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Last night my program of indie skate videos by friends showed at the Anthology Film Archives in the East Village. I knew it was a rad spot as soon as I saw the Let Me Die a Woman and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! posters outside. And then when I finally met R.B. Umali in person, he said that he showed the first installment of N.Y. Revisited at the same venue ages ago as part of the Underground Film Festival. Another good omen. And when I saw my friends Wing Ko and Jesse Neuhaus gather to represent The Brotherhood: Chicago, I was reminded of the Chicago and Honolulu screenings, I knew this film festival tour was a pretty rad thing to keep going. (There was also San Diego.) I’m a crummy skateboarder. I’ve never made a movie other than filming my daughter do cute stuff. But I’m really proud that I’ve been able to help promote the rad skate videos that my friends have made. From Tadashi Suzuki and Thy Mai’s artful and fun “The Working Man” and “Perfect Time” (which I got to be in, here’s a shorter version) to Wing Ko’s amazing doc about Chicago’s first generation of pro skaters Jesse Neuhaus, Stevie Dread, and Eric Murphy, The Brotherhood: Chicago. Ben Clark and Langdon Taguiped’s music shorts on Ray Barbee and Mario Rubalcaba. Willy Santos versus Pinoy comedian Jo Koy. And I wouldn’t have taken these to New York City unless I secured the local support of R.B. Umali, who made a special remix of his upcoming N.Y. Revisited Vol. 3 just for the fest. The screening looked and sounded incredible and the Q&A afterward kicked ass until the lights dimmed. Thanks to Asian CineVision’s AAIFF Managing Director Judy Lei for inviting us to show skate videos on the big screen alongside indie, experimental, and imported works. I think it’s awesome that she would take that chance and put the genre in such context. Yes, I’ve been doing other stuff in NYC, too. Namely, taking my 5-year-old daughter Eloise on pilgrimages to various destinations related to The Ramones. Left to right: Joey Ramone Place, 53rd and 3rd, the address where CBGB once stood. I know the way to Rockaway Beach but don’t think we’ll make it this trip. Perhaps next time… Gabba gabba hey!
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Last night my program of indie skate videos by friends showed at the Anthology Film Archives in the East Village. I knew it was a rad spot as soon as I saw the Let Me Die a Woman and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! posters outside. And then when I finally met R.B. Umali in person, he said that he showed the first installment of N.Y. Revisited at the same venue ages ago as part of the Underground Film Festival. Another good omen. And when I saw my friends Wing Ko and Jesse Neuhaus gather to represent The Brotherhood: Chicago, I was reminded of the Chicago and Honolulu screenings, I knew this film festival tour was a pretty rad thing to keep going. (There was also San Diego.) I’m a crummy skateboarder. I’ve never made a movie other than filming my daughter do cute stuff. But I’m really proud that I’ve been able to help promote the rad skate videos that my friends have made. From Tadashi Suzuki and Thy Mai’s artful and fun “The Working Man” and “Perfect Time” (which I got to be in, here’s a shorter version) to Wing Ko’s amazing doc about Chicago’s first generation of pro skaters Jesse Neuhaus, Stevie Dread, and Eric Murphy, The Brotherhood: Chicago. Ben Clark and Langdon Taguiped’s music shorts on Ray Barbee and Mario Rubalcaba. Willy Santos versus Pinoy comedian Jo Koy. And I wouldn’t have taken these to New York City unless I secured the local support of R.B. Umali, who made a special remix of his upcoming N.Y. Revisited Vol. 3 just for the fest. The screening looked and sounded incredible and the Q&A afterward kicked ass until the lights dimmed. Thanks to Asian CineVision’s AAIFF Managing Director Judy Lei for inviting us to show skate videos on the big screen alongside indie, experimental, and imported works. I think it’s awesome that she would take that chance and put the genre in such context. Yes, I’ve been doing other stuff in NYC, too. Namely, taking my 5-year-old daughter Eloise on pilgrimages to various destinations related to The Ramones. Left to right: Joey Ramone Place, 53rd and 3rd, the address where CBGB once stood. I know the way to Rockaway Beach but don’t think we’ll make it this trip. Perhaps next time… Gabba gabba hey!
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It started by accident when I contacted my friend Tim about showing a independently made skateboard video called “The Working Man” at the Chicago film festival that he runs. He said, sure, but asked me to curate an entire program to go with it and I accepted the challenge. After the packed spring 2012 showing in the Windy City, the pack of new, independent skateboard films went on to enjoy successful screenings at film festivals in Honolulu and San Diego–a pretty cool run that I was stoked by and proud of. I not only was able to give attention to the awesome work of my creative friends but promote skateboarding videos as an art form and more than a niche genre for sweaty guys who roll around sideways. So when Judy at Asian Cinevision asked if I’d like to bring the program to this summer’s Asian American International Film Festival, how could I say no? It will include the same core of movies: • “The Working Man” and “The Perfect Time” by Pity Corp., reimagining Downtown Los Angeles through the lens of skateboarding • The Brotherhood: Chicago by Wing Ko, featuring Jesse Neuhaus, Stevie Dread, and Eric Murphy • Ben Clark and Langdon Taguiped’s “Traveling Sounds” and “Wide Angle Sounds” with Ray Barbee and Mario Rubalcaba • “Willy vs. Jo Koy,” pitting legendary Pinoy skater Willy Santos against big-time Pinoy comedian Jo Koy. As usual, there will be a local element mixed in. This time it is a world premiere by skate documentarian RB Umali. • “N.Y. Revisited 3 Remix” features some of the city’s most beloved spots and skaters, including Jefferson Pang, Keith Hufnagel, Danny Supa, Chris Keeffe, Bobby Puleo, Karl Watson, Vinnie Ponte, Ben Liversedge, Anthony Correa, Maurice Key, Joey Alvarez, Spencer Fujimoto, Todd Jordan, Gino Ianucci, Quim Cardona, Rodney Torres, Fred Gall, Peter Bici, and Harold Hunter. Animal Style Revisited will show one time only on Friday, August 2 at 8:30 pm at Anthology Film Archives. Get more information and preorder tickets at asiancinevision.org. Share, and hope to see you there!
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It started by accident when I contacted my friend Tim about showing a independently made skateboard video called “The Working Man” at the Chicago film festival that he runs. He said, sure, but asked me to curate an entire program to go with it and I accepted the challenge. After the packed spring 2012 showing in the Windy City, the pack of new, independent skateboard films went on to enjoy successful screenings at film festivals in Honolulu and San Diego–a pretty cool run that I was stoked by and proud of. I not only was able to give attention to the awesome work of my creative friends but promote skateboarding videos as an art form and more than a niche genre for sweaty guys who roll around sideways. So when Judy at Asian Cinevision asked if I’d like to bring the program to this summer’s Asian American International Film Festival, how could I say no? It will include the same core of movies: • “The Working Man” and “The Perfect Time” by Pity Corp., reimagining Downtown Los Angeles through the lens of skateboarding • The Brotherhood: Chicago by Wing Ko, featuring Jesse Neuhaus, Stevie Dread, and Eric Murphy • Ben Clark and Langdon Taguiped’s “Traveling Sounds” and “Wide Angle Sounds” with Ray Barbee and Mario Rubalcaba • “Willy vs. Jo Koy,” pitting legendary Pinoy skater Willy Santos against big-time Pinoy comedian Jo Koy. As usual, there will be a local element mixed in. This time it is a world premiere by skate documentarian RB Umali. • “N.Y. Revisited 3 Remix” features some of the city’s most beloved spots and skaters, including Jefferson Pang, Keith Hufnagel, Danny Supa, Chris Keeffe, Bobby Puleo, Karl Watson, Vinnie Ponte, Ben Liversedge, Anthony Correa, Maurice Key, Joey Alvarez, Spencer Fujimoto, Todd Jordan, Gino Ianucci, Quim Cardona, Rodney Torres, Fred Gall, Peter Bici, and Harold Hunter. Animal Style Revisited will show one time only on Friday, August 2 at 8:30 pm at Anthology Film Archives. Get more information and preorder tickets at asiancinevision.org. Share, and hope to see you there!
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If you even skim my blog, you know how I feel about Thy Mai (Pity Corp.) and Tad Suzuki (The Working Man). They’re super creative, supportive, and caring friends, who were recently involved in my skate film program that played in Chicago, Honolulu, and San Diego. Recently, they’ve been dedicating their energies toward a friend in need. MW: What is Pity Corp. and The Working Man’s connection to Chhunly Hach Slater? Thy: She is one of my dearest friends in the world. I was 17 when I met Chhun working at Outback Steakhouse in Seattle. I had just moved there. She was so nice, and since we were from neighboring countries, I asked her if she liked pho and if she knew where to get a bowl. It had been months and I missed my comfort food. When she said it was her favorite, too, I asked her to take me because I had no car and I’d treat. She called it kha tieu, though, and she rarely let me pay. Although sad that I was moving, she was totally supportive when I decided to move from Seattle to L.A. and go for it. She knew I loved hair and gave me a ride to the airport. That’s how my SoCal journey started. Tad: And for that TWM is indebted to her kindness. Whenever Thy spoke about Chhunly, I always felt as if she was one of her sisters. She’s family. MW: Chhunly has a connection with the suit seen in “The Working Man” video? Tad: Yeah, it was definitely my transition into suits. It’s the first suit I bought and it was our first wedding that we attended as a couple . Thy: We got Tad’s suit on the fly because we wanted him to look his best at her wedding–especially because I was wearing a beautiful-but-super-tight traditional Cambodian wedding attire. I think they had to safety pin it on me because it was so teeny. She was marrying the love of her life so we wanted to do it up. MW: When and how did you find out about her stroke? What were your first thoughts? Tad: I was meeting Thy at a restaurant for a quick visit. As I was walking up, Thy had tears and told me. Thy: Found out on Saturday, which is a workday for me. Was waiting on some food and saw I had missed a call from Chhun’s cell. I called back and heard the fateful news from her husband Matt. My stomach hurt and my heart fell when I heard his voice. I asked what happened. Chhun suffered a stroke when they were out on a date, collapsed, and was in a coma. The situation kept running through my head but I couldn’t process it. My first thoughts were, “Oh my God! Her girls, they’re so young. They love her so much.” What were they going to do? And what was Matt going to do? I felt bad that I had no magical...
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