POKE

"All these foods exist in history, in some history." - Professor Sumida, UW

One of the most memorable moments in shooting this film was when we shot in Kona, Hawaii.  We had been out all day shooting around the island and we came back to the docks to see if any of the fisherman had hooked any big fish, and there's Sam Choy on the dock making poke with his son, Sam Choy Jr.  Sam cutting the tuna on small on the dock.  Sam Jr. cleaning the boat after long days work.  It seems so simple to catch a fish, cut it up, add some salt, and boom you have Poke.  The beauty is... It's really that simple.  Fresh local ingredients, prepared very simply. 

Ironically, that has been my philosophy on art.  Whenever I teach young people, the first thing I always tell them is, "It's not about having the best camera or the fastest computer.  It's about having a strong story and focused idea."  We always get caught up in the technical aspects of film-making and we forget that at it's core its about telling powerful stories.  Stories that touch people.  With this documentary we did not shoot on top-shelf equipment and we edited the film on my laptop, but we were committed to the story and to telling it the best way we could and that's what has kept driving us forward through all of the technical challenges that have come our way.  Maybe one day we will be able to shoot a feature with a RED or an ARRI, but for now I have everything I need to tell the stories I want and I feel like I'm at a place in my life where the sky is the limit.