Spotlight on film music composer, Thomas Foguenne

Spotlight on film music composer, Thomas Foguenne

2022-09-21

Immigrants from all over the world come to Taiwan where they find work, start families and contribute to making the island so special. In today’s installment of "An Immigrant Story" we meet Thomas Foguenne, an award-winning film score composer and pianist from Belgium.FTV reporter Stephany Yang sat down with Foguenne to find out more about his work.

His fingers fly across the piano keyboard. This is award-winning composer Thomas Foguenne. Foguenne came to Taiwan 12 years ago, and since then, he has created over 80 music pieces for documentaries, features, dance performances, theater plays, commercials and more.

Thomas Foguenne
Film music composer
I came to Taiwan for the first time 12 years ago to visit friends. I was on holiday, but I loved it so I came one more time and then again. One thing leading to another, I started to study Chinese here. I started to work. I got married. Something that inspires me and always me are stories, telling stories. So that’s why I got interested in film music. That’s something that I got to develop here in Taiwan.

He won Best Sound and Music at the Golden Bell Awards for “The Cat in the Closet" in 2016, and for "The Thorn" in 2018. He said much of his inspirations came from different music, films and personal experiences that he encounters.

Thomas Foguenne
Film music composer
Composers and film music composers are two very different jobs. As a film music composer you are a film-maker. You’re taking part of the making of a film. For that, you have to consider yourself as a film-maker. You have to watch films, understand films. Not just doing music on the side. That would be my main advice.

Based in Europe and Taiwan, Foguenne graduated from the Royal Academy of Music of Mons where he studied orchestra conducting, electroacoustic music, contemporary music composition, piano, chamber music, and harmony and music theory. Foguenne is also a teacher in both Taiwan and Belgium. With his extensive experience in the music industry, he says he hopes to continue to share his knowledge with students in both Taiwan and Belgium.

Thomas Foguenne
Film music composer
Teaching is a job that you learn as much as you teach. That’s something that I get a lot out of. You spend time with young people. You see their struggles and you see their talents. Of course, you have a lot of chances for you to prepare the class and learn a lot of things. I love it.

In August 2022, Foguenne was granted citizenship by Taiwan’s Ministry of Interior. Foguenne says he strives to continue producing music and giving back to his two homes: Belgium and Taiwan.

電影配樂師福多瑪分享在台落地生根的心路歷程

2022-09-21

有很多從不同國家來的新住民，在台灣這塊土地上奮鬥、開啟不一樣的人生。今天我們要來認識，來自比利時的電影配樂師福多瑪，在台灣落地生根的心路歷程。

指尖在琴鍵上飛舞著，屢獲殊榮的作曲家福多瑪12年前來到台灣，至今累積了80多首音樂創作，範圍涵蓋紀錄片、影片、舞蹈劇、戲劇、廣告等。

[[電影作曲家福多瑪]]
"12年前我第一次來台灣探訪朋友，我當時是度假，但我很愛台灣，所以我一直來。接著，我開始在這裡學習中文，我開始工作了，我也在這結婚了。講故事是一直激勵我向前的原動力，這就是我對電影配樂感興趣的原因，也是我在台灣發展的重點"

2016年，福多瑪以《衣櫃裡的貓》獲得金鐘獎最佳音效獎，兩年後，作品《棘》讓他再度獲得拿下金鐘獎。福多瑪說，不同的音樂、電影和個人經歷都是自己靈感的來源。

[[電影作曲家福多瑪]]
"作曲家和電影配樂師是兩個截然不同的工作，當電影配樂師等於是電影製作人，一同參與一部電影的製作，所以必須將自己當作是電影製作人，你必須看電影，了解電影，不只是做音樂，這是我的建議"

福多瑪畢業於「比利時皇家音樂學院」，學習樂團指揮、電子音樂、當代音樂創作、鋼琴、室內樂、和弦及樂理。憑藉在音樂界的豐富經驗，福多瑪也投身教育業，希望將他的知識分享給比利時及台灣兩地的學生。

[[電影作曲家福多瑪]]
"教學這項工作，你能學到的和教的一樣多，我從中得到很多，花時間和年輕人在一起，可以看到他們的奮鬥，看到他們的才華。當然，自己也有很多機會在準備課程時學習很多東西，我熱愛教學"

2022年8月，福多瑪歸化為台灣人，他說會持續致力於音樂製作，藉此回饋自己的兩個家鄉：比利時和台灣。

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So far, three of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies have spoken up for Taiwan at this year’s United Nations General Assembly. They are Paraguay, the Marshall Islands and Guatemala, all of whom advocated for Taiwan’s inclusion in the U.N. system. In additing to calling for Taiwan’s admission as a full member, Guatemala’s president went as far as calling for Taiwan to be recognized as a nation. More allies are expected to speak up for Taiwan in the coming days.

The General Debate of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly has opened in person for the first time since COVID. Three of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies voiced support for Taiwan on Day One of the debate.

Mario Abdo Benitez
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My country underscores our support for the request of the Republic of China, Taiwan to be a full member of the United Nations system. We are convinced of the valuable contribution that its participation would make to the multilateral system.

The president of Paraguay voiced support for Taiwan to join the U.N. system, and took the opportunity to express his solidarity with the Taiwanese people after Sunday’s earthquake in Taitung. In the afternoon session, the president of the Marshall Islands devoted two and a half minutes protesting Taiwan’s unfair treatment.

David Kabua
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Today, we call on the U.N. to better welcome Taiwan and its people into our global family. How long will the U.N. persist in closing its doors and thereby denying access to the people of Taiwan? The United Nations circle of unity will remain incomplete without Taiwan and its people.

The president of Guatemala did not name names, but heavily implied that China was preventing Taiwan from joining the U.N. and being recognized as a nation.

Alejandro Giammattei Falla
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Within these reforms, ensure the right of Taiwan to belong to this organization and also recognize it as a nation. Because it has been denied this right by one of the permanent members of the Security Council.

Of the four Taiwan allies speaking on Day One, only Honduras did not make any mention of Taiwan. The country is led by Xiomara Castro, whose term began in January this year, after an electoral campaign advocating for cutting ties with Taiwan. It marks the seventh year in a row that Honduras does not mention Taiwan in the General Debate.

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The U.S. Seventh Fleet announced last night that it had conducted another routine transit of the Taiwan Strait. This time around, it was the destroyer USS Higgins that sailed across the strait with the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Vancouver. In a statement, the seventh fleet stated that the transit demonstrated the commitment of the U.S. and its allies to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The transit comes just days after U.S. President Joe Biden said in an interview that the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense in the event of a Chinese attack.

Scott Pelley
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So unlike Ukraine, to be clear, sir, U.S. forces, U.S. men and women would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.

Joe Biden
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Yes.

In an exclusive interview on CBS “60 Minutes,” U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. would defend Taiwan in a Chinese invasion. After the comments, the White House came out to reiterate that its stance on Taiwan remained unchanged. It is the fourth time that Biden says in public that the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense in a Chinese attack.

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He was asked a very similar question back in Tokyo in May. He gave a similar answer in Tokyo in May that he gave in the “60 Minutes” interview. “Have you just announced a major policy change?” And he said, “No, I have not.” Well, as the President said in his interview on “60 Minutes,” we continue to stand behind the “One China” policy. We continue to stand against unilateral changes to the status quo. And we continue to stand for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The president has reiterated those basic commitments on every occasion that he’s talked about Taiwan, including in this interview.

And the U.S. is not just showing support for Taiwan with words. The U.S. Seventh Fleet on Tuesday night confirmed that the USS Higgins and the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Vancouver had conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit earlier in the day. It added that the transit demonstrated the commitment of the U.S. and its allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Catherine Colonna
French minister of foreign affairs
The status quo, which is the current situation in the area, should not be challenged — neither by China nor by anyone else.

The French foreign minister spoke up for Taiwan in New York, where the United Nations General Assembly is underway. And more support has come from other foreign dignitaries. After a bilateral meeting on Tuesday, U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio released a joint statement condemning China’s recent provocations over Taiwan. In recent days, more and more countries have spoken up against China, while standing up for Taiwan.

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Face masks roll off a production line. A political candidate’s card is placed on each one before they are packaged. Then a sticker is added by hand, and these campaign mementos are ready to leave the busy factory.

Yang Ssu-min
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The mask factory is working flat out, with 18 machines working at full speed, all in an effort to get these campaign materials out as fast as possible.

As electioneering ramps up, candidates are giving out all kinds of flyers and leaflets at events. Many printers are totally booked up with orders, there’s so much demand. This production line is expected to be running 13 hours a day from now until November, producing 300,000 masks a day.

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In the past it was always packs of tissues that were campaign promotional products. Now, because mask production costs are low, and you can package them individually, it’s changed a lot. We used to place the candidate’s card behind the pack of tissues. We don’t do that now. You can print it on the whole mask. You can also put a card in with the mask.

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A battalion of marines in determined poses. Leaning slightly forward, they are ready to spring forward in an instant. Each figure has a clear role.

Fang Hui-kuang
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When the marines advance, it’s professional knowledge which type of soldier will take up which position. Where does the mortar go? Where do the artillerymen go? So once I had confirmed those things, I could start making my artistic plans. The work has a rather flowery name: “The Key to Victory.”

Fang Hui-kuang was commissioned by the armed forces to create a copper sculpture for this spot. It’s taken more than two years since he first began to envision the piece to its unveiling. These nine copper figures were smelted at temperatures over 1,000 degrees. Now they sit near Zuoying Naval Base on a street corner, a site of contact between the military and local civilians.

Fang Hui-kuang
Sculptor
I think that the moment when a marine unit seizes a beachhead is the most stunning. In that moment, no matter what their training is or how patriotic, or what moral fortitude, courage or abilities they have, it’s a totally shocking scene.

In the sunshine, the copper reflects that shocking moment even more vividly. Fang wanted his work to express the glory in a scene of soldiers charging past enemy lines to protect their home and country.

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Also, at the Marine History Museum next door, they tell the history of the marines, so that people can get closer to the military in their daily lives, and understand soldiers and battalions, the responsibility they have to fight tirelessly for our country and our society.

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