Have you guys seen the short “A Thousand Words” by Ted Chung? It’s got over 130,000 views on Vimeo and it’s really good. You should watch it right now, in fact:
He also made 2 other films, “Mike’s” and “On Time.” We liked his work so much we wanted to interview Ted and get right inside his brain to find out more about him. Fortunately we remembered to do the interview via email so we have some kind of record of it:
Tell us a little bit about yourself, where you grew up, went to school, stuff like that.
I grew up in Illinois, in the suburbs of Chicago. I went to UCLA Film School.
Who are 2 directors that we should definitely know about?
The Dardenne Brothers; Susanne Bier
Do you think there’s a glass ceiling for Asian American filmmakers in the Hollywood system?
If any sort of bias exists, it’s insignificant compared to the demand for true talent.
OK, so with an unlimited budget, what would be your dream project?
Star Wars, Episodes 7-9. Shot 35mm anamorphic, and employing the old school effects technology (miniature models, puppetry, optical printing, etc.) of the original trilogy instead of CGI. A handmade feel helps it stick to your ribs a bit more.
Your films are paced slowly but offer big emotional payoffs. Do you think you would be able to tell the same stories in different ways?
I’m sure you could. But if the story moves in a way that sustains viewer interest, why interfere with what’s already working?
“Mike’s” and “A Thousand Words” seem to deal a lot with technology and how it both isolates and connects us to each other. Can you elaborate on this?
The way technology is used in the films is just a by-product of the storytelling. I didn’t set out to make some sort of statement about technology. It was more important to explore how people can become more giving and open to life when they’re validated by another person.
Another theme of yours that is elaborated upon in “On Time” is seizing the moment. Is this a strong personal belief of yours?
In the context of the situation when that “seize the moment” dialogue is delivered, I thought it would come across as a manipulative piece of advice. It was a platitude to goad the guy into doing what the salesman wanted. It’s ironic that the salesman used those words to encourage the guy to buy into a way of life that fosters an extreme form of caution at every second.
Given that the internet and cheaper cameras have allowed us to spread information and videos/films faster than ever before, has this hurt you or helped you as a filmmaker?
It’s been a good thing. It’s important to get confirmation from diverse sources that the emotions and ideas you’re attempting to communicate are getting across clearly. The larger and more varied the feedback pool is, the better you can refine your fluency as a filmmaker.
