Behind the Scenes of Census 2010: Write in “Taiwanese” | Passion Project
It's been a week since the Census 2010: Write in "Taiwanese" video debuted on YouTube, and it's already garnered over 120,000 views. Produced by Slideshow Pictures in conjunction with at least seven Taiwanese American organizations, the public service announcement is part of a larger campaign to get Taiwanese Americans to self-identify on the US Census by checking "Other Asian" and writing in "Taiwanese."
If you know me well, you may know that I love being behind the scenes of all sorts of projects and productions. So I was very lucky to find myself a last-minute addition to this project. Five days beforehand, we worked it out for me to fly down to Los Angeles for a day and a half, just to help out a tiny bit. Let's be honest-- I basically had an very fun day just hanging out with the various cast and crew members, but my official capacity was to serve as the behind-the-scenes photographer on set of the video production. Later, I pulled my own weight by designing the accompanying website for the video campaign (http://taiwaneseamerican.org/census2010). But now I get to bring you behind the scenes with me!
We got an early start on the day, rolling out of bed around 6am and heading over to the studio in Alhambra.
Three Slideshow Pictures producers and a makeup artist relaxing a bit before shooting begins: Jon Lee (CEO, Slideshow Pictures), makeup artist Yuriko Bondies, Alex Yang (Slideshow Picture), and Howard Chen (Slideshow Pictures). Jon has been working in Hollywood for a couple years now. He was an associate producer on Formosa Betrayed. So between him and director Karen Lin, they were able to make this a first-class production with sound, photography, and editing professionals up and down the production chain.
Byron Werner and his crew sets up the backdrop, lighting, and camera.
They test the setup on Howard. Looking good in both frames.
Jon Lee with Alex Wen, owner of KCW studios.
The famous "Taiwanese" Census 2010 shirts. Order yours today from TACL!
Harrison and Haley are third generation hapa Taiwanese Americans. Adorable! Harrison just kept on munching away at his fruit while he was waiting, and Haley was a natural star, delivering lines flawlessly!
Love the giant pencil. Love.
Politician and lawyer Ted Lieu gets some pointers from director Karen Lin.
Two sets of sisters! We had a few really great families who came to the shoot. On the left are Japanese-Taiwanese American Muramoto sisters. On the right, Agnes Hsiao and Elena Ling.
If you've been following me or Taiwanese American news, you might recognize these two as the killers from Formosa Betrayed: actors Henry M. Chu and Adam Wang (links to previous shoots with me). Keep an eye out. You'll be seeing them more in the near future!
You may recognize actress Michelle Krusiec from Saving Face, amongst other projects. And on the right, a 96-year-old a-ma, Mrs. Ray-Yun Tsai Huang.
There were many, many more interesting people who participated in the video, but I don't have space to show all of them here, so head on over to the Census 2010: Write in "Taiwanese" website to meet all of the other cast and crew members.
Singer-songwriter Alice Tong fills out some information for me-- my other job that day was to collect bio information from everyone.
Director Karen Lin wraps the shoot at the end of the day-- 8am to 5pm. A full day's work.
Alex works on the giant pencil.
Breaking everything down-- the scene outside.
A wider view of KCW studio.
I don't know what they're thinking! You tell me.
Lastly, a word about the campaign-- I could launch into an argument about history and politics validating a Taiwanese identity. But for me, it's also about upholding the right to identify ourselves rather than be defined by others.
So share the YouTube video and the website. Tweet this. Go after one of the many other ways to take action. And tell every Taiwanese American person in the United States about the campaign.
But as Ho Chie says, no matter how you identify, whether Taiwanese or not, be sure to represent your own identity and community. This is important for all of us as Americans, and this is our only chance this decade.
Be Counted. Be Recognized.
Above, my latest web creation. Their bios display on hover! You can also learn more about the campaign and ways to help by visiting the website.
Little Gifts, Made with Love
I had some extra time on my hands last night, so I decided to spend it crafting some extra special packaging for the CDs I'm mailing out soon. I cut each CD sleeve from two pieces of cardstock, glued the two pieces together, inserted the CD and a business card, tied it off with twine, and voila! Unique little gifts, which make the delivery all that much more special. Hope the recipients enjoy them!
Candace & Tony’s Castro Valley Shoot | San Francisco Wedding Photographer
It was Friday morning, and everything had been planned for our shoot on Sunday. We would meet in San Francisco at Candace & Tony's place with our hair & makeup artist we had lined up and a floral designer who would meet us there. Just one problem-- rain.
What started as a 30% chance for precipitation had billowed into 90% all day Sunday. So luckily, within a couple of hours, we managed to move the whole shoot a day earlier to a new location for convenience: Lake Chabot in Castro Valley. We had a new hair & makeup artist Penney Do, Courtney, the floral designer, dropped off the bouquets in the morning, and all was set.
We created two looks with three different floral designs for our shoot. Candace had her wedding dress, as well as a shorter cocktail dress, both of which were absolutely stunning.
The florals were provided by Courtney Marie Floral. She drove them all the way up from Santa Cruz to Oakland that morning!
The great thing about the rainy season here is that rainy days and sunny days are often mixed in as if they've been shuffled up in a random alternating pattern. Sandwiched between two absolutely dreadful days are sometimes beautiful days, perfect for photos. After it rains, nature turns an amazingly bright green, as if the saturation bar has been rigged in real-life Photoshop. And a big cloudy sky is nature's giant softbox, providing flawless shadowless lighting. And every so often, the clouds part open for a peak of sunshine that warms the entire place.
Candace and Tony are such a cute couple-- warm kind, and loving. They got married recently, and you can tell they'll glow with happiness together for a long, long time. They're a couple that loves an adventure in each other's company, and I think more than anything, they love to laugh together. Not a little smirk, like an 'oh, haha' kind of chuckle. No-- it's a wide-open mouth, enthusiastic, creases-in-your-eyes kind of laugh.
Photographer: Anna Wu Photography
Assistant: Mona Quinlan
Floral Design: Courtney Marie Floral
Hair & Makeup: Penney Do
Location: Lake Chabot, Castro Valley, CA
Formosa Betrayed, Now Opening
Five years ago, in 2005, it was just an idea. A passion project being born.
Starting today, February 26, 2010, the feature film Formosa Betrayed is playing in select theaters across the country. The Taiwanese American community has done an amazing job emphasizing the importance of this weekend (everyone and their mother should go see it-- twice-- bringing friends each time), but I'm zooming out a bit further to describe what the journey has been like in the last five years-- from my perspective as someone only loosely tied to the production but very strongly supportive of it. If you don't know much about the film, scroll to the bottom for a better synopsis and links to more information. And if you're in a major city, take it upon yourself to GO AND SEE IT TODAY!
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Back in 2005, Politician-turned producer/writer/actor Will Tiao wanted to bring Taiwan's story to the big screen via a Hollywood feature film. And so he began traveling around the country to drum up support in the Taiwanese American community.I remember my initial excitement (and skepticism) hearing him speak at the 2006 ITASA conference at Illinois. The initial synopsis that he circulated went something like this:
Inspired by the murders of Professor Chen Wen-Chen and journalist Henry Liu, as well as countless other Taiwanese democracy and independence activists and their struggles during the "White Terror" period, Will Tiao with his team of Hollywood screenwriters created a fictional story based on the real events.
Synopsis:
In 1983, during a routine small-town murder investigation of a Taiwanese professor, a disenfranchised cop – suffering from an identity crisis and a loss of faith in the justice system – slowly unearths a spiderweb of international secrets that has been thriving within college campuses across America for decades. With the help of the outspoken widow and a Taiwanese spy, he finds himself on a head-on collision not only with his own personal demons, but also with the U.S. State Department, the Chinese Mafia, and ultimately to the highest levels of the Nationalist Chinese Government in Taiwan.
My initial reactions are mixed. If this guy can actually pull it off, well, the possibilities are amazing. On the other hand, he could be full of idealistic fervor, and this could turn out to be a sad little movie that no one wants to watch.
But in the next several months, Will hits fundraising hard. Before you know it, he's raised over $6 Million for the project. It's starting to look like this will really happen.
Early 2007, one of my good friends Jon Lee embarks on being an assistant to Will for the project. All possibilities still ahead of him, Jon reflects on doing something for the love, and the potential he has for making an impact.
I am actually very excited for this job. I look at it as an immensely satisfying opportunity to do what I want to do and staying true to myself while being paid for it and hopefully keeping the parents happy.
While working on commercials in Hollywood has been a great experience, the final product of my work lacks the positive impact on humankind that I wish my work to have... I remembered that one night and promptly wrote a post-it note on my desktop saying, "stay in california until formosa betrayed gets made." And as fortune would have it, I ran into Will at a Taiwanese event that weekend, and we spoke about the possibility of me helping the project, and here I am now.
Over the next year, production gets underway. We (those of us on the outside) aren't holding our breaths so much any more, but getting involved tangentially and keeping an ear on what's happening with the film. Actual filming begins in Chicago and later, Thailand. We learn that the lead is James Van Der Beek. Dawson? Yes, Dawson.
Fast forward to last year, 2009. Word is, the movie has been cut. It exists! And critics are saying it's actually pretty good. I get myself invited to the cast/crew/investors-only premiere in Los Angeles as an official photographer. It's timed to coincide with the historically significant date February 28, known as 228.
Click to view my posting from last year.
It's pretty surreal to be mixing and mingling with the cast on the red carpet: Wendy Crewson, James Van Der Beek, and Leslie Hope.
The audience settles in to view this passion project as it comes to fruition. For me, it was a mixture of awe and relief seeing the movie for the first time and realizing it's actually good. Words cannot describe what it was like to see this story, so near and dear to my heart, projected on the screen.
And afterwards, with producer/actor Will Tiao, director Adam Kane, myself, and actor James Van Der Beek.
As amazing as the premiere was, and as gratifying as it was to see the movie, it was never made just for people like me who already know the story of Taiwan. The goal has always been to bring the story to mainstream America, and so here we are now.
2010. After buzzworthy attention at several major film festivals, Formosa Betrayed got picked up by distributor Screen Media Films and set out to get into theaters nationwide. Again timed for the weekend of February 28 (228), the film's opening day was set for February 26, 2010.
Cast and crew set out to promote the film around the country. Last month, they were in the Bay Area for a Lunar New Year event cosponsored by TaiwaneseAmerican.org.
Actor Tzi Ma speaks about the film as Will Tiao looks on.
Two Taiwanese American actors in the film, Adam Wang and Henry M. Chu, play the killers.
Apparently, Adam is a very funny guy!
Again, I am the one tangentially involved as official photographer, and this time, I get to spend a bit of time with all of the cast and crew at the event: Adam Kane, Tzi Ma, and Will Tiao.
Adding in Ho Chie Tsai, creator of TaiwaneseAmerican.org, sporting Census 2010 shirts.
Ok, so it's been a really long journey. But now, it's the main event. From one man's passion project to an amazing, collaborative production, this film has huge potential. From Will Tiao himself:
The Taiwanese people have suffered at the hands of many over the last century, but these stories have rarely been told or heard. As a second generation Taiwanese American, I feel it is my duty to educate my generation, as well as the world, about the struggles and suffering of the Taiwanese. We cannot allow our country's history and our people's hardships to be forgotten. Once that happens, it only becomes a matter of time before it is repeated. This is precisely why I spent the last five years of my life working on Formosa Betrayed.
As the turbulent reaction to President Obama's recent arms sale to Taiwan shows, US-China-Taiwan relations are still a hot button topic that is greeted by fleeting interest, faint support, or --worst of all-- indifference by the American media. I am hoping the release of Formosa Betrayed will help spur greater awareness and wider discussion about these important matters in the United States and abroad. The Taiwanese people deserve to have an equal voice in affairs related to our country's future. We cannot sit quietly and allow others to decide our fate. This is why I am urging you to see Formosa Betrayed with your children, family and friends...
No one else is going to do this for us. We must do this ourselves and we must do this now.
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Formosa Betrayed is out in select theaters today, February 26, 2010. It is a "political thriller" about Taiwan's democracy movement in the '70s and '80s based on actual events. The film stars James Van der Beek (aka Dawson of Dawson's Creek), an FBI agent who investigates a murder in the U.S. that leads him to Taiwan and a deeper understanding of the political turmoil there. It's incredibly important for independent films to have a strong showing in their opening weekend, and with your help, we're aiming to top the box offices for indy films this weekend. View the full list of theaters here (NY, NJ, Bay Area, LA, Orange County).
More information, visit the Official Website of Formosa Betrayed
View the official trailer here (Note: Rated R for "some violence").
Formosa Betrayed also featured in San Jose Mercury News (backstory), New York Times (Arts section), ABC News (interview with "Dawson" - recommended); MTV, (same).
Oh Multitasking
I love multitasking. I'm most at peace when I have ten projects going on at once, and I love tracking the logistics of it all. I constantly have too many tabs open in my internet browser and too many programs running on my computer. I love it when my calendar is full and colorful, and I can feel like I'm doling out my energy in multiple exciting ways. Otherwise, I'm always anxious that I'm not doing enough or that I'm letting all this potential slip away.
But really, the key to multitasking is still being able to focus on one task at a time. It's like the classroom. With ten kids elbowing for attention, it's likely that none of them will actually get the attention they need. But if we have them raise hands and each gets called on and addressed in an orderly fashion, well, then there's a chance we'll get to them all.
There's been a bit of elbowing this week. With recent photography shoots to edit and new ones to plan, making presentations and daily lesson plans for my day job, and working on Taiwanese American community projects like the Census 2010 campaign and Formosa Betrayed opening this weekend, there's just a lot going on! So get in line, projects. There's a lot coming up, but I'm going to get to you all. Just you wait and see!
So to tide you over, here's a preview of the bridal shoot from this past weekend. To get in on all the sneak peaks, make sure you are my fan! I post my previews there first.
So much more to come. Stay tuned!
Richa & Eduardo’s Engagement | San Francisco Engagement Photographer
They hadn't been dating long, but things were going well when he called from his business trip in Paris. It was a Wednesday, just like any other Wednesday; they both loved traveling, and they were often jetsetting around the world for their jobs. So he called her and said, Hey. There are some cheap tickets... want to join me here in France? And just like that, she was in the capital, the very heart of Romance the very next day, enjoying the cafés and the gorgeous views at every turn and being swept off her feet by this breathtaking experience. And it was only the beginning.
Five years and over 25 countries later, their love of traveling has only grown, and it's only outshined by their love for each other. Appropriately enough, they are having a destination wedding in the Caribbean and a traditional Indian wedding in New York, and they just bought a home here in California. Between two weddings and homeownership, the fact that they have found each other is what always brings them back to center. They look at each other, they make each other laugh, and they know through all of the globetrotting and the amazing adventures yet to come, they'll always have a home in each other's hearts.
Sadly (very sadly), I will not be following them to their various weddings, but I am so happy to have met this wonderful couple for this engagement session in and around the Ferry Building on the Embarcardero in San Francisco. Richa and Eduardo, I wish you both all the very best in the new and exciting experiences ahead of you! I'm eagerly awaiting your recountings of all the travels to come.
Love and a New Year
"There are three holidays happening this weekend! Who can tell me which holidays?" I ask the kindergartners and first graders in my after-school program. They offer some imaginative responses (Martin Luther King Day?), but eventually, we elicit the correct answers: Valentine's Day, Lunar New Year, and President's Day.
So in honor of the coincidence of Valentine's and the New Year, we make red envelopes, but enclose Valentine's cards instead of money. I tell my kids, think about somebody you love, and make your card for them. Ewww, LOVE!
No, it doesn't have to be mushy gushy love! You can give your card to your parents, your teachers, your brother or sister, or your friends. Because no matter what kind of love it is, we can all tell someone we love them. So they calm down and settle into choosing recipients, and the red-envelope-Valentine's-cards they make are wonderful.
I unfortunately didn't take any pictures of the red envelopes, so this is a freeform card by one of my first graders.
People love to hate Valentine's Day, but it's just like I told my kids-- we all have love to appreciate and love to give. My family is in Ohio, and my boyfriend is in New York, and they're the prescribed people to spend these holidays with. But I've chosen to celebrate by doing what I love and spending time with amazing friends. Plus, Ernie sent me a coupon to Pinkberry, and even though I am not big on holiday commercialism, I have to admit, tart frozen yogurt covered with delicious toppings still screams LOVE to me. So my friend Dan and I set out to get our buy one get one free froyo. Plus, Pinkberry has switched to unlimited toppings. Deeelicious.
Happy Holidays! Go tell someone you love them, even if it's not in words. Red envelopes, handmade Valentines, Pinkberry all accepted.
Get your own buy one get one free Pinkberry through February 19, 2010.
San Francisco Guitar Quartet | San Francisco Headshots Photographer
Western music very often comes in fours: 4/4 time, 4 strings on a violin, and all those beautiful 4-member groups: string quartets, barbershop quartets, brass quartets-- even the standard rock band is usually two guitars, a bass, and a drum kit. But a bit more uncommon is the guitar quartet. No, not a band with four guitars, but a classical ensemble: four classical guitarists who merge their playing into a beautifully blended mini-orchestra of sound. Only a handful of U.S. cities have these guitar quartets, but San Francisco is lucky enough to be counted among them.
Jon, Mark, Patrick, and David are the four men of the San Francisco Guitar Quartet. You might recognize Mark from his previous headshot session with me. They might look like laid back casual guys hanging out on the Laney College campus on a Friday morning (and they are,) but don't let that fool you. These are serious musicians with serious cred. Take Jon, for instance. Behind that bright blond mohawk and that crazy 11-string guitar is a guy who premiered at Carnegie Hall when he was 20. I even got serenaded briefly in the middle of our shoot, as the quartet spontaneously broke out into song. It was simultaneously enlivening and calming, and an absolute treat. To hear for yourself and to learn more, check out the SFGQ website. Their next album is coming out soon.
Kristina & Peter’s Engagement | Sebastopol Engagement Photographer
There's a huge obsession with everything "vintage" in the wedding world right now. Brides and blogs all over the place are carefully crafting their perfect illusions of this old, chic style. So imagine my amusement when I got to explore a whole place that was effortlessly vintage-- not because we styled it that way, but because things had actually just been sitting there for as long as 50 or 60 years.
At first, I wasn't sure what to expect when I pulled up at "The Farm" in Forestville, California. Kristina and Peter were just in town for the weekend, having flown up from Orange County. So when I went to meet them there, I thought maybe they got permission from their ceremony venue to do their engagement shoot there too. Chasey the dog greeted me at my car and walked me up to the front door, where Kristina welcomed me inside-- crackling fireplace, beautiful wood furniture, and all. And then on top of everything, she explained that the place is actually owned by Peter's grandparents. They all live down in Southern California now, but the fruit trees and grape vines allow the property to pay for itself, year after year. I nearly melted from sheer delight.
Dream setting, dream couple. Kristina and Peter are the warmest people-- kind hearted, laid back, and completely willing to trust me, even when I asked if they could possibly climb into the strange wooden cart next to the big green tractor. Needless to say, I had a wonderful time, and I can't wait for their October wedding back on "The Farm." Enjoy the photos below!
Farewell. Until next time!
Passion Project: TaiwaneseAmerican.org | Webdesign
Every so often-- more often than not, actually-- I get to spend my time working on projects I love. It's not just a coincidence, but a conscious effort to pursue what I find compelling. And while the idea of pursuing your passions is a common enough sentiment, I think many people perceive it too difficult to actually live this way. For one thing, doing something 'for the love' often means doing it for free. But in reality, doing something out of passion will drive you through all of the tedium and the long hours of work much more effectively and rewardingly (yes, I made up that word) than the allure of money ever could.
So take a look at my latest passion project: the brand new face of TaiwaneseAmerican.org. I created the new look and functionality for the site with the help of many, many generous friends. Read my post from behind the scenes of the revamp: Behind the Scenes: A Word from the Designer. And because I love a good 'before and after', here are some screenshots of the website, pre- and post- makeover. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment here or there.
Before:
After:
