Chan to cast minor roles via cellphone app

Hong Kong director Gordon Chan plans to use a cellphone app to cast some roles in his new film, Mei Ah Entertainment announced on Oct 14 in Beijing.

His new project will be a romantic comedy, Chan said, which needs some new faces. Those wanting to join the cast can upload their videos onto 116, a cellphone application for video sharing.

The preliminary selection will be decided by cellphone users who can vote from Oct 14 through Dec 14. The 20 finalists will then take part in a contest, which will be broadcast live online on Dec 25. The winners will play supporting roles in the film and obtain management contracts with Mei Ah Entertainment, which will produce the film.

It will be the first time for a Chinese film to cast actors by using a cellphone application.

Chan, a senior Hong Kong filmmaker and president of the Hong Kong Film Awards, has mainly worked on the Chinese mainland since 2008. The two titles in his fantasy epic Painted Skin series have been some of the best performing films in recent years.