Check it out! Care Factor: Zero - official trailer

Shameless self promotion in the title of this post, but yes, please enjoy this trailer to an upcoming web series produced with my two production companies MPK Studios and A.B.C =)



Another outcome from my honours project, this short web series is about a procrastinating uni student. I wrote it after, and during, a long bout of failed attempts at starting my project - I just wasn't inspired and just couldn't get anything done. So I decided to use that to kick-start my creativity. And it worked =D

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Rising Sun - a mini-series

One of the outcomes from my honours.

It is a draft of an opening credit sequence to a mini-series I am developing about Asian ANZACS. I reckon such a story is highly relevant at the moment, in light of the Billy Sing feature film fiasco.

It is a DRAFT, so not perfect. It's just a way of exploring our options. Will hopefully be able to get out there and shoot the real thing soon.

The title Rising Sun was an interesting decision process. Whilst brainstorming ideas for a title, I started off literal and dragged out titles like "The Diggers" and "The Forgotten". I was trying to capture a sense of the forgotten nature of the ANZACS that have slipped through the cracks of mainstream modern Australian history, including those from the indigenous population.

I arrived at Rising Sun because the symbol of the Australian army is the "badge of the rising sun". But what also occurred to me was that the term Rising Sun is often associated with the Empire of Japan - land of the Rising Sun. Because of this, I became a little unsure, and a began to ask everyone around me what they thought when the hear the phrase "Rising Sun". But then I thought, maybe this plays to an advantage. Since I am focusing on Asian ANZACS, and Rising Sun has the Asian connotations of Japan, maybe the confusion would suit the series purpose on the whole.

I reckon it's interesting that the symbol of the ANZACS is similar to the symbol of one of the former enemies of Australia, and I dunno, that might add an interesting element to it, especially in terms of marketing the show.

Anyway, here are some details of the vid:

Filmed by Changas, again on his d3s.

Music composed by yours truly in garage band, with the orchestra JamPack.

Ending title graphic was knocked up in 10 minutes in AfterEffects with just some jpegs of a hill, the Rising Sun badge, and a digger - sunset flare created with Video Copilot's Optical Flares.

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Changed the name of my project to "My Accented Lens".

The change came upon further reflection of the title 'The Slanted Screen' - it was referring to how representations of the Asian male was slanted or skewed, and thus referring to the racist connotations of the term Slant.

It would only be appropriate for my project if I was exploring the negative and stereotypical representations of Asians by non-Asian filmmakers. However, my project is about me dealing with my Asian-Australian heritage through filmmaking, and through my own lens. If i called it Slanted Lens, I would be referring to myself as a Slant. This of course can have it's positives for certain themes of Asian representations in Western media, but it's not specifically related to what I want to say in my project. It is far from it, though it does deal with it somewhat in one of the projects that I am currently developing and hoping to pitch. More on that after this Friday!

Anyway, settled on My Accented Lens since I have been using Hamid Naficy's 'An Accented Cinema' to frame my project, and since it's from my perspective as a filmmaker, thus me looking through my lens... you get the imagery.

Anyway here's a preview of what the main menu looks like. The transition is cooler, but no time to upload that - I shouldn't' even be on here writing this! gargh!!!

Wish me luck guys... :s

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Independent Film

Just doing some non-project-related, yet career related.. research...

Picked this up from David Liu's facebook, a talented Singaporean based director I met at the Singapore Film Festival last year.

Nothing amazingly new but in the videos below, producer Ted Hope talks about the benefits of going into Independent Filmmaking, utilising all the opportunities afforded by the New Media technologies. Ted Hope has produced a number of films, the most recognisable for me being 21 Grams, American Splendor, and even Ang Lee's Xi Yan (The Wedding Banquet)!

The most interesting was his mention of the 1000 True Fans 'theory' by Kevin Kelly. That article is definitely worth a look as food for thought to anybody seriously wanting to make a living as a creative artist.

Some Job Opportunities in Indie Film with Ted Hope (part 1) from Hope for Film on Vimeo.

Some Job Opportunities in Independent Film with Ted Hope (part 2) from Hope for Film on Vimeo.

Haven't had time to review and process my own opinions as yet on these topics - I have an exegesis to write for my Asian-Australian Film project. Oh, I have a title for the project now "The Slanted Lens". It is a re-appropriation of a similar titled documentary "The Slanted Screen" by Jeff Adachi, about the representation of Asian men in American Cinema. You can check it out a preview of it on youtube here. It is a really interesting and insightful documentary, especially when you find out that one of the biggest Hollywood silent film actors was Sessue Hayakawa, who actually played romantic leads opposite Caucasian females.

I figure my title is appropriate since it's about me as a filmmaker, finding Asian-Australian stories that I really want to translate onto the screen. Anyway, it's too late to spend any more time thinking up another title.. so it stays... for now.. maybe... opinions please!!! I need help on this matter!

Wish my luck with the rest of my assignment.. 5 days left to go!! argh!!!!!!!!!!!

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Boom!

Here's the promised battle VFX test video.

Description:

Short video testing Visual FX and props for an upcoming film. The costume here is very ww2/Korean war, but the film we are testing for is to be set in WW1 and revolves around ANZACS of Asian descent. Rifle carved from wood with simple door bolt screwed on for the 'bolt-action' - it's meant to be a Lee Enfield MkIII* and still needs some finishing touches. Helmet and packs from Mitchells and Aussie Disposals. Jacket is an old one my dad used when he was in the UK.

Shot on Nikon d3s + Nikkor 28-70mm, f/2.8.
Composited in AfterEffects CS4. Editing + Sound Mix in Premiere CS4.
Visual elements from Video Copilot's 'Action Essentials 2'.
Colour grading with Red Giant's 'Magic Bullet Looks'.

This footage was shot as a quick test of the 5dMkII and d3s for rolling shutter artifacts and performance in low light. Rolling shutter on both were negligible, and the Nikon out performed the Canon in low light, thanks to its amazing ISO capabilities.
d3s is our favourite because of its low light performance, and its much sharper images.

Please note that this was a quick test of several things, and not a proper controlled test. We just wanted to shoot some war stuff with two great cameras!

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That's a wrap!

Finally, the camera's of stopped rolling for principle photography on my short films. There are a few pickup shoots to follow, but the bulk of the two films have been recorded onto digital celluloid, better known as CF cards.

It's been a long haul, filled with interesting experiences both old and new, but the journey isn't finished - yet. Editing will continue till the films are ready to be released to the critical eyes of you, the public. The 'real' work of putting the film together will now occupy my time, as well as eeking out points of discussion for m exegesis which is still to be properly drafted (I feel so screwed now...).
I will be working my hardest to ensure my vision is as understandable as I hope it to be, and then it shall be released, at which point the film will no longer be in my hands but in the hands of people who will really make the meaning of the films known - the audience. I can only hope that I have the skills to be able to communicate it properly in my chosen medium, video/film, and that it is engaging enough for you, as the audience to actually pay any attention to them.

Anyway, below are stills from Going Home, which we wrapped on Saturday.

You may notice that the meal being eaten by the family in this film is the most Western of takes on Asian cuisine... and it's supposed to be Chinese New Year Dinner... poor planning and limited resources... but not to worry, it can be edited around.

On Tuesday, I shot the short Romantic Comedy 'Dumplings'. It was just the one night shoot, which we shot at the bookstore I work at - Academic and General bookstores. Just about a guy who wants to ask his co-worker out. Nothing terrible original, but it was fun to shoot. No stills from that, but it should be a quick edit.

Also, stay tuned for from test VFX footage for a possible WW1 trailer on ANZACS of Asian descent.

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