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I'm judging shorts this year at the VC film festival. I've been outspoken about how I dislike short films, so I seem like a terrible candidate, but in the end, it's not true. It's not that I dislike shorts, it's more about disliking bad shorts. I've seen my share of short programs that have 8 bad ones and 1 good one. I've also seen some which are 10 bad ones only. Then there's been some that are...
I’m judging shorts this year at the VC film festival. I’ve been outspoken about how I dislike short films, so I seem like a terrible candidate, but in the end, it’s not true. It’s not that I dislike shorts, it’s more about disliking bad shorts. I’ve seen my share of short programs that have 8 bad ones and 1 good one. I’ve also seen some which are 10 bad ones only. Then there’s been some that are half and half. I’ll admit from experience, it’s difficult to tell a short in just a few minutes. Usually, it’s a gag, or a quick “haha” type of project. That’s how it is. You don’t have time to develop a character, you don’t have time to tell an entire life story, but what you can do is a quick vignette. I’ve made a super 8 short, Sumo: the Wrestlers which screened a few times in festivals here and there. It actually showed in the post LA riot 1991 to just a few people. I made another years later as part of the Obits program, which went to a bunch of film fests, which I hope never sees the light of day again. There were others as well. I think I had screen dreams back then, like many today. I do know people spend as much money as it takes of make a feature film on a short. They probably take as long as some do to make a feature, and for some, this is their life’s achievement, all in a matter of a few minutes. So with that mind, I’ll give all of these film a fair viewing. Who knows, this may give some lift to an important director tomorrow. Somehow I found the room of snacks. It’s not pretty, but that’s where people recharge.
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It's going to happen. Takashi Murakami is doing another show. This time in the confines of a gallery. A funny and cool follow up to his huge MOCA and Brooklyn Museum show, which are retrospectives. The great thing about having this show for Murakami, is the fact that instead of reaching to another huge establishment, he's working with his old buds, Blum and Poe (who brought him out), and doing...
It’s going to happen. Takashi Murakami is doing another show. This time in the confines of a gallery. A funny and cool follow up to his huge MOCA and Brooklyn Museum show, which are retrospectives. The great thing about having this show for Murakami, is the fact that instead of reaching to another huge establishment, he’s working with his old buds, Blum and Poe (who brought him out), and doing something quite the opposite – a small show. Who knows what the works will be like, but his momentum is rolling on. He’s got bills still, right? I’ll follow up with more info on how this all is, and maybe at what price everything is. I’ll bet it’s all sold. *forgot to mention, Murakami makes it to the Time magazine’s 100 influential list! I’ll probably be seeing him there and at the post dinner. If not, I’ll be seeing him in Japan when I’m out there next week. More info to come. I’ll be hitting Shanghai and Beijing.
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Visual Communications presents the Asian Pacific Film Festival. It's on! Full house at the DGA with Ping Pong Playa as the opening night film. That's an auspicious title. What is Ping Pong Playa about? Imagine a pro Yellow Asian American who's as outspoken as Mars Blackmon and Charles Barkley. And instead of playing basketball, he takes it old school by playing ping pong. The flick is by Oscar...