Ngong Ping 360`s first cross-over project with Monster Hunt Director

CA17/2015
For Immediate Release
Ngong Ping 360’s first cross-over project with Monster Hunt Director
Mr Raman Hui, Oscar winner for Best Animated Feature
Wuba Cabins to debut and sparkling activities to launch
Supporting the local creative industry in partnership with Very Hong Kong
(Hong Kong, 15 June 2015) Ngong Ping 360 has always strived to generate novel ideas. In a
first for the company, we are collaborating with the creator of Shrek, Mr Raman Hui, marking
a wave of sparkling activities this summer.
World-class Hong Kong tourist destination to cross-over with Oscar-winning creator for the
first time
As a major home-grown tourist destination, Ngong Ping 360 has always been an advocate
for local art and show business. Following the launch of “Stage 360”, an attraction themed
around Hong Kong’s Kung Fu movie, and the Lantau-themed “Motion 360”, we are
collaborating with local movie director who is dubbed “Father of Shrek”, Mr Raman Hui, for
the first time. Ngong Ping Cable Cars and Ngong Ping Village will be enlivened by Wuba, the
hero of Hui’s latest production, Monster Hunt – an animated fantasy that was in
development for 6 years. Amid the current challenging environment for the tourism and
creative industries, this collaboration will showcase the Hong Kong spirit and foster tourism
and creative industries development.
The two collaborators have much in common: both are winners of international accolades
with Hong Kong origins, and both are living examples of Hong Kong’s very own Lion Rock
spirit. Both also unceasingly pursue excellence and show strong determination. Ngong Ping
360 and Mr Hui are joining forces to highlight to both local and overseas guests what makes
Hong Kongers proud – a world-class destination and the local creative industry. Launched in
June, the cross-over features Wuba Cabins, cable cars decorated with touches of Hong
Kong, and a range of events and activities, combining one of the world’s top ten amazing
cable car rides and an opportunity to get up close and personal with the home-grown
animated characters of Monster Hunt.
Dr Stella Kwan, Managing Director of Ngong Ping 360, Mr Hui, Monster Hunt Director, and Ms
Sandra Ng, named Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards, are the officiating guests for
the kick off ceremony of Ngong Ping 360 x Monster Hunt today. Dr Kwan said that “this is the
very first cross-sector collaboration between Hong Kong’s world-class tourist destination and
an Oscar-winning creator. I hope that the sparkles of Hong Kong’s tourism and film industries
can help attract more local and overseas visitors and movie-goers to experience the natural
scenery of Hong Kong, and to appreciate the city’s distinguished creative arts”. She went
on to explain that “Hong Kong is the home to talents, and Ngong Ping 360 wishes to play its
part to support the sustainable development of our home-grown creative industry with Mr
Raman Hui and Hong Kong citizens. We hope our efforts contribute to the grooming of more
people we can call the ‘pride of Hong Kong’”.
Mr Hui said that “recognised as among the ‘10 of the world’s most amazing cable car
experiences, Ngong Ping 360 is a tourist spot with many Hong Kong characteristics and is
close to nature. I really look forward to this cross-over because my characters are strongly
associated with traditional culture and nature! Wuba and Zhugao will definitely be delighted
here”.
Monster Hunt main character Wuba appears on Ngong Ping cable car cabins and in Ngong Ping
Village
Ten Wuba Cabins in two versions designed by Mr Hui are launched, combining elements of
Ngong Ping 360 and Monster Hunt and the cute lead character Wuba in various poses.
Guests can be able to use the pictures as backdrops for capturing memorable cable car
moments. There are a special edition Wuba Cabin featuring not only pictures of Wuba,
Pangying and Zhugao, but also Jing Boran, Bai Baihe, Eric Tsang and Sandra Ng, the four
leading roles in Monster Hunt.
Eight tailor-made statues of Wuba, designed by actors Sandra Ng and Eric Tsang; Cantonese
voice actors Cherry Ngan and Louis Cheung; and four students or graduates of architecture,
design and arts recommended by Very Hong Kong1, will be exhibited around Hong Kong
(see attachment 1). Among them, statues designed by Sandra Ng, Eric Tsang and two
students have made their debut appearance at Ngong Ping 360 – at the Tung
Chung/Ngong Ping Cable Car Terminals and Ngong Ping Village, offering guests with the
opportunity to take pictures with Wuba. At the kick-off ceremony, Sandra Ng was delighted
to present her statue, naming it Prince Charming because Wuba is a newborn monster
prince in film. She further explained that the lovely floral print around the statue’s body was
inspired by nature and her own glamorous look in Monster Hunt.
To support the home-grown creative industry and encourage wider public participation,
guests will be able to ride in Wuba Cabins for an additional HK$50 on 16-22 June. This special
offer is inclusive of priority ticketing and a Monster Hunt souvenir. The first guest to purchase a
Wuba Cabin ticket each day will receive two tickets to the Monster Hunt Gala Premiere.
1
Very Hong Kong is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to promote community-led art, culture and designs. It nurtures and
develops creative Hong Kong talents by organising innovative events and activities.
Ngong Ping 360 and Monster Hunt will donate all proceeds from this special offer 2 to Very
Hong Kong, as a contribution to promoting local creative arts. The offer thus adds special
meaning to the cable car journey in support of the local community.
On Saturdays and Sundays between 16 June and 5 July, the live character Wuba will appear
in Ngong Ping Village from time to time to meet and greet visitors. Guests will be able to take
advantage of these all-direction interactive encounters and take pictures with the adorable
and cuddly character.
Visitors to Ngong Ping 360 will also be able to win Wuba gifts by joining the Hunt-a-Monster
game between 16 June and 5 July. Following clues on a map, guests will be able to collect
five monster stamps in various locations at Ngong Ping Village to redeem a daily limitededition plush Wuba or a Wuba souvenir. These will be offered on a first-come, first-served
basis, and will be available while stocks last.
Dr Stella Kwan, Managing Director of Ngong Ping 360 added, “June is a low season for the
tourism industry in Hong Kong and the slowdown in overnight inbound tourist numbers has
persisted in recent months. The average daily number of visitors to Ngong Ping 360 from
January to May this year recorded a 5.5% decrease, compared to the same period last year.
From January to May this year, 29% of the guests came from China, 49% of the guests came
from Western and Asian countries while 22% were Hong Kong residents. Hong Kong is a
potential market, we believe that our cross-over with Monster Hunt will further boost local
visitation numbers, such that more Hong Kong people will come to visit Ngong Ping 360.
About Ngong Ping 360
Ngong Ping 360 is a world-class tourist attraction located on Lantau Island in Hong Kong that offers
an exciting gateway to a one-of-a-kind natural and cultural experience. The Ngong Ping Cable Car
stretches 5.7km from Tung Chung to the culturally themed Ngong Ping Village, where guests can
enjoy a range of dining, shopping and entertaining outlets as well as easy access to other featured
attractions on Lantau Island, including Tian Tan Big Buddha, Wisdom Path and Tai O Fishing Village.
The Ngong Ping Cable Car is a rare example of a bi-cable gondola lift system, and it is also the
biggest aerial cable car of its kind in Asia. It offers a visually spectacular 25-minute journey with
panoramic views of the flora and fauna of North Lantau Country Park, Tung Chung Bay and Hong
Kong International Airport.
After receiving the CILT Award 2013 – Enterprise Award presented by the Chartered Institute of
Logistics and Transport in Hong Kong (CILTHK) in May, Ngong Ping 360 was selected as one of the
“Cable cars: 10 amazing rides around the world” in June 2014 by The Daily Telegraph UK and named
as one of the “10 of the world’s most amazing cable car experiences” by CNN.com USA in February
2015.
2
All HK$50 of the upgrade fee paid by each guest for the special offer will be donated.
About the Film
Monster Hunt is the latest creation of Mr Raman Hui, widely recognised as the “Father of Shrek”. It
took 6 years and cost HK$440 million to complete this fantasy epic, with both live actors and
computer-generated characters. The production featured a world famous Hollywood crew,
including Jason H. Snell, winner of the Best Achievement in Visual Effects award at the 79 th Oscar
Academy Awards for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest; Yohei Taneda, 6-time winner of
the Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction award at the Japanese Academy Awards; and Ellen
Poon, known for her work on Frozen, Inception and Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
Monster Hunt will be in theatres from 16 July.
Synopsis of “Monster Hunt”
In theatres from 16 July
In a fantasy world a long time ago, monsters and humans live separately. One day, a mysterious
couple (played by Sandra Ng and Eric Tsang) escape to a village with the pregnant Queen of
monsters. They meet kind Tianyin (played by Jing Boran) and monster fighter Xiaolan (played by Bai
Baihe) on their journey. Tianyin, though male, accidentally becomes pregnant and gives birth to the
little monster prince Wuba. Ge Qianhu (played by Wallace Chung) then offers a rich reward to
anyone who can track Wuba down. Xiaolan leaves the village with Tianyin on a magical voyage to
claim the reward. They meet a monster trader (played by Tang Wei), a magical cook (played by Yao
Chen) and others along the way. Meanwhile, Wuba’s birth has caused a mystical change in Tianyin
and Xiaolan’s relationship, and a big secret has been disclosed . . .
Director: Raman Hui
Cast: Bai Baihe, Jing Boran, Eric Tsang, Sandra Ng, Tang Wei, Wallace Chung, Yao Chen
Language: Cantonese (with simplified Chinese and English subtitles)
Trailer: https://youtu.be/B-ESS5EWLK4
Media Enquiries
Vicky Lau
Head of Corporate Affairs
Ngong Ping 360 Limited
Tel：(852) 6384 0976
Email：ca@np360.com.hk
Sharon Law
Corporate Affairs Manager
Ngong Ping 360 Limited
Tel：(852) 6388 2360
Email：ca@np360.com.hk
Media Enquiries (About the film)
Dabbie Chan
Assistant PR Manager
Kingmart Advertising Company
Tel：(852) 9199 5310
Email：chandabbie@kingmartad.com.hk
Jayce Shi
Marketing & PR Officer
Kingmart Advertising Company
Tel：(852) 2528 8071
Email：shijayce@kingmartad.com.hk
Attachment 1 - About the statues of Wuba in Monster Hunt
Eight statues of Wuba tailor-made for the movie Monster Hunt, designed by actors Sandra Ng and
Eric Tsang; voice actors Cherry Ngan and Louis Cheung; and four students or graduates of
architecture, design and art recommended by Very Hong Kong, will be exhibited around Hong Kong.
“Just Wuba It” - by Eric Tsang
As Wuba is a world-class movie star, we would like to invite him to
join our “All Stars Soccer Team”. A cross-over of a monster and
soccer, what a terrific idea!
“ Prince Charming” – by Sandra Ng
The floral print is inspired by the nature in spring time. Healthy and
cute Wuba likes taking an outdoor stroll. No wonder he is so popular!
“ Summer Idol” - by Cherry Ngan
This summer baby Wuba wears vest with shorts to showcase his
easygoing character. Wuba’s chic style not only makes him a
worldwide fashion icon, and also brings him the title of “Cute
Monster King”.
“Map of Love” – by Louis Cheung
It is easy for Wuba to get lost from his parents because he often
wanders in forests. With his name and a map painted on his body,
he will never has such trouble anymore. Doesn’t this make Wuba
look cool too?
Students/ graduates recommended by Very Hong Kong, which promotes local creative
and cultural activities
“Wuba & dear dolphin” - by Aimee Mak
Many human activities are damaging the marine ecology and
putting marine life in danger. Little Chinese white dolphin is homeless
and Wuba wants find it a place to stay.
“Wuba Wun” - by Philippa Ho
Wuba’s colourful skin depicts his quest to bring unity between
mankind and monster. Rosy cheeks reflect Wuba’s warm nature. His
eyes celebrate the film director’s beginnings in Hong Kong. Among
clouds where strange creatures fly lies possibility. Wuba’s third eye
sees the potential future of the two races.
“Monster of Forgotten the City- Life between the Concrete Crack” by Stefan Chui
Hong Kong - high-density city. There are some hidden spaces. The
green element in abandoned building grows and becomes a part
of the building. It tries to grow in the densest urban space, striving to
survive.
“ A Bowl of Rice” - by Emily Yan
Everyone needs a bowl of rice. In lacking or abundance I will never
disappoint you. Take me in and I will satisfy, be fulfilled in the depths
of your heart. I give comfort and warmth and cuddles if you may. I
am a bowl of rice. Taste me, embrace me and let me suffice.
Attachment 2 – Photos
1. A special edition Wuba Cabin designed by Mr Raman Hui.
2. Ngong Ping 360 collaborates with an Oscar Awards-Winning creator for the first time, the
ground-breaking cross-sector collaboration enables guests to enjoy “10 of the world’s most
amazing cable car experiences” and to appreciate the distinguished creative arts.
3. Officiating guests sign on the two statues of Wuba designed by Ms Sandra Ng and Mr Eric
Tsang respectively.
4. Officiating guests hang the wishing card on the wishing shrine, hoping the Hong Kong
tourism and creative industries to flourish.
5. An art student and a design graduate who designed the statues of Wuba.
6. (From left)Dr Stella Kwan, Managing Director of Ngong Ping 360, Mr Raman Hui, director of
Monster Hunt and Ms Sandra Ng, named Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards officiate the
kick-off ceremony of “Ngong Ping 360 x Monster Hunt”.