Herman Yau

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Herman Yau Lai-To (born 1961) is a Hong Kong film director, actor, cinematographer, sciptwriter and producer.

Herman Yau Lai-To, a Chiuchow by origin (Chiuchow is located in Guangdong Province, PRC) was born in Hong Kong in 1961. He studied film at The Department of Communications, Hong Kong Baptist College (now known as "Hong Kong Baptist University") from 1981 to 1984. He spent much of his early days jamming with music lovers and making independent films.

Upon leaving school, Herman devoted most of his time working in the film industry, and writing for a number of magazine and newspapers as columnist and freelance writer. Herman has also participated in a number of productions including music videos for Chang Kuan, Jie Cheng-jiang, Anthony Wong, Jacky Cheung, Andy Hui and the American jazz player Eric Marienthal; TV commercials and promo for the Hong Kong Film Awards.

In the year of 1997 and 1998, Yau participated in the filming of a TV series produced by Radio Television Hong Kong. In 2003, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Independent Committee Against Corruption (ICAC), the ICAC produced a television drama series and invited Herman to direct one of the episodes.

Herman is also one of the founders of the cultural newspaper, Chinese Youth Weekly, and two movie magazines (these three periodicals have stopped releasing). Yau has also published two books of his own.

In the past years, he has involved himself in the production of more than 70 movies and led directorship in The Untold Story, The Untold Story III, War of the Under World, Walk In, Ebola Syndrome, Master Q 2001, From the Queen to the Chief Executive and the thriller series of Troublesome Night (one to six) etc.

It has taken more than 14 months to complete the 2001 blockbuster Master Q 2001. It is the first ever production in Greater China to incorporate real characters with 3D animation. It is also one of the greatest in magnitude in the history of Chinese film as far as special effects are concerned. In the same year, Herman was involved in another mega movie The Legend of Zu, as cinematographer, which also staged remarkable special effects.

In 2001, Herman was nominated as the Best Director for From the Queen to the Chief Executive in the 7th Golden Bauhinia Awards. Hong Kong Film Critics' Society and Hong Kong Film Critics' Association have awarded From the Queen to the Chief Executive the "Film of Merit" and 2001 Best Ten Chinese Movie respectively. In 2003, Herman was nominated again as the Best Director for Give Them A Chance.

Herman's films have also been shown in the Hong Kong International Film Festival and film festivals in Europe and the United States. The Untold Story and Ebola Syndrome were praised as "cult classic". Other than being invited as the opening movie the "Panorama" of the Berlin International Film Festival, From the Queen to the Chief Executive was awarded the Golden Torch Award by the International Catholic Organization for Cinema and Audiovisual.

In 1997, together with a group of people coming from different fields who share the same belief in writing and the power of words, Herman founded Step Forward which specializes in publication.

In 1999, Hong Kong Polytechnic University invited Herman as their first "Artist-in-Residence". For seven years, from 1996 to 2002, the Hong Kong Art Centre invited Herman to be a member of the jury for the "Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards".

In 2002 and 2003, Herman was invited as a consultant for the "Master Degree Programme in Multimedia and Entertainment Technology" and Art Consultant for the Hong Kong Art Development Board.