Stephanie Wang-Breal is fortunate to have a foothold in two worlds. Born in the USA to Chinese speaking parents, she is fluent in English and Mandarin. Nonetheless, she had to interview more than a hundred families before she found the right one to work with. She invested a good deal of her own money to launch the film project but eventually managed to secure significant additional funding to see her film reach completion.

In production, Stephanie found that her role as filmmaker would at times include that of translator and thus, she was reluctantly drawn in as a supporting actor in her own film. As documentaries often do, the project took on a life of its own. Her efforts have resulted in the creation of a remarkable record of the pairing and bonding of Fang Sui Yong, an 8-year-old Chinese orphan girl and the Sadowskys, a Jewish family from Long Island, New York.

Stephanie also touched lightly on another kind of second life that controversial documentary films must now inhabit – the one that is spawned on blogs and in discussion boards across the Web after a film is released. Not all of these “reviews” have been positive, but they fault the subject and not the film. In some ways this too can be seen as a success, exposing the issue to public scrutiny and fostering a passionate debate. Stephanie Wang-Breal is winning awards for her thought-provoking work, including her most recent, “Best Emerging Director in a Documentary Feature” at the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) in New York.

I’d like to extend a thank-you to the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) and to Stephanie Wang-Breal for providing such an unusual opportunity. “Wo Ai Ni, Mommy” will be broadcast on PBS: POV on August 31, 2010.

LINKS:

Wo Ai Ni Mommy Official Website

www.facebook.com/pages/wo-ai-ni-mommy

In the Spotlight this week is the 5th Annual ILLINOIS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (IIFF), celebrating a broad spectrum of indie films and screenplays against the vibrant backdrop of Chicago, Illinois.

With the belief that no matter the film’s budget or the director’s vision it’s the filmmaker’s passion that drives a film, IIFF declares itself a “no limits” festival, screening a multi-genre lineup of films from around the world. From underground and horror films to the more traditional family-friendly fare, IIFF has been known to show a diverse selection of works, offering something on the schedule for film fans of all ages. Noteworthy selections from years past include CRAZY, MASS ROMANTIC, GOD’S EARS, and documentaries HEARTS OF HOPE, JACK BE NIMBLE, FACING SUDAN, and FOUND IN CHINA which enjoyed sold-out screenings.

IIFF’s list of alumni only furthers the point: the festival is rapidly growing and picking up steam early on. Alumni include Mike Reiss (ICE AGE 3, “The Simpsons”), who unveiled QUEER DUCK at IIFF; Tony Wash (IT’S MY PARTY AND I WILL DIE IF I WANT TO), who recently inked a distribution deal; and Mark Roberts (writer/producer of “Two and Half Men”), who presented WELCOME TO TOLONO and declares it “a wonderful experience for showcasing my film.”

UPCOMING DEADLINE
July 31, 2010 – Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5 on this deadline

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
The Illinois International Film Festival brings audiences and filmmakers together to better enjoy the art and fun of filmmaking.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Exhibiting filmmakers receive two all-access passes to IIFF festivities and a gift bag filled with swag. What’s more, the Festival emphasizes the filmmaker’s role in the equation; filmmakers participate in engaging Q&A sessions, sharing their behind-the-scenes stories and perspective on their films. Networking opportunities abound with fellow filmmakers and visiting industry players. Alum Warren Sheppard (STEWARD) gushes that IIFF “is an amazing…opportunity to meet…artists. I had the best time!”

Filmmakers & Screenwriters: to present your work in the great city of Chicago, submit to the Illinois International Film Festival today!

Here’s a unique chance to work with story consultant Fernanda Rossi, the Documentary Doctor, author of the book “Trailer Mechanics,” plus receive project mentoring on your proposal, trailer or documentary idea. This intensive 3-day workshop is tailored for anyone… whether you are just beginning, have already shot footage on a documentary project or are seeking finishing funds.

“Doing your Doc” is designed especially for media makers in the diverse communities of Minnesota, preparing them to receive production funding and apply to national professional programs while developing unique stories and views. It takes place starting at 3 pm on Sunday and runs all day on Monday and Tuesday.

If that’s not bad enough,  3 of the 26 theaters that planned to screen the film have backed off, canceling their scheduled screenings after threats of violence and intimidation. Japanese nationalists call the film anti-Japanese and claim that foreigners are trying to disrupt a 400-year-old tradition.

But scientists and environmental activists agree that one of the most important issue affecting the Japanese people is not about saving sea mammals. Dolphin and whale meat has been found to be very high in mercury says Tetsuya Endo, a professor at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido and one of the world’s foremost authorities on mercury levels in dolphins and whales caught off Japan’s coastal waters. He has shown in studies conducted on hair samples taken from residents of  Taiji, Japan who eat the whale and dolphin meat sold in local stores, that they have extremely high concentrations of mercury in their bodies.

The Monday, July 5, 2010 edition of CBC’s As it Happens radio show features an interview with Ric O’Barry who had a lead role in the film and just returned from Japan. He was once the dolphin trainer on TVs “Flipper,” who has become a committed campaigner against dolphin abuse.

The new YouTube video editor is still in development, so the features are somewhat limited… for now. Here’s Dave Kaminski explaining how to use it to edit and mashup your videos adding in royalty-free sound files that YouTube provides:

There is an applications called CaptionTube that will let you add captions and subtitles to your YouTube videos. Video Annotations will let you  add interactive commentary to your videos, link to other videos add notes and more.  These are only a few of several interesting development projects you can find in TestTube.

The dissolution of boundaries between music, art, theatre, dance and film, underway since the launch of MTV: Music Television in 1981, occasionally spawns elegant short form works of cinematic fine art. I must admit that last month, I scoffed at Time magazine’s inclusion of Ladt Gaga in their recent list of the 100 most influential people of the year… but I now withdraw that opinion. Alejandro, her latest video, fashioned with director and photographer Steven Klein, is crafted in the genre of an early Fritz Lang cinema noir masterpiece and immediately brings to mind scenes from Metropolis.

The latest Gaga video also reminds me of a rule I personally attribute to Ingmar Bergman – that each and every frame of a film should be so well composed that it could be printed as a still photograph and exhibited in a gallery. Allejandro exhibits that kind of attention to detail in Klein’s careful framing, form and placement of everything and everyone. It may be surprising to realize that Madonna’s “Express Yourself” video, also a Klein creation, was released 25 years ago. The comparisons are obvious…

As an ex-Catholic, I have always enjoyed the irreligious subtext in Klein’s work with Madonna and now with Lady Gaga. Alejandro is rich, dark and elegantly erotic. I am glad to be converted at last to just another Gaga worshiper, one of her little monsters.

At PBS.org, you can watch your favorite PBS shows on the new video player, in their entirety, whenever you want. You can interact with PBS producers and talent through live chats. Or you can get up close and personal with your favorite shows through blogs, Facebook Fan Pages, Twitter and YouTube.

The Associated Press said “PBS may be cooler than you think.” Check out our online offerings and see if you agree. Then SHOW us what you think.  Create a 30 second video showing something surprising about PBS on the web.

Stephen Kastner

MyWorld

The BBC says, “No-one sees the world the way you do. The BBC wants to see things from your perspective – and create a unique picture of our lives today across the planet.”

We are asking you to use any camera you can find – a mobile phone, a point-and-click, or a friend’s camcorder – and shoot a two-minute documentary with the theme MyWorld.

We are looking for original films that you think the world should know about and will shortlist films that are emotionally touching, important or visually impactful.

The best will then be selected by a panel of the world’s top documentary makers and assembled into sequences showing the stories of each continent.

About the competition

We are looking for entries from across the planet

You can interpret the MyWorld theme any way you choose. Your film could be a compelling personal story, tell of a place that is changing, or document the joy or difficulty of your work life.

Each film must be relevant to one of the five major continents – Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania – and must be tagged as such. You can shoot a single shot documentary, if appropriate to your story, or edit your film with any editing software available to you.

A selection of all work received may be shown on TV and online and an ultimate winner will be selected based on the judging criteria.

After submissions close, five prestigious MyWorld curators will each be assigned films from a particular continent. From each, they will choose and assemble a sequence of up to ten of the best films creating a fascinating portrait of the world today (Editor’s note: 10 films x 5 continents = 50 films).

Finally each of the five curated sequences will be available to view online and on BBC World News. An overall winner will then be chosen and receive a prize of a semi-professional HD mini DV camcorder.

You can enter the competition by clicking here.
(Closing date 1600 GMT March 5, 2010)

Five continents, any camera, any editing, plain and simple or complex and highly-crafted, no rules, no limits… where do I start? By taking the first step! I clicked there… and found:

Send us your videos for the MyWorld competition.

BBC World Service wants you to tell us the story of your world in a two-minute video. Full details of the competition are here.

To enter, we need you to do two things:

Fill in the form below. Don’t forget to include your name, email address and some background information about your video – and don’t forget to attach the video itself!

Email us at myworld@bbc.co.uk with the additional Information requested below. This is very important – if you do not do this we cannot accept your video for competition.

Additional Information we need (to be sent to myworld@bbc.co.uk):

You can also send us your videos by email: mybbc@bbc.co.uk

• Your Name
• Your age (if under 18) – If you are under 18, please indicate that you have your parent or guardian’s permission to enter and provide their name and contact information.
• Film Title
• Country of Entry
• Country of Filming
• Synopsis
• Original Language
• Please write an English translation of all speech
• Duration in seconds including any titles and credits:
• Your Email address
• Your contact phone number
• Please name all contributors featured
• Please list all contributor contact phone number(s) and email contacts
• Please confirm you have read the terms and conditions
• *If any contributors are under 18 then please provide their age and the name and contact details of their parent/guardian.
• Please confirm that consent has been given by all contributors to both appear in the film and for their personal details to be supplied to the BBC.
• If featuring music please confirm that this is your original composition and performance.

Remember that when filming please do not endanger yourself or others, take unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. Please read our Terms and Conditions for the full terms of our – and your – rights.

If you experience any difficulties please e-mail myworld@bbc.co.uk

* indicates compulsory fields.

So the key word here is SYNOPSIS!

The second step will be to spend one day – this day – the last day in the year of the rat, thinking about the synopsis of my world. Profound or simple. What is My World? It seems like a very appropriate way to end this year and enter into the New Year… of course, following the Lunar New Year, which seems more appropriate for me than the typical western habit of the Gregorian calendar. If nature rules my life then those are the cycles I honor – certainly not one dictated by Papal decree!

But My World is a hybrid, a mix of the natural and the technological. I work with computers and digital technology all day (and into the night) and heat my home with wood. I shovel my snowy driveway by hand with a shovel and often ride a bicycle, yet I have an old pickup truck. My World is a weird mix of ancient and modern.

Recently a Nexus One Android entered my life. I think it will very soon become my digital soul. I am wired now, everywhere I go, always LlinkedIn… seeking my synopsis.

Doc Lew Childre and Howard Martin, authors of The HeartMath Solution: The Institute of HeartMath’s Revolutionary Program for Engaging the Power of the Heart’s Intelligence have a lot to say on the subject. One Amazon reviewer explains, “The “intelligence” that they focus on refers to both the heart’s “brain,” or the 40,000 neurons found in the heart (the same number in the brain itself), and the intuitive signals the heart sends, including feelings of love, happiness, care, and appreciation.”

This seems to be the same wavelength Debra operates on…

Together we are learning to create a whole new spectrum of “enhanced CDs” – ones that not only include regular music that plays in any standard electronic device, but also an additional collection of multi-media content accessible through a computer. The “Time on Fire” CD will include video e-books, our music videos, lyric sheets and more.

You can find out more about her work, order a copy of “Time on Fire” – and if you act before midnight on December 21, 2009 your name can be listed on the CD jacket as a Sustaining Patron. Details are at her Website: HonorYourTruth.com.

Special thanks to my neighbor, Kevin Nordahl for building and igniting the enormous bonfire featured in the above…