Within
this monthly "FILM POLL" (see below)
- it is our hope to locate visionary films from creative directors with
great scripts from the Asian/Asian Pacific American communities. Every
month, fifteen (15) films will be listed for your consideration and support.
In addition,
with each month's edition - one will find information on upcoming films
and directors will be highlighted that could be of great interest to those
involved with the various film/television industries, recent news from
the Asian American Cinema scene via David Magdael's "APA First Weekend
Club,", listings of Asian/Asian Pacific Americans on TV at the "APA's
on TV" section, details on the on-going Asian/Asian Pacific American
Comedy showcases, insights on how to obtain film financing, .
DISCOVER
OUR INDEPENDENT FILMS & DIRECTORS
MUSIC POLL
Our monthly polls' purpose is to
communicate and reflect the most popular and visionary film within
the APA communities. If you feel that your film should be included,
contact us at jql@earthlink.net
and we will consider your project for an upcoming poll.
Listed on the right are some successful
films from the fast-emerging Asian American Cinema.
The movie "Charlotte
Sometimes" has been nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards,
more specifically the John Cassavetes Award for the best feature
made for under $500,000) and Jacqueline Kim for "Best Supporting
Actress."
This
is the only Asian American film nominated for the Independent Spirit
Awards for 2003, and the first nomination since 1995 with the film
"(Picture Bride."
NOTE:
Eugenia Yuan ("Lori"
in Charlotte Sometimes) was nominated for "Best Supporting
Actress" and "Best Newcomer" for her performance
in Peter Chan's "Going Home" in the Hong Kong Academy
Awards.
"Better
Luck Tomorrow opened to a record-breaking total gross of three
hundred ninety-eight thousand four hundred eighty nine dollars
($398,489) in just 13 theaters (3 days - April 11 13) with
Asian Americans making up 70% of the audiences! Read
More>>>>>
Three
Asian Americans (Steve Tsuchida, Adam Bhala Lough, and Greg
Pak) make Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Indie Film
list.
Tsuchida
is best know for his short film "A Ninja Pays Half My
Rent," which has played at Sundance, South By Southwest,
and New Directors/New Films.
Lough's
feature film "Bomb the System," which follows a
New York graffiti artist, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Pak's
feature film "Robot Stories," starring Tamlyn
Tomita and Sab Shimono, has won awards at the Hamptons,
Florida, and Dallas Asian film festivals. Read
More>>>>>
Mercury
News' Marian Liu reports that "For Asian-Americans, the move
toward entertainment careers has been a recent one, stretching the past
40 years, starting with such stereotypical films as the Rodgers and Hammerstein
musical "Flower Drum Song."
EARLY
ENTERTAINMENT PIONEERS
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Sadly, it seems that the above-listed writer (along
with many within the Asian/Asian Pacific American communities)
have forgotten the achievements and victories of past entertainment
pioneers in the 1920's and the various non-stereotypical milestones
seen in the movie "Flower Drum Song."
Plus, no film
(speaking
of "Better Luck Tomorrow") can change the industry by itself,
says Harry
Lin, a veteran of Bay Area broadcasting who now is executive vice
president of ABC's Web site, abc.com.
a
a
Harlemm
Lee
Jamisen
Tiangco
``The
movie industry is very conservative,'' Lin says. ``It's not proactive
to change or trying to make waves. That's why independent film and cinema
is so important: It's where change and risk occurs.''
Discover where the Asian Pacific
American actors have appeared on television during years of 2002
and 2003 in the links listed right. This information was gathered
from an invaluable resource titled "APA's On TV."
WB's
"Black Sash" (with Russell Wong), appeared
on the 2002-2003 television season. This production
was packaged by Rob Kim and others at UTA and they represented all
the creators of "Black Sash." This includes Robert Kamen
(writer, creator, executive producer), Dylan Sellers (Co-Creator)
and Tollin/Robbins Productions (Executive Producers). They also
represent the two lead actresses - Sarah Carter and Missy Peregrym.
Unfortunately, this program (Dawson Creek meets The Karate Kid)
lasted only four episodes.
THE Y FACTOR (tv show)
Lind
Ko with
Comic Bobby Lee
The
Y Factor (hosted by the beautiful UCLA graduate Linh Ko) has
been described by the creators as a new, fun and irreverent
weekly magazine television show that features Asian and Asian
American entertainment, Asian videos and lifestyle trends
that is patterned after the cable program "Wild On."
We will explore various hot
spots and feature great musical acts from both Asia and the
US. We will also spotlight noteworthy personalities such as
actors, comedians (i.e. MadTV's Bobby Lee), models and other
celebrities from the Asian and Asian American community.
This Kevin
Leung-produced show is scheduled to be seen every Thursday
night at 11:00 P.M. in Southern California on KDOC-TV (Channel
56), DirecTV and Dish Network outlets.
PARMINDER JOINS E.R
Parminder Nagra, the 27-year-old British actress
who starred in the sleeper hit Bend it Like Beckham, will make her
ER debut in the fall of 2003 and joined Ming Na as the Asian Pacific
American members of the top-rated television program.. Read
More>>>>>
BASKETBALL DIPLOMACY: FROM MAO TO YAO
National Geographic Ultimate Explorer host Lisa
Ling scores a rare interview
(on her first television appearance since leaving the highly popular
ABC program "The View," with NBA superstar Yao
Ming and journeys to Shanghai to explore the remarkable story
of China's most famous export, unraveling a multifaceted cultural
tale that's not just about basketball - it's about China, being
an immigrant and globalization. This program will makes its premiere
on Sunday,
June 1, at 8 p.m. ET. Read
More>>>>>
DIVERSITY IS DORMANT
Despite persistent scrutiny of network and studio hiring practices
by the DGA, directing opportunities on top TV series continue to
be few and far between for women and minority directors, according
to a new DGA study.
The study, which examined the hiring practices of the top 40 TV
series airing on the Big Four broadcast networks in the 2002-03
season, revealed that for a third consecutive year, Caucasian male
directors helmed more than 80% of the episodes of top comedy and
drama series airing on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. Read
More>>>>>
WHERE
ARE OUR COMICS
Listed below are some on-going
comedy showcases that are available for prospective comics from the
Asian/Asian Pacific American communities. Laughter have often provided
effective ways to provide insights into the stories of our communities.
Every
other Saturday, Amy
Anderson hosts this cutting edge show features a line up of
the top Asian American comedians in the country. Check out www.geocities.com/amysfunny
for all the show details. Group rates and industry comps available.
Tickets are $10.00 and there is a full menu and bar at the venue.
In the future, they will be having product giveaways from some groovy
sponsors! NOTE: Amy has stated that if you are a starving artist,
she will provide you with a discount if you contact her at
amysfunny@yahoo.com.
*
18+ can order non-alcoholic drinks.2 drinks min per person
If
you are an Asian
stand up comic and you'd like to perform a 5 min.routine, please
send a VHS or DVD to PK/Asian Comedy Show 8001 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood,
CA 90046
One
way to define the term "stereotype"
is as a "loaded image," in other words, and image that is
associated with a set of meanings and generalities. Thus, a racial
stereotype is an image imposed on a racial group that defines that
racial group according to a generality or a set of generalities become
associated with an image and become stereotype? It occurs through repetition.
BANNED
BECAUSE OF STEREOTYPES
Some shows and movies that have been pulled because of ethnic stereotyping
include:
*"Amos
and Andy." The TV show, which was supposed to be set in Harlem,
aired for two seasons in the 1950s. The reruns eventually were pulled
after complaints that the characters--usually seen bumbling around
or talking with an accent--unfairly portrayed African Americans.
*"Speedy
Gonzales." The Cartoon Network yanked the "fastest mouse
in all of Mexico" off the air last year because of concerns
over the portrayal of Speedy's friends, who were always taking siestas
and often smoked and stole things. The cartoons were put back on
when Latinos protested that they wanted them back.
*"Song
of the South." The 1946 Disney film was never released on home
video in the United States because of concerns that the film made
slavery look pleasant.
The
advertising medium is designed to persuade consumers to buy, and to do
so it must elicit particular emotions and ideas from within the consumer
to influence him or her to buy. Stereotype
can be used to elicit such emotions and ideas, whether or not the stereotypes
have any logical connection to the product or service being advertised
(in this case, depictions seen in the media such as film, television,
advertising, etc.).
It
has been written that "Gender, race and class stereotypes of
Asian Americans in the media, especially those depicted in popular movies,
give the impression of what Asian Americans are really like to other Americans
as well as to Asian Americans themselves.
From
the exaggerated depictions of exotic, sex-hungry Asian women to the gangster-involved,
sexually abusive characteristics of Asian men, movie producers perpetuate
the gender, race and class inequalities of Asian Americans by allowing
these demonizing Asian characteristics to appear over and over in their
box office movies. Examples of such characters appear in popular Asian-American
movies such as The Year of the Dragon (1985), The Joy Luck Club (1993),
Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), and Return to Paradise (1998). "
HONESTY
SHOULD BE THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR BUSINESS PLAN.
There's
no reason to spend the money to shoot on—or transfer
to—film.
For less
than $10,000, you can own a complete broadcast-quality
DV rig, including audio and a G4 equipped with Final Cut Pro. Let
the distributor transfer it to film stock.
Shoot tape
and tell a good story for $20,000, and you'll be miles
ahead of any moviemaker with a slick but boring $100,000, 35mm film.
David
Magdiel's "APA First Weekend Club E-zine" (see below) is a
great resource for anyone who
are interested in discovering the passions and artists that
consist of this fast emerging Asian American cinema.
For
your convenience, we've listed the various issues for your
review.
If you're
planning to raise more than $25,000, incorporating provides
a legal separation of your personal funds from your film's funds,
tax protection and legal protection (for you and your investors)
if anyone sues the film company.
If you're
raising less than $25,000 . . . one can set-up a "Doing
Business As" (DBA) account, but no legal protection or tax
advantages.
Need a business
plan that is approximatel twelve (12) pages in length with
frequent reminders and a clear disclaimer that it is clearly understoon
that this is an extremely risky investment.
PAGES 1–2:
Introduction and Summary of Your Project that contains an overview (who's
involved and costs), plot overview and investment opportunity (corporate
structure, distribution, profit structure), film's audience and
shooting process (digital, equipment, experience, personnel, etc.).
PAGE 3:
Include biographies of your key creative personnel such
as producer(s), director, music composers and/or director of photography.
PAGE 4:
Introduction - Take this opportunity to flesh out the synopsis
from the introduction.
PAGE 5:
What, when, where, where and how of your production and
post-production timetable.
A world-wide box
office hit, and the highest grossing British-financed
film of the year in its native UK, BEND IT LIKE
BECKHAM is poised to become a major breakthrough
film in the US.
Set
in London's Indian community, it tells the story
of a young soccer fanatic (Parminder Nagra), caught
between following her heart and family tradition.
An uplifting, boisterous and irresistible crowd
pleaser, BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is a film for everyone
to enjoy!
BECKHAM has been released in select cities and has
become the biggest limited opening of the year on
a per-screen basis. Fox
Searchlight Pictures will expand BECKHAM into
wider release on March 28, including: San Francisco,
Cambridge, Chicago, Washington DC, Pasadena, Seattle,
Dallas.
PAGE
6: Contain's your budget's four categories of actual categories
such as the following:
Salaries and Fees
(up-front costs for writer, producer, director, cast, crew, composer,
Casting Director
and legal and accounting services);
Production Expenses
(production office supplies, telephone bills, film stock, catering,
sets, props, costumes, location fees, cameras, lighting and transportation);
Post-Production Expenses
(editing, music, publicity, cast and crew screening, video dubs,
festival entry fees and festival travel costs); and
Insurance and Contingency
(a contingency is a reserve fund, usually around 15 percent of
your budget, to cover any unpredictable costs).
PAGE 7:
Your Audience - This page describes your anticipated markets
and the audience you hope will be interested in the film.
PAGE 8:
What is your publicity strategy? Options include film festivals,
Website reviews, favors from publicist friends, guerilla marketing,
college and special interest screenings.
PAGE 9:
Distribution - A typical distribution approach is the classic
distribution pyramid, which starts with domestic distribution (theatrical,
home video, pay-per-view, cable), possibility of self distribution
and is followed by foreign markets.
PAGE 10:
Explain the funding of the picture, or the legal and business
structure of your company, what type of corporation was formed,
what state has it's been incorporated, how much monies will be raised,
amount of deferred expenses, personal funds, profit structure for
the investors and at what level will start the production. A special
note that this is a contribution
rather than an investment should be restated.
PAGE 11:
Your deferred expenses can be roughly broken down into
cast, crew, post-production and miscellaneous (which would include
music clearances, location fees and anything else you have yet to
determine). You should state that deferred amounts could vary based
on the actual needs of the production.
PAGE 12
Give a profit participation sample, where you explain how
money from a sale would be distributed. This page should state that
these are purely hypothetical numbers and are not intended to represent
the actual sale or profit of the film.
Don't
make unnecessary expenses (i.e. corporate and fancy stationery,
etc.) materials (photos, relevant articles, etc.).
Make sure that all agreements are in writing, including your
own agreement on how you will be compensated.
Make one-page agreements with your contributors that explain
the investment structure and
include a statement to the effect that they understand they
will lose their investment.
You should also have written agreements with your cast and
crew that spell out
what they will be paid during production and what their deferred
pay will be.