Okay y'all - the time has come! Now YOU can watch "That Asian Thing" documentary on-line. That's right! The Indpendent Features Film Festival holds an on-line competition and "That Asian Thing" is part of the battle! The top 21 voted films get their movie shown at the Tribeca Theaters in NYC and the numero uno, grand prize, top vote-getter will be awarded a red carpet premiere with all the glitz and glam that the big players get. SO WE NEED YOU TO WATCH AND VOTE!!
The competition is from Monday, May 5th to Monday, June 30th.
Simply go to: http://www.independentfeatures.com
Register a valid email thru the link under the Login box. Then confirm and Login.
After logging in, click on View Films at the top. Click on Documentary on the left. Look for "That Asian Thing" in alphabetical order.
(http://www.independentfeatures.com/IFWeb/MovieDetails.aspx?id=485)
Watch and vote!
THAT'S IT! No other obligations, no money to pay, and no spam to deal with. It's that easy.
What we need here is your support! Not only for Asian-Americans, but for anyone who can relate to the struggling artist; for anyone who understands the barriers of being a minority; and simply for indie filmmaking!
Please pass the word and let everyone know!! Thanks!
April 29, 2008
A quick Q&A session for you
Q: What is "That Asian Thing"?
A: "That Asian Thing" is a documentary film by Jonald Reyes featuring Asian-American artists from Chicago, IL. The short synopsis of the flick is how Jonald interviews these Asian-American artists on why there's a low impact of Asian-American culture in mainstream America.
Q: Who's in this movie? Anyone I know? Jet Li or Jackie Chan?
A: No - sorry, not in this documentary. It focuses on the Asian-American community in Chicago, IL. These are artists who have been trying to make it big in the entertainment/media business with support from other prominant voices within the community. The movie features: Steve Munoz, Cynthia Lin, SOTO/Flipside, Mia Park, Robbi, The Pacifics, QuarterMile, Rupal Soni, and many, many, MANY more!
Q: Why Chicago? The Asian/Asian-American community is bigger on the East/West Coast!
A: Why not Chicago?! This is an up-and-coming Asian/Asian-American community that continuously grows, much like other Asian/Asian-American communities across this nation. Chicago is a prime example of the various Asian-American artists trying to make a name for themselves. If anything, support from Asian/Asian-American communities as a whole is what we need - this isn't East coast vs. West coast; this is support for the arts!
Q: If I'm not Asian or Asian-American, why should I care or even watch this movie?
A: First - a movie is a movie - it's made for you to dig deeper into the psyche of man. Documentary films have been on the rise and they've been able to open eyes wider to issues beyond your inner circle. Second - "That Asian Thing" is like an entity and it represents any barrier that stands in front of good talent. In this case, somehow our facial features and skin tone play a role on how society has portrayed us. All we're saying is that if you see or hear good art, don't be thrown off if the auteur is someone that doesn't resemble you. And lastly - it's just a cool, indie flick that has a good variety of music and people in it. Watch it - it won't hurt.....
Q: Why is it called "That Asian Thing"?
A: "That Asian Thing" is like a pun on words because it's a vague sentence that people have used to describe us. When you talk to one of your friends and you're trying to convey a situation that involves a list of different things, somehow "that Asian thing"or "the Asian one" or "the thing with the Asian stuff" gets thrown into the mix as a description. So - why not call this documentary "That Asian Thing"?? Someone's bound to say it sometime throughout the week.
On a more sophisticated note - "That Asian Thing" is also an entity that represents the barrier that a crew of minority artists face. The issues explained and talked about in this documentary could as well have been "That Black Thing" or "That Spanish Thing." I think this film is relatable to any struggling artist that senses a push back due to their race.
For more information on the artists, the filmmaking process, and other random tid bits that would indulge your mind on Asian-American awareness - please explore our main website which has links to links and links: http://www.thatasianthing.com . Thanks!!
A: "That Asian Thing" is a documentary film by Jonald Reyes featuring Asian-American artists from Chicago, IL. The short synopsis of the flick is how Jonald interviews these Asian-American artists on why there's a low impact of Asian-American culture in mainstream America.
Q: Who's in this movie? Anyone I know? Jet Li or Jackie Chan?
A: No - sorry, not in this documentary. It focuses on the Asian-American community in Chicago, IL. These are artists who have been trying to make it big in the entertainment/media business with support from other prominant voices within the community. The movie features: Steve Munoz, Cynthia Lin, SOTO/Flipside, Mia Park, Robbi, The Pacifics, QuarterMile, Rupal Soni, and many, many, MANY more!
Q: Why Chicago? The Asian/Asian-American community is bigger on the East/West Coast!
A: Why not Chicago?! This is an up-and-coming Asian/Asian-American community that continuously grows, much like other Asian/Asian-American communities across this nation. Chicago is a prime example of the various Asian-American artists trying to make a name for themselves. If anything, support from Asian/Asian-American communities as a whole is what we need - this isn't East coast vs. West coast; this is support for the arts!
Q: If I'm not Asian or Asian-American, why should I care or even watch this movie?
A: First - a movie is a movie - it's made for you to dig deeper into the psyche of man. Documentary films have been on the rise and they've been able to open eyes wider to issues beyond your inner circle. Second - "That Asian Thing" is like an entity and it represents any barrier that stands in front of good talent. In this case, somehow our facial features and skin tone play a role on how society has portrayed us. All we're saying is that if you see or hear good art, don't be thrown off if the auteur is someone that doesn't resemble you. And lastly - it's just a cool, indie flick that has a good variety of music and people in it. Watch it - it won't hurt.....
Q: Why is it called "That Asian Thing"?
A: "That Asian Thing" is like a pun on words because it's a vague sentence that people have used to describe us. When you talk to one of your friends and you're trying to convey a situation that involves a list of different things, somehow "that Asian thing"or "the Asian one" or "the thing with the Asian stuff" gets thrown into the mix as a description. So - why not call this documentary "That Asian Thing"?? Someone's bound to say it sometime throughout the week.
On a more sophisticated note - "That Asian Thing" is also an entity that represents the barrier that a crew of minority artists face. The issues explained and talked about in this documentary could as well have been "That Black Thing" or "That Spanish Thing." I think this film is relatable to any struggling artist that senses a push back due to their race.
For more information on the artists, the filmmaking process, and other random tid bits that would indulge your mind on Asian-American awareness - please explore our main website which has links to links and links: http://www.thatasianthing.com . Thanks!!
April 21, 2008
Quickie!
Just wanted to drop a sentence or two and say a big HELLLLLOO!!!! to all the organizations and clubs that I've been emailing for the past couple of days. We've been trying to grow that hype and have joined the grassroots movement. So in recognition to all those Asian/Asian-American Organizations/Clubs across the nation, "That Asian Thing" salutes you and hopes that all your events are successful on any aspect that it intends to be. Don't forget that even if the turn out isn't as great as you'd hope it to be, you're still accomplishing the goal of getting the awareness of our race out there! SO - THANK YOU!!
And for all those people getting the Sneak Peak - let me know your thoughts via email - asianthing@gmail.com . Also - if you'd like to set-up a screening for your community, don't hesitate to inquire as well. Let's build that hype!! There's an evolution!!
Be well all!
And for all those people getting the Sneak Peak - let me know your thoughts via email - asianthing@gmail.com . Also - if you'd like to set-up a screening for your community, don't hesitate to inquire as well. Let's build that hype!! There's an evolution!!
Be well all!
March 28, 2008
Hype, hype, hype - let it build!
So after our FSU stint, I figure we should start building some hype for the movie. Why not try to create a buzz out there, eh? Get more people across the nation involved via word of mouth. Therefore, of course, I'll have to start within my own group of friends and their friends and so fourth, and so fourth.
Therefore - I've contacted a bunch of my friends who are actively social and whom I can see holding mini-screening parties at their humble abode. Through this, maybe a friend of a friend knows people at a film festival. Or even more so, a college campus activities person, a movie theater manager, a film magazine editor, or other forms of publicity knowledged personell.
If you're one of my buds out there that has received a gift from your ol'pal Jonald and has graciously invited friends of friends to a mini-screening, please don't hesitate to take pictures and send'em this way! I'll be more than happy to give a shout out about your current project and/or post the pics of the fun that people have with "That Asian Thing." Not only does the documentary stir up great conversation, but you can party with it too! haha! HHmmm...do I see a new tagline in the works???
But right now, I'm still playing around with the Director's Cut and attempting to trim it down a bit. For the next couple of days, I'm going to attempt to text out all the dialogue from the film. This way, I can literally see points that can be cut or portions that can be eliminated.
ALSO - a new hotspot that I've found for indie filmmakers is the infamous - "Film Threat" (http://www.filmthreat.com). Sometime last year I picked up a great book all about film festivals - The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide by Chris Gore. Well - Mr. Gore is the guru who founded Film Threat mag which turned into a hotspot on the web, especially for indie filmmakers. The reason it's great for Tarantino wannabes - you can have them check out your work if need be (obviously for some extra incentives). AND they list a bunch of film festival deadlines and other film type contests for budding young auteurs. I highly suggest checking it out if your a young filmmaker, love movies, or just wanna read some reviews on flicks. It's for the inner film chi in you...
SO - we got some stuff stirring in the pot. Hang tight kids cause this ride is actually just starting!
Therefore - I've contacted a bunch of my friends who are actively social and whom I can see holding mini-screening parties at their humble abode. Through this, maybe a friend of a friend knows people at a film festival. Or even more so, a college campus activities person, a movie theater manager, a film magazine editor, or other forms of publicity knowledged personell.
If you're one of my buds out there that has received a gift from your ol'pal Jonald and has graciously invited friends of friends to a mini-screening, please don't hesitate to take pictures and send'em this way! I'll be more than happy to give a shout out about your current project and/or post the pics of the fun that people have with "That Asian Thing." Not only does the documentary stir up great conversation, but you can party with it too! haha! HHmmm...do I see a new tagline in the works???
But right now, I'm still playing around with the Director's Cut and attempting to trim it down a bit. For the next couple of days, I'm going to attempt to text out all the dialogue from the film. This way, I can literally see points that can be cut or portions that can be eliminated.
ALSO - a new hotspot that I've found for indie filmmakers is the infamous - "Film Threat" (http://www.filmthreat.com). Sometime last year I picked up a great book all about film festivals - The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide by Chris Gore. Well - Mr. Gore is the guru who founded Film Threat mag which turned into a hotspot on the web, especially for indie filmmakers. The reason it's great for Tarantino wannabes - you can have them check out your work if need be (obviously for some extra incentives). AND they list a bunch of film festival deadlines and other film type contests for budding young auteurs. I highly suggest checking it out if your a young filmmaker, love movies, or just wanna read some reviews on flicks. It's for the inner film chi in you...
SO - we got some stuff stirring in the pot. Hang tight kids cause this ride is actually just starting!
March 25, 2008
FSU Screening Recap!
Lightly tanned, relaxed, and proud are a touch of the many words that scrabble around my mind on how the Florida State University screening went. Thus my adventure to Tallahassee, Florida was well-planned and heavily assisted by the Director of FSU's Asian-American Student Union - Miss Monique (Nikki) Velasquez. She inquired of the film way before the first cut was even produced, to which I'm thankful for. This by which "That Asian Thing" was already in mind for their Asian-American Awareness activities even before other events were set. So there was already an eye out for this film...
Before I hit the main points to how the screening went, I wanted to thank all the students, faculty, friends, & family that came out to watch the film. There was a definite essence of southern hospitality that made me feel relaxed and comfortable for the Q&A session. So I apologize to any if I may have come off as unprofessional, but when I vibe closely to the people in the room I tend to carry myself in a relaxing attitude. I'd also like to thank all the organizations that took part in putting this together and trying to get as many kids to come out as possible. And of course, I must thank the FSU community, especially Mr. Juan Guardia (Director of Multicultural Affairs), for taking an interest in my film and the message it conveys.
...And now the main points:
-I had the privilege of having a young Asian-American musician perform before the screening commenced. His name is A.J. Rafael (please check out his tunes - http://ajrafael.com/ and www.myspace.com/ajrafael). Kid's got some raw talent and creative energy! We hung out that day prior to the screening time and I was able to give him some thoughts on music ideas he had bounced around in his head. I think he has natural talent and has a lot of potential. He's still in college and with more education to his gift, he can probably go miles out. Good luck A.J.! Catch his performances when you can and send him some love via myspace!
-After watching the film for the 'enth time, I think I was able to catch my sense of repetitiveness. There are points that seem to overlap in terms of stereotypes, model minority, and marketing. The difficulty in this is that I believe all three issue go hand in hand and to seperate them may consist in shorter interview portions to already shortened interview portions. If you're up to par with your Asian-American 101, you may ask - 'But Jonald - isn't model minority a stereotype? couldn't you just combine the two?' AH - good question, young jedi. Well - I've made it into seperate issues within the film because the term "Model Minority" is directly associated with only Asian-Americans. Also, there are confusions to why it's a good thing and why it's a bad thing. Then I addressed the term 'stereotype' as a general concept, yet narrowed it down to relate to Asian-Americans. The marketing portion goes with the stereotypes because that's how we're marketed. See - everything relates!
-I do believe that this Director's Cut can be refined. It tends to run a bit on the long side and I can see why a few kids jumped ship while the screening was going on. Although a bit disheartening on that, it was good for me to see/hear which parts received the most reactions. I think my own involvement within the film gave a humorous underlining that made the dry parts easy to get through. I couldn't tell what people thought of in terms of the Flipside/SOTO storyline, but I do always bank on the Steve Munoz performance I have in there. It always gets a good response.
-The Q&A portion is always good times. It gives me a better sense of connection to the people that just watched what I poured unto film for the past 1 1/2 years. I always feel that this film stirs up good conversation, especially on how to "act Asian" or how to "act American." The only thing that I could say to which I felt was the most simple, yet truthful answer, was 'be yourself.' And like mentioned in the film - only you can represent you; you're face & identity as an Asian-Amerian is your representation of your people. So with that, just try to be the best you can be.
Again, I'd like to thank all that came out! Without your feedback, questions, and wonderful words of support after the film, my message would be mute. Hope we can dance again...
I posted more pics on the AsianThing Kodak Gallery - please check it out and don't hesitate to say what's up:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=6y8idn3.11fvhte7&x=0&y=vfi043
Take care y'all! And keep coming back to see what's the haps!
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