- Name: 劉三郎
- Born: 1969
- Birthplace: Huatan Township, Changhua
- Did You Know That …?
- Director Chung Mong-hong (鍾孟宏), who has known him for over a decade, describes Saburo Liu as "someone who doesn't just understand focus, he understands movies and scripts as well. Whenever we’re on location, he quietly sets about assembling his stuff, and then when the time comes, he’ll be in the corner adjusting the focus."
Saburo Liu, winner of the Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year award at the 55th Golden Horse Awards, is well-known in the Taiwanese cinema world as a veteran focus puller. His passion for film and professional dedication have led him to make substantial contributions to the local film industry.
In 1988, Liu enrolled in the Film Technology Section at Shih Hsin College of Journalism (now Shih Hsin University), and after graduating, he joined Arrow Cinematic Group (阿榮片廠). The first film he worked on was Edward Yang's (楊德昌) "A Confucian Confusion (獨立時代)" in 1994, but it was Chu Yu-ning's (瞿友寧) 1995 film "Stone on the Corner (街頭石子)" that saw him first work as a focus puller. In the 20-plus years since, he has continued to refine his craft, working on films including "The Cabbie (運轉手之戀)," "Double Vision (雙瞳)," and "The Great Buddha+ (大佛普拉斯)."
The job of a focus puller is, in part, to keep precise track of the distance between cameras and actors throughout the course of shooting and make adjustments to the cameras’ focus as needed to ensure the focal length adjusts like the human eye does. It is a line of work that is equal parts science and art.
In 2018, at the 55th Golden Horse Awards, Liu was honored with the Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year award for his contributions to both the artistic and technical sides of Taiwanese film through his work as a focus puller.
Upon accepting the award, Liu dedicated it to his parents: "They have been the motivation that has driven me forward, supporting me and making it possible for me to [even] make it so far."
He also thanked the cinematographers he has worked with for "the opportunities you’ve given me," and singled out Chung Mong-hong (鍾孟宏) as the director who has made the films he is most happy to have been part of. Liu also mentioned that there have been tough moments over the past two decades, including eight months where he was completely out of work, but fortunately had people who were willing to help him get by.
Liu concluded that he will continue to play the role of "model worker" on the set, commenting with a smile that the award was "a seal of quality for [his] work."