Asian American Film: Features

"Talk to Taka" - An Interview with Rich Kim

05.11 - Posted by Editor

		Rich Kim's short film "Talk to Taka" is up for the $100,000 prize in the AtomFilms MogulMaker contest And you can help our boy win! Interview by Greg Pak

05.11.00
Filmmaker Richard Kim, best known for his hilarious short film "Kung Pao Chicken," could win $100,000 to make an eight minute short this month -- and you can help! AsianAmericanFilm.com editor Greg Pak interviewed Kim by email to get the whole scoop.

Links

AtomFilms.com

Talk to Taka

"Kung Pao Chicken" on AtomFilms.com

"Kung Pao Chicken" mini-review by Greg Pak

Post your opinions on the Message Boards!

AAF   Tell us about this AtomFilms MogulMaker thing. What's your involvement, how's it work, and what's at stake?

RK  "The MogulMaker" is a contest. From Atom's general audience, five people were chosen to be "Moguls"... each chooses a script... My script "Talk To Taka" was one of them [selected by prospective mogul Eel Jin Chae. -- ed.].
    The Moguls videotape themselves pleading for their film to get chosen. The public votes for one short film to be made... with a $100,000 budget from AtomFilms. It's a great chance for the wired Asian American community to help produce a film, just by clicking. I know there are enough Asians with web access, who want to see more strong stories about Asians, that we can get this prize.

AAF   Tell us about your film -- the one that's up for the dough. Synopsis, format, length, etcetera.

RK   "Talk to Taka" is about a Sushi Chef who makes great sushi, but his passion is to give love advice. But his advice stinks! Couples leave the sushi bar because his advice doesn't work. The BOSS warns him: DonＵ give advice, or youＳe fired! Then a sad lady comes in, sits at the sushi bar, and she's got marital problems and wants advice... I won't give away the end.
    I wanted to tell a story that encourages people to communicate. My cultural experience as a Korean is that many things are left unsaid by one person, yet should be understood by the other. It turns many people into subtextual, intuitive geniuses. And sometimes makes for great non-dialogue drama. But at other times, leaving things unspoken can prolong our pain. And no matter what the culture, life is too short.
    Pat Morita has been nice enough to accept the role of Taka. I'm way excited about both the comedy and tenderness he'll bring. We'll shoot on 35mm, length... around 8 minutes, a lotta shots, a lotta cuts.

AAF   What can we do to help you win?

RK   VOTE for "Talk to Taka," The last week of May on AtomFilms.com. Voting page opens on May 23. If you know any Asian college student email lists, or other email lists of people who might be interested, send them to me goodworld@usa.net , and I will gladly spam them.
    Pester people you know to vote. Especially if they want to see Asian Americans progress in media portrayal and the arts. If "Talk To Taka" wins, it will get a tremendous amount of press, and encourage many Asian Americans to pursue and persist in filmmaking and storytelling. It's tragic that so many of our stories aren't shared as much as we wished they could be.

AAF   Okay, just between us, do you really need $100,000 to make this short?

RK   I wondered the same. I've heard that Atom plans to premiere this short film in the Fall. They'd probably rather have the filmmaker spend more money and finish quicker, than take a lot of time hustling deals and money-saving bargains.

AAF   Your earlier short "Kung Pao Chicken" is being streamed online at AtomFilms right now. How has the AtomFilms experience been?

RK   The Seattle Atom folks are chipper, perky and friendly. I emailed Atom, asking for a t-shirt, and they sent me a whole box of stuff. It's too bad that USC Film School owns the copyright to all their students' films. When Atom bought "Kung Pao Chicken" all the money went straight to USC, and I'll likely never see a penny.

AAF   As I recall, you've been working on a documentary about Spam -- how's that going?

RK   I'm no longer doing the Spam documentary. I began that project before enrolling in film school. Once in school, I decided to suspend the project for three years until I graduated. There was so much to learn in school that would help me with Spam. But after three years, I had changed as a person and filmmaker. I no longer found the same resonance in Spam that I felt before. Somehow, it was less relevant. So, Spam is defunct... unfortunate in many ways.

AAF   So why the emphasis on food in all these films?

JH   Food, especially ethnic food communicates so much to me. Food can be an effective diplomat. For example, my father has a sweeping history-based grudge against the Japanese. He lived during the Japanese occupation of Korea. He mistrusts Japanese, considers them barbaric island people, etc, etc. Yet he loves Japanese food. LOVES it. So... he goes to Japanese restaurants... often enough, that he's chummy with the waiters, manager, sushi chefs. When I go to an ethnic restaurant, it's often like stepping onto foreign soil. The decor, the manner, the furniture, the wait staff, the dishes, the desserts. Food was the diplomat who welcomed me in. Ethnic restaurants are also a great locale for conflict and drama. Under one roof, you've got people of different nationalities, dialects, different eating customs and tastes. All in the same restaurant, eating food from the same kitchen. There's bound to be some offense and misunderstanding. Food is a wonderful dramatic tool that provides easy access to issues surrounding identity, culture, and affection. "Talk To Taka" uses food to access the theme of affection and romance.

AAF   What else is shaking with Richard Kim?

RK   I'm polishing a feature film script I wrote.... a romantic-comedy with a few songs, set in Seoul, Korea, written for the Korean audience. I'm also directing three music videos this summer, two for U.S. acts, and one for a Korean pop act.

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