Max Tsui (Chinese: 徐耀宗; born October 29, 1979, in Munich, Germany) is a German commercial director and cinematographer.[1]

Early Life and Education

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Max Tsui was born to parents of Hong Kong origin in Munich. He studied cinematography at the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts from 2004 to 2015.

Career

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In 2006, Max Tsui was the Director of Photography for “Mittendrin – Ninas Welt”, a pioneering German series specifically designed for mobile devices. The series, produced in collaboration with O2, told the story of a young woman with a gift for seeing the truth in others, navigating love and self-discovery after learning she is terminally ill.[2][3] At a time when mobile internet was still in its infancy and recording on hard drives was uncommon, Tsui pushed boundaries by experimenting with new technologies to adapt to the data limitations of mobile platforms. His work set a standard for future mobile content, combining technical innovation with compelling visual storytelling.

Steampunk Coke (2015)

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In 2015, Tsui’s breakthrough came with Steampunk Coke, a Coca-Cola commercial that combined steampunk aesthetics with advanced visual effects. The project won the Young Director Award at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and cemented his reputation for innovative, visually striking advertisements. His ability to incorporate advanced VFX while maintaining narrative integrity became a hallmark of his work.[4] [5][6][7]

Music Video Collaborations

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Tsui worked extensively with notable directors, including Baris Aladag[8], on music videos for artists such as Jean-Michel Jarre [9] and Philipp Dittberner[10], achieving millions of views on YouTube.

Tsui gained viral success with the Star Wars-inspired fan film Darth Maul: Apprentice (2016)[11][12][13], which earned millions of views on YouTube. His cinematography contributed to the film’s popularity, and it was awarded Best Video of the Year at the Webvideoaward Germany in 2016.[14]

International Recognition

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Tsui’s work has received recognition beyond Europe. His commercials and films have been showcased at festivals in the United States, including the Los Angeles Web Series Festival, where World of Wolfram (2016)[15], another notable web series, received multiple awards[16][17][18]. His unique style has been praised for its ability to blend cutting-edge technology with strong visual narratives.

Work in Uzbekistan

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While Tsui’s international career remains his primary focus, he has also worked on projects in Uzbekistan, including the 2018 action-thriller Scorpion [19][20][21], which was filmed in Uzbekistan, Russia, and Morocco. The film, directed by Muhlisa Azizova, opened the 4th Prologue International Film Festival in Tashkent [22]

Filmography

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As Director

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Year Project (Selection) Brand
2007 “In an Absolute World” Absolut Vodka
2008 “Wendekreis” Nissan Micra
2015 Steampunk Coke Coca-Cola
2017 “The Inner Voice” Sennheiser

As Cinematographer

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Year Project (Selection) Director
2006 Nina’s Welt Jens Fischer
2016 Darth Maul: Apprentice Shawn Bu
2016 World of Wolfram Lutz Heineking jr.
2018 Scorpion Mukhlisa Azizova
2020 Die Pfefferkörner Daniel Drechsel-Grau, Philipp Scholz

Awards

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Year Award (Selection) Project
2015 ANDY Award Steampunk Coke
2015 Young Director Award Steampunk Coke
2015 Art Directors Club Deutschland (ADC) Nachwuchswettbewerb Steampunk Coke
2016 Webvideopreis Deutschland (Best Video of the Year) Darth Maul: Apprentice
2017 LA Web Series Festival (Outstanding Cinematography Comedy) World of Wolfram
2017 LA Web Series Festival (Outstanding Visual Effects Comedy) World of Wolfram
2018 Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards (Best Director) Sennheiser Audiophile Range

References

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  1. ^ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2266182/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
  2. ^ https://kress.de/news/beitrag/78367-zweite-staffel-der-handy-soap-quot-mittendrin-quot.html
  3. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnmxWn0jHYI
  4. ^ "Coca-cola: "Coca-Cola Steampunk" Film by Fh Dortmund FB Design - AdsSpot Advertising Archive".
  5. ^ "FIRST PRIZE // Steampunk Coke".
  6. ^ https://www.shots.net/news/view/87815-cfp-e-shots-yda-max-tsui
  7. ^ https://filmfreeway.com/steampunk-coke
  8. ^ https://www.turkuaz.global/celebrities/item/baris-aladag
  9. ^ "Jean-Michel Jarre, Little Boots - If..!". YouTube. 29 August 2015.
  10. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=77Nkm80BB-c
  11. ^ https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2021/08/jedi-and-sith-fight-to-the-death-in-darth-maul-apprentice.html
  12. ^ https://oneroomwithaview.com/2016/03/07/short-week-darth-maul-apprentice/
  13. ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5529680/?language=de-de
  14. ^ ""Darth Maul: Apprentice" ist das Web-Video des Jahres". 8 November 2019.
  15. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiOFqSeWjUQ
  16. ^ http://captionedwebtv.blogspot.com/2017/09/world-of-wolfram.html
  17. ^ https://riowebfest.net/en/2017-3/
  18. ^ https://www.rtbf.be/article/la-theorie-du-y-jezabel-et-euh-selectionnees-au-webfest-berlin-9641997
  19. ^ "Cannes International festival winner Max Tsui visits Tashkent – uzbekembassy".
  20. ^ https://www.uzdaily.uz/en/uzbekistan-to-film-thriller-scorpion/
  21. ^ https://www.uzbekembassy.in/scorpion-calls-for-vigilance/
  22. ^ "PROlogue International Film Festival kicks off in Tashkent – uzbekembassy".