April 21, 2020

I love libraries. In my childhood, I spent a lot of time on reading. I can’t tell when I start to know how to read. When I was in kindergarten, my dad sometimes took me to a publishing house. There was a kids friendly reading area. He would leave me there and went downstairs to work. At lunch time, he would be back to take me to lunch. After lunch, he would take me back to the reading area or go to the other place for working. Well, yeah, he just left me there for 3-4hours alone. I know it sounds incredible to Americans. I read a lot of children’s books at the time. When I saw the Beast gave Bell a library as a present, I was kind of envy at the time. I did wanna my own library. It would be great that I can enjoy the moment with books. Later, I started to go to libraries for free books.

The first week I came to SF. I visited the main library and got a card. The media resources are abundant. Moreover, I find a lot of films that I wanted to watch. Even though it’s like an old fashion to borrow DVDs, I still enjoy getting these DVDs to watch at home. Last month, I took some time to see what kind of music that a public library offers. It surprised me! It was Stefanie Sun, Yan-zi Sun, my favorite singer’s albums on the shelf! Amazing SF public library!

April 06, 2019

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During the first month he came to the world, I realized that he’s vary talkative although you can’t understand what he is saying now. He loves to cut in the conversation when I talk to his mom. Moreover, he loves to be with people. His mom told me that he would scream if he can’t see people at home. On the other hand, I’d say he needs a lot of sense of security. While he was 3-month-old, he loves to hold someone’s hand when he fell asleep or cried.
 

Time flies. One thing the little gut inspired me is that he is always trying to stand up. Although he is too young to make it, he never gives up. Of course, he got upset when things didn’t work out. Somehow, I feel he can switch his energy in a few minutes. Personally, it’s such a revelation for me.

April 27, 2018

In March, I had a Thesis Review rehearsal with other Grade2 students. Because I postponed my thesis film production, I’m kind behind the schedule more than others. I don’t think I will be able to finish all the work in 2 weeks before Thesis Screening. For example, the sound design, the music and color correction. These are time-consuming tasks to do. Even though I was anxious, the anxiety was not helpful nor productive to my post work. Therefore, I decided to work on my own time zone.

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Although I didn’t attend Thesis class after I came back to Bay Area, I was asked to attend the Thesis Review rehearsal and Final Thesis Review. Somehow, it makes me feel I’m part of the group. After my MFA fellows graduated last year, I feel that sometimes I’m a loner at school, especially in March. Due to my absence of classes, some people suggested me to withdraw Thesis class so that I won’t get ‘F’ on my record which I don’t think I deserve. Thus, I withdrew the Thesis class.

However, members of Thesis Committee made me feel more anxious than the schedule I’m behind. As you can see the photo of my post, these 5 people are big shots to me. I’m fine to talk to them in person individually, but do a presentation in front of them at once. It’s a little like I’m facing Power Rangers. lol

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Whatever, I passed the Final Review.

April 13, 2018

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I believe that every student-film does have tight budget. As a result, you will need to ask a lot of favors from people you know. Sometimes you will probably need to ask someone you don’t know for a favor. However, no matter who you ask for a favor, it’s not an obligation to them for helping you. Therefore, I appreciate every person who helped me in my life. No matter for film making or other things, I believe they are human angels that God sends to help me.

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During the pre-production of my thesis film, one of the challenges was gathering crew members in Taiwan. Because I worked in film-related industry before I went to graduate school, I do take advantage at some points. For example, I can ask my former co-wokers who are professional to help me without charing me by industrial standard. Nevertheless, some of them couldn’t to help because of personal reasons or time. Therefore, I needed to ask a favor from someone I don’t know.

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My gaffer of my thesis film is someone I didn’t know nor worked with him before. I think I rent some stuff from him, but I couldn’t remember it. We have 7 mutual friends on Facebook, but we didn’t actually meet or talk to before. I visited him to ask for helping making my thesis film. Due to the tight budget, I couldn’t pay him the standard payment. During our conversation, he told me that he would like to visit NAB show in Las Vegas again. However, he is not good at English. I suggested that I can be an assistant for him during the NAB show if he plans to come.

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As a result, he came to NAB show. I was his assistant in Las Vegas. The 3.5-days show was so intense. I felt this trip was like a boot camp of tech stuff and rental business class. We stayed at the show from 8am to 6pm everyday. I think we both worn out at some points. My gaffer was dozing off after we had lunch on the last day.

March 29, 2018

Although I’m not taking the Thesis class, I got an invitation of Thesis Review from the professor. I was surprised. Because I postponed my production of my Thesis film, I am behind the class schedule a lot. I don’t think I deserve a ‘F’ on my record. Moreover, I don’t feel the professor of Thesis class wanna fail me. We’ve been working on my thesis script for 2 years. I believe she does want to see the film in reality. Therefore, after I dropped off the class, I don’t expect that I would do a presentation in a group class. However, I appreciate the opportunity to sit in the group class.

After my flash trip to Taiwan, I needed to do a presentation in 24 hrs. Through I uploaded a 70% rough cut and the synopsis, I still needed to prepare something may call ‘artist statement’ for my thesis work and the vision of being an artist. It’s a such brainstorming work. Thank God that when I recalled my memories and looked back my projects I made in CCA, I realize that ‘family’ is theme that I keep working on but without an intention. Vivid Memories and emotional experiences become an authentic approach to help me developing my work. Surprisingly, the first word popped up in my mind is ‘appretiation’ to my family.

March 24, 2018

Due to my absence of classes for Thesis production, I don’t think I can be absent to any class anymore. However, the production work ended during Lunar New Year. It means people are not working for 5 days during Lunar New Years’ time. I left something I couldn’t make it done. Moreover, I need to deal with some family things. Therefore, I decided to take a flash trip during the spring break. I would have 100 hrs for my to do whatever I need to do after I landed Taiwan.

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On the 43ed hours, I had a dinner with a married couple and an entrepreneur. They both work in IT industry. I appreciate that they helped me to find financial support for my thesis film. We had a good time in a French restaurant. When the chef started to cook for her employees, she came to us and ask ‘ Are you still hungry? Wanna try the broth that I’m going to cook for my staff?’ ‘Sure!’, we said.

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The broth is the best broth of pork and pickled mustard green noodles I’ve had. I’m not a fan of pork and pickled mustard green noodles, but I do love the broth. It’s light, plain and salty. LOVE IT!

March 17, 2018

I feel 2018 is passing like a thunder light. When I realize it is March now, it frightened me a little. It is because I’ll graduate in 60 days. Well, I hope I can graduate although I don’t mind to postpone my graduation for another semester. However, I assume my professors may like me to be graduated as soon as possible.

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Even though I haven’t done the post production of my Thesis film, I’m inviting you to my Thesis screening! It’s probably will push me work faster than the last film. Please come, so that I will push myself on the line to finish it as soon as possible.

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5/10 Thesis Screening
7pm, Timken Hall
1111 8th Street, San Francisco, CA 94112, USA

March 01, 2018

Filmmaking costs money. In Taiwan, people give it a parable like this: you burn the money for every second in the film. Indeed, filmmakers like a moth to a flame. We keep doing something time consuming, costly and tiring for creating a compelling project to show the world.

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Although my major was film when I was in college, I didn’t think that I would continue doing filmmaking work. It was because it made me feel like I’m gambling. But the chance I can win the game is not predictable. After a transition time in my early twenty, I decided to take filmmaking as my career. (I believe I was too crazy to make the decision.)

The first time I did a fund-raising was for my former short narrative project in my first year in CCA. I appreciate all the support from my colleagues, friends and family. We made something together that I couldn’t finish it on my own.

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For my thesis film, I did another fund-raising again. I’m so thankful that my colleagues, friends and family would help me again. Although I think I need to keep doing the fund raising during the post production, you all help me to get through the most difficult time in production. In the picture, it is my first support from a SF friend. She said it’s a Christmas present.

February 22, 2018

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I know that I postponed the production would probably upset my CCA professors. However, I think my parents were very happy to know I would stay home longer than original plan. Especially, I stayed with them during Lunar New Year.
 

My mom called me after I checked in at the airport. She asked tens of trivial things that I kind of brushing her off. Later, she asked a question that made me feel she was serious. She asked ‘When will you be back next time?’ ‘Maybe spring break,’ I said. Somehow, I think that was the only question she’d like to ask instead of those trivial things she asked about.

February 19, 2018

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When I was developing my thesis film script, I knew it is a challenging project. For example, I need 2 kids actresses. It made me anxious because I didn’t have a lot of experiences to work with kids. Moreover, I have a confrontation scene between an adult and a kid. This was another thing that I worried about. It would be a challenge to make the scene intense, but keep both the adult and the kid safe. Honestly, it was a challenge to be decisive every moment when I was on set. I’m so thankful that all my crew supported me with all their hearts, so that I could finish the production.

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My thesis film wrapped up on 2/13. The next day was Valentine’s Day. The day after Valentine’s Day is Chinese New Year’s Eve. I was overwhelmed on Valentine’s Day because I needed to return props, equipments and things were needed to be done before the Chinese New Year’s Eve. It is because most people in east Asia don’t work form Chinese New Year’s Eve to the fifth day of lunar calendar. However, I couldn’t finish everything before the New Year’s Eve. So, I’m staying Taiwan for a few days. I’ll be back to SF on 2/23. See y’all soon.

February 18, 2018

It’s been 2 years that I celebrated Lunar New Year on my own since I started to study my MFA in CCA. This Lunar New Year is my first time that I can stay with my family after I study in USA. I should go back to SF immediately after my thesis film production.

However, when I realized I may be failed my thesis class, it frustrated me. Since it does not change anything if I go back to SF before the Lunar New Year, I’d rather stay with my family longer and go back to school later.

People said that in the beginning of Lunar New Year, you have good fortune.

Therefore, a lot of people love to buy different kinds of lottery during Lunar New Year’s time. I don’t believe in it, so I never buy a lottery during Lunar New Year. Somehow, I got a lottery from a friend. He said it’s a donation for my thesis film, but it depends on how lucky I am.

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Well, although I don’t think I have good money opportunity on lotteries, I still took the scratch-off lottery. I kept the lottery for 2 weeks after I got it. Today, I scratched it to see what I would get. Hallelujah! I got 500NTD(17USD). I believe I don’t have good money opportunity.

February 16, 2018

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In 2016, I went back to Taiwan to make my first short narrative film, Bedside. My DP and AD had a long storyboard meeting with me from 8pm to 5:30am. It was a 8-hour meeting. I appreciate that they were willing to spend so much time to work with me. At the moment, I thought about this: Hey, guys! It a student film. Is it worthy for you to pay so much effort to help me? However, I think I would do the same thing for them if I were them. No wonder we can work together.
 

This time, for my thesis film, my DP suggested me using 2 cameras because of kids actresses. After I accepted his suggestion, I assumed the Storyboard Meeting would probably set up another record for meeting time. Nevertheless, I did not want to a overnight meeting. Therefore, we started the meeting from 2:30pm-11:30pm for the 2/3 of scenes. Moreover, we spent the other 3-hour to do the remaining part of my thesis film. I think I still broke the record: 11-hour meeting.
 

By the way, ‘Shot Designer’ is a super useful app for the storyboard meeting. It helps my AD a lot.

Although I had some difficulties to find professional adult actresses for my thesis film, I found some potential amateur actresses to work with. Moreover, I think I’m fortunate to have 2 talented young ladies to work as my characters of my thesis film.
 

In the end of summer of 2017, I went back to Taiwan to look for kids actors. Frankly, I don’t think kids can perform well. Instead of looking for good performance, I decided to look for kids who has the same personalities like my characters. Therefore, I had a conversation with each girl who came to the audition. Besides, I set up a small test to see how they react.
 

Fortunately, I found them before the fall semester of 2017 started. They are real sisters and both have experiences on shooting commercials. The older sister is 海殷(Hai-yin), the younger one is 安研(An-yan). We had one rehearsal and a call-back rehearsal with adult actresses. I have to say they are amazing! I'd like to show oyu a video that 安研(An-yan) was writing her name by her butt, but I couldn't do it. So, I can only upload the call-back photo.

January 24, 2018

Somehow, I always feel filmmakers should always have a plan B. Because sometimes things happened, you may need to change the way you want to do or find another way to do it. I am too stubborn to change the way I want to do, so I decided to find another way to do it. That's the main reason I postpone my thesis production.

I visited 4-5 houses in 3 days for looking for the main scene in my script. None of them is 100% perfect, but they need to pay some effort to make it perfect. Although I'm so lucky to find a PD work with me, the time is ticking. It makes me anxious. Moreover, a thought sometimes pups up into my mind: maybe I should quit and go back to SF to attend my classes instead of struggling to make my thesis film.

Nevertheless, I took a number, 777, when I sent a gift to one of my angel investors in the post office. The number encourages me. My mentor said don’t just <think> about it and ‘put it to action,’ but gain [the result]. Then it can be called ‘perfection.’ It is to do every single thing in this way. I guess this idea works for filmmaking too.