Mak started with the discussion on a selected sequence of his performance in the film “The Sparring Partner” with the guests and audience, revealing the preparation work he did for the character. He then went on to talk in detail about his acting career, since graduation from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and working as a full-time stage actor for the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, where he did his best in both small-scale and large-scale productions without fear of suffering losses. Mak said, “I told myself that I would be a full-time stage actor for five years at most, and then I must get out of my comfort zone and try in other positions.” Later, he started working on different short films until he got the lead role in “The Sparring Partner”. He added, “When I was doing stage plays, no one knew me; only after I shot my first film, everyone recognizes me and even asks to take photos with me on the street.” Mak encouraged the audience, “Don’t be afraid. Don’t give up on any opportunity”.

During the Q&A session, in response to enthusiastic feedback from the audience, Mak Pui Tung shared more about his thoughts on the differences between stage and film performances. He admitted that stage performance is an “art of regret” because actors perform live only at that specific moment, and the size of audience is limited. On the contrary, films can be more flexible to screen and distribute, reaching a wider audience. In terms of acting techniques, actors on stage need to deliver their lines and perform actions clearly for the audience to understand, while in films, they can be more subtle in their performances. Mak said, “After discussing the script with the director and immersing yourself in the character, you have to choose the best way to portray the character within the limited shooting time”.