HONG KONG - With a swipe across his phone screen showing new photos from the venue's preparations, Andrew Lau Wai-keung's eyes lit up, not for a movie, but for a live spectacle he is helping to shape.

The renowned Hong Kong film director has taken on a new challenge, serving as chief producer of the opening ceremony for China's 15th National Games, along with the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games.

"To contribute to a grand event right at my doorstep is both a responsibility and an honor," Lau said in a recent interview with Xinhua. "I'm familiar with this place. It's like hosting guests in your own home and you want to show your best hospitality."

As the first National Games jointly hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, Lau hoped to create an audiovisual feast of international standards, showcasing China's grandeur, as well as the charm of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Lingnan culture.

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"I've always enjoyed being on set when making films. Now, the venue for the 15th National Games opening ceremony feels like a giant film set to me. I look forward to visiting it every day," Lau said. He was often the first to arrive, and during breaks, he checked props, looked over the dining area, and jokingly referred to himself as a "handyman".

The opening ceremony of the 15th National Games will be held on Nov 9 in Guangzhou, the capital city of Southern China's Guangdong province, following more than a year of preparation. "Filmmaking allows for slow refinement, but an opening ceremony needs a clear and complete framework from the very beginning," Lau said.

Lau is perhaps best known to the Western audience for his 2002 crime drama film Infernal Affairs, which later inspired the Academy Award-winning film The Departed.

His interest in film began in childhood. During secondary school, he developed a love for photography and later joined a film company, working his way from the production team to the cinematography crew, and gradually entering the film industry.

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This cross-disciplinary experience has been a pleasant surprise for the filmmaker. "To be part of such a large-scale event that captures nationwide attention is a rare experience compared to making films," he said with excitement.

In the early days of his career, Lau's mother encouraged him: "If you're going to do it, do it well. Don't lose face." That became Lau's motto. Later, he apprenticed under an elderly mentor who told him, "Making films is simple. Don't be lazy, and work hard. That's all it takes."

Now, he has poured the same dedication and passion he has carried throughout his film career into another grand production.

Since preparations for the 15th National Games began, commuting between Guangzhou and Hong Kong has become Lau's routine. While others might find it exhausting, he saw it differently.

"The high-speed rail takes less than an hour. Just put on some music, and you'll arrive before you've even fully woken up," he said, adding that the Greater Bay Area's "one-hour living circle" is not just about convenience, but also about emotional closeness.

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Having rooted himself in the Chinese mainland for over a decade, Lau has grown increasingly fond of Beijing's cinematic atmosphere, Shanghai's nightscapes, and Guangzhou's cuisine.

"Back in Hong Kong, filmmaking often came with certain limitations in terms of themes and settings. It wasn't until I came to the mainland that I realized there are so many great stories waiting to be told," he said.

Lau likened Hong Kong filmmakers' efficiency and mainland teams' depth to fine ingredients and slow cooking. "They simmer together into great works," he said.

As the ceremony drew near, Lau occasionally glanced at updates on his phone, catching brief glimpses of the venue and preparations in progress, picturing how the event would unfold.

"Everything is progressing as planned," he said. "The young teams from Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao are working together more smoothly. I hope we can present this Bay Area feast well on the night of the ceremony, and let everyone feel the strength of our unity."