Every year, I like to create at least one short film just for my own sanity. So, Kristine Gerolaga and I went out to my favorite place in the city AKA Koreatown (of course), to shoot a little something something. You may have noticed that Kristine was my actress from my short last year, Blue Paradise (See here) for the YOMYOMF + Justin Lin short film competition. She also directed her own short for that called Hit or Miss and it's one of my favorite shorts (See here). While we were shooting this, we realized that this story could be a continuation of Blue Paradise. 

Blue Nights follows an an aspiring actress who leaves her mom a heartfelt voicemail during one somber night in Koreatown. I wanted to show the realities of being a struggling artist living in Los Angeles. As second generation Asian-Americans, many of us still feel obligated to comply to our parent's wishes and this film was a way to show how sometimes we have to sugarcoat our lives to them in order to keep pursuing our dreams, no matter how lonely that journey may be. I hope you enjoy. 

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I've been MIA for most of the summer for various reasons: I moved, had several jobs, and I'm working on my new short film, In Bloom. It's been a hectic summer indeed. In this video, I do a recap of what I've been up to and how you can stay connected with me!

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What is the Girl Talk Series?

The Girl Talk Series is back and this time it's a Korea Edition in I Think We Were Born in the Wrong Country. Jaejung and Heejin, two 14-year-olds, living in Seoul, Korea, discuss their discontentment of the high pressure Korean education system. It's widely known that South Korea ranks second in the list of Countries with the Best Education Systems. But at what cost? Most kids attend school on the weekdays and in addition, an after school academy, seven days a week. Not only do they have a remarkable and intense education system in Korea but it is one of the leading countries with the highest suicide rate. It's shocking to hear these girls joke about suicide but this is their reality and they're very aware of it. Studying 12 hours in total, morning to night, seven days a week is a lifestyle they've come to be accustomed to especially when good education leads to a guaranteed brighter future. At times somber and bleak, this is a glimpse into these young girls' world.

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Last summer, I shot something on the fly with a group of impassioned girlfriends with no money & no plan. The result is Wildest Dreams which features my friend Michelle and I playing two teenagers who spend a night in Koreatown, talking about our dreams & shit.

Out of many shorts I’ve made and despite the lack of resources and preparation that went into this, this short film has got to be one of my favorites as it embodies my filmic style, themes, and story. I never intended on showing it publicly considering it's conditions but this short film is truly a labor of love that's 1000% coming from our hearts. Thanks Jennifer for producing it, Jacqueline for DPing, Andrew for Camera oping, & Chris Hahn for sound editing & Michelle for always being so down to collaborate with me. I hope you watch & enjoy, I would really appreciate it. Much love. XOXO

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Surprise you guys! YOMYOMF + Justin Lin have teamed up to bring you the Interpretations 2.0 shorts contest and I have submitted my own short called Blue Paradise! The rules were that we could only use four lines of dialogue: "Don't do that", "Of course", & "I have my doubts", "What is it?" and it had to be under 3 minutes!

I have always been fascinated by how people process grief and so when I read these lines, this story about a man retreating to his safe haven after finding out his girlfriend's infidelity, came immediately to mind! It's dark, nuanced, and plays with sexuality and gender roles.

Now that I submitted it, we shall just wait to see if it passes the selection process! Whatever the outcome, I really enjoyed bringing this story to life and am so thankful to all my friends who have helped make this into a reality. I hope you watch it in fullscreen with the audio blasting! & let me know your thoughts!

My Interpretations Page

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What is the Girl Talk Series?

The Girl Talk Series is back and this time it is Teen Edition in It's a Love & Hate Relationship.16-year-old Adriana and Vishwa discuss growing up in the digital age and their love & hate relationship with social media. It's hard enough being a teen but with the whole world at your finger tips, it's difficult not to be fazed by the immense pressures of judgement and anxiety that come with publicly sharing your life with everyone. As young as they may be, they share incredible insight on the inner turmoil of the effects of social media as well as the positive aspects of it. As the first generation to truly grow up in the digital age, they have mastered the ins and outs of social media and understand the protocol for the various platforms ranging from Instagram to Facebook to Snapchat to Vine. Their words and thoughts may transport you back to your own teenage years as they paint a picture of their world but underneath it all, their message is a universal one.

Previous Episode

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What is the Girl Talk Series?

In the fourth episode of the Girl Talk Series, But That's Life, Right?, Grace & Bomy have a major heart to heart moment and share their own personal stories of loss especially being at such a young age. The topic of loss is one that I feel the most connected to especially transitioning from a young girl to a woman and just dealing with life. Grace & Bomy are the youngest girls featured in the Girl Talk Series and yet, they have experience hardship that many of us haven't even experienced entering our mid-twenties and on. As much as our young generation is inundated and ruled by the presence of digital media and technology, there are always moments of true connect and bond amongst our closest friends no matter how "connected" we feel in society through our hand-held gadgets. This is the most personal episode out of the entire series that will speak to many people as we peek into the emotions and hearts into real girls who share with us their most intimate feelings about loss.

Previous Episode // Ep. 5: It's a Love & Hate Relationship

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What is the Girl Talk Series?

In the third episode of the Girl Talk Series, Motherhood is Serious Business, Becky & Rea talk about their contrasting views of motherhood, careers, and life when they discover that their friend Sophie is pregnant. Entering our mid-twenties, the ever so pressing topic of marriage and motherhood all while juggling a career always seems to be on our minds. Although we might want to do it all: have a successful career as well as build a family, sometimes it's just difficult to manage especially given our individual circumstances in life. We explore the vast spectrum of different women who feel innately tied to motherhood to those who feel that maybe the idea of maternal instinct is a social construct that they simply don't possess. Whatever their take on it is, it is important to show the various viewpoint so we can shatter the societal expectations of women and support each other's decision no matter what. 

Previous Episode // Ep. 4: But That's Life, Right?

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What is the Girl Talk Series?

In this second episode, Let's Have a Body Party, Alisha & Camille discuss body issues after watching Lily Myer's slam poetry of "Shrinking Women." In the video, Myer proclaims that women have been taught to grow in while men have been taught to go out. In a culture where women constantly have to filter their thoughts and habits, it's important to focus and point out how talking about our bodies affect our self-esteem and our health. Especially when you mix culture and parents into it. This is a topic that needs to be discussed time and time again and most people just think that Asians are "naturally" petite which is on the contrary. Alisha & Camille touch on this subject of body issues within our culture to shed more light on the pressures to be thin, food habits, and the misconceptions of Asian body norms. 

Previous Episode // Ep. 3: Motherhood is Serious Business

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What is the Girl Talk Series?

In this first episode, It's About that Hustle, Baby, Anh & Ellen talk about the tribulations of being an artist and all the emotional turmoil that come with the role. This is a conversation piece that we've all talked about over and over again, so much to the point of dizzying proportions. We've reached our mid-twenties and now what? With a mountain of college debt, the struggle to achieve our dreams gets increasingly harder and lost in the mound of bills, jobs, and projects. The surplus of anxiety and doubt that come with being an artist is the most unexpected and difficult struggle we've all experienced. Anh & Ellen dive deep within and reflect on their own artistic careers and identities while navigating through adulthood.

Ep. 2: Let's Have a Body Party

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Inspired by Jim Jarmusch's Coffee and Cigarettes, the Girl Talk Series is a showcase of two girls talking in the comfort of their own intimate space about topics that are most dear to them. Most of the work I do focuses on the representation of Asian American girls because I truly feel like we don't get our stories told without the filter of some outsider's perspective.  I felt thirsty and famished to see our stories told and instead of waiting for someone else to tell them, I decided to do it myself.

The Girl Talk Series is a passion project wholly done by yours truly from producing, directing, shooting,  and even editing. These are words and stories from real girls as they discuss topics like career choices, body image, motherhood, and even loss. I was very conscious about capturing female interaction and conversations in a casual and frank light that is a honest portrayal of how girls talk in their everyday lives. Stripped down and raw, it's a sneak peek into the sacred world of girlhood especially in the intimate space of their homes. 

These stories aren't specifically related to being an Asian female but our culture and environment very much has shaped our opinions and lives. I felt it was vital to embrace our identity down to the core which propelled me to encompass every aspect of this filmmaking process with Asian-American females from behind the camera (me, duh) to the front and even down to the musical choices of each video. I hope these words resonant with you as much as they did with me. I am so proud of these girls who let me into their homes and lives. They are truly speaking for so many voiceless girls out there that just want their experience to be heard. Thank you for tuning in and I'll see you every Wednesday!

XOXOXO,

So

Anh & Ellen

Ep. 1: It's About that Hustle, Baby

Alisha & Camille

Ep. 2: Let's Have a Body Party

Becky & Rea

Ep.3: Motherhood is Serious Business

Grace & Bomy

Ep. 4: But That's Life, Right?

Adriana & Vish
Ep. 5: It's a Love & Hate Relationship

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If you didn't know already, I am a huge Asian cinema fan, especially of Park Chan-wook's work. His Vengeance Trilogy along with his other works like JSA (2000), It's Ok, I'm a Cyborg (2006), and Thirst (2009) have had incalculable influence on my womanhood. I am currently interning for Look East Film Festival. At first, i was beamed to hear that he was going to be one of the attendants. But almost fell to my knees to know that he will be having a Q&A for his film Thirst. My adored CSULB professor, Alison Hoffman is a big fan of Lee Chang-dong (Secret Sunshine, Poetry). So what better way to pay her back for giving me priceless insight on woman and film other than letting her moderate both of these director's Q&A? I am a ball of nerve just thinking about being in the same room as Park. Here is more information about the festival and hope you can all make it. If you do come and see me convulsing on the floor, please help me.

Look East Korean Film festival (LEF) is taking place Saturday & Sunday, June 23-24, at Graman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywod Ca marking the first time in Grauman’s 85-year history, Korean actors Lee Byung-Hun and Ahn Sung-Ki wil cast their hand and footprints in cement in front of the legendary theater. Byung-Hun, Sung-Ki and international filmmaker Pierre Rissient will all be honored at the Opening Ceremony.

The following screenings scheduled include 3 Iron (Bin Jip), A Bittersweet Life (Dar Kom Hahn Inseng) with Q&A with star Byung-hun Lee, The Day He Arrives (Book Chon Bahng Yang), Flower in Hell (Jiok Hwa) – U.S. premiere,  A Hometown in Heart (Maum Ae Gohyang) – U.S. premiere, The Host 3D (Gae Mur), Pierre Rissient: Man of Cinema – with Q&A with subject/star Pierre Rissient, Poetry (Shi) with Q&A with director Chang-dong Lee, Punch (Wahn D’Ghi), Unbowed (Booruh Jin Hwa Sal) with Q&A with star and Hand and Footprint honoree Sung-ki Ahn, and Thirst (Bahk Ji) with Q&A with director Chan-wook Park.

To purchase tickets go to http://www.lookeastfestival.com/
Like LEF Facebook.
Follow LEF Twitter

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I wrote on the Dashet website about my experience helping make OkGo's music video for Skyscrapers.

CHECK IT HERE!

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this is my first seoul video of my korea video series. i hope to capture moments that display korean culture and atmosphere.. click and observe.

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My second video art project. (video installation)

As a teenager, there seems to be an overwhelming amount of pressure to lose one's virginity by the influence of the media, peers, and even culture. countless young girls have projected and used their bodies in ways, way beyond their years. here i showcase, one example of how pressure and expectations has effected these young girls.

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this is my first experimental short i made. check it out.

or go to my vimeo page.

this is what you should do before you watch this. ISOLATE YOURSELF FROM EVERYONE. watch it in total darkness. i want you to watch this whole short in one sitting. if you choose to call it quits half way, and im SURE some will fail, then dont even view it at all. dont be afraid to feel. now watch.

p.s. this is really bad quality.

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this is my friend luwam.

or go here...

ive been trying to film more and more and this is just the first video. ive been just filming random things that will help me become a better director and such. i need to really start doing more things considering how our art show is coming up very quickly... but check out my youtube page. there is more information about this particular video and about the meaning behind the many videos i will soon make.

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