Late last year, I posted a casting call for a narrative short film about the Japanese American internment, A Crossroad Called Manzanar, written and directed by Cindy Fang, and co-written by Alice Kim. The film, shot back in December, is currently in post-production. You can watch the trailer here.
So far, it's looking like a really nicely produced film. According to the film's website, they are currently trying to raise funds to meet the rest of their post-production and leftover production costs. A Crossroad Called Manzanar is a nonprofit Independent Feature Project, and they will gladly accept your tax-deductible donations.
More Census fun for the whole family! APICount.com is sponsoring a 2010 Census PSA Contest, calling on folks to create 30-60 second video about how the Census is safe, easy and important for Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Here's some contest info:
Our Communities Need to be Counted in Census 2010!
Asian and Pacific Islander Communities are underrepresented by Census numbers, but you can help change that! Help get the word out by making a 30 – 60 second video about how the Census is safe, easy and important. Your video could screen at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific American Film Fest 2010, be seen nationally, and win you the grand prize of $3000! Fill out an entry form at www.apicount.com and get started now!!! Deadline for entries is March 26th, 2010.
Top Four Prize Categories
$500 for Best Asian Language Census Message (must have English subtitles)
$500 for Best Pacific Islander Language Census Message (must have English subtitles)
$500 for Best English Language Census Message for Asian Audience
$500 for Best English Language Census Message for Pacific Islander Audience
Your video could screen at the 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific American Film Fest, be seen nationally, and take home the grand prize of $3000! For more information, including contest rules and the entry form, go to the API Count website here. And watch this handy PSA for the PSA contest.
Unfortunately, Charlie Chan never seems to die. Most recently, Hollywood's fictional Chinese detective -- traditionally played by white actors, and a sore spot for many Asian Americans -- popped up last month at a New York screening of The Great Charlie Chan, a long lost-but-found 1968 documentary on the character. I wish it had stayed lost: A Charlie Chan Film Stirs an Old Controversy.
The documentary, "The Great Charlie Chan," made in 1968, was all but forgotten. But Harvey Chertok, who was vice president for advertising, promotion and publicity at Warner Brothers-Seven Arts when it was created, said he discovered it recently while cleaning out old files. The New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the group that organizes the New York Emmy Awards, held a screening in February and another is scheduled at the National Arts Club in Manhattan on March 16.
A book, "Quotations From Charlie Chan," was published as a companion to the documentary. It contains many of the kitschy sayings the character used when talking to his "No. 1 Son."
Defenders of Charlie Chan, don't give me that nonsense that he's a positive character. Fans always like to point out that he's the hero -- the smartest guy in the room. I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous. This character, and his countless movies, are built on a sad history of Hollywood racism.
Charlie Chan is one big stereotypical Chinaman caricature -- and always played by a white man in yellowface, to kick us while we're down. With a fake ching chong accent on top. Ask anyone who's been on the receiving end of an idiotic "Ah, Confucius say..." joke.
According to the article, the Charlie Chan documentary is schedule to screen next again next week at the National Arts Club in Manhattan. With some proper context provided, I hope. I'm not in favor of censoring or suppressing Charlie Chan movies -- they're an important part of explaining the legacy of Hollywood racism. But for goodness sake, let's not celebrate these damn movies.
Awww yeah. So check this out. Our musician friend Dawen will be playing live with Macy Gray this Thursday, March 11 at 7pm/PST. They'll be streaming the session live on u-Stream, so you can watch it all happen live through the blessed power of technology. It'll be like you're right there!
Macy Gray LIVE with Dawen
Thursday, March 11, 2010 7:00pm - 8:30pm PT
Chat live with Macy Gray and R&B/Soul singer-songwriter Dawen this Thursday 7PM PST!
Dawen will be performing a live set for you, including a few covers of hits from Macy! Stay tuned!
Totally random pairing, but I like it. According to Dawen, he'll be singing some songs for Macy then asking her all sorts of cool questions. They'll also be doing some CD giveaways. And everyone will have some fun.
Got a question for Macy or Dawen? Got a song request? Tune in via u-Stream on Thursday night and submit them in the chat room during the stream. For more details, visit Dawen's website: I'm playing LIVE with MACY GRAY!!!
Just for the hell of it... Writer/director/actor Randall Park is back with another edition of his webseries Dumb Professor. It's like The Food, with tenure.
Episode two features drive-by shootings, knife-fights, and really bad beards -- everything you'd expect from a story about academia. Oh, and Randall's dad also makes an appearance. It's all very silly and awesome.
What kind of crazy mind comes up with this stuff? For more on Randall and his shenanigans, visit his website here. And to catch up and watch episode 1 of Dumb Professor, go here.
Thank you to everyone who entered last week's 28th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival ticket giveaway. Everybody likes free stuff... but only five could win. So the lucky winners, picked at random, are:
Darren K. Bowen L. Michael C. Katherine L. Tin M.
They each win a pair of tickets to see the documentary Lt. Watada, directed by Freida Lee Mock, this Sunday, March 14 at the Landmark Clay Theatre. The rest of you will just have to buy your own tickets. For more information about the festival, visit the SFIAAFF website here. See you there!
Here's a great Chicago Tribune story on Joseph Lee, a Northwestern University graduate who was on a traditional track to go to med school, but switched gears and ended up becoming a teacher in inner-city Chicago: Pre-med student switches gears to teach in Chicago school.
He had even taken the MCAT and everything, but his heart just wasn't in it to apply to med school. Instead, he chose teaching "where students had little to nothing: abysmal test scores, scant support at home, few people who still believed in them" -- basically, where he knew it wasn't going to be easy:
Since the beginning of the school year, Lee has been teaching at Parkside Community Academy, an elementary school in the South Shore neighborhood. Hired a week before school started, he was told that he'd have to teach science but warned there were no textbooks. He had to teach social studies, for which there were books but little time. He also had to teach reading, and recently math was added to the list.
When Lee arrived in Room 312, the walls were barren and dusty. Old cabinets littered the corners. So he set out to patch over some of the inequities. He added motivational posters, including one listing his expectations, and he built a wall of fame for students' achievements.
Soon his 30 students — a group of seventh- and eighth-graders — arrived.
"It was so hard in the beginning," he said. "Many of my students had no supplies. They didn't do homework, and they were often suspended for either fighting or bringing drugs to school. Emotionally I was a wreck and on the verge of tears every day. I wasn't getting any sleep, and I was wondering: Can I do this?"
According to the article, it hasn't been easy, but seven months into his new job, Joseph has seen some progress. He has a two-year commitment with Teach for America, and he's sticking with it. Did I mention that Joseph also happens to be a longtime reader of this blog? Mad props.
Hey, Asian American writers! It is time for your work to be shared and discovered. Hyphen and the Asian American Writers' Workshop are very excited to present the 2010 Asian American Short Story Contest -- the only national, pan-Asian American writing competition of its kind.
The Grand Prize: $1,000, publication in Hyphen magazine and the honor of Short Story of the Year -- in other words, supreme writers' bragging rights.
Now in its third year, the 2010 Asian American Short Story Contest will name 10 finalists and one grand prize-winner who will win a cash prize of $1000 and have the winning story published in an upcoming issue of Hyphen. Check it:
PRIZES
One (1) GRAND PRIZE WINNER
* $1,000 cash prize * Publication in Hyphen to 10,000 eager readers * One-year subscription to Hyphen magazine * One-year membership to AAWW, the premiere literary arts nonprofit in the country dedicated to Asian American literature.
Ten (10) FINALISTS
* One-year subscription to Hyphen magazine * One-year membership to AAWW, the premiere literary arts nonprofit in the country dedicated to Asian American literature.
Qualifications and Guidelines
* Open to all writers of Asian descent living in the United States and Canada. Previous employees, consultants, or volunteers of Hyphen or AAWW are not eligible. * Limited to short works of previously unpublished fiction, including short stories, novellas and excerpts from novels; the latter must stand alone as a separate work. No required theme. * Up to 6,000 words in length.
Instructions
* The submission process has two easy steps, both of which must be completed by March 31, 2010 and accompanied by a $20 entry fee (March 31 postmark deadline). * First, register here and pay the $20 entry fee by buying one ticket. You will receive a registration email with a Transaction ID, so please double check that you are typing your email correctly. * Next, mail us TWO COPIES of your short story with the title, page numbers, and Transaction ID on the top right of every page. The story should not feature any other identifying information, such as your name, phone number, or email address. Submissions should be double-spaced and mailed to:
Asian American Short Story Contest Hyphen 17 Walter U. Lum Place San Francisco, CA 94108.
The contest's first winner, Preeta Samarasan, was discovered based on her contest-winning story. She went on to write the acclaimed novel Evening is the Whole Day (Houghton Mifflin), which was long-listed for the Orange Prize.
The deadline for this contest is March 31. It's open to all writers of Asian descent living in the United States and Canada. For more information, including rules and submission guidelines, go to the Hyphen website here or the AAWW website here.
Here's another good Orange County Register article on singer/songwriter Kina Grannis, who just released her debut album Stairwells. You know I'm a fan. She is not only one of the sweetest gals around, she works her butt off for her fans -- and her fans love her back: Kina Grannis' music deal is with her fans.
You'll recall that she won the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl contest a few years back, getting her song "Message From Your Heart" aired in front of 97 million viewers and scoring herself a record deal with Interscope Records. She was poised for music superstardom... then turned her back on it.
For the time being, that is. Instead of giving over her album to the label's songwriters, she dropped the contract and -- with the support of her fans -- opted to do it herself. Her own music, on her own terms. It took a couple of years, but she has given us Stairwells, and it's a wonderful, beautiful album.
Kina is still unsigned. And she's doing it all herself -- no publicist, no booking agent. She makes all the YouTube videos and answers all the emails, developing a close, loyal relationship with her fans ("Kinerds"). She is easily one of the hardest-working musicians I know, and deserves every ounce of success that comes her way.
And guess what? Last week, Stairwells cracked Billboard's Top 200, debuting at #139. Pretty damn great for an independent artist with no major label behind her. Congratulations! For more information on Kina Grannis, and to purchase Stairwells, visit her website here.
In Cliffside Park, New Jersey, 70-year-old James Jun says he was out for an evening stroll last November when a BMW made a left turn and sent him flying onto the car's hood. The driver, Gerald Calabrese Jr. -- who happens to be the son of longtime Mayor Gerald Calabrese Sr. -- completely denies hitting Jun. Excuse me, but I smell bullshit: Police report disputed.
Jun and his family are now accusing the police officer who responded to the incident of attempting to cover for Calabrese:
Jun said the officer who responded, Patrol Officer Michael Gardenier, spent several minutes talking to Calabrese, 59, while Jun lay on the ground. He said Gardenier later asked him if he could stand up but never asked him what had happened. Calabrese, he said, drove away before the ambulance arrived.
Gardenier wrote in the incident report filed that night that Jun, who speaks Korean but little English, told him he had fallen over a crack in the sidewalk. Gardenier included pictures of the sidewalk in his report.
The Fairview ambulance crew that brought him to Holy Name Hospital wrote in their report that Jun was the victim of a fall - though they also noted Jun told them he was struck by a car. The report was provided to The Record by Jun's family.
At the hospital, Jun told emergency room staff that he had been hit by a car, and a nurse asked Cliffside Park police to come take a statement from him, according to medical records provided by the family.
At the hospital, doctors told Jun's daughter that his injuries -- sizable bruises, scrapes and a sprained back -- were consistent with being struck by a car. Officers have apparently reclassified the incident since the initial report and now believe "there was some kind of vehicle/pedestrian encounter."
Yeah, turns out the 70-year-old Korean man didn't just trip over a sidewalk crack -- he was hit by a freaking car. Still, there are those who insist that "there was no coverup" of the accident. Jun has retained a lawyer, but only hopes to recoup the cost of his medical bills. Mainly, he just wants an apology.
If you're in Southern California, you're invited to check No-No Boy, Timescape Arts Group's new stage adaptation of John Okada's classic novel. It runs Friday-Sunday, March 27 - April 18 at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica.
Written by Ken Narasaki and directed by Alberto Isaac, the play features Keiko Agena, Jared Asato, Mike Hagiwara, Emily Kuroda, John Miyasaki, Sharon Omi, Sab Shimono, Chris Tashima, Greg Watanabe and Robert Wu. Here's the description:
1946. Seattle, Washington. A Japanese American draft resister is released from prison and returns home to find nothing is as it once was. He struggles to piece together his war torn world.
Ken Narasaki's stage adaptation of John Okada's ground breaking novel No-No Boy is scheduled for its world premiere March 27, 2010. Originally published in 1957, the novel was re-discovered and republished in 1976 and has since become a staple of Asian American studies programs in universities across the country. "No-no boy" refers to draft-age Japanese American men who refused to sign a loyalty oath administered in the internment camps; many of these men were ostracized after the war ended. Set after World War II as Japanese Americans return to the West Coast, the play follows draft resister Ichiro Yamada after he is released from prison and struggles to come to terms with the consequences of his choices, while the rest of the community tries to get back on its feet after a war that has uprooted them all
The same artistic team produced Innocent When You Dream (Critic's Choice LA Times, Pick of the Week LA Weekly), which had a successful run at Electric Lodge in Venice and was later invited to perform at the Smithsonian Institute (Washington, DC) in 2008. for more information please visit: www.timescapearts.com.
Funding for this production of No-No Boy was provided by the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program, a program of the California State Library.
Timescape Arts Group is a (non-profit 501 (c) (3)).
Contact us: nonoboy2010@gmail.com
If you're interested in going, you've only got a day or two to purchase Early Bird Tickets. Save almost ten dollars off our General Admission price of $25.00 if you purchase by March 10. I'm told that they're already sold out of the March 28, April 10, April 11 matinees. Purchase your tickets here.
On a personal note, I have to say that No-No Boy is one of the most influential novels in my own Asian American literary education. It's an awesome, powerful novel -- practically required reading -- and I'm looking forward to seeing it dramatized. In fact, I'm inspired to pull it off the bookshelf, dust if off, and read it again. If you've never read it, get it now.
This news is a couple of weeks old, but I wanted to mention it... Maggie Q, who you've seen kicking ass in movies like Mission: Impossible III and Live Free or Die Hard, will be kicking more ass this fall as the title character in CW's remake of La Femme Nikita: Maggie Q to star as CW's 'Nikita'.
The Hollywood Reporter notes that casting Maggie Q in the show's title role would mark the highest-profile series role for an Asian actress on a broadcast drama series and the highest-profile CW minority casting in the network's four-year history. Considering how white CW, I guess this is no small feat.
This new version would center around a new Nikita being trained to replace the original one after she goes rogue. Series creator Craig Silverstein said he saw an opportunity to break the stereotype, and he wrote the lead as "beautiful and exotic." Uh. Wait. Did I just read that right?
Here's what I do find interesting about Maggie Q as Nikita. The role, which has gone through several different remakes, has traditionally been played by Caucasian actors: Anne Parillaud in Luc Besson's 1990 original, Bridget Fonda in 1993's Point of No Return, and Peta Wilson in the 1997 television series.
It's a rare occasion when the remake role race switcheroo goes the other way around, right? Though I guess if the producers are fixated on "beautiful and exotic," there might not be too much to be excited about. More here: This spicy actress is the new femme Nikita.
Our friend and YouTube darling Jennifer Chung, who recently hit a milestone of 100,000 subscribers, wants you to know about her music video contest, calling on creative people to create a music video from one of her original songs. Watch the above video for more information. Here are the rules:
RULES: 1) Must use a Jennifer Chung original song which could be found in my videos or on iTunes 2) Cannot just be a cover of you singing my song. A concept and story is desired. 3) Upload your music video onto YouTube and submit it as a video response to this video by April 11, 2010 by MIDNIGHT (PST)
PRIZE OPTIONS (CHOOSE 1 FROM THE TWO) 1) A Disneyland Ticket! We can decide on a day to go together or I can just send you the Disneyland ticket! Even if you're not from Southern California, if you take the trip to come here, we can definitely go to Disneyland together! And even though I'm only providing one ticket, it's not to say your friends can't come along on our adventure! I'll probably invite friends too! 2) iPod shuffle + iTunes gift card = the same amount of one Disneyland ticket. You may want to choose this if you don't like Disneyland or if you aren't able to come here!
Dude! You could win a chance to hang out with Jennifer at Disneyland... or an iPod Shuffle. (Personally, I'd take Disneyland.) The deadline to create and post your video is April 11, so put your thinking caps on and get to work.
A few years back, I wrote about an excavation during the construction of the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension in Los Angeles' Boyle Heights, where the MTA uncovered human skeletal remains and artifacts. Historians determined that the diggers had stumbled upon a long-lost Chinese potter's field.
Metro apparently did exhaustive historical research to try to indentify the remains -- many of them Chinese immigrants -- and locate any modern-day relatives, but were met with limited success. However, the human remains and artifacts will be reburied inside Evergreen Cemetary next to the historic Chinese Shrine.
Many of the deceased were Chinese immigrant laborers who were denied burial in Evergreen Cemetary. Moreover, their friends and family had to pay ten dollars just to bury them in a potter's field for paupers.
This is awesome. Future States is a sci-fi television project comprised of eleven short films exploring possible future scenarios through the prism of today's global realities. Season one features works by exciting indie filmmakers like Ben Rekhi, Greg Pak, Amyn Kaderali, Tanuj Chopra, Tze Chun and more.
Forget Avatar. This is thoughtful, intelligent sci-fi without Decepticons or blazing cannons. Each episode presents a different filmmaker's vision of American society in the not-too-distant future, fusing an exploration of social issues with elements of speculative and science fiction.
Presented by Independent Television Service (ITVS), with support by Corporation for Public Broadcasting (your federal funding at work!), all eleven episodes are available for viewing at the Future States website here. I haven't made my way through all of them, but so far they're pretty fascinating and really well produced. Check it out.
UPDATE: And if you're in the Bay Area, you can catch five of the shorts -- Fallout, Mister Green, The Other Side, Pia and Silver Sling -- next week in the FutureStates program at the 28th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. Directors Amyn Kaderali and Tanuj Chopra will be in attendance at the screening.
If you're in Philadelphia, you might have seen this front page Philadelphia Inquirer story on the December 3 violence targeting Asian students at South Philadelphia High School: Adults' confusion, missteps detailed.
It details a daylong series of bad decisions on the part of administrators on how to handle the situation. Basically, "grown-ups" let the students down.
Helen calls on Philadelphia school superintendent Arlene Ackerman to apologize for promoting the false rumor that Asian kids attacked a disabled African American student the day before, allegedly prompting the December 3 attacks.
This rumor has been perpetuated through multiple media outlets and has created confusion, heightened racial tension and fueled suspicion in the community. But the District's investigation proved that the allegation was just a rumor. Ackerman's inaction regarding this matter is completely irresponsible:
Maybe the place to really start is back with the Superintendent. If after three months a judge charged to investigate an incident can’t figure out what happened on Dec. 2, then we know that the Superintendent couldn’t possibly have substantiated her allegation six days after the attacks occurred. And if she didn’t know if her accusation was true, then why did she say it?
The report raises the likelihood that there’s a totally different version of events than the one Dr. Ackerman put out - that it was in fact Asian immigrant kids who were beaten. It would seem imperative to call for a response from the superintendent who uttered the accusation in the first place. After all, one of the concerns of the Giles report is how innuendos and gossip and misunderstanding fueled part of the violence. So how can the superintendent stand by remarks which spread all of that gossip and misunderstanding into the broader community?
Thus far, Dr. Ackerman has taken a convenient “case closed, move forward” approach. It’s convenient because it doesn’t accept her role in fanning the flames and heightening confusion and suspicion through hearsay and rumor rather than encouraging a thorough inquiry into what led up to the attacks.
Read the Philadelphia Inquirer article here, then read Helen's piece here.
Check out the stylish, super-cool new animated music video for Far East Movement's "I Party," directed by Choz Belen. Love the look and feel of this thing -- cool and creepy. Featuring IZ and DB Tonik, it's easily one of my favorite tracks off of FM's Animal album. For more information about the video, visit FM's website here. And for more from Choz Belen, visit his website here.
We've been following the case of Qing Hong Wu, the Chinese immigrant who had gotten into trouble and was incarcerated as a teen but managed to turn his life around. But all these years later, after establishing a family and successful career, rigid immigrations laws threatened to take it all away.
Turns out, his story might have a happy ending after all. On Saturday, Governor David A. Paterson announced that he had pardoned Wu, stopping deportation proceedings against him and opening the door to American citizenship. He can stay: Paterson Rewards Redemption With a Pardon.
Gov. Paterson's announcement ends a long battle that had attracted strong community support for Qing Hong Wu from all sides, including OCA, the former judge who originally sentenced Wu as a teen, as well as a "rainbow of people" -- including complete strangers -- from across the internet.
This is an awesome victory. A full and unconditional pardon should not only prevent the federal government from deporting Wu, but should be grounds for eventually granting him citizenship. That's redemption. More here: Gov pardon for immigrant who turned life around.
As I've mentioned here several times (and will probably continue to do so), this year marks the decennial U.S. Census, the official count of the population. Here's a video PSA for all you Taiwanese Americans out there: Write in "Taiwanese" - US Census 2010. When it comes to filling out your form, make sure you delare it! For more information about this campaign, visit TaiwaneseAmerican.org.
I recently heard from Desiree Sun, a PhD student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Alliant International University, who is currently completing her thesis project on Asian American career advancement. And she needs some help! All you have to do is fill out an online research survey. Here are some details:
My name is Desiree Sun and I am currently a PhD student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Alliant International University. I am currently completing my Master’s thesis project and my study focuses on Asian American career advancement. Given the limited research so far conducted in this area, it would be great to have you partner with me in this study and thus help extend our understanding about Asian American career advancement. This survey should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
I would be happy to share my summary of findings with you. To ensure anonymity, please email me at desiree.sun@gmail upon completion of this survey to request a summary of findings or if you have any questions.
I would really appreciate it if you could forward this survey to your personal and professional Asian American networks.
Please click on the link provided below to agree to the consent form and begin the survey.
Thank you for your time in completing this survey!
If you've got 15-20 minutes to spare, it would awesome if you could help Desiree out. To read the consent form, and to get started on the survey, go here. For further information about her research, contact Desiree at desiree.sun@gmail.
Check out this great Pop Culture Shock interview with actor Parry Shen from a few weeks back, conducted by fellow Secret Identities co-editor Keith Chow, who drills him on a variety of topics: The Man of Tomorrow: Parry Shen.
He talks about being a working Asian American actor in Hollywood, how he got involved with Secret Identities (the Asian American Superhero Anthology), and making out with Zooey Deschanel. Totally not kidding about that last one.
Well, it's Oscar night. How many statues will Avatar take home? I was reading this Los Angeles times piece on director James Cameron the other day, and came across an interesting little tidbit about the making of the gajillion dollar movie: James Cameron, the focus and the fury.
We all know that Cameron took years to develop the revolutionary technology that went into creating Avatar's blue people. But did you know that he used Yunjin Kim from Lost in early test footage?
Early on, when they were doing preliminary tests of the technology, Cameron and his crew realized that the on-screen avatars needed to closely resemble the live-action actors. They had shot prototype footage with Yunjin Kim from "Lost" as Neytiri. The results were not good.
"Her eyes and her expressions, the way her mouth formed speech, just didn't translate that well, " Cameron said. "We had no way of knowing whether it was an accurate performance, and it struck us as important for the character to physically resemble the actor as closely as possible, especially the mouth. I cast people I wanted the characters to look like, and then we did laser scans of them, cyber scans, physical busts, plaster molds of their faces. Everything was done in the way you develop physical makeup, and then given to the CG guys to scan and bring to life."
Whoa. I know it was just supposed to be test footage, but what if Avatar had starred Yunjin Kim, instead of Zoe Saldana, as Neytiri? I wasn't the biggest fan of Avatar, but who knows? I might have found it a lot more interesting knowing that a Korean American actress was playing everybody's favorite blue-skinned femalien warrior... in the highest-grossing movie of all time. I'm just saying.
Last night, Kollaboration, the worlds biggest API talent show, celebrated its tenth anniversary with another massive gathering at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. It was a momentous occasion -- a celebration of what has become a decade-old institution in the API entertainment community.
A big congratulations goes Clara, who totally charmed the audience with her one-woman jam and took home the evening's top prize. Big props also go to the Bay Area's Bhangra Empire, who took second place, and violinist Jason Yang, who won the audience award. This show has always been about shining a light on undiscovered talent, and Kollaboration definitely delivered again.
Huge props to man PK, who enjoyed his last show serving as Kollaboration's Executive Director. Ten years ago, Kollaboration started as his humble little dream -- empowerment through entertainment! -- and through hard work, a persevering vision and a lot of heart, help build the brand into an all-star showcase. Congratulations, PK. Another great show.
You know I'm a fan of Jane Lui. Ever since first hearing her perform at a Kollaboration show a few years back, I became an instant fan -- her music is beautiful, thoughtful and inspiring. So, she's currently hard at work on her third album, and she's looking for some help.
Of course we're talking money. To be precise, she's come up with the goal of raising $12,225 to produce the new album, and is humbly calling on friends and fans to share in the music-making love. She's also sharing the process of the work and care that goes into a making a record: Jane Lui: The New Record.
Everybody who pledges will receive a download of the album with it's complete, plus access to exclusive updates that can't be found anywhere else. You also get all sorts of cool, unique pledge gifts, depending on the amount. For all the details visit Jane's Pledge Music page here. Also see Jane's website here. And for more reasons to pledge, watch this video.
Our friends at Visual Communications have partnered with MAPID (Mavericks of Asian Pacific Islander Descent) to present a Short Screenplay Competition, culminating in an awards ceremony during the 26th Annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Here are some details:
Short Screenplay Competition
Visual Communications announces a screenplay competition -- co-presented with Mavericks of Asian Pacific Islander Descent -- to recognize talented screenwriters, and to provide screenwriters with an opportunity to compete against their peers and win valuable prizes.
With support from the Writers Guild of America, West, this competition will culminate at an Awards Ceremony during the 26th Annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on May 6, 2010 at the Aratani Japan America Theatre. The top three finalists will be invited to this event, and the Grand Prize Winner will be announced.
All works will be adjudicated by a panel representing the Writers Guild of America, West; the Asian Pacific Islander filmmaking community; and the entertainment industry. Short works (not to exceed 15 pages) will be judged on originality, concept, pacing, tone, structure and theme. Screenplay must be the original work of the applicant(s) and must not have been optioned, sold, or produced prior to April 29, 2010.
Submit your work today! The deadline is March 22, 2010.
That doesn't leave you with a lot of time. You could win, among other goodies, a consultation with Oscar-winning filmmaker Chris Tashima, an Essentials Prize Package, a writer's photo session, and lots more. For all the general rules and submission guidelines, go to the Visual Communications website here.
So we've been hearing about The LXD: Legion of Extraordinary Dancers for the better part of a year now, with much anticipation. Check out this awesome live performance, introduced by director Jon M. Chu, they recently did at TED2010: The LXD: In the Internet age, dance evolves ....
Word has it, Bill Gates was in the audience at this performance (and Tweeted about it!). You'll be able to see all of it come together in the upcoming LXD webseries. Here's the official description of what to expect:
Imagine two rival factions -- one good, one evil -- squaring off in an epic battle ... an epic dance battle. Welcome to The LXD, a new online adventure in which heroes and villains combat each other with dance superpowers. With stunning choreography, dancers float over the ground like marionettes or crush the laws of physics beneath their feet when they perform breathtaking aerial maneuvers and transcendental step sequences.
The series hopes to do more than follow the dance-battle zeitgeist that rules today’s TV ratings. In addition to live performances, The LXD reveals dance superheroes on both sides of the screen—viewers can learn dance moves from instructional videos, and even become part of the story by participating in the web community. The LXD is written and directed by Jon Chu, a veteran of dance productions, including the box office sensation Step Up 2: The Streets and the Internet phenomenon, The Biggest Online Dance Battle.
If you don't watch Late Night, host Jimmy Fallon has been on quest to reunite the cast of Saved By The Bell. But after collecting only five of the seven, he lamented that a reunion would not be possible. However, last night, he did get the next best thing: a California Dreams cast reunion!
Okay, I know what you're thinking -- what the hell is Calfornia Dreams. True, this Saturday morning sitcom never quite hit the iconic pop culture status enjoyed by Saved By The Bell. But there's got to be some folks out there who remember -- and enjoyed -- this silly show.
The show, which aired on NBC from 1992 to 1996, centered around a multi-ethnic group of teens and their band. The cast included Jennie Kwan as Samantha 'Sam' Woo, a foreign exchange student from Hong Kong who becomes a vocalist for the band. Yes, this was a real show.
Hell and welcome. It's time to meet another Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's reader is PK, the guy behind Kollaboration, who keeps his answers short and sweet.
Who are you? PK
What are you? (PK)2 Paul Kim, Preacher's Kid
Where are you? Glendale, CA
Where are you from? Burbank, CA (I guess I haven't gone that far in life)
What do you do? Exec. Director of Kollaboration (10 cities), Stand Up Comedy, Wedding MC & DJ
Check this out... Tze Chun's 2007 short film Windowbreaker is now available for free viewing in YouTube's screening room for a limited time. This film screened at the Sundance Film Festival, and earned Tze a spot on Filmmakers Magazine's "25 New Faces on Indie Film" list.
I first saw Windowbreaker a couple of years ago, and it was easily one of my favorite Asian American shorts on the festival circuit. I knew Tze was definitely a filmmaker to watch. So when I heard that he was working on a feature -- Children of Invention -- based on Windowbreaker, I was totally on board.
And while we're talking about Children of Invention, the movie will be opening theatrically next week, March 12, in New York and Los Angeles. In New York, the release will be a "DIWO" effort with fellow indie film White on Rice. For more information about the releases, go to the Children of Invention website here.
But wait! There's more. You like free stuff, right? Then enter the Children of Invention and White on RiceDVD Giveaway Contest.
Of course, you'll have to do a little bit of work. Starting today through March 12, they'll present one trivia question per day. There will be 8 questions in all -- 4 about Children of Invention, 4 about White on Rice. The first person to answer each question correctly will win a DVD of the film in question. To enter the contest, and for more information, go here.
Aw, dammit. Bad news for John Park fans. The 20-year-old Korean American Northwestern University student from Northbrook, Illinois was eliminated last night from American Idol. I don't think it was a huge surprise to Idol fans, but it doesn't make it any less disappointing.
After getting the attention of none other than Shania Twain during his Chicago audition, he was an early favorite, but after two weeks in the Top 24, he couldn't summon enough votes to stay in the competition. There's no doubt he's got a hell of a voice. I guess he just wasn't able to deliver the performances he needed.
Dammit! I was pulling for him, but John Park Movement just wasn't powerful enough to keep the dream alive. The guy gave me a reason to watch American Idol for the first time in years. I guess it's back Northwestern and Purple Haze for John. I'm cheering for Andrew Garcia now.
At the time of the murder, Nguyen was a first-year student at Ross University in Dominica, located in the Caribbean. Nguyen graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.
According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, late at night on December 20, 2008, Nguyen apparently became angry that his mother didn't support his desire to become a pharmacist, as she wanted him to become a physician.
Son, who was home from school on a break, allegedly strangled his mother to death during the argument, according to the DA's office. Son then left his mother's body in the room and slept in his car, then called the police the next morning and told them his mother had passed away.
Nguyen has been charged with murder and faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison if convicted. Opening statements were scheduled to begin yesterday in Santa Ana. More here: Son charged with killing mom called subservient.
Cinema fans! Another festival for you... The Korean Film Festival Los Angeles (KOFFLA) kicked off tonight and runs through the weekend, offering a place film lovers and filmmakers to connect and facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences between the Korean and American motion picture industry.
The festival's schedule includes a number of features by Korean and Korean American filmmakers, shorts by emerging artists, a director focus on Ryu Seung Wan, a master class with cinematographer Kim Hyung-ku, and more. Here are some basic details:
Korean Film Festival in Los Angeles (KOFFLA)
The Korean Film Festival in Los Angeles (KOFFLA) will take place in Los Angeles from March 4 to 7, 2010. Organized by the Korean Cinematheque (501(c) 3) and sponsored by Korean government entities including the Korean Cultural Center, Korean Film Council, and Korean Tourism Organization, KOFFLA's mission is to share the excitement and dynamism of Korean cinema with the Southern California community.
KOFFLA is headed by festival director Chang-Wha Chung (Five Fingers of Death) and our Advisory Board whose members include Eric Mika of The Hollywood Reporter, director Chan-wook Park (Oldboy, Thirst), and executive producer Chris Lee (Valkyrie, Superman Returns). KOFFLA 2010 will showcase over 60 features and short films by established and emerging Korean filmmakers from around the world as well as a variety of special events including:
- Opening Night Ceremony at the Egyptian Theatre with Korean film celebrities and a presentation of the Opening Film, Le Grand Chef II - Thursday, March 4
-Master Class at the AFI Conservatory with cinematographer Kim Hyung-ku (The Host, Memories of Murder) - Friday, March 5
- Surprise Screening of a Korean masterpiece at the Laemmle Music Hall - Friday, March 5
- Actorfest KOFFLA, a version of Back Stage's Actorfest LA/NY tailored specifically for Asian and Asian-American actors - Saturday, March 6
- Retrospective of world-renowned Korean director Ryoo Seung-wan (Crying Fist, The City of Violence, Arahan)
- Highlight selections from the Pusan International Film Festival, Jeonju International Film Festival, and Pucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
- Selections of the best in Korean-American features and shorts
*All film screenings will be held at the Egyptian Theatre, the Pacific Theatres at the Grove, the Laemmle Music Hall, and the AFI Conservatory from Thursday, March 4 to Saturday, March 6.
They've got a packed schedule of screenings and events, whether you're in the industry or just really crazy about good cinema. For more information, go to the KOFFLA website here, the Korean Cinematheque Facebook page here, or follow KOFFLA on Twitter here.
Want to be an intern at the White House? Here's some information that got passed along to me about an internship opportunity with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders:
The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is responsible for the Department’s implementation of the Executive Order of October 14, 2009 which is designed to improve Federal efforts to develop, monitor, and coordinate executive branch efforts to improve the quality of life of AAPIs through increased participation in Federal programs. The Initiative is housed at the Department of Education, but represents a collaboration among many Federal agencies.
Intern Duties: - perform research on and outreach to national and local AAPI organizations, elected officials, and ethnic media outlets - conduct research on WHIAAPI issue areas, including education, commerce, health, housing, labor and employment, community and economic development as they relate to AAPIs
Intern Qualifications: - currently enrolled undergraduate student (it is a requirement that interns be enrolled in school at least half time) - great research skills - experience working with AAPI community or familiarity with the issues - detail-oriented - team player
Compensation: - interns are eligible for Transit Benefits, which cover the cost of commuting to and from work on public transportation
Sounds like this could be a realy great opportunity people looking to get involved with AAPI community at the government level. Doesn't look like it pays much, but I guess why it's an internship. Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter to Hallie Montoya Tansey at hallie.montoyatansey@ed.gov. (Thanks, Jason.)
Who knew squash players were so hardcore? Check out this video of Trinity College's Baset Chaudhry, the No. 1 ranked squash player in college, losing it and going crazy on Yale's Kenneth Chan, trash talk and all. It's pretty hilarious: Squash Players Are Just The Worst.
Trinity's squash team apparently has the longest winning streak of any intercollegiate team in any sport at any level -- 224 consecutive team matches, after their national championship victory over Yale last month, when Chaudhry beat Chan in straight sets. What you're seeing is the victory scream.
You see him get in Chan's face (leaving behind some spit, apparently). What you don't see is Chaudhry leaving the court to celebrate with his teammates, then going back and shoving Chan as he tried to exit. More here: Trinity Captures 12th Straight Squash Title.
Damn, talk about unsportsmanlike conduct. But I guess that's how squash players roll, right? Hey, I don't watch a lot of squash, so maybe it's like this every game. Chaudhry has since apologized for his un-squash-y outburst: Nation's No. 1 squash player remorseful for outburst.
Last week in Pittsburgh, a judge indefinitely delayed the execution of Richard Baumhammers, who was convicted of killing five people during a racially-motivated shooting rampage: Execution stayed for Western Pa. man who killed 6.
Baumhammers was to be executed March 18. Allegheny County Court Judge Jeffrey Manning stayed that execution yesterday after Baumhammers' attorney filed notice of a new appeal. Gov. Rendell signed a death warrant in January.
Prosecutors said Baumhammers, who is white, was motivated by religious and racial animosity. He was convicted in the April 2000 shooting deaths of Anita Gordon, Anil Thakur, Ji-Ye "Jerry" Sun, Thao Q. Pham and Garry Duane Lee.
He was sentenced to death for killing the five victims who died outright. The sixth, Sandip Patel, was left paralyzed and died of complications related to quadriplegia in 2007. More here: Baumhammers granted stay of execution.
Here's a free screening opportunity for all my angry friends in Los Angeles... Next week, the critically-acclaimed South Korean film Mother opens in select theaters. Directed by Bong Joon-Ho, it's a touching story of a mother's fight to prove her son's innocence when he's accused of murder. Here's the synopsis:
Hye-ja is a single mom to 27-year-old Do-joon. Her son is her raison d'etre. Though an adult in years, Do-joon is naïve and dependent on his mother, and a constant source of anxiety, often behaving in ways that are foolish or simply dangerous. Walking home alone one night down a nearly empty city street, he encounters a young girl who he follows for a while before she disappears into a dark alley. The next morning, she is found dead in an abandoned building and Do-joon is accused of her murder. Thanks to an inefficient lawyer and an apathetic police force, Do-joon's case is quickly closed, but his mother refuses to let this be the end of the story. Trusting no one, Hye-ja's maternal instincts kick into overdrive, and she sets out to find the girl's killer and prove her son's innocence.
It's a great film, and Kim Hye-Ja delivers a brilliant performance. Writer/director Bong Joon-Ho, the guy behind fantastic films like The Host and Memories of Murder, just has a knack for tossing all conventions aside and turning a genre on its head.
If you're in Los Angeles next week, you have the chance to see a free advanced screening on Tuesday, March 9, 7:00pm at the Laemmle Music Hall (9036 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211).
To RSVP for the screening, email rsvpmother@gmail.com and specify if you will be bringing a guest. The deadline to RSVP is 11:59pm on Monday, March 8. An RSVP is needed to keep track of the expected number of guests, but seating will be on a first come, first serve basis -- a seat will not be promised. So make sure you get there early.
Remember Betty Brown? She's the controversial Texas state representative who made national headlines when she suggested that Asian Americans might want to adopt names that are "easier for Americans to deal with."
This week, Betty Brown lost her bid for re-election in the GOP primary after an 11-year run in the Texas house: 11-year Texas House veteran ousted in GOP primary. Can't say I was too sad to hear this news. That is all.
Holy hotness. Check out the music video for "Trust You" by Heather Park, the first single off her upcoming album Stay, due out in May. I've been a fan of Heather's for years, so it's awesome to hear some new stuff. Super hot track. And best of all, you can download it for free. Just click on the album cover image over on Heather's website.
I received a pretty important press release from the Asian Pacific American Legal Center urging the API community: do not throw away the Census Advance Letter. Next week, every household in the United States will receive an important letter explaining the 2010 Census. Some people will probably think it's junk mail, but community organizations are trying to get the word out to make sure it gets read. Here's APALC's press release:
APALC Urges API Community - Do Not Throw Away the Census Advance Letter
Next Week, Every U.S. Household Will Receive Important Letter Explaining the 2010 Census
LOS ANGELES, CA - With Census Day quickly approaching on April 1, 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau is preparing to notify households of what to expect in the upcoming weeks, and the community should respond by carefully reading all Census-related materials sent to their households and seeking help if they have any questions about Census 2010.
During the week of March 8, 2010, every household in the United States will receive an "Advance Letter" from the Census Bureau. The letter, which is written in English, will inform household residents that they should be receiving their Census forms on the week of March 15, 2010, and emphasizes the importance of every household completing their forms. The letter also provides the following short written message in Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Russian, and Simplified Chinese: "Go to 2010census.gov for help completing your 2010 Census form when it arrives."
For the nearly one out of 10 individuals in the U.S. who have limited proficiency with the English language, community organizations are fearful that the Advance Letter will not be read. "The Census comes around only once every 10 years, and there is a lot at stake for our communities," said An Le, Statewide Network Manager of Asian and Pacific Islander 2010 Census Network (API Count), a statewide project anchored by the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC). "The Census is used to determine how much our communities receive in federal funds, and what critical social services that are available for our communities. But because of fear, distrust, and language and cultural barriers, there are so many Asians and Pacific Islanders who do not get the message about how participating in the Census benefits our communities. That is why we are urging our community read next week’s Advance Letter - it is critical they understand the importance of the Census forms that will arrive the following week."
Starting on March 15, Census forms will be mailed out to all households. The Census Bureau is asking for everyone to complete the forms and mail them back by Census Day, April 1. Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QACs), operated by Census Bureau staff, will be open in various community locations from March 19 to April 19. Common QAC locations include libraries, community organizations, churches, and small businesses. At every QAC, there will be official Census Bureau staff available to help individuals complete their forms, oftentimes in languages of the local community.
Anyone who needs assistance or has questions about how to fill out the Census forms can go to a QAC, which can be found on the Census Bureau website at www.2010.census.gov, or they can also contact a local API community-based organization by going to www.apicount.com.
The Census Bureau has an array of materials and services available for communities that do not speak English. There are four categories of help provided by the Census Bureau or through community partnership with the Census Bureau. These four types of assistance are translated forms, toll-free hotlines, language assistance guides, and QACs.
Those who speak Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, and Spanish are able to request Census forms translated into their languages by calling a toll-free number. For Korean call 866-955-2010, for Chinese call 866-935-2010, for Vietnamese call 866-945-2010, for Spanish call 866-928-2010, and for Russian call 866-965-2010. For those that request a translated form in any of these languages, it is important to save the English form that was originally sent in the mail, in case the translated forms do not arrive on time or get lost. There is also an English assistance line available at 866-872-6868.
Language assistance guides are available in 59 different languages. These materials are available from the Census 2010 website at www.2010.census.gov. Materials can also be found for the Asian and Pacific Islander communities at www.apicount.com or www.fillinourfuture.org
Beginning on April 22, Census Bureau workers will be visiting the households that did not complete and mail in their Census forms. "For every one percent of households that fail to return their Census forms, it costs the federal government $85 billion to send Census Bureau workers out to those households to follow up and assist those households in completing the forms," said Le. "During this time of economic crisis, we encourage our community members to complete their forms by April 1 as a way to save taxpayers’ money. We want to make sure that people are aware of the resources that are available to our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to complete the Census, and the importance of mailing back Census forms by April 1. Participating in the Census is a safe and easy way to ensure that our communities count and get counted."
Some of you come from Asian American households where English is not the first language. Hopefully, you can help spread the word to your families and friends about how important getting an accurate Census count is for our community. For more information, visit the Census 2010 website here. Materials for API communities can be found at API Count and Fill In Our Future.
. It runs Friday-Sunday, March 27 - April 18 at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica.
