SIFF PREMIERE
JUNE 4, 2016 | ARK LODGE CINEMA | 1PM
JUNE 5, 2016 | UPTOWN CINEMA | 5:30PM
SAM CHOY'S POKE TO THE MAX | SIFF PREMIERE
EDITOR | CINEMATOGRAPHER
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.
NEW YEAR | NEW DESIGN
It's a new year and that means it's time to reflect on the past, and look forward toward the future.
Over the past few months, lots of things have been changing and lots of progress have been made on so many projects. I am so excited for what the new year has to offer, and I wanted to design a space for me to share it. I will be posting updates to projects currently in production, excerpts from my residencies, and creative inspirations for future works.
So for this inaugural post, I wanted to share some lessons learned from documentary I have been working on for the past 12 months, Poke to the Max. I think the biggest lesson that I learned is that documentary filmmaking is not a part-time job. You have to be committed to your subject and to your characters. As a person who is shooting and editing this project, it is especially important for me to be open to any and all opportunities to be with my subjects, if only to observe and to understand them better. So that I can portray them in a way that is genuine and authentic. Whenever I am on the truck, with Max, or with Sam I am always observing and taking notes that can inform the edit and the story that we will ultimately tell. When we started this project, we initially thought we could shoot a pilot for an episodic series but I quickly realized after spending time on the truck and talking with Sam that our story would function better in a longer format, which is what brings us here today.
I found this amazing video the other day, and it speaks to this point so beautifully. The Sundance Film Festival asked directors, writers, actors, and artists about their past jobs and the risk of becoming an independent artist.