Lou Yi-An Visits NCCU to Share His Creative Journey, Inspiring Students' Passion for Storytelling

Reported by Chiang Yu-Jiun

Director Lou Yi-An was invited to give a lecture at the International Leadership in Communication of College of Communication at National Chengchi University (NCCU) on May 23, where he shared his creative journey and life experiences with students. He began with a lighthearted yet sincere tone, noting that although he has often returned to campuses for film screenings, participating in a class as a guest speaker felt especially meaningful this time.

His upcoming drama series Our Bar is set to premiere on MyVideo on May 30. The ten-episode series blends themes of mixology, everyday life, and human nature, and has been described as a Taiwanese version of Midnight Diner.

However, behind its seemingly lighthearted tone, the series faced numerous production challenges. Lou admitted that filming in the bar setting was quite demanding. Since actors could not consume alcohol during filming, the production team had to focus heavily on creating realism — everything from the look of non-alcoholic drinks to the preservation of ice cubes had to be carefully designed.

When discussing his collaboration with actors, Lou especially shared the background of his frequent partnership with actor Morning Mo. He emphasized that while many people assume they are a fixed creative duo, these collaborations have mostly stemmed from practical production considerations. He also spoke about his experiences working with other actors such as Huang Pei-Jia, Wang Yu-Hsuan, and veteran actor Cheng Chih-Wei, offering concrete examples of their professionalism and on-set interactions. These stories gave students a more tangible understanding of the filmmaking process.

As for future plans, Lou revealed that he is currently developing a new feature film titled Dream Serpent, which will return to themes rooted in social issues and historical context. The story incorporates real-world social materials and spans three different eras, aiming to be a work grounded in both realism and historical narrative.

Reflecting on his own academic journey, Lou admitted that he once questioned the practicality of what he learned in university. However, over time, he came to recognize how philosophy and film theory have deeply influenced his creative thinking. “Often, we don't know how certain knowledge will ferment and grow at the start — but eventually, it surfaces and shapes the way we tell stories.”

樓一安訪政大分享創作歷程，激勵學生創作魂

江昱君 / 報導

導演樓一安於5月23日受邀到政大傳播學院的傳播國際領袖課程進行講座，與學生分享人生創作歷程。導演以輕鬆而誠懇的語氣開場，表示雖然過去時常因放映活動回到校園，但此次以講者身份參與課堂，讓他感受特別。他的新影集《喝酒吧！笨蛋》即將在 5 月 30 日於 MyVideo 上線，全劇共十集，融合調酒、生活與人性故事，被形容為台版《深夜食堂》。

然而，這部看似輕鬆的影集背後，其實歷經諸多挑戰。樓導坦言，酒吧場景的拍攝過程其實相當艱辛，由於演員無法在拍攝過程中飲酒，劇組須在細節上極力追求真實，包括無酒精飲品外觀、冰塊保存等都須精心設計。

談及與演員的合作，樓一安特別分享與莫子儀多次合作的緣由與過程。他強調，儘管外界時常認為兩人是「固定搭檔」，但實際多為劇組現實考量所致。此外，他也分享與其他演員如黃姵嘉、王渝萱與資深演員鄭志偉的合作經驗，並舉實例說明其專業表現與現場互動，讓學生對影視製作流程有更具體理解。

對於未來規劃，樓一安透露，目前正在籌備的新作《夢蛇》將回歸更具社會關懷與時代背景的題材。故事融合了許多真實社會素材，跨越三個時代，是一部更具現實感與歷史脈絡的長片。

回顧自身求學歷程，樓一安坦言大學所學曾讓他一度質疑其實用性，但隨著時間推移，他逐漸理解哲學與影像理論對其創作的深層影響。「很多時候，我們並不是在一開始就知道那些知識會如何發酵，但它們終究會在某個時刻浮現、影響你說故事的方式。」

Professor Jim Liu (left) and Director Lou Yi-An (right) engage in a conversation and share insights during the session.

Students attending the lecture on site.

Professor Jim Liu (right) and Director Lou Yi-An (left) take a group photo with the students.