Congratulations to "Sick World" and "Ripe"!!!

First and foremost, a huge congrats to director Hyunmi Park and her documentary, Sick World! We just got back from the Canada International Film Festival in Vancouver, B.C., where Sick World won a Royal Reel Award for Best Documentary Feature. Yay!

Next, I would like to congratulate all of the cast, crew, and supporters of Ripe, which will screen this June at the Women's International Film & Arts Festival in Miami, FL. This was the first narrative feature film that I was hired to shoot, and I'm excited that this fun, little movie will finally get its chance on the big screen!

* * *

The summer of 2012 was an interesting time in my life. My dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer the year before, and his health began declining rapidly soon after. Not long after the diagnosis, I decided to take time off from work so that I could assist my family at home.

Around March 2012, my friend Hyunmi called to tell me about a documentary she was developing and invited me to shoot for her that entire summer. I was hesitant to go due to the circumstances at home, but after much consideration and deliberation with my family, I decided to make the trek to South Korea. About a month in, my dad passed, and I had to make the trip back home. My family thought it would be best for me to finish out the shoot, so a couple of weeks after the funeral services, I was on a plane back to South Korea.

With about a month left of production on Sick World, I received an email from Lauren and Karin, two gals I had met a couple of years before on a short film they hired me to shoot. They had just finished writing a feature-length screenplay and were excited to produce it. They wanted to shoot it at the end of August and were wondering if I would be available to shoot it for them. I told them that I was out of the country and didn't think it would work out, since I would be getting back stateside the day they wanted to start production. They pushed the dates back for me, and the day after I got home, I was in a car heading to California's Central Valley to start principal photography on Ripe.

I am extremely proud of these two projects and are excited to see them finally getting their spotlight on the festival circuit.  I will continue posting more updates about these movies, so please check them out if they are ever playing near you!

Wrapped and Wrapped!!!

Last week, we wrapped principal photography on Eric Casaccio's new short, "Narcissist." Great crew, great cast, great story - can't wait to see it all cut together.

I also received word not too long ago that Ripe is locked and finished. Yay, team! Look for it soon at a film festival near you!

I can't wait to see where the journey takes me next!

'tis the season for giving!

generous people of the world who like to donate money to fun projects, look no further!

two projects that i worked on this year are in need of finishing funds, and the folks involved (myself included) would be eternally grateful for any assistance you could give to them.

choose your flavor (or, if you're feeling particularly generous, pick both):

nice girls crew, season 2 - web series
(funding deadline: dec 16, 2012)

Sophie (Lynn Chen), Leena (Sheetal Sheth), and Geraldine (Michelle Krusiec) have been true “frenemies” since elementary school. All
grown up and finding themselves in the city of Los Angeles, the ladies seek refuge from their isolation in a book club where they never actually talk about the book. Their subjects of interest? Sex, cannibalism, drugs and just about everything else you’d expect in such good company.

watch all of season 1 on youtube.
ripe - feature film
(funding deadline: dec 28, 2012)

Five girlfriends return to their farm-filled hometown (in California's Central Valley) after their freshman year of college to throw a wedding for 18-year-old Lee. Awkward moments abound as they try to navigate a grownup life that they aren't quite ready for.

find out more about the film on its website.
THANK YOU!!!

ripe

s/s 2012 has been quite the ride for me. in regards to work, i spent a good chunk of it in south korea, shooting a documentary on korean folk medicine (more on that at a later time).

the day after i returned stateside, i got in a car and drove to visalia, california, to start production on ripe, a feature film shot completely on location in the central valley.

from their website:

5 girlfriends return to their farm-filled hometown after their freshman year of college to throw a wedding for 18-year-old Lee. Awkward moments abound as they try to navigate grownup life that they aren't quite ready for.

we've completed most of principal photography, but we've got a few more scenes and some pick-ups, as well as the entirety of post-production to get through.

if you're feeling generous and want to help out a group of indie filmmakers, or have a place in your heart for california's central valley and want to see it featured in a fun way on the big screen, head on over to ripe's indiegogo page and learn how you can help some sisters out! thanks!