Last night’s script contest turned out to be a gut-wrenching, heart-breaking test of wills. The result is a testament to the power of the written word to change people’s minds and we hope, their lives.

Three contestants, each with their own distinctive styles took their turn trying to convince, seduce and reason with their peers that their script was the one which the AAFilmLab will have the pleasure of co-producing. In the end, after two dead-heat ties and some further deliberation, the democratic process, and the power of the Asian American filmmaking people prevailed.

As such, without further ado, and with unfettered pleasure, the AAFilmLab would like to announce the winner of the FALL 2005 script competition:

Jane Valentine

Congratulations goes to Jane and to the other contestants, Nelson Wang and Lawrence Wong for conceiving and completing their scripts. Finally and most of all, the AAFilmLab would like to thank everyone for letting us read their work. We hope to see everyone back at the Lab soon, because the work has only just begun.

I think everyone who attended the last workshop will agree that the Improv Session led by Jennifer and Nora was a resounding success. AFFilmlab would like to thank them both for creating such a great atmosphere for us to explore in and for preparing the activities. We all came out of the session invigorated, inspired and inured with a new found respect for acting. This week we shift gears a little bit and hopefully take some of what we learned through that small intro to improvisation and through surviving our tortured lives into actionable scripts.  A month has already passed ladies and gentlemen and now it’s time to let loose your demons through the ancient art of screenplay writing. This workshop meeting AAFilmLab invites all of you who’ve got some story to tell (and all of you do) to come and take the first step in turning your vision into a short film. The script contest rules will explain all the details, but all you need to know is that we want to read your work and we want to help bring your thoughts to fruition. This opportunity is here for the taking. So bring in your stuff and let’s take it from there. Agenda for Upcoming Workshop Submitted Script Readings Pitch Your Script Script Selection by Democratic Process Announcements Our next meeting: Wednesday September 7, 2005 7pm - 9:30pm 222 East 34th St. 5th Floor Conference Room Google Map *Please RSVP, refreshments welcome. P.S. Don’t sweat the “competition” thing. Remember these are your peers and your friends. And we luve you.

We'd like to send out a big thank you to everyone who made it to the 72HR Film Shootout Screening at Dekk last Monday night. For those of you who couldn't attend, we missed all of you and hope you'll be able to make it out to the next event. We were impressed all over again by the quality of work this year and look forward to seeing more work from the participants in the near future. A big warm thanks goes to Marie and Pun for steering us to the venue and thanks also goes to Jane and David for helping man the ship through the nite. The script contest officially kicked off last workshop so now we're just anxious to read what inspired works will spring from your talented minds. It's only 10 pages, so if you're tired of making excuses not to shoot a film, try this on for size. You've got till Sept. 7. Agenda for Upcoming Workshop Improv Session - That's right! Playtime. Jenn & Nora have graciously agreed to guide us through the session. Call for member films - We want to show your work as much as you do. Plans to show your work will be discussed at this meeting. Brainstorm - All your lovely ideas. Announcements Our next meeting: Wednesday August 24, 2005 7pm - 9:30pm 222 East 34th St. 5th Floor Conference Room Google Map *Please RSVP, refreshments welcome. Final Note: As you all may know Derek Ting, the driving force behind the AAFilmLab for the past few years, will be leaving for Hong Kong tomorrow. The AAFilmLab would like to send out our love and thanks for all the tremendous work he's put into the workshop.

We’re please to announced the AAFL Script Contest for Fall 2005. If you’ve got a 10 page screenplay you’ve been working on, or just need an excuse to write one here you go. We’ve made up some guidelines to help you contain that explosive talent into an actionable short film. There’s a small submission fee, and the winner gets to take it all for their budget. On top of that, the AAFilmLab will put up some funding for the film as well.

The AAFilmLab will help produce three short films this upcoming season. The script contests are designed to help us find that all too important content for the films. The point of the films is to give hands on experience to workshop members as well to create a showcase product for your work.

Contact us with any questions or come to the next meeting (8/24). The Guidelines are below:

AAFL Screenplay Contest Guidelines – Fall 2005

[IN PDF - 34MB]
Contest Overview

The Asian American Film Lab (AAFL) is producing short films to accomplish the dual purposes of providing valuable training for their members and to generate content for festival and media submissions. AAFL expects to begin preproduction on their first film in Fall 2005.

All films start with a script. AAFL has determined that to develop competitive films is to obtain the best scripts available. To that end, the AAFL is conducting a screenplay contest whereby the winning script will be produced by AAFL members.

Contest Guidelines

1. The Fall 2005 Deadline is: September 7, 2005. Bring your script into the workshop on this day. There is a submission fee of $15 per entry (one entry per person). The submission money will be added to the winning script’s production budget. Scripts should be no longer than 10 pages. Scripts must be formatted in standard screenplay format.
2. Writers may only have one winning script per season (annual).
3. Submitted scripts will be read by everyone in attendance at the workshop meeting. Writers will also be asked to present a 1 minute pitch for their script or sing a song of the president’s choosing (the 1 minute pitch is highly recommended). The winner will be selected through a democratic peer election process. The writer of the selected script has the option to direct or to choose a director.
4. Keep the budget within the range of $300 - $700. The AAFL will provide some initial funding for the winning script. We don’t expect you to know how to decipher production values for your script. However, some things to keep in mind are that period scripts, special effects laden scripts, and epic scripts (think Pearl Harbor, Titanic, Lord of the Rings or any later Spielberg film) represent high production values which means lots of money. Try to stay with New York-based locations and simple present-day stories with smaller casts.
5. Along the lines of budget considerations, please keep the production contained within one or two weekends.
6. Scripts should adhere to MPAA guidelines for PG-13 or below ratings (PG, G). We’re not trying to enforce moral standards here. However, explicit sexual content may limit our talent choices when we’re casting and explicit violence starts to affect budget – see Guideline 4. The MPAA Ratings guidelines can be found at the mpaa website: http://www.mpaa.org/movieratings/about/index.htm
7. Absolutely no scripts requiring live firearms (or firearms in public), squibs, stunts, fire marshals, explosives and other potentially dangerous safety-intensive plot devices. The legal and safety requirements associated with firearms, stunts, explosions, etc. increases the budget beyond our range. Even if we somehow stayed within budget, we cannot afford the administrative overhead.
8. No scripts requiring children. Again, the legal requirements associated with children exceed our budgetary and administrative capabilities.
9. Stay clear of animal characters and the associated headaches.
10. No copyrighted intellectual property (film, newsreels, TV shows, music, soundtrack or lyrics). Exceptions granted to those screenwriters who have obtained at MINIMUM festival rights for the intellectual property. Evidence of your rights ownership MUST BE SUBMITTED with your script.
11. No exotic locations. Public safety offices (police and fire stations), penal facilities, transit infrastructure, landmarks and public parks are all exotic locations from the budgetary and administrative perspective. Given the security requirements of our terror-inflicted world, even “free” locations such as a subway station is much more difficult to get permission to film in. But if you have the location in your pocket, then by all means use it.
12. AAFL members will be given first priority for cast and crew. Once cast and crew are selected, they are expected to attend workshop meetings to update the AAFL about the progress of the film and most importantly, to share their experiences.

 

Congratulations to all the filmmakers from this year’s 72 Hour Film Shootout! We here at the AAFilmLab got to watch everyone’s films and were thoroughly humbled by the amount of talent floating out there. We think all the filmmakers deserve to have their films screened and really it’s the least we can do to thank you for the hard work you put into your films. So bring your team, bring your friends and take some time to congratulate yourselves.

We’ll be putting together a program for the night, but try to come and stay for a while so you can support each other’s films. The event is free and will undoubtedly make a monday slip by if you know you’ll be sipping on a tallboy and watching films come COB.

Show us you care: Please RSVP ((JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)) and prevent the wanton worry which seems to be overcoming our now one and only fabulous intern.

WHEN:  MONDAY AUGUST 15TH
Screening from 6:30 pm to 11:30 pm, party till closing (1 am).

WHERE: DEKK
http://www.thedekk.com
134 Reade Street (Tribeca)
between Hudson and Greenwich Streets

DIRECTIONS:
1,2,3,9 to Chambers Street
One block north
Google Map

In the AAFilmlab Forum

Casting Asian-American actors/actresses for a short DV film

Need Help In Selecting a Documentary Camcorder

 

*If you have any events, screenings, or opportunites for your fellow filmmakers, let us know and we’ll post it here!

The AAFilmlab will help produce three short films in the upcoming 2005 Season with its members. We'll have three script contests to select the winning screenplay. The details will be announced at the next workshop meeting (this wednesday) as well on the website. How do you become a member? It's easy enough, the first step is to show up to the workshop. We'll answer any questions you have together. Agenda Announcement / Discussion of Script Contest Overview of AAFilmlab's Upcoming Season Script Reading Our next meeting: Wednesday August 10, 2005 7pm - 9:30pm 222 East 34th St. 5th Floor Conference Room Google Map *Please RSVP, refreshments welcome.

The Asian American Film Lab is preparing itself for the new year. We're calling all brothers and sisters to come join the discussion and furthermore to give weight to those words and invoke action. Help each other produce new works, exchange knowledge, discover or if need be create inspiration in each other. Most importantly come to the workshop to make film. Our next meeting: 222 East 34th St. 5th Floor Conference Room Wednesday July 27, 2005 7pm - 9:30pm Google Map *Please RSVP, refreshments welcome. $1 donations for lateness and for non-RSVPs.

June 29, 2005 Workshop Meeting: WED 7-930pm

****REGISTER!! If you haven’t Registered, register at http://www.aafilmlab.com, you’ll be able to put your info up on line!****

RSVP RSVP RSVP RSVP ASAP - Notate if you are bringing
a guest.
Hey folks, here’s your chance to meet your fellow
filmmakers and help them work on their films.

Please be PROMPT!!!

222 E 34TH ST 5th FL CONF ROOM LEFT ELEVATOR BANK,
coming out on the first door on the right down the
hallway. some notes:

REFRESHMENTS PLEASE! PLEASE BRING A GOODIE FOR US ALL
TO SNACK ON. EMPTY HANDEDNESS RECIEVES A BIG FROWN! $1
FOR LATENESS, 1$ FOR NO RSVP

AGENDA

7:00pm Check in

7:15pm Amy Chiang:
Will Lead discussion on the next Short Film Project. Show up if you want to be a part of the next short film!!
—Timeline, Commitment, process

8:15pm Script Reading:
David.
—Will need actors to show up to be cast to read.

To all who attended, thank you for joining us for a historical moment together.  Never before have I seen such a charged group of talented filmmakers and actresses ready to take the world by storm.

To all who are out of town and participating from different areas, we missed you dearly.

Last night was a magical night, with Matte Chi(Interactive Marketing Director, AAFilmLab), Diana Lee(Festival Director, Asian CineVision), Nusrat Durrani(General Manager from MTV World), and myself addressing the crowd. 

MTV News was covering the show, and much press was following the story.  We definitely sent fireworks off for the whole nation to see!

Much gratitude to my dedicated team at the AA Film Lab:

Monica Bhasin, Coordinator
Matte Chi, Interactive Marketing Director
Mayur Khandelwal, Theme and Judging Director
Nelson Wang, Guidelines Director
Colin Justin Wan, Marketing & Sponsorship Director
Joyce Yung, Events Director

Simon Lo for Photography!

And Marie Choi our terrific Intern!

Much gratitude to Asian CineVision:

Risa Morimoto, Executive Director
Diana Lee, Festival Director

Tomoko their cool intern!

And of Course MTV World

Nusrat Durrani
Lem Lopez
Juan Herrera
Regan Waters
Riad Saha
Erica Bryndza
Trish Sarson
Monica Balough
Cheriyan John
Akshay Bhansali
Chris Farks

And their terrific Intern staff!

And of course our supporting sponsors:
Indika(James Versoto Creative Director, Chris, Studio Manager)
IKU Worldwide(Ronnie and Karen we love you! Terrific Food)
ReEvents(Angela Gee and YiPing Lee)
Ashley Lin(Who by the way gave a $1000 in prizes!!  Top 3 winners are recieving a full set each!!)
Pepsi

Media Sponsors:
Angry Asian Man
Asiancemagazine.com
Gothamist

Our Judges:
ELLEN KURAS
MARCI PHILLIPS
KAROL MARTESKO-FENSTER
GEORGIA LEE
SASIE SEALY
JEFF YANG
KEN PARK

At this moment you must all be working feverishly to complete your films.  We wish you all the best in creating your art.  Express yourselves.

Derek Ting

Lighting for Film and Video: Activity Wed 7-9:30pm

RSVP RSVP RSVP RSVP ASAP - Notate if you are bringing a guest.

Hey folks, here's your chance to meet your fellow filmmakers and help them work on their films.

Please be PROMPT!!!

222 E 34TH ST 5th FL CONF ROOM LEFT ELEVATOR BANK, coming out on the first door on the right down the hallway. some notes:

REFRESHMENTS PLEASE! PLEASE BRING A GOODIE FOR US ALL TO SNACK ON. EMPTY HANDEDNESS RECIEVES A BIG FROWN! $1 FOR LATENESS, 1$ FOR NO RSVP

AGENDA

7:00pm Check in

7:15pm Chien Huey: Lighting for Film and Video: Activity

Chien Huey gives a hands on demonstration of what it takes to light for film and video.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn!

8:15pm Workshop Projects!

We are holding a planning session to decide what the next project the workshop will undertake. Our last project was the short film "Paper Dogs".

What will be next?!! Come out to find out.

If you would like to submit an event, casting, gig, work-in-progress to share at an upcoming meeting, etc. or need more information regarding The AAFilmLab, the Actors Database, or anything else in particular email us at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Thank You,
AAFilmlab

ASIAN AMERICAN FILM LAB
Management Team (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Amy Chang [Board of Directors] (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Carl Li [Web Content/Social Media Manager & Outreach] (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Hyunsuk Kim [Board of Directors] (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Yuni Moon [Workshop Coordinator] (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Tana Sarntinoranont [Board of Directors, Works-In-Progress] (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

The 2nd Annual 72 Hour* Film Shootout!

A National Competition

where teams will have 72 hours to write, edit, shoot, and produce a 6 minute short film.

Competition Date is set for June 17-20, 2005, details are available here: http://filmshootout.aafilmlab.com

The Top Winner:
A chance to create an MTV World Promo

Top 3 winners:
1 on 1 pitch sessions with MTV industry executives!

Other awards:
Selected Films may be broadcast nationally on the MTV World channels.

Get your work seen by high profile judges and industry professionals!  They are looking for that diamond in the rough.

Most of All, Have Fun!

Get your teams ready!