On January 13, DGA members heard how passion projects are not just about the final product, but about the people you meet along the way when the Asian American Committee (AAC) meeting featured the discussion, Finding Your Filmmaking Family: A Panel on Passion Projects & Creative Kinship.

Following a screening of clips from former AAC Co-Chair Kai Kim’s 24-minute film, The Interview — a 22-page action story shot in two punishing days on a shoestring budget — Kim, UPM Alan Chu, 2nd AD Kevin Huie, 2nd 2nd AD Chris De Celle, and Stunt Coordinator Arnold Chon shared behind-the-scenes stories and discussed the irreplaceable value of building a community around work that matters to you in a conversation moderated by 1st AD Luc OuYang who served in that capacity on the project.

Speaking on how he transformed his creative vision from script to screen Kim, who also served as Co-Writer and Editor, recalled his process of bringing people onboard the project, highlighting how choosing great people intentionally was the best thing he could have done as they connected him to more great people, fostering a community with shared goals.

Chu, who currently serves as a Co-Chair of the AAC, shared his excitement working on a project with fellow Committee members, and noted that much of the crew benefited from the opportunity to expand their skillsets, with many working in new genres or positions they aren’t frequently hired for.

Huie and De Celle revealed details of how the team choreographed moving items in each scene location on set to give the art department time to prep, while perfectly aligning with the shoot schedule to avoid delays.

Contributing to the conversation via video, Chon spoke about his Stunt Coordinator process of first analyzing how the Actors move, then composing the action whilst ensuring a fight scene remains true to the characters and the Director’s intended tone of the scene.

Wrapping things together, OuYang disclosed that her favorite method for reviewing a shot list with the Director and DP is to bring in a chess board and have them physically show each setup with the pieces. She also used this method to prepare the crew, successfully putting everyone on the same page to manage their extraordinarily tight shoot schedule.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS:

Director Kai Kim In addition to The Interview, Kim’s directorial credits include multiple episodes for the daytime drama, The Young and The Restless. He launched his career in the entertainment industry in creature effects, custom props and as a camera operator with multiple Daytime Emmys for his camerawork on The Young and The Restless. A DGA member since 2014, he previously served as a co-chair of the Asian American Committee and on the DGA Committee of Joint Co-Chairs.

UPM Alan Chu In addition his UPM work on The Interview, Chu’s Assistant Director credits include features such as Russell Brown’s Search Engines, Ulrich Thomsen’s In Embryo and Matteo Ribaudo’s Beyond Paranormal; and episodes of the series Another Year. Chu has been a DGA member since 2021 and currently serves as a co-chair of the Asian American Committee and as an Alternate on the Western AD/UPM Council.

2nd AD Kevin Huie In addition his work on The Interview, Huie’s Assistant Director credits include feature films such as Pearry Reginald Teo's Pale Horse, Steven R. Monroe's Incarcerated and William Teitler's Bad Therapy; as well as episodes of 9-1-1: Lone Star, Good Trouble, Love, Victor and Never Have I Ever. Huie has been a DGA member since 2016.

2nd 2nd AD Christopher J. De Celle Beyond his Assistant Director work on The Interview, De Celle is primarily known as an Associate Director and live Television Director and Producer whose work has taken him across the globe covering the Olympics, NFL, MLB, NBA, College Football, and numerous other live entertainment events. A DGA member since 2013, De Celle serves as an Alternate on the Western AD/SM/PA Council.

Stunt Coordinator Arnold Chon In addition his work on The Interview, Chon’s stunt coordinator or performer on features such as Taika Waititi’s Interior Chinatown Akiva Schaffer’s The Naked Gun, Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck’s Freaky Tales and J.D. Dillard’s Devotion; as well as episodes of The Cleaning Lady, S.W.A.T., Shrinking, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Fear the Walking Dead, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Lovecraft Country. Chon has been a DGA member since 2014.

1st AD Luc OuYang (moderator) OuYang’s Assistant Directing credits include features such as Rob Reiner’s When Harry Met Sally, Wes Craven’s Scream, Robert Zemeckis’s Contact and Peter Weir’s DGA Award-nominated Master and Commander, the Far Side of the World; episodes of series such as Mad Men, Youth & Consequences and Cherish the Day; and over 200 commercials. She has been a DGA member since 1986, served on the Asian American Committee since its inception, currently serves on the Special Projects Committee and has served on the Western AD/UPM Council.

About the Asian American Committee:

The Asian American Committee (AAC) was created as a networking group to provide a forum for interests and issues that concern Asian-American Guild members. Through outreach efforts in the entertainment industry that emphasize career development and skills enhancement, the committee provides a variety of networking opportunities as well as screenings, seminars and discussions with industry professionals.

• For more information about the Asian American Committee, click here to visit their webpage.