"The Device" Short Film

Some of you may have known that for the past year I've been promoting my short film "The Device" at a number of film festivals. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it has done in the film festival circuit simply because when I shot it, I never intended to submit it to any festivals. It was simply a story that I thought was interesting and wanted to express.

In this past year, it has screened at a total of five festivals. Three times in Los Angeles, including NewFilmmakers LA Film Festival, the Los Angles Asian Pacific Film Festival, and New Filmmaker's Forum. It was screened in New York and was selected by NBCUniversal as a sem-finalist and ranked top 12 out of over 2000 films in the NBCUniversal Diversity Film Festival; and it was had an international premiere at the Sci-Fi London Film Festival.

Making it even more surprising was the fact that we shot the film for under $40 with a 5 person crew.  It's an incredibly small amount of money to shoot a movie but I've always felt that resourcefulness is more important than resources.

So here it is. My Sci-Fi Thriller and first of many films. Enjoy!

Project Greenlight Official!

So it's official! I just submitted my entry to HBO's Project Greenlight! I initially wasn't going to submit to this because the deadline was a bit too close for comfort but I know I would've kicked myself in the ass if I didn't at least try. I shot it by myself in a couple of hours two days before the submission deadline. I would've liked to have been able to put more production value into it and it's a bit rushed but I think it still turned out decent given the circumstances. I think the story comes across well.

For those of you unfamiliar with this show, it's a "reality" show produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck that gives aspiring filmmakers the opportunity to fulfill their dream of directing a major studio feature film. Each filmmaker must submit a short film they've directed that's under 3 minutes. There are four rounds to go through and it's still very early in the judging stages of the contest. Judging is open to the public so if you'd like to check out some of the films that were submitted and judge them yourself, check out the website here.

http://www.projectgreenlight.com/

The videos that you get to watch and rate are randomly generated, however, there's a small chance that you may come across my film "Piece of Pie". If you do, you know what to do and give that sucker ten stars and get me to the next round! If you don't have the patience to sit through all of those other films and just want to check out the film I submitted, you can check it out below. I'll keep you guys posted on the whole process! Wish me luck!

"Hey, Mr. Hollywood..."

I was having a long distance conversation with an old friend recently and one of the first things he exclaimed when we got on the phone was "Hey, Mr. Hollywood! How are things up there?!" I forced a laugh and a smile as I always do, followed by a "Nah, brah. No Mr. Hollywood here" just hoping to divert the conversation elsewhere as soon as possible. I seem to be getting that greeting more often from people back home.

Coming from a small town in Hawai'i, I guess I understand why people would say that. Despite still having such a LONG way to go in this business and so much more to accomplish, I know that just by me leaving home, I've seen and experienced much more than the average person from Hawai'i and maybe, to some, that may appear "Hollywood". I get that. I know that just by working steadily in this industry, and meeting/working with some of the people that I've worked with, to some, that may look "Hollywood". I get that. But the longer I'm in Hollywood, the more I realize how much I'm NOT Hollywood.

Hollywood is an amazing place filled with amazing opportunities but it exists in a bubble and on a pedestal where if you don't know who you are when you get here, you could lose yourself. I've seen many people lose themselves in the facade that is "Hollywood glamour". I've met people who think they've "made it" just because they moved here and people who do extra work on a feature film and go on Facebook proclaiming that they've "acted with Brad Pitt". I've seen what this place can do to your integrity. I've seen how the pursuit of money and fame could harden your heart towards the things and people that really matter, making you think that what you're doing is more important than it really is. And while I do feel that life has already hardened my heart in many ways, I don't want my heart to be "Hollywood" hard because that's a very selfish texture.

I believe that your drive as an artist (or in any profession) shouldn't be a selfish one. Whether you're an actor, filmmaker, dancer, painter, etc, your drive and your passion should lie in the innate need to express, create, and share. The riches and the spoils of the business is merely a by product of your hard work and it may or may not come so enjoy the journey. But the moment you start doing it for your own selfish gain, to me, that's "Hollywood". And that's just not me.  

This place is a necessary evil to help me achieve my goals and tell the stories I want to tell but the bubble and pedestal where Hollywood sits is a trap. Many times, even the relationships here aren't even real. What's real and important is the passion for doing what you do FOR OTHERS. I want to bring stories from the islands to the world and I want to be able to provide for the people I care about in doing so. 

I know who I am. I'm still that little Hawaiian kid running barefoot on the asphalt (although these days I'll probably be walking instead of running), playing his ukulele on the beach, and shamelessly eating a small village's worth of poke and poi. I'd rather put my feet in the sand than in a new pair of new shoes and if surf shorts were appropriate attire for going out in LA, I'd be wearing that all day, everyday. So if you're looking for "Mr. Hollywood", I haven't seen him. 

Stay hungry. Stay focused. Stay humble.

#MOAMK Docu-Series | Episode Two: "I'm a Mixed Kid" | Kealoha Mahone

If there's anything I've learned about pursuing a career in the entertainment industry it's that in order to be successful, you have to know who you are, know why you're here and work your ass off. That may sound easy but you'd be surprised as to how many people come to Hollywood, float in the wind, party more than they put in work, and expect success. There is absolutely no substitution for hard work and it's always great when you find people as dedicated as you. Kealoha and I have been putting a lot of work into what we're trying to accomplish in our careers for ourselves, for those we care about, and for our culture. Things are slowly but surely falling into place and I can't wait to show you guys as things pan out. Right now, here's the second episode to the docu-series I've been shooting following Kealoha up to the release to his album, "Mind of A Mixed Kid".

"Swang Chungin'" | Kealoha Mahone | #MOAMK

So during one of my many late night shooting sessions with Hip Hop artist, Kealoha Mahone, Kealoha proposes the idea for shooting something for a verse he did on this song a little while back. He mentioned how he never had a chance to get together with the other artists on the track to shoot a full music video for this song and how this verse was one of his favorites. So of course we had to hit the streets of Hollywood and shoot a lil' somethin somethin.

#MOAMK Docu-Series | Episode One: Striving For Greatness | Kealoha Mahone

So I've been working with a Hip Hop artist out of Hawai'i named Kealoha Mahone. We've always had mutual friends and I was always a fan of his sound so when he made his move to Hollywood to pursue bigger and better things for his music career, it was only natural that our paths crossed.

Right now he's working towards his EP, Mind of a Mixed Kid, that's set to be released in the Summer of 2014 and I've been given the privilege to tell his story. It's a story of relentless drive, incredible passion and being being misunderstood for it; but above all, it's a story about gaining success while by being a good person and surrounding yourself with good people.

Here's the first episode.

Anastasia Krivosheeva | "I Dream in Denim" BTS Full Featurette

So I recently had the absolute pleasure of shooting this Behind the Scenes Featurette with the gorgeous Anastasia Krivosheeva and the incredibly talented photographer (and fellow UW Husky), Alvin Nguyen Photography! We had a blast and I'm looking forward to shooting more fashion stuff! Check it out!

The Biggest Rookie Mistake An Actor Could Make Is..

The biggest rookie mistake an actor can make is not knowing exactly what extra work (background acting) is.

When I moved to Los Angeles in 2008, thankfully, I was one of the few people who already had a job lined up for me through a contact I had.  My first job in good ole LA was as a Production Assistant on NBC’s hit show, The Office.  On the days I didn’t PA, I did extra work.  At the time, it seemed like the natural thing to do for an aspiring Director/Actor.  I can’t even count the amount of network shows and big studio features that I’ve worked on during those short five months.  I’m not bragging, I’m just giving an example of how frequent and easy the work is to get and I’m sure if you ask any actor in Hollywood, they’ve drudgingly done their fair share of extra work themselves.  

It’s something we’ve all done but it’s nothing to brag about.  Bragging and glorifying being an extra is like bragging and glorifying that you played two hand touch football in the second grade: everyone’s done it.

I did extra work but I knew what extra work was.  

It was a paycheck, a networking opportunity, another means to receive SAG vouchers and, at most, a great time to learn all the ins and outs of a professional set without any actual pressure of screwing anything up.  Whenever I needed some extra cash, I’d hit up Central Casting, book a show, show up with my backpack and sit around and eat for 12+ hours only to do walk-bys for maybe about an hour.  It’s the perfect job for a college student.

 

The BIGGEST rookie mistake an actor can make is thinking that extra work is more than that.  It’s NOT a stepping stone in the industry.  It’s NOT like the corporate world to where you have to work your way up, starting from extra work and eventually moving up to speaking roles.  And most importantly, it’s NOT a means of building an acting career.  I’ve talked to “actors” who keep doing extra work because they think that one day the director is going to see them and say “You!  I want you!” and give them lines.  The ones who say these things are fresh in town from another state so they don’t know the business at all.  Sure every once in a while, the stars will align and you’ll get thrown a line, shit, it happened to me a couple times.  But that’s not a “big break”, it won’t extend to another project and it’s just stupid to think that “one day the big one will come” from extra work.  It just doesn’t work that way.  

 

Don’t get me wrong, there were many actors who are now famous who have done extra work in the past, but I guarantee you that their big break didn’t come from them doing extra work and crossing their fingers.  What gave them their break was taking the classes, going on auditions, surrounding themselves with other passionate and driven people, doing short films, doing indie films; just overall perfecting their craft and building a solid body of content.  This is a BUSINESS, not a LOTTERY, and PUTTING IN WORK gave them their big break and doing extra work only hurts your chances in the long run.  

Why does it hurt your chances in the long run, you ask?  

 

You ask great questions!

 

For one, you run the risk of doing so much extra work that that’s all casting directors see you as and so that’s all you’ll be called out for no matter how good your relationship with the CD is.  But more importantly, you’ll be taking away valuable time that could be spent taking classes, going on auditions, and perfecting your craft.  

 

In the long run, you’re better off getting together with friends and shooting stuff for your reel than wasting months doing extra work.

If you really need the money and you’re trying to get your SAG vouchers then by all means, be an extra.  But honestly, if neither of those apply and it’s been over six months, you’re kidding yourself if you think you’re doing it to be “discovered”.  If you’re an “aspiring actor” and you STILL don’t have ANY sort of reel put together after a year (monologues/stage work DON’T count) and you’re still doing extra work to be “discovered”, then I’d have to question whether or not you’re serious about being an actor and you should just quit and go start a career elsewhere.

 

Yes, extra work gets you on set but it’s probably the furthest thing to getting you closer to being an actor.  It’s like being a waterboy and wanting to be on the football team.  Sure you get to go on the field with all the other players but at some point you have to put the water down and do the drills and the workouts.  You have to PUT IN THE WORK and not just HOPE that the coach is going to see you pouring water and say “You!  I want you!”  That’s not how it works, just like acting.

 

Go out, find some friends and shoot some quality content to put towards your reel.  Whether it’s a short film, a sketch, or even a feature; shoot SOMETHING.  Keep shooting and you’ll get better at it and in turn, your content will get better.

THAT’S what Hollywood will see and THAT’S what will give value to Hawai’i as a film industry.  CREATING OUR OWN CONTENT.   NOT in sitting around like minions, yelling “Pick me, pick me” when Hollywood comes into town.  NOT in crossing our fingers that maybe/hopefully they’ll cast local.  Hollywood’s not casting local because they’re not seeing any reason to cast local.  OF COURSE they’ll cast local for extra work.  That’s done worldwide so don’t fool yourself into thinking Hawai’i has a film industry because you’re getting extra work and everyone once and a while someone will do a student film.  If you getting paid work depends on a production having to come into town then guess what, there’s no industry in Hawai’i.

 

“But I am talented!  How can I show my talent if they don’t even take a chance and hire me!”

 

Again, you ask great questions!

 

Yes, it’s a catch 22.  It’s one of those, you need experience to get hired but they won’t hire you without experience situations.  But guess what, technology has democratized filmmaking and now ANYONE can shoot their own stuff.  There’s NO EXCUSE to not shoot your own stuff with today’s technology.  YOU go out and make something and show Hollywood that Hawai’i has talent!  DON’T wait for Hollywood to come down to take action!   Show Hollywood that Hawai’i doesn’t need them, THAT’S how you BUILD an industry.  When they see what WE’RE doing WITHOUT them and see that we’re CASTING OURSELVES and putting out this great content ON OUR OWN, THAT’S when the talent will be recognized and they’ll hire local.  Until then, Hawai’i is purely looked at as a location.  You may not like that, but it’s the truth.  And if you can’t handle the harsh truth, then you’re in the wrong business.  

 

So just remember, the BIGGEST rookie mistake an actor can make is thinking that you’ll be “discovered” doing extra work and that you’ll have your big break.  It’s a great learning experience and a good opportunity to meet other people.  NOTHING MORE.  

Which reminds me of another slightly relative, yet HUGE, rookie mistake.  

 

DON’T put extra work on your resume/reel.  I repeat, DO NOT put extra work on your resume/reel.  It’s not even a question and is the quickest way to be looked at as a joke.  If you were making a high school football highlight reel to send out to colleges, would you include shots of you sitting on the bench when you played football pop warner?  Then don’t include extra work.

 

Go out there and BUILD Hawai’is film industry!!