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What compelled you to make this piece? How does this work address issues that are important to you or close to your heart?
Issues of family and loss caused me to write this film. Family is, of
course, the closest thing to all our hearts, and that is why it is so
difficult to confront the loss of someone dear. But, it is even more
painful to lose someone simply because they choose a destructive path. You
try to help, and when you fail, you try to make sense of it. This film is
my way of trying to make sense of it.
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| From FLY. |
How does living in the New York metropolitan area affect your work?
On a good day New York invigorates you; the whole cliche about feeding
off the energy of the city. Your imagination and creativity should be
active and working off whatever environment you put yourself in. So yes,
the vibrant city stimulates, but that constant frenetic pace can also
distract you from actually doing work. Sometimes you think you're moving
forward, but it's just the momentum of the herd, pulling you along. And on
a bad day, there is no respite from the barrage of crap. You can't just get
away.
In including your work in REEL NEW YORK, do you think your piece in any way pushes the medium of television, or the viewing audiences' expectations of that medium?
Well, it at least has Asian American males in it who aren't chefs,
martial artists, or impotent foreign business men, so my feeling is "yes."
It doesn't seem like a big deal, but just check the channels and see how
many Asian male faces you see that are not ethnically specific or
stereotypical. Then give me a call.
What about access to the tools of production and post-production?
Now is the time for independent media makers. With good research, and
some basic assembly skills, you can put together an amazing desktop system
that can create quality images. As always, you are only limited by your
ambition.
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| From FLY. |
Why did you become a film/video artist/maker?
To tell my stories through my point of view in America. And hopefully
connect with others who had a hard time along the way.
Do you feel the New York independent film/video community has changed in recent years? Do you find support living and working in such a large community of artists?
I don't find the community necessarily supportive, sometimes more
competitive. I just try to avoid the "business" and hone my craft. I
believe the resources available have always been, and will continue to be
one of the best reasons for living and working in NYC. FVA [Film Video Arts] is an amazing establishment that we too often take for granted. I couldn't have done anything without the access they provide.
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