AAFilmlab :: Asian American Film Lab

6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout Theme

Time’s Up

6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout Launch Party and Theme Announcement: Friday June 26, 2009

Are you ready?!?! The 6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout kicks off TODAY at 6pm Friday, June 26, 2009! The Theme will be announced at 8PM (EDT) at the New York City launch party at:

White Rabbit Lounge
145 East Houston Street
(Btwn Forsyth & Eldridge)
(F or V train to 2nd Ave)
New York NY 10002

and simultaneously posted online at
http://www.aafilmlab.org & http://www.72hourfilmshootout.com & http://twitter.com/aafilmlab

New York-based singer/songwriter Cynthia Lin will be performing live at the launch party.

Late registration continues for the 6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout with online registration until June 26th!

This year is shaping up to be a great year with nearly 50 teams competing from around the country, so to keep the submissions coming!!!

6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout to be held June 26 - 29, 2009

The Asian American Film Lab (AAFilmLab), in association with Asian CineVision, is pleased to announce the Sixth Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout (“Shootout”) taking place this year from June 26-29, 2009. The Shootout is a nationwide competition where filmmaking teams have 72 hours to complete short films up to five minutes in length. Teams are given a common theme at the start of the competition to use creatively as they see fit. Teams compete for cash and prizes and the chance to have their films screened at film festivals.

This year’s Shootout finalists will be selected by a panel film industry professionals including cinematographer Ellen Kuras (Be Kind, Rewind, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), director Michael Kang (The Motel, West 32nd), Marci Phillips (Executive Director of Primetime Casting for ABC Entertainment), producer Mynette Louie (Children of Invention), actor Justin Chon (Twilight), filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda (Campaign, Mental), and Tanuj Chopra (Punching at the Sun).

The Shootout intends to create opportunities for Asian Americans to demonstrate their talent, gain exposure in the entertainment industry, and to have an impact on the visibility of Asian American stories and characters in film and television. One of the Shootout requirements is that at least one key production member (e.g., director, producer, or writer) and a principal actor from each team must be of Asian descent. New for this year is a special judging category for student filmmakers. Teams that have at least half of their members submit active, valid Student IDs are eligible for the Student Film Award.

The 6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout begins on Friday, June 26, 2008, at 8PM (EDT). The competition theme will be announced at the New York City launch party at 8PM at White Rabbit Lounge (145 East Houston Street) and simultaneously posted online at http://www.aafilmlab.org. New York-based singer/songwriter Cynthia Lin will be performing live at the launch party.

The Top Ten Films will screen at the Asian American International Film Festival organized by Asian CineVision (July 23-26, 2009). The screening and awards presentation will be held at the new Museum of Chinese in America located in New York’s Chinatown which will open its doors to the public this June. Awards will be given out in individual categories such as Best Actor/Actress, Cinematography, Editing, Originality and Audience Favorite.

In connection with the Shootout, AAFilmLab will be hosting several pre-launch events including workshops and mixers for anyone interested in competing as well as a post-screening wrap party.

The AAFilmLab thanks the Asian American Arts Alliance JP Morgan Chase SOAR program for their assistance this year with 6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout.

Chinatown Youth Mentorship Program 2009 - Complete

The AAFilmLab has completed its Chinatown Youth Mentoring Program along with MOCA and APEX. Two of our members were mentors for high school students and had the great pleasure of helping them create their very own film to be included in MOCA's Chinatown Online Film channel on YouTube. The AAFilmLab is incredibly proud to have been part of such an inspiring experience.

MOCA will be opening its doors with an event this July 1st, 2009 showcasing ten short films about Chinatown made by slightly more experienced Directors:
The Guy with the Cigarette directed by Miguel Arteta
Church Basement Bomb Shelter directed by Patty Chang
New York Night Scene directed by Jem Cohen
Kiwi Lotion directed by Cary Fukunaga
I Can’t Wait directed by So Yong Kim & Bradley Rust Gray
Fortune Cookie directed by Amir Naderi
Chinatown: In Their Own Words directed by Sam Pollard
Five Approaches directed by Shelly Silver
Sunday at 6 directed by Rose Troche
Tuesday directed by Wayne Wang & Richard Wong
Special Opening Trailer directed by Richard Wong

More Info
http://www.aafilmlab.org/index.php/weblog/read/chinatown_youth_mentorship_program/
http://www.mocanyc.org/visit/events/chinatown_film_project

AAFilmLab Film Relay 2009 - Principal Photography Finished

The Directors (Simon Ko, Hyunsuk Kim, Matte Chi, Peter Chin) are finished with principal photography and are all currently working on their cuts and will be finished with their Rough / Fine Cuts by June 29, 2009. After which, we will be able to schedule any pickups if necessary and move on to finish our films.

Follow our Tumblr here: http://relay09.tumblr.com/

Fluent Mandarin or Cantonese Speaking Actor Needed

In search of a male voiceover actor of any age, who is a fluent speaker in Mandarin or Cantonese and can read Chinese. The actor would work with award-winning director Shelly Silver on a short film to be featured in the Chinatown Film Project exhibition at MOCA. The actor will be needed for one hour on Tuesday, in an ADR recording booth in Manhattan. No pay, but credit and a chance to be part of a great project!

Contact Karin Chien at karinc@gmail.com

AAFilmLab Membership

AAFilmlab is a collaborative of New York based Asian American filmmakers who meet twice monthly to hone their craft and to share resources. For networking, exposure, talent discovery, production information and resources, join the AAFilmlab and benefit from our shared approach to filmmaking!

Membership Dues are $30 Annually. We are an all-volunteer organization. Your dues help to help pay for expenses related to our workshops/meetings and maintenance of our website. Make an escape from your bubble and join this very supportive and hard working group. As a member, you will enjoy these benefits below.

»Free entry to all AAFL meetings and workshops throughout the year

»A forum to share your work in any stage of production.

»Exposure for your completed works.

»Networking opportunities at AAFilmLab sponsored events.

»Discounted entry fee to the Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout ($20 off)

»Discounted Imaginasian Theater Tickets: $7.00 unrestricted tickets and $1.00 popcorn (NYC)

»15% discount on Hyphen Magazine, or $16 for an annual subscription.

»10% off DVD Replication services from Tobin Productions. (NYC)

»A single place to go for inspiration from your peers in terms of resources and creative input to get your film made!

»More to come!

**If you are participating in this year’s 72 Hour Film Shootout, you are essentially only paying $10 for an annual membership!**

Tues. June 9th General Meeting/Workshop: 7pm at AAARI-CUNY (Open to ALL)

Topics:
General Business & Announcements
Workshop (Topic is forthcoming)!!!

AAARI-CUNY (Asian American/Asian Research Institute)
25 West 43rd Street (btwn 5th/6th Avenue)
10th Floor
Room 1009
(Turn right when you get out of the elevator)

RSVP encouraged but not required to: info [at] aafilmlab.org

6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout: June 26th - 29th, 2009.
Registration is now open for the 6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout with new online registration this year! The competition begins June 26th - 29th, 2009. AAFilmLab members get an additional $20 discount off the Early and Regular Shootout entry fees. For more info and updates:
http://www.aafilmlab.org

Looking forward to seeing you at the meeting!

UPDATE: Register NOW for the 6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout

Registration is now open for the 6th Annual 72 Hour Film Shootout with new online registration this year!
AAFilmLab members get an additional $20 discount off the Regular Shootout entry fees. Just sign up to be a member first. (See the right hand column—>).

This year is shaping up to be a great year, so to keep the submissions coming, we are making a special announcement!

Register before June 19th for the Regular Registration fee of only $45.

That’s right folks, thanks to the Asian Arts Alliance JP Morgan SOAR grant, we’re keeping the Regular Registration fee at Early Bird prices.
We would like to get as many filmmakers involved as we can.

Step 1. Pay your registration fee via Google Checkout

Step 2. Register your team online here

Step 3. Download the Submission Documents which must be filled out and sent in with your entry.

Or download the PDF registration packet to print out and mail in!

Also new this year will be acceptance of submissions by miniDV or Quicktime MOV file on data DVD! Full details are in the PDF registration packet.

Tana Sarntinoranont (President 2006-07)

Acting and filmmaking can become a very solitary art form. Although there are projects that you work on with other people, the time in between, for better or worse, can be very isolating. To me, the AAFilmLab is for those times when isolation hinders creativity and meeting like minded people with the same heart and drive as you becomes inspirational. Try as we might to inspire ourselves on a day-to-day basis, it becomes more difficult without others. Before I joined this group in 2003, I felt that I could do anything on my own. I even judged those who seemed to need support of others in order to accomplish their goals. I was young(er) and…ok fine, naive. I obviously still strongly believe in independence, but I can’t express my gratitude and debt that I owe this group for what it has given me in terms of friendships, learnings, and honestly my best work as an actor.

Through workshops, screenplay contests, filmmaking contests (http://www.72hourfilmshootout.com/) and ground breaking filmmaking projects (http://relay09.tumblr.com/), the AAFilmLab offers opportunities for everyone; actors, directors, writers, editors and more. If you have found us online, then consider coming to one of our events that interest you or subscribe to our Blog or Email list. We are a Not-for-profit organization, all of us volunteers with the single uniting need to create through film. Do you have that need? Dig deep for that answer and get back to me.

Introducing Asian American Film Lab’s New President for 2009 - Hai Ninh

The Asian American Film Lab is extremely proud to introduce our new President, Hai Ninh. We are incredibly excited and profoundly lucky to have someone who is not only an actor but also someone who brings passionate volunteerism to the table. Hai Ninh, as some of you may know, worked as a bona-fide field organizer for the current President of the United States, Barack Obama. We look forward to experiencing the kind of determination that led him to volunteer his time for President Obama in our own backyard.

Please join us in thanking David Hou for the work he has put in previously as the President of the Asian American Film Lab and welcoming Hai Ninh! Hai can be contacted at: hai [at] aafilmlab.org