VC DIGITAL SLAM! Highlights "Past/Forward 2005"
Visual Communications 35 th Anniverary Program Set for the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre Thursday, September 29, 2005 - Los Angeles
Tikoy Aguiluz, Timothy Linh Bui, S. Leo Chiang, Curtis Choy, Loni Ding, Wes Kim, Eric Koyanagi, Grace Lee, Felicia Lowe, Debbie Lum, Alex Munoz, Park Hye Jung, Jessica Sanders, Rea Tajiri, JT Takagi, and Jessica Yu Are Among the Featured Filmmakers For the VC Digital Slam Pieces.
(Los Angeles, Sept. 20) -- Where can you see brand-new works by award winning artists such as Timothy Linh Bui, Curtis Choy, Loni Ding, Amy Hill, Eric Koyanagi, Felicia Lowe and Jessica Yu—all on one night? The answer: as part of the 2005 installment of the VC Digital SLAM!, a micro-movie festival that is a key highlight of PAST/FORWARD 2005, Visual Communications’ 35th Anniversary Celebration set for Thursday, September 29, 2005 at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, in Hollywood. Showtime is 8:30 p.m.
PAST/FORWARD will commemorate the 35th anniversary of Visual Communications, the nation’s premier Asian Pacific American media arts center. Established by students, activists and educators in 1970, Visual Communications has played a leading role in the production, presentation, education and preservation of more accurate and honest visions of Asian peopels in America.
The VC Digital SLAM!, inaugurated in 2003, challenged artists to produce a 30-second work in digital video. Artists were required to interpret the terms "visual" and "communication" as the theme of their piece, and in reference to Visual Communications’ 35th anniversary, were encouraged to incorporate the number "35" as well. The VC Digital SLAM! is a great example of the work being supported by Visual Communications and a display of the great range of artistic vision in the Asian Pacific American media arts community.
Artists who have accepted the Digital Challenge vary in background, age and experience. "I have always been interested in doing film," says actress Amy Hill, who recently appeared in 50 FIRST DATES and whose acting career has spanned over two decades. The extensive post-production phase posed as an obstacle in taking up many projects, but notes Hill, "In this case, the brevity of the piece agrees with my busy schedule."
John Esaki, director of the Japanese American National Museum’s Frank Watase Media Arts center, agrees. "The benefit of having something 30 seconds long is that it can be produced fairly easily." Fresh from directing the recent Visual Communications production STAND UP FOR JUSTICE, Esaki has had ample experience in the harrowing world of post-production chaos.
"You usually spend years on developing a story. For example, STAND UP FOR JUSTICE took five years to make." But as Esaki relates, there are drawback to making something as brief as a thirty second clip. "I’m trying to come up with an idea that can be conveyed in 30 seconds, that is interesting visually and compelling in narrative."
Daniel Masaoka and Patrick Epino are among the many emerging filmmakers whose foray into the world of media showmanship will be eagerly awaited. Epino, an alumni of the San Francisaco State University Film School, quipped that his participation in the SLAM! would afford him an opportunity to star-gaze. His most recetly-completed work, VOID, produced through Visual Communications’ Armed with a Camera Fellowship, proved to be a hit at VC FILMFEST 2005 last Spring. On a more serious note, Epino felt "…honored to participated in the SLAM! since it’s part of the 35th Anniversary of Visual Communications."
Masaoka, a 2005 Getty summer intern at Visual Communications, was encouraged to create a SLAM! piece during his stay at VC. A young man who gets his inspiration from lying in bed and letting his thoughts carry him away, Masaoka encountered unexpected difficulties creating a coherent 30-second piece. "The point is to put across an idea that will make sense to others—not just to myself," he said. "To really form a good narrative, much less a full-length story, will be hard."
In addition to directors Epino, Esaki, Hill and Masaoka, artists who have accepted the challenge of producing Digital SLAM! pieces includes award-winning veterans Tikoy Aguiluz, Timothy Linh Bui, S. Leo Chiang, Curtis Choy, Loni Ding, Wes Kim, Eric Koyanagi, Grace Lee, Felicia Lowe, Debbie Lum, Alex Munoz, Park Hye Jung, Jessica Sanders, Rea Tajiri, JT Takagi, and Jessica Yu. Emerging filmmakers submitting works include Grace Bai, Aram Collier, Cindy Fang, Kerri Higuchi, Jean Ho, Sasha Hsuczyk, Jeff Liu, William Lu, Dominic Mah, Gregory Pacificar, Annabel Park, Mia Villavueva, and Maite Zabala-Alday.
Additionally, new media educator Ted Vadakan and film critic Roger Garcia have also accepted the Digital Challenge and will also be contributing works.
This year’s event sponsors include: (Gold Level): Getty Foundation; (Bronze): FIA Insurance Services, Inc., Paul Shishima, Richard Wong, The Korea Daily; (Crystal): Asian American Drug Abuse Program, Little Tokyo Service Center; (Legend): Center for Asian American Media (formerly NAATA); Henry Chan; Fukui Mortuary, Philip & Barbara Ito, Tanaka Video; (Mega Star): Douglas Aihara, Bowen Chung, MD, GMF Management, Hitachi, Ltd., Hsu Hwa Chao Foundation, Michael and Gigi Kan, Ken & Ellen Minami, Robert Nakamura and Karen Ishizuka, Hon. Jan Perry, City of Los Angeles, 9th District Council, Quan Phung, TDK Electronics Corp., Transamerica Insurance & Investment Group, USC Asian Pacific American Student Service; (Super Star): Alice Y. Hom, Jean & Suyan Lau, Lewis Kawahara & Akiko Takeshita, Togawa & Smith, Tokio Marine Mangement Inc.; (Star): Harry Akune, Vera de Vera, East West Players, Kenny Kasuyama, Alexander Kim, Sung Kim, Korean Immigrant Workers Advocate, Munson & Suellen Kwok, Walt Louie & Cheryl Yoshioka, Tim & Marion Manaka, Johnny & Wendy Mori, Corrine Oishi and Lindley Morton, Steven D. Spiess, Renne Tajima-Peņa, Fatimah Tobing Rony, Robynn Takayama, Dr. & Mrs. James Yamazaki, Teruyo Yoshimura.
Reception Sponsors include Allied Domecq Wines USA, and valuable support was provided by the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment and USC Asian Pacific American Student Services. A special thanks goes to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for their continuing support of the John Anson Ford Theatres, a County Regional Park operated by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
The Ford Amphitheatre is located at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068, just off the 101 Hollywood Freeway across from the Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal Studios. The grounds open two hours before showtime for picnicking. The Ford offers a number of dining options: a variety of food and beverages is available on site and box dinners for evening events may be ordered in advance. Patrons are welcome to bring their own food and drink. The Ford is disabled accessible. Portable wireless listening devices are available upon request.
On-site, stacked parking costs $5 per vehicle for evening shows. FREE non-stacked parking serviced by a FREE shuttle to the Ford is available at the Universal City Metro Station lot at Lankershim Blvd. and Campo de Cahuenga. The shuttle, which cycles every 15-20 minutes, stops in the "kiss and ride" area.
PAST/FORWARD 2005 is part of the Ford Amphitheatre 2005 Season, a multi-disciplinary arts series produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission in cooperation with Los Angeles County-based arts organizations. For a complete season schedule, directions to the theater and parking information, log on to www.FordAmphitheatre.org.
Tickets for PAST/FORWARD 2005 are $15 for general admission, and $12 for students with valid ID, and are available by logging on to www.FordAmphitheatre.org or by calling the Ford Box Office at 323 GO 1-FORD (461-3673). For updated program info, please check the Visual Communications website, www.vconline.org.
