STRANGER NOW PREMIERE

The short debuted at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on Tuesday, May 3rd to a packed audience inside the CGV theater in Korea Town. The cast, crew, and the supporters really enjoyed the whole experience from the photo call to the hanging out afterwards. 

ETTV, a global Chinese news outlet interviewed me and Cody, the boy actor, on the red carpet. We discussed the film in the context of the homelessness problem and the economic recession. I also spoke about the wonderful collaboration with Collin, who was filming in China and couldn't attend.

Abe, the co-director of the Festival & a true friend of filmmakers, conducted the post-screening Q&A. He asked some very thoughtful questions, and I thought, "Man, I better step up to the plate."

Many people stayed afterwards to chat. Here I'm with my collaborators, some of them couldn't make it for the photo call. Honestly, it was a hectic evening for me. Wave after wave of people approached me to talk. At the same time, seeing the big smile on everyone's faces made this a night impossible to forget.

Best,

Ignatius Lin

p.s. Shout out to Loïc for becoming #100 fan on my Facebook page. The page is full of breaking news, insightful analysis, updates about my adventure in filmmaking. 

STRANGER NOW PREMIERES TONIGHT

97 Facebook shares, 5-star rating on the festival page.

STRANGER NOW (sponsored by NBC-Uni & FIND, starring Collin Chou) PREMIERES IN 12 HOURS at the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival. It is a story about an unlikely friendship between a boy and a homeless man.

We are very fortunate to be receiving international press coverage for this movie. Here are links to some of the articles, if you're interested: Ovation, SingTao, and World Journal.

Tickets are still available. We love to see you there and truly appreciate your help to spread the words. And please consider following my FB page, twitter feed, or this blog - if you aren't signed up already.

Launch Party - Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

Had a GREAT time attending the festival's launch party at the swanky Solair's Sky Deck in Koreatown, courtesy of the festival.

My short, Stranger Now, is premiering at the festival on Tuesday, May 3rd, 9pm. I feel very honored. Invitations to parties are one of the perks. My wife, my friend (Joseph), the producer/writer (Paul) and I had a blast. DJ setting the right mood. Open bar. Free appetizers. I had a Kirin, and we ate crab cakes and sweet pork buns (my fav. at the party).

The best thing was I got to hang out with my wife, my friends, and some AMAZING filmmakers. People come up with creative names for their projects, like Kosher Pig and Confession of a Nice Guy.

Next week, I'll be doing some press interviews for the film. Very excited and a little nervous. Wish me luck, and I look forward to "talking" to you again.   

For more info about the Stranger Now screening, including ticketing, please click here.

I'll be blogging, facebooking, and tweeting during the festival. You can follow me via twitter or facebook.

(with Joseph, who just finished working on the Green Lantern)

(screen shot of Stranger Now playing as a part of the festival official trailer)

(with Erin, who also has a short in the fest)

(with Paul, actor/producer/writer - triple threat)

Stranger Now Featured on Actor Access Mobile's Preview Page

I feel so blessed to receive such cool exposure on Actors Access, one of the biggest casting services in North America. I found out about this last week from my actor friend, Tiger Sheu.

I have received an outpouring of support from many friends and family members regarding this news and the film, which has made this unexpected exposure that much sweeter. I have received impassioned online messages from a family friend and a fellow filmmaker! When I found out that a HS classmate of mine recommended Stranger Now to her friends, I allowed myself to enjoy a sense of accomplishment. This is one of the highest form of compliments an artist can receive. I'm thinking about my fellow filmmakers and supporters who helped make this film happen. I am filled with joy.

If you're interested, the movie is now available on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/13828287). Here is the official FB page.

By the way, I hope to join Tiger at the SXSW premier of his film, Blacktino, produced by producer of Spy Kids and Sin City (by Robert Rodriguez) and starring Danny Trejo and Jeff Fahey. Big CONGRATS to Tiger!

(app's preview page)

Sundance, Slamdance Orientation at Film Independent

 
Three qualified speakers shared many insights about these 2 major festivals that are applicable to filmmakers, film lovers, or just casual film goers.

Javier Fuentes-León - Director of Undertow, winner of the Audience Award at 2010 Sundance & Project:Involve Alumnus

Drea Clark - Executive Director, Slamdance & MV programmer LAFF

Nguyen Tran - Producer's Rep


General Matters
-What you want to get out of festival?
-How do you want to come across?
-Come up w/ a wish list (priority list).
-Befriend the staff. Interact with them. Inspire good will.
-Ask nicely for film to be shown the first 5 days of festival.
-People are approachable at the festivals, more than seeing them in LA.
-Make individual connection with everyone you encounter.
-People will go bat for you if they love your film.
-Know your collaborators: their experience, their tastes, their comfort
-Who are there? Distributors, producers, reps.

Publicity
-Check in w/ the festival publicist.
-Know who's the press. Get festival's press list.
-Remember you are a client to your publicist. You should have a rapport with them, know who they speak with during the fest. Make sure they are visible to you and in the festival.

Producer's Rep
-Know your product. What's the goal? Empower the rep to sell your film because it's a long, hard process.
-The rep checks the expectations of their clients. On the same page?

Marketing/Audience
-Target the locals in advance w/ radio ads. They are bodies who blog, do social network.
-Creative promotions: chocolate hearts for romance movie, zombie performers, "dead strong" wrist band for a movie about zombie's rights.

If you don't have a film but has a script
-Have your one-line
-But people like to feel they make a connection. Not things thrust on them. Make good, fun connection. Come across you have something fun in your back pocket.
-Get a card and send script after Sundance.

If you have film
-Talk about the strength in your film and how you plan to follow up. Put yourself into the flow of things.
-They maybe not have bought your film, but they want to partner with you on your next project. People want to be first in line for the new talent.

Parties
-Everywhere but your hotel rooms. Some hard-to-get-in-party, once you get in, it's disappointing. Spend every waking moments meeting people.
-Relax, enjoy people you went there with.

Resources
Indiewire
Screen Daily
Nikki Finke 
Sundance
Slamdance

*Special thanks to Paul from FIND for organizing this amazing event.

15 minute sneak peak of Tron Legacy

I was treated to 15 minutes of Tron Legacy last Wednesday at the AFI Festival's Sony 3D workshop. AFI and Disney were very concerned about the footage leaking and warned us to turn off our cellphone or risk getting escorted out of the theater.

The lights dimmed. We didn't know what really to expect. We thought it might just be an extended trailer or one scene, but the sneak peak just kept going and going. We saw scenes of the "real" world with a young Jeff Bridges, courtesy of CGI. Then bam!, like the protagonist, we got transported into the Tron world, and that was when the 3D effects took off. They weren't intrusive or showy -- just enough to feel as if you're in a hyper-reality world. Awesome bikes, cars, a city of lights. A gladiator-style tournament involving cutting your opponent in half with a sharp frisbee.

IT WAS A RIDE, in every sense of the word!! When it was over, I felt they showed too much! They could have just showed us 7 minutes of Tron Legacy, and we'd have gladly paid to watch the rest. Disney, why did you have to play with us like that?!