The story begins with a movie called 四大天王 (Heavenly Kings), which is a Hong Kong-based movie produced by semi-famous actors about semi-famous actors starting a boy band. It’s a touch satirical. (It is also actor Daniel Wu’s directorial debut.)
The boy band itself is half-real, which means that they did go out and perform, but the songs are satirical and purposely horrible (I think?). I can’t quite figure out how much of it was just a fancy marketing vehicle for the movie.
Boy band and movie aside, the team (pictured above) have also decided to start a social networking sites to “promote artists” in Hong Kong, enlisting the help of one of the Rotten Tomatoes co-founders.
Even though it’s never explicitly defined, their use of the term “artist” seems to fall closer to the Hong Kong usage (actors/actresses or singers) rather than the broader dictionary definition.
For example, on the boy band’s last performance, they cited 16 axioms:
- We are worried about our future
- We have 300 directors, but only 30 films
- So many singers, where are the bands?
- Music is not just KTV
- Quality productions will win back our audience
- We need to innovate, not copy and follow
- Hong Kong needs to keep its identity
- Care about Hong Kong, Care about the entertainment industry
- A healthy creative environment requires diversity
- Invest in our future
- Without independent productions, the mainstream will not progress
- Support Indie music / indie films
Unfortunately, the social networking site, Alive Not Dead, just seems like another MySpace clone. Despite what they say, the pitch seems to be: Look! Famous artists are on here! You should join too! (There is a profile picture for Jet Li on the front page.)
And the project? So far, it still looks like the plaything of a group of well-connected people in the industry, but only time will tell if it takes off.
In the meantime, get yourself an Alive Not Dead trucker hat:
