Penguin June 24th, 2008
It looks like Red String Theory has been put on hold. The director didn’t bother to tell me that she would be in NYC during our two shooting days. Since I’m ramping up to do Irreplaceably Precious in August, this small window is all we had.
I was looking forward to doing RST too. Maybe it’ll still happen sometime this fall. We’ll see what happens.
-Penguin
Related postsPenguin June 23rd, 2008
Nothing quite like a vacation to get the juices going. I hammered out a few early drafts of Irreplaceably Precious while I was in Mexico. The ending still needs a little bit of work, but the main bits are there.
I started with a rough short story that I wrote on the plane. After I typed it up, I started building the scenes and writing out the dialogue. It was hard to keep myself from editing, since my dialogue was so bad.
Then I reread it to see if things made sense and added a few more scenes in and started moving bits and pieces around. If I had my index cards, it would’ve been much easier to do this.
I showed it to my actors, and they seem to like it. It clocks in at a brisk 22 pages. The original play, which it’s loosely based off, ran 70 pages. It’s pretty much completely different from the original. But the same (if that makes any sense).
Can’t wait to shoot it.
-Penguin
Related postsPenguin June 12th, 2008
A few years ago, some friends wrote a 70 page script that was intended to be performed live. I helped them edit and do rewrites over a course of 3 months. Then we spent another 3 to 4 months preparing it for performance. It never happened.
Coming into this summer, I didn’t really have a project to do. Some of the original actors are still keen on making this thing happen and so do I. It’s been sitting on my brain ever since we canceled the show. Was it the right decision? Should we have pushed through?
I reread the script a few months ago and realized how dated it all sounded. So I’ll be spending the next few weeks rewriting it and refocusing it. Luckily, I still have access to the original writers. I want to keep it as faithful to its original themes and intentions as possible.
But even if I finish, I may not have enough actors to do it. Even if I don’t get to shoot it, writing will be good practice.
One step at a time though.
-Penguin
Related postsPenguin May 5th, 2008
Boba Nite was a resounding success! Except for a few stalwarts, my team has been extremely lazy. Yesterday, they were all just chillin’ outside in the beautiful weather. Of course, I went to join them. As much as I tried to get them motivated to finish up some minor shooting for a rules video, people were just tired. Not that I can blame them. Everyone worked really hard the 4 months leading up to Boba Nite.
I’ve had the benefit of having most of last week off, so I’m almost fully charged.
There are a bunch of projects waiting for me. A short improv that we shot last week, I need to edit, this video that we just about finished yesterday, 30 Hour Famine (documentary practice), and then this rules video. Some of these things have deadlines, others are just due whenever.
Later, I have to start preparing for my Kyrgyzstan documentary.
So much to do.
-Penguin
Related postsPenguin April 30th, 2008
Interview with an INS Agent [short film] from NinjaVsPenguin.
A true story about a guy pursuing the one he loves. But then the government tries to keep them apart.
Written & Directed by: Wey Wang
Director of Photography: Nancy Chan
CAST
Gene: Bo Wang
Rosita: Vivian Lin
INS Agent: Abel Zhu
vending machine: Sean Pham
girlfriend 1: Betsy Chao
girlfriend 2: Joanne Horng
guy friend 1: Sean Pham
guy friend 2: Ray Wong
guy friend 3: Wey Wang
priest: Jimmy Lu
Editing: Jimmy Lu and Wey Wang
Additional camera: Wey Wang
Music:
“Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley
“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey
“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
“Against All Odds” Phil Collins
“Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins
“Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor
“Our Song” by Taylor Swift
Production Assistants: Jesse Zhu, Preston Chang, Joanne Horng, Betsy Chao
Storyboards: Stephanie Jou
Sound effects: Joanne Horng
Props: Betsy Chao, Abel Zhu, Joanne Horng, Sean Pham
Color correction: Wey Wang
Thanks to: Quentin Chan, Nancy Chan, Emily Wong
Special Thanks to: God
Shot on Canon HV20
Edited on Adobe Premiere CS3
Titles and rendering on Adobe After Effects CS3
Premiered at Boba Nite.
-Penguin
Related postsPenguin January 4th, 2008
Love Angle is finally finished!
It was a tremendous experience. I know it’s not the best work out there. Nor is it the best that’s in me. But considering the goals of the project, I think I succeeded.
Coming into this, I knew nothing about video editing, camera work, production, storyboards, or anything else. But now I feel equipped for my next project.
Many thanks to the great cast and crew that I had. Without them, this wouldn’t be possible. This isn’t a film by me. This is a film by the whole team.
Credits:
Written & directed by: Wey Wang
Produced by: Wey Wang
Director of Photography: Andrew Chen
Edited by: Wey Wang
Lana: Jeannie Huang
Jay: Dan Lin
Danny: Mike Tang
Ken: Andrew Chen
Kira: Charissa Shen
Amanda: Amanda Shen
Dave: Bo Wang
Additional Camera Work: Wey Wang, Bo Wang
Production Assistants: Jack Chiang, Mark Chung, Wendy Chang, Kathy Chang, Mike Tang, Amanda Shen, Melody Chen
Special thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Shen and Katrina Chang Liu
Very special thanks to Nancy Chan
Most thanks to God
Shot on a Canon GL2
Edited on Adobe Premiere CS3
-Penguin
Related postsPenguin December 29th, 2007
The other day, I held a private screening of Love Angle for my principle actors. They mainly wanted to see how bad they were, understandable considering they’re amateur actors. I think the best compliment was when they said it wasn’t as bad as they thought it would be. Considering that most people cringe when they see themselves, I consider that fair praise.
Based on some of the feedback and just watching it again, I made a few more changes. Another 9 hours later (6.5 to render, 2.5 to burn) I’ll have the DVD.
The whole thing should be up on YouTube in a few weeks.
-Penguin
Related postsPenguin December 21st, 2007
I finished my first work print for Love Angle yesterday. For the most part, it works. There’s still a few things I need to change in the third act. But I’m fairly happy with the way the story flows and the relationship is built.
The next step is to edit the audio for pops and up the gain for a few scenes. Then do some color correcting. I can’t wait for you guys to see it! 
-Penguin
Related postsPenguin October 19th, 2007
I’m back working on Love Angle again. It’s been awhile, but I’ve been loving it. Last night I finished editing this one scene.
I remember when we first shot it, we were all cracking up from the first take. Dan and Bo kept improving the bit and it kept getting better and better. Sometimes, I think about the scene and just start laughing.
Enough of my blabbering, here’s the clip. The typeface at the end is Gotham, by the way.
-Penguin
Related postsPenguin July 17th, 2007
As we get deep into shooting this movie, I’ve found that the toughest thing is getting the requisite actors together. One day they’ll be okay for a shoot, the next, they have something pressing to do and we lose a day.
One of my actors dropped a bomb this past Friday. She wouldn’t be around for 3 weekends. Considering we only had about 5 weekends, one we lost already, it would be almost impossible to schedule her parts in for just one weekend.
As much as it pained me, I had to let her go and find a replacement.
With all my scripts, I tend to write for the actor. Over the years, I’ve come to know their voice and their mannerisms, so I can tailor the dialogue and emotion of the scene for them. I can visualize how they will play out the scene and interact with the other actors.
But, I have to do what’s best for the movie. If that means finding another actor, that’s what has to happen.
We also started shooting during the week and it’s incredibly difficult to shoot more than one scene a night.
At least it’s slowly coming together.
-Penguin
Related postsLimited edition lithograph prints. Signed + numbered.
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