wild Month in 2021, Fung and his team have produced dozens of shorts which merge humour and sentimentality through a uniquely Hong Kong lens. They mostly feature Fung as a hapless protagonist: an ordinary person living in the city, experiencing the ups and downs of relationships, work and everyday life – from getting dumped to quitting your job; from saying “no” to plastic bags to getting left on read.

These are universal experiences, but Water Wild Month’s shorts couldn’t be filmed anywhere else. They’re shot in neighbourhood corner shops, cha chaan teng restaurants, herbal tea shops, and the streets, alleys and beaches of the city. Stylistically, they combine the “mo lei tau” nonsensical humour of Stephen Chow comedies with the lavish visuals of auteur Wong Kar-wai. In location and tone, they’re Hong Kong in a nutshell.

“My videos are all filmed locally,” says Fung. “I don’t know whether they truly embody the spirit of Hong Kong. It’s just what I like to make and watch.”

Wildly inspired

The 24-year-old Fung grew up in Sham Shui Po, a working-class neighbourhood currently in the grip of gentrification. He showed little interest in his studies, instead focusing his energy on films – especially anything starring Stephen Chow. After dropping out of school at the age of 15, Fung’s passion for the big screen expanded from Hong Kong comedies to include superhero blockbusters, The Lord of the Rings franchise and arthouse films by Wong Kar-wai. At a film studies class recommended by a social worker, Fung began exploring Wong’s body of work and was mesmerised after watching his seminal Days of Being Wild.

“I was intrigued by Wong’s cinematic approach and was drawn in by the film’s nuances and ambiguity. My friends and I watched all of his films and interviews – and then started emulating his style in our shorts.”

Things began simply. For a year, the films were shot on an iPhone 6; later, on an Olympus camera before being shared to Facebook. Despite scepticism from friends and family, Fung remained undeterred. When he wasn’t working at a fast-food restaurant, he was working to hit a weekly upload schedule, taking on the roles of writer, director and actor simultaneously. Fast-forward a few years, and Fung has gone from Facebook posts to the Water Wild Month channel, with close to 200,000 followers on Instagram.

A lifelong pursuit

Last year, Water Wild Month’s video series If I Were and Ordinary People Vs Filmmakers gained immense popularity. The latter, which presents and contrasts the same situation as a real-life scenario and then from an emotionally freighted, deadpan cinematic point of view, catapulted Water Wild Month’s view count to some 3.5 million.

Funny and down-to-earth in a way that’s uniquely Hong Kong, these skits on Instagram have expanded Fung’s fanbase tremendously. He explains, “Our Instagram content is more about having fun. Ultimately, we want more people to know about us.” That’s led to advertisers jumping onto the channel, allowing him to focus solely on filmmaking.

While Instagram serves as a promotional platform, Water Wild Month’s YouTube channel is where Fung hones his cinematographic techniques. These short films allow him to experiment with various film styles, from the use of cameras and lighting to the delivery of the script. His emotional monologues have become a signature, showcasing a more sentimental side of his personality that’s normally hidden behind a comedic façade.

Water Wild Month’s videos have both Chinese and English subtitles, and Fung has a lofty goal: to transcend language barriers and reach a wider audience outside Hong Kong. It’s an impressive ask for humour that’s so distinctive to the city. But Fung’s dream remains the same. “I want to produce artistic, youthful works,” he says. Behind his dedication lies a simple fact: “Filmmaking is all I know.”

Now in his seventh year of filmmaking, Fung has come to realise that the path ahead isn’t an easy one. “At first, my goal was to earn a Hong Kong Film Award nomination before I turned 26. But after making a few short films, I’ve realised I need more time to polish my skills, especially in scriptwriting,” he says. “Next year, I plan to join the government’s First Feature Film Initiative to get funding for my debut movie. And as always, I’d like to write, direct and star.”

Fung emphasises the importance of continuous improvement and the value of constructive criticism. “People always say I copy Wong Kar-wai – I’m just glad that they can see a resemblance.” The first step in becoming a master is imitating the masters. Hong Kong may not need another Wong Kar-wai, but there’s certainly room for a Shawn Fung.

Favourite flicks

Fung on three of his top shorts:

1. The Person in the Painting

“This short film is one of my earlier works. It pays tribute to Japanese cinematography and captures the beauty of autumn really well. It’s the work I’m proudest of so far, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement.”

2. A Journey to the End of the World

“It’s full of dark humour and captures the absurdity of a romantic relationship. Looking back, I think this is the film where I’ve shown the most growth – but the pacing still needs work.”

3. Have You Ever Had a Special Dream? 

“I’ve always been fascinated by dreams ; they can feel so realistic, yet we know deep down that they’re just imaginary. The same can be said for romantic relationships.”