World Premiere at The Chinese Theatre!

June 02, 2017

Hello fellow blog readers! It’s been a little while since our last update but we’re very excited to announce our world premiere of my short film, "oRaNgEdReAmS" at the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd! We are screening through the 20th annual Dances With Films festival. The festival kicked off last night with an exclusive filmmakers’ only “green” carpet walk through - filled with press coverage and lots of great networking. (If you haven't already buy your tickets here)

My producer and I had a great time at the event and were able to connect with a few new and old filmmaking friends. It was definitely a wonderful experience in growing as a filmmaker. The excitement and energy of this truly independent festival was very inspiring. I look forward to our screening tomorrow, June 3rd at 12:30pm! Look out for more blog updates (and professional photos coming soon from press) about our festival experience! #oRaNgEdReAmS

Hot off the printing presses! It's almost time to launch into early 2000s nostalgia.

Post-Production: Recreating AOL Instant Messenger for the iPad Generation

October 18, 2016

A lot of things have happened since I last updated this blog. J. Graciano, my producer, and I have been working on the next stages for the film- be it reaching out to production companies, networking or submitting to festivals. The wait to hear back from film festivals can seem like an eternity, but that is often the masochistic nature of filmmaking. What has kept our spirits high is the fact that the few close friends and cast / crew that we have shared the film with so far are giving great responses.

Of the people who have seen the movie so far and the trailer, many have asked about the motion graphics of the film. The lively, authentic, effects that were created by Jarrod Dowalter, our designer have definitely been a crowd favorite in bringing life into the room scenes.

About half of the film takes place in Jessy’s room with static closeup shots, intercut with b-roll of various items around her room. I wanted to really re-create the sensory overload of chatting on AIM during the early 2000s as a young pre-teen. These scenes of Jessy in her room needed to reflect her own world. The fast paced nature of the chats alongside Jessy’s (Evelyn Warner) wide-eyed, uninhibited emotions really immerse the viewer into exactly that - Jessy’s headspace. These crucial scenes served as a visual diary into Jessy’s mind, which would later aid viewers in the upcoming scenes.

The challenge with the AIM graphics were that they needed to meld our desire for authenticity of the AIM software with the need to give a sense of total immersion to an audience with far higher technological literacy - (if the movie had taken place 10 years later, Jessy would probably be on Instagram and we would have a far shorter convo consisting of eggplant emojis and sliding into DMs - highly inappropriate stuff).

Thanks to Jarrod's diligence and patience with our many requests and revisions, we finally reached a perfect hybrid of authenticity and effect. Here are some of the drafts that we went through:

This was the very first draft that Jarrod did. It was based off of a drawing that I had sketched. This was super cool looking, with a very minimal take on the chat box that you see on the right. I felt that the motion tracking was too distracted for the entire scene and ultimately cut that out so that the focus would be on the crucial written dialogue.

For the second draft, I wanted to bring back all the little widgets that the IM box (left) had. These were crucial elements, such as a "warn" button that you could virtually zap people with to make them wait before sending messages - seems like something we should bring back in this age of internet trolls? I wanted to make the whole set up a bit less rigid which explains the top half of the box and why we tried making the text float freely.

This was kind of a wildcard thought of by J. Graciano, who wanted to try out amping up a more modern-day look. Personally, I felt it was too far off from the original look. One of the crucial aspects of this film is the nostalgia factor and that relies heavily on authenticity!

In terms of the final version, all I can say is that I loved how the final recreation turned out - revamping the archaic software of the Internet Stone Age, while still keeping it recognizable to us old timers. You will have to see the movie to see the full, finalized version. It is an all encompassing, full-throttle experience that is sure to give you an adrenaline rush of pre-teen, emotional ups and downs.

"This is the story of a girl/who cried a river and drowned the whole world.." Name that 2000s song! (Answer at the bottom of post *smiley*)

Production Day 2 - It’s a WRAP!~ "This is the story of a girl..."

October 30, 2015

We had one buffer day in between production day one and day two, which was much needed. I did not have much time to rest as most of the day was spent dressing the set. However, seeing the room come to life exactly as I pictured was enough to get my adrenaline going again. I love set design and handled the whole production design process. The walls of the room were set up with pictures of 90s and 2000s celebrities, school work from my middle school days, tags from old jean brands like “Paris Blues” with photos of bootleg-“Bratz” look-a-likes, Sailor Moon and Pokemon cards and even a sweepstakes photo to win the *new* 1999 VW Beatle!

Do you ever feel like someone's watching you as you devour your tween magazines on your blow up chair?

Iz he worthy of your lUv?! "Boy Files"- an actual book from the 00s and my childhood stash.

On the morning of the shoot, I felt a bit more pressure in a much different way for this shoot since it was the personal part of the story. The room and home life was inspired by my own life and I knew that I had to do it justice. I never really set out to tell my own story but the old saying that all writing is autobiographical holds truth here. This project was originally inspired by revisiting my early 2000s childhood diaries and notes; however through numerous rewrites and the nature of storytelling, things began to take a whole new form. Either way, I felt a sense of duty to make sure that the extreme emotions of a middle schooler growing up in the 2000s were portrayed authentically. I did not want to let that kid down!

Evelyn had many challenging scenes to perform in that day. We had rehearsed the computer scenes, where she talks on AIM but purposefully left a lot of scenes in which Jessy hangs out in her room up for improvisation to make it feeling fresh and authentic. I wanted to show her expressing her uninhibited self - you know when you dance around like no one’s watching in your room? - except there were about ten people watching at all times.

Eichin Chang-Lim and I preparing for the dinner scene with her set daughter, Evelyn Warner.

We also had Eichin Chang-Lim, who played the mother of Jessy, on set for day two. She was able to nail her short but vital, dinner scene in only a couple takes! It was great to see the wide range of emotions that her character displayed in only a few minutes. Eichin was able to take what we worked on in our rehearsals and embody the character to elicit emotions of both sympathy and over-bearing repulsion.

plAyA or player hater? Find out in the upcoming movie.

One of the b-roll scenes where "Jessy" who is an aspiring singer shows off her skills.

Aside from the dinner scene, the day consisted of a lot of b-roll for the computer scenes where Jessy talks to her friends and crush on AIM. I plan on showing the chat scenes in a more visually appealing way - not just on a computer screen the whole time - so it was definitely something we all had to get into the groove of. I felt this style of shooting definitely was inspired by my self-taught nature of working as a D-SLR wielding video maker for internet videos. It was really cool to see Mike, our DP doing so many b-rolls on the Red Dragon rapidly and handheld. The unconventional nature of this day’s shoot was a challenge but provided us with amazing footage of many different things essential to being a tween in the early 2000s - writing in black-paper journals with Gelly Rolls, looking through J-14 magazines, rating boys in a “Boy Files” book and dancing to hits like “Dilemma by Nelly & Kelly Rowland”.

Is it early morning or late afternoon? We'll never tell.

Thank you again to everyone involved! I have been editing for picture lock and have a few more scenes to go. After picture lock, we can move onto VFX, and sound mastering.It’s really crazy to think that this project is finally going to be finished soon. I have a mix of feelings from excitement - anticipating seeing the final cut and the response from something that I feel is just so needed for the nostalgia-loving “millennials” who are now in their adulthood - to feeling a little overwhelmed by knowing that the cut depends on me as the creator and editor. I know that I just have to keep my purpose in mind and make something that will do the hormonal, pizza-faced, shy and crazy, “Hit” music-obsessed kid of the 00s proud. Stay tuned for another post about editing the project!

*Answer: title reference song - Nine Days: Absolutely (Story of a Girl) Winners will receive a AOL free trial in their mailbox.

photos by: Kell Riches

A snippet into what the cast sees - the magic behind the scenes

Production Day 1 - Experiences Filming at the Mall

October 05, 2015

IT'S HAPPENING! IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING! This was the thought going through my head as we pulled into the near-empty mall parking lot in the wee hours of the morning. I couldn't help but worry a bit about all the factors we would soon face - shooting on location with real shoppers, the ten scenes we needed to cover with the bulk of our cast (seven characters), and just about every little detail that needed to be right. I was a bit anxious the night before - between going over the shot list a few dozen times and double checking all the props and wardrobe as well as checking in with all cast and crew - it was our time to really show what our months of preparation would bring us. After taking it all in and meeting up with the cast and crew I was able to be more at ease. This was such a great and exciting achievement! Relatively, there aren't many short films - or even features - (that I know of) that have mall scenes, despite it being such a big part of teen life! Understandably so as there's so many variables to account for: store owners, tons of noise from all directions including a carousel in our case, customers of all ages and curiosities, and of course the mall itself. Getting to see the cast and crew do their thing was also very rewarding. After Roczane, our MUA, got everyone's early 2000's inspired hair and make up done it was time to start blocking!

Lighting is very, very important - thanks to Bradly Wilder.

Ironically, the first scene we shot that day was the climax of the movie, the second to last scene in the whole film. This scene involved Jessy finding out that her online crush, Stevey had been tricking her. In response to this betrayal the two characters attack each other in the cruel spirit of middle-school kids - by picking on each others' insecurities. We shot from the perspective of a food court employee by taking over an empty food court stall. The cast really did wonderfully and gave it their all. The fight between the kids seemed so realistic many innocent shoppers turned around in concern! One person almost choked on their corndog (luckily the CPR class I took came in handy)!

The talented Roczane, MUA touching up Evelyn Warner

Roczane was always on top of it in between takes for any fix ups.

We were always hustling but we were also smiling on the inside.

As with any new crew working together for the first time we had a few kinks to work out. Thankfully we got a running start on crew chemistry by making a point of taking crew referrals of whom they've previously worked with. And by the second scene, we really got the ball rolling! As with any craft, the more exposure and experience you get makes you better at it. Thanks to the months of rehearsal with dedicated actors, I was able to direct the talent with ease on set, and really hone in on the details of the visuals and become one with the monitor. Our blocking rehearsals before each scene were invaluable as Mike and Bradley, our seasoned camera department, made suggestions that added to the realism of the situation.

Mike Mcmillin getting us the shots we wanted and then some!

Gary, parent of actress Shay, was an excellent PA!

I'll admit there was some stress in terms of scheduling, and of course those unforeseeable challenges on set that can and will come up during production! Because "oRaNgEdReAmS" is an early 2000's period piece, going into production I thought that our biggest concern would be iPhones, current fashion, and technology that didn't exist in the early 2000s. However, our main issue was with the ever present... minion! Yes, I'm talking about the animated character that spews gibberish from the Despicable Me movies! They have taken over all corners of merchandising! In terms of our involuntary extras, most shoppers were overwhelmingly cooperative, but there were a handful of times we had to reset because of stares into the camera that screamed "Am I on candid camera?". Thankfully, we had a tight-knit team where even the parents' of our talent stepped up and aided us in any way they could!

The "macking" session between the two older kids, played by Kimberly Cohen and Andrew Lutheran.

The crew couldn't help but smile and blush during the scene.

This job calls for you to be a voyeur sometimes!

One of the scenes involved a very "juicy" make out session between the two popular kids, played by Kimberly Cohen and Andrew Lutheran. While Jessy and Felicia looked on and whispered "Oh my God!", not-so-subtly to each other so did the rest of the cast and crew that looked on behind the monitor.

Andrew Lutheran recovering from his action packed scene.

Sam our production sound guy doing his thing.

It was also really great to finally get to work with the entire cast together and bond with them. Though we were all working extremely hard for hours on end, I appreciate that we were able to all genuinely enjoy each others' company - and extra curricular talents.

Reilly rockin the Air Force Ones with mandatory rubberbands to hold down the denim.

Another funny anecdote was the last scene we shot that 12 hour day. This scene was in front of a Tokyo Lifestyle store, which is a store that sells cute items from Japan (think Hello Kitty). The scene involved Jessy's crush, Stevey (Reilly Jimenez) mistakenly thinking her pastry keychain was real and stuffing it into his mouth! We had prepared a handful of duplicate keychains knowing that this would be a difficult scene to stomach. On the reverse end of things, the rest of the kids would have to burst into uncontrollable laughter! This reaction needed to be natural and I knew we could not over-rehearse it so I had purposefully skipped over it in our rehearsals. To keep the laughter fresh, we showed funny videos on our phones, had Reilly dance, and any thing else we could think of.

And until next time, where we shoot the intimate scenes inside Jessy's decked out early 2000s themed room!

Looking back on it, the day was definitely a huge success and one of the most accomplished I've had so far. Many times all the challenges of making a truly independent project like this can be so tough you can't help but question if it's worth it or not. This was one of the few times where what we were creating and the shots / performances were exceeding what I envisioned my head!

*All photos by Kell Riches, our smiling snapper.*

Four "middle schoolers" take the local shopping mall - (set photos by Kell Riches)

Introducing... THE CAST of oRaNgEdReAmS~

September 16, 2015

From working on a previous webseries for pre-teens and children, I realized how much I enjoyed working with younger actresses / actors. The energy and inhibition of young actresses and actors really inspire me. I found it very helpful to take some opportunities working with kids. These experiences along with reading my childhood diary helped me get into the mindset of my younger years so I could to do full justice to oRaNgEdReAmS.

Directing our cast was a great experience.

I loved working with the incredible cast we had.

So now without further ado, CASTING - This was a really fun and exciting process because it was when I really started to see the story come to life. Like any writer, I think there is always a tinge of insecurity about the authenticity of dialogue until an actor works with it and says it out loud. I kept in some pretty un-PC lines because the crassness of how middle schoolers can be immature is a crucial part of the charm I needed to capture; not to mention I included some direct inspiration from my own diary! We held casting calls on several casting websites in search of the principle cast. I was happy to see that we garnered several hundred submissions for the roles. There were many inspiring, young, talents that came out to our numerous auditions at nearby local community rooms. However, I had very specific requirements for each character which I will explain below. My expectations were not only met but exceeded in many cases with the wonderful cast we decided to go with. It was such a great process in that I was able to learn even more about the characters. I am truly humbled to work as a team with the talent. They each brought their own twist to the characters and we were able to fine-tune and add additional depth to their emotions and motivations.

Evelyn Warner is an extremely well-rounded actress.

She was such a great fit for the lead role "Jessy".

Evelyn Warner - our lead actress simply 'wowed' us with the depth that she brought to "Jessy". Jessy is definitely very temperamental, excitable, angsty, boy-crazy and determined to be a pop star and not live a "regular life". This was the role I was most apprehensive about since not only would it be a role based on my own younger self and a challenging role with a broad range of emotions. Well luckily Evelyn not only molded the role into her own but is also an amazing singer! We were so happy to have found her and loved her dedication! Not to mention she also looks great in the 2000s style too and was able to truly appreciate the time period.

Shay Backe, as the die-hard bestfriend "Felicia" giving advice.

Shay Backe's "Felicia" was charming and well embodied.

Shay Backe - plays "Felicia" aka the best friend of Jessy. She is a supportive friend but is much less of an over-thinker than Jessy, making her very impulsive. She's the friend who always has advice to give even though she has never had the experience. This funny and relatable character goes on the mall date with Jessy as if she was watching a movie - wide-eyed, voyeuristic and expecting the best date EVER. I knew right away that Shay would be great as she played the character effortlessly and she was able to channel her own energy into it. Shay and her dad Gary were very amused to see her wearing color for her character as she usually lives in pop punk band tees.

"Bestfriends" 4 eVa ! w00t w00t ~ V^___^V

Reilly Jimenez - is "Stevey" the suburban wangsta who's theme song is deestylistic "Hella Hard to Love a Gangsta" but may be a very sensitive middle schooler looking for acceptance. Reilly did a complete 180 for this role. Being a full fledged theater kid and Beyonce lover - he not only changed what was on his playlist but even the way he walked. We visited Reilly's home and worked with him on the character and minor details of his wardrobe such as using rubber bands on the bottom of his jeans. Reilly did such a great job on set and had everyone cracking up by the charm of this familiar middle school character. He was so fun to work with and made the entire cast and crew feel even more bonded with his antics ( need I mention pretending to strip-tease with his North Face vest between takes?)

It was a pleasure working with Reilly on set and at rehearsals.

Check out those frosted tips & spiked hair.

Stevey's explosive scene at the food court even had innocent shoppers frightened.

Jordan always had a positive attitude and his passion for performing shined through.

Jordan Franco - walked into the audition with a smile and wonderful energy. He simply blew me away with how much he gave in his performance as "Maven" - the class clown who hasn't quite matured yet to the sensitivities of dating ( or in other words as Jordan and I agreed on the "proud smurfer" (smiling surfer)". We were happy to find that he was not only fond of the role but had plenty to praise of the story itself. The young actor was so passionate that it also inspired myself even more! He was able to not only embody the goofy characteristics but the inner-lying motivations of the character as Maven later has a shift in power from his often controlling best friend "Stevey". Let's not forget to mention he practiced using Heelys for this role.

Jordan Franco plays "Maven" the easy-going wingman.

Did I mention he was very flexible to any changes?

Eichin Lim-Chang - plays Jessy's "Mom". Asian American mothers have often too familiarly been parodied as irrational, nagging, heads of household. I instead wanted to portray the mother as simply someone who is trying their best to connect with their daughter who is worlds away, immersed in the American tween pop universe. Eichin's character was as much about giving voice to Jessy's frustrations as to her mom's. Our goal was to humanize the mother's own misunderstand of a teenage daughter - a universal feeling that everyone can relate to. We were able to fine-tune this character and show her off-beat sense of humor as well as a tinge of disconnect and sadness that her character felt in not being able to connect with her child. Eichin was very dedicated and explained her own similarities to the character being a mother herself. On set, despite our limited time to shoot the scene, she nailed the delicate emotion of the parent.

To avoid spoilers all I can say is this is a very "juicy" scene.

Kim was awesome & looked great in that 2000s outfit too!

Kimberly Cohen - "Jennifer" aka "Perfect Hair" is the popular girl in a higher grade than Jessy and Felicia. Her character is the type of popular person who was voted Perfect Hair in the 8th grade yearbook polls AND is the student body president. She is diplomatic and nice to every one but what is she really thinking? It's hard to tell if she's really being genuinely nice or if she just wants your vote and will make fun of you later. Her boyfriend is a Justin a high schooler and she loves macking with him! Kimberly was amazing in the role and tethering the fine line between snobby and friendly. She was one of the first that we auditioned for this role and she definitely stuck out to us. She was a perfect fit for it.

No caption really needed here. A guy and the love of his life - Razor scooter with "Iight up bling" + Mike the OG DP.

Andrew Lutheran - plays "Justin" aka the "Popular Dude" who's in high school. His character is completely obsessed with his Razor scooter and has a very stunning wardrobe ( No Fear and Big Dog tees with pants...that zip off into shorts). Andrew is a rising star who has been in Palo Alto, Breaking Bad, etc. We were really happy to have him as a part of the film as our DP, Mike Mcmillin recommended him. He flawlessly played the character and also did some pretty epic runs around the mall with his Razor! Justin is such a hilarious character simply due to the fact that he would've been someone we all looked up to as a popular, cool kid though nowadays not so much.

These were an amazing set of characters that I can confidently and proudly say were casted perfectly and executed extremely well by the talent. I am really grateful and humbled by the amount of dedication that all the actresses / actors put in and have to say that they all inspired me. I think that casting was such a crucial yet enjoyable process to me because I got to see the characters that I wrote and created come to life! I enjoyed working with everyone and respected everyone's different approaches to their characters and truly believe that the talent and director should work together in crafting the role.

World Premiere at The Chinese Theatre!

Post-Production: Recreating AOL Instant Messenger for the iPad Generation

Production Day 2 - It’s a WRAP!~ "This is the story of a girl..."

Production Day 1 - Experiences Filming at the Mall

Introducing... THE CAST of oRaNgEdReAmS~

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