Stay Out of the Swamp

Tickets go on sale today for "HATCHET" at the Tribeca Film Festival to the general public. 

At first tickets were only available to American Express Card Holders (the fest's sponsor), then to NYC downtown residents and now it's finally open to everyone.

I just saw the teaser trailer up on the fest's site and I had to turn the volume waaay down on my computer's tiny speakers because I was already getting freaked out by the audio. 

Now I just hope the visuals will do justice to the sound. 

I literally have no idea what this movie's going to look like as I'm being kept in the dark along with the potential distributors until it screens at the end of the month. 

I'll be at the April 29 & 30 screenings for the Q&A panels after each movie but you'll also probably catch me in the audience right before with my fingers plugged in my ears and eyes halfway closed.  I have no idea how my mom's going to get through it. 

(The April 29 screening looks to be a blast as it'll be showing at midnight and be the first audience comprising of real movie goers as opposed to silent, over-scrutinizing movie execs.  That's me in the puffy, pirate orange shirt above.) 

Also, remember to tune into FX this Tuesday, 10pm (7pm on DiSH) to "THIEF".   Tensions will arise as Vincent (Will Yun Lee) and "Shrimp Boy" (me) finally standoff with Nick (Andre Braugher). 

The episode will delve more into Vincent's character -- revealing just why he's had a bad case of the shakes for the past 3 episodes. 

And see how "Shrimp Boy" throws Scarlett Johansson into the mix.  Huh?  You'll just have to tune in to find out!   

THIEF - Tuesdays 10pm on FX

THe Shrimp Boy Cometh

My character, Billy Kwan a.k.a. "Shrimp Boy", starts his run on tonight's episode of the critically acclaimed FX show, "THIEF". 

Whereas on "The Gene Generation" set, I was constantly confused to whom they were referring to whenever my name was called (the director's name is Pearry), that was never the case on this project.

There was just simply no mistaking who they were asking for whenever I heard: "Hey, Shrimp Boy!", "Mornin' Shrimp Boy" and "Can we please have Shrimp Boy on set?!?" 

The ironic thing is that I happen to be very allergic to shrimp - a detail I decided to use as a back story for my character.  But when I spoke with the writers, I learned that he's based on an actual person. 

When the Chinese Triads in San Francisco weren't getting the job done, the Hong Kong head honchos sent in a ruthless hitman to whip the Bayside organization into shape.  Although extremely deadly and feared, Shrimp Boy was very baby-faced and short -- hence the nickname. 

To catch folks up to speed that haven't been watching, I present:

"ThIEF" CliffsNotes®

In the pilot episode, Nick Atwater (Andre Braugher) & crew boost some diamonds from a planned bank heist.  While doing so, they stumble upon a duffel bag filled with $2 million in a nearby safety deposit box and of course, keep it. 

Nick's fence, Roz (Linda Hamilton) discovers the money belongs to the Chinese Mafia -- tells Nick how unwise it is to mess with them and the money is promptly returned.

However the Chinese Mafia Boss, Uncle Lau (Randall Duk Kim, "The Matrix Reloaded"'s Keymaker) wants to make an example of the thieves and sends his assassin, Vincent (Will Yun Lee) after Nick & Company while they're in the middle of planning the really big heist.  

Last week, Vincent tortured a tight-lipped Roz with fire and ultimately killed her at the end of the  failed interrogation attempt.  

So in tonight's episode, despite Vincent's protests, Uncle Lau will send in the 'big guns' to help; and that person is... dum, dum dum!!! 

- SHRIMP BOY-

And Shrimp Boy will become Vincent's spiky haired, impulsive, unwanted "Robin" to his long locked, dark and brooding "Batman".  The classic "Felix & Oscar" pairing.

This is the first time I've played a "bad" guy.  I put the word "bad" in quotations because I've always remembered what my acting teacher said, "Everyone can justify their actions in their head; no one ever thinks they're doing the wrong thing."  So I'm not a "bad" guy per say, but my intentions are definitely in direct conflict with those of the protagonists on the show... ehh --  I'm a bad guy.   

And no need to worry about confusing it with NBC's "Heist" anymore -- it's supposedly getting axed after this week because they couldn't compete against some 'lil shows called "American Idol" and "Lost".  Gee, what a bunch of losers.

THIEF - Tuesdays 10pm on FX

(Fun Fact: Today's also the day "BLT" premiered 3 years ago!)

On The Verge

This time of year is when my college speaking schedule gets pretty hectic.  Although Asian Pacific American Awareness Month is officially in May, most schools then are either in the middle of finals or not in session.  Hence the month before, April, becomes a very popular programming month among Asian campus organizations.

This weekend I kick off my tour keynoting at UMASS on April 8th. 

Then it's off to the University of Pittsburgh on April 12. 

 Then the University of Missouri-Columbia on April 21. 

 Then the University of Minnesota on April 28th.

And then Siena College on May 2.   

While working on my speeches for the upcoming engagements, I was browsing on angryasianman.com and caught this interview of Bruce Lee filmed in 1971. 

You've gotta check it out if you've never seen it because I guess I never realized just how hip, confident and cool Lee's off camera persona was. 

He very articulately touched upon wanting to do projects that showed American audiences how Asians truly were as people (though he understandably used the dated term, "Oriental"); and straying away from the "pig-tailed, bouncing around, chop-chop, slant eyed thing" usually portrayed onscreen.  

He also delved into how he was often criticized by Asian audiences for being too Western/assimilated, while on the flip-side, American filmmakers always tried to make him more "exotic" because of his ethnicity.

I almost did a double-take as I glanced down at my jotted speech notes about Asian Actors having to usually justify/qualify their existence onscreen for an "Asian" reason (The Fill Show Name Here 's Chinatown Episode, the translator to the lead character, etc).  And why being in "BLT" for the cast was so refreshing because we were finally able to play real, flawed, 3-dimensional characters for the first time in our careers -- even though we were oftentimes bashed by the Asian Community for portraying Asians "negatively". 

Lee went on to say how he understood that the movie business was still a business and why American studios might be adverse towards casting a foreigner -- but would use that information to his advantage.  I looked at my notes: "The movie business isn't black, white, yellow or brown -- it's green.  And the more our community supports Asian-American films in the box office, we'll get the chances Spike Lee got when he..." 

I could go on and on with the parallels.   It opened my eyes to just how far ahead of his time Bruce Lee was.  And how this one man was paving the road with his foresight and incredibly focused energy.

But I was also reminded of how little things have changed.  

At the end of his interview, Lee talks about his potential new TV show, "Warriors" with Paramount.  And he says, "If I were born 40 years ago and thought about starring in a movie or TV series in America -- that would probably be a vague dream... but now -- maybe man."  

"Warriors" wound up becoming "Kung Fu" starring David Carradine who replaced Lee.  And unfortunately almost 40 years after Lee spoke those words -- the prospects haven't looked all that great since then.

I think the major difference in this day in age is that progress will only be made through a community as opposed to one man. 

I mean, Bruce Lee almost did it single handedly.  Without a doubt, he would've broken a lot more barriers and opened a lot more minds had he lived longer.  With his charisma, talent and vision -- he simply took the world by storm and was undeniable at the time.  I believe he could've even found the balance for martial arts to not become the poorly mimicked stereotype that it wound up becoming after his passing.  

I don't really see any one person being capable of doing that today.  

However I think we are nearing an important crossroads.

1) From what I've observed from this pilot season, the number of talented Asian-American actors are piling up.  And it's just a matter of time when they start coming in from different projects.  The pool is still small in the grand scheme of things and I've met mostly everyone here and there -- one at a time.  But seeing them all at once, I found myself at audition rooms this pilot season going, "Oh yeah.  I forgot about him -- I'd better bring my "A" game.  Oh yeah and him... and her.. and him too.  Geez, they're coming out of the woodwork!"  

2) That coupled with a generally more informed, aware and open-minded audience these days giving films like "Saving Face", "The Motel", "The Grace Lee Project" and "Americanese" a shot.  

3) The younger generation being exposed to Asian American Study classes and more available programming than ever: Eliot Chang, angryasianman.com, ECAASU, MAASU, ITASA (where Roger Fan's speaking at tomorrow) 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, OPM, all the guys in The Kims of Comedy, etc. 

4) And most importantly -- a generation who grew up empowered with the term of being "Asian" and not "Oriental", who are now in places of power in all industries and able to change things -- if they want to.  So I do believe we could be on the cusp of something pretty exciting. 

Although certain elements are in place, in the end, it will ultimately depend on the follow through -- fighting the ever-looming "Asian Apathy Curse" and/or what Eliot Chang aptly dubs, "Intra-racism": Asians hating Asians.

This is just a little bit of what I'll be touching upon during this tour -- I just hope these words will still ring true 40 years from now.  (I should've bought the initial $100 lifetime Premium Xanga subscription - now they no longer offer it and it'll cost me $25/yr or $1000 total to look back here in 40 years!)    

B FOR BREAKFAST

I wrote an entry awhile back that revealed I get extremely impressionable whenever I see food consumed onscreen. 

When I see Buggin' Out eating his overly-Parmesan-cheese-dusted slice of pizza in "Do The Right Thing"... I'm jonesing for a slice afterwards.  And seeing Dae-su Oh eating a live squid in "Oldboy"?  Throw that 8-legged sucker in my mouth and call him Calamari.

Yesterday, I saw "V for Vendetta" and witnessed Natalie Portman eating the "Eggies in a Basket" that was prepared twice for her in the film. 

And after the movie, all I could think about was, "I gots to get me some of... whatever that was!"  So this morning I found a recipe on-line:

When all was said and done, it looked exactly the way it did in the movie.  And it was pretty cool that my "McDonald's-esque egg-disc" lifted up as one piece with the bread.   

But it didn't taste as good as Natalie made it look (although I think it's because I used that crappy multi-grain bread my wife gets).  Those crazy Brits and their kooky dishes (ie: see the British "Mucky Fat" Sandwich).  

Maybe it'll taste better if I shave my head. 

You know it's hard out here for a THIEF...

The show I shot in Shreveport, LA from Nov-Dec, "THIEF", will begin airing this Tuesday, March 28 on FX at 10pm.  

Although my character doesn't arrive until the third episode (April 11), check it out from the start so you don't get lost.

The first season is only 6 episodes and because of that, I think the creative team behind it was thinking along the lines of, "Hey, let's just go balls out if this is it." -- because pretty much anything goes with this show. 

And remember, it's "THIEF"...  NOT  "HEIST".  The latter one is done by NBC. 

Both shows center around the planning and execution of an elaborate heist over the course of the season but "THIEF" is grittier and a lot more character driven. 

Plus as you can plainly see, the lead actor on my show has a waaay bigger hand than that of Dougray Scott & Steve Harris' on "Heist" (combined); and we all know what they say about big hands... 

Big Hit Show. 

Tune into FX , Tuesdays at 10pm.

! FESTIVUS !

A couple of announcements in the film festival arena. 

That 5 minute short I did "PASSAGES" can be seen at next week's San Francisco Asian American Film Festival, in a collection of film shorts called "Lost and Bound".   It'll be playing on: Tuesday, March 21, 2006, Auditorium 3, Kabuki Theater in Japantown, San Francisco, CA on at 9:15PM.

And then "HATCHET" has been officially selected for the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival!  It's kinda rare for an indie horror film to be accepted into such a big festival but the film has acquired a pretty good buzz and previous indie horror films in big festivals have had good track records:

- "The Blair Witch Project".  Budget: $35,000.  Debuted at the 99' Sundance Film Festival and purchased by Artisan for $1 million.  Grossed $248 million worldwide.

- "Cabin Fever".  Budget: $1.5 million.  Debuted at the 02' Toronto Film Festival and purchased by Lionsgate for $5 million.  Grossed $27 million worldwide.

The main hopes in any festival debut situation is not only being well received by the audience but also being well received by the distributors present so that a bidding war incurs.

So if you're in NYC and are up for a good 'ole fashioned/CGI-less/slasher in the vein of the original "Friday the 13th" and "Halloween", here are the screening times and ticket info:

Now, That's a Journal

I accidentally found this actor's blog who's also documenting his journey in the business (www.davidchiu.net).  He seems to have done the stand-up comedy route first and is now starting to become more serious with his acting career.  His blog really delves into the "everyday-ness" of getting a career started. 

I've publicly shared a lot but admittedly, I've left out the daily details of every audition, fleeting strategy ideas I get for my career, my insecurities, etc. 

But in here, it's no holds-barred:  The critiques he gets.  Failed auditions (when they do come around, he admits),working on set , his  breakthroughs, and his breakdowns.

I totally empathize with him on his latest audition entries.  I've been steadily going out on a bunch of pilot auditions in the past few weeks, doing some of the best stuff I've ever done but have heard nada.  I'm getting a bit worn out having to constantly memorize and break down 10 + pages of dialogue every night and have nothing to show for it.  The routine has become: Tossing the previous script into the recycling bin and start the same process all over for the next day's audition.  I almost miss the days when I started out and my booking ratio was 1 job for every 8 auditions -- but then again, the roles I went up for back in the day were a lot smaller, hence less cooks in the kitchen (producers/network involved in the decision making).

David even does what all actors must eventually do: Honestly pinpointing one's innermost insecurities/weaknesses so they can be worked upon -- only David publicly reveals them!  The dude's got a pair of brass ones.   

But what I really like about his blog is that he has a positive outlook and is extremely proactive -- thinking out of the box and not waiting for things to come to him; treating his career like a business: 

-Analyzing his audition ratio with his agency. 

-Auctioning his services on E-Bay to get some work and free press (very clever but probably a bit too pre-mature at this stage -- but still thinking out of the box nonetheless). 

-Creating his own projects to showcase his acting and production talents (that's him in both roles!)

With that combination of attitude, innovation and work ethic -- I think it's only a matter of time his current state of unemployment as an actor will start to change.  A good read for aspiring actors.

I should be this guy's publicist.

Also for those actors interested, on March 25, AIA Studios is hosting a free Industry Panel.  You can pick the minds of the top casting people in attendence: April Webster ("Lost", "MI:3"), Deborah Aquila ("Flightplan","Eight Below"), Chemin Bernard ("Fat Albert"), Mindy Marin ("The Family Stone", "Face/Off"), Peggy Kennedy ("24"), Wendy O’Brien ("Batman Begins", "Memento").   Even I wanna go but I just auditioned for most of them in the past couple of weeks and the event might be awkward having me interrupt the entire time, "You know that project you're currently casting?  Yeah, why didn't you hire me for that?"

You can register for it here.  First come, first served.

Call Your Folks

I just watched "The Notebook" for the first time and now I'm in a funk.  I can't sleep and had to get these thoughts out on paper or xanga (virtual paper) at 5 am.  I put the movie in the same category that I've always put "A League of Their Own" and "Titanic": 

A good movie -- But gets me majorly depressed about getting old.

The films above follow the characters in their prime -- While they're young,  good at what they do, in love, filled with ambition, etc.  Then the movies find the characters at the end of their lives -- revealing how relationships ultimately played out, which dreams were achieved and which weren't. 

"The Notebook" got me thinking about my Grandfather (who passed away in September) and recalling how young he looked in his military pictures when he fought alongside Chiang Kai-Shek.  How strong and vibrant he was when starting to raise a family.  And how towards the end of his life, that family eventually spread to different parts of the world and only two of them were able to be at his bedside in the final hours.  I wondered what was he thinking in his final moments -- about his journey, family, if he achieved everything he set out to do in life?

And then it got me thinking about my daughter.  And made me wonder: When will she start going her own way?  When will this little girl that currently squeals with delight at the sight of her parents in the morning; one day not see us with wide eyes?  When will she start picking up on our short-comings?  See her dad being not as big as she remembered?  When will the goofy things I do to make her laugh, one day embarrass her in front of her friends?  And as she inevitably moves on with her busy life, when will the phone calls and visits get more and more infrequent? 

We all know how it plays out because we all contributed to it in some manner while growing up:  One day, whoever raised you wasn't so infallible anymore.  Your Dad, all of a sudden not the hero you once held in your eyes.   Asking Mom to drop you off a block out of eyesight from the friends you're meeting.  Your significant other at college knowing more about you than the parentals. 

It's why Harry Chapin's song, "Cat's in the Cradle", resonates such a familiar tone with us (find a copy and take a listen if you've yet to hear it -- if you don't get a little choked up, you're part robot).  

I know it's part of an inevitable circle of life and in order to grow, developing independence is a must.  But it sucks thinking about being on the other end someday.

The only thing I know I can already answer when my eyes finally do close, is the question I wondered about my Grandfather -- If he achieved everything he'd set out to do in life.  And for me, that would be a definitive "Yes" -- because everything from here on in, is just the cherry on top.

Damn "chick-flicks" -- makin' me all reflective and crap.

In & Out of "The Zone"

The Women's Snowboardcross and Men's Half Pipe events particularly caught my attention during these Winter Olympic Games.

Opening with a huge lead, American Lindsey Jacobellis fell and lost a sure gold medal in the Snowboardcross yesterday by doing a subconscious, pre-celebratory "method air" (a technically difficult showboat trick) in the final stretch of her race.  The trick was unnecessary as the Snowboardcross is a racing event and awards no style points.   She managed to recover and glide in for the Silver. 

In the Men's Half Pipe (an event that does reward big tricks) I watched several athletes rock into the halfpipe, start off with a set of soaring jumps and land each cleanly.  Then on their last jump, they either wiped out or didn't land clean -- dashing their hopes of an Olympic medal. 

I think any actor can painfully empathize relating the situations above to any previous audition experiences. 

I can almost "hear" the thoughts that must've been going through Jacobellis and each Half Pipe boarder's mind at the tail end of their respective competitions:

"A gold medal... a gold medal... I've got a gold... Whoa! ... Aw, crap." 

"Nice landing.  That one was good too.  Oh man, one more.  Just one more.... I'm gonna medal, I'm gonna medal..." and -- Wipeout.

At auditions, when you're almost through all 10 pages of material -- a tiny thought will sometimes pop into the head:

"You're doin' well.  You're almost done.  This part's yours, man -- you're..." and then you flub a line.  Then you think, "Stop it. Get out of your head" -- and then you trip up on the next line while thinking about the previous line you messed up on.

As much as we'd like to think we're always focused and prepared -- that stuff just happens sometimes when the pressure's on.  Hence, chalking another situation up to the phrase, "You're your own worst Enemy".  Which is why it's so thrilling when we do see anything executed flawlessly in spite of one's own persistent and invading thoughts.

But heck, Jacobellis still got a Silver Medal for all her time and preparation... 

I just wish there was something for second place in acting besides getting your parking stub validated (... and oftentimes, not even that.)

Parent 'Hood'

I just put together the next development stage toy to help Avery stand up and enhance her motor functions with this Fisher-Price House.

And I have to tell you -- the thing's awesome.  After you ring the doorbell, a voice says, "Who's there?".  When you flip the porch light, it says, "Lights on/Lights off."  And when you stick mail in the mailbox, "You've got mail!", etc (Yeah, snail mail old skool style).

As you can see, it's basically one flat wall of plastic -- which then got me thinking... 

I saved the box my plasma tv came in because I thought it would make an awesome playhouse in the future.  When she can start crawling, I'll cut off one end of the box, stick the Fisher-Price wall at the open end and... voila!  Instant house.  I'll then go to work with a knife and cut out a secret back door, sunroof, windows, stick a skateboard inside so that she can roll from end to end, etc. 

When I told a fellow parent my idea, she said, "Avery's going to have so much fun in it!"  To which I replied, "Who cares?  I'm going to have so much fun in it!"

But with the "Yin", you must also have a "Yang" planned. 

So the days when she's being a 'lil brat, I'll have this photo up my sleeve when the "time-outs" just aren't working.

"If you don't behave yourself, Daddy's going to bring home 'Nemo Sushi' for dinner." 

Bam.  Problem solved.  

(As you can probably tell from this entry and the infrequency of them, parenthood has affected the thinking and free time of this actor.)