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Calling All Wannabe Ukulele Stars!

mike — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:35:53 +0000

Eddie Vedder: “Jake is taking the instrument to a place that I can’t see anybody else catching up with him.”

Brian May: “Amazing uke playing to be relished.”

Calling all wannabe ukulele stars! Are you ready for a little YouTube fame that’ll get you onstage to open for ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro? Jake’s fans will compete in an online ukulele contest and the chance to open for him at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (2012 SFIAAFF) on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at the historic Castro Theatre in San Francisco.

Jake will be in town for the world premiere of a new documentary on his life and career, so the evening will be very special for all. The film, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Tadashi Nakamura, is a production of the Center for Asian American Media, who has presented SFIAAFF for 30 years.

Millions of fans around the world first discovered Jake through his now-famous YouTube clip performing George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puSkP3uym5k Now it’s your turn! Much like Jake’s rise to popularity, contestants will submit their own video playing one of Jake’s songs. The winner will take center stage for an once-in-a-lifetime moment and perform one song before Jake Shimabukuro.

Contest Rules:

1. Create your own audition song video and upload it to YouTube.
(tag it Ukulelestar and CAAM. If you’re on Twitter, #Ukulelestar)
2. The song must be originally written by Jake himself.
3. Email the link to njones [at] caamedia [dot] org with your name and phone number. All entries must be submitted by midnight on February 20, 2012.

That’s it! Our panel of esteemed judges will then select five finalists for the final round of voting and that is when we turn to you, the YouTube community, on February 20-26, to help us choose the winner!

We’ll announce the winner on February 27, 2012.

Good luck and start practicing!

Himalayan Youth Voices: Watch my PSA!

mike — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:58:44 +0000

During the Himalayan Youth Voices Project workshop, the participants were tasked with producing a short Public Service Announcement (PSA) on an issue that they felt was important.

In addition to all of the production work involved, the assignment required the youth to draw from other skills like acting, directing and writing. Interestingly, one youth group chose to create an anti-drug PSA while the other did one on anti-cyber bullying, one fairly known threat to youth and another a sort of new iteration of a long-standing issue for youth.

Stay Away From Drugs

Don’t Cyber Bully

Announcing the SFIAAFF30 Opening Night Feature!

marky — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:57:40 +0000

You may have heard the buzz about our opening night film (no one can keep a secret, anymore), so we’re here to officially tell you, BELIEVE THE HYPE!

We are thrilled to kick off SFIAAFF30 with none other than WHITE FROG, the highly-anticipated new film by celebrated director, Quentin Lee. Last summer, the online media sphere was spinning with the curious and enticing question, “Who is the White Frog?” Well, join us on opening night to find out!

WHITE FROG
SFIAAFF 30 Opening Night Gala & World Premiere
THU MAR 8, 2012
7PM Film Screening @ Castro Theater
9:30PM Gala Reception @ Asian Art Museum

*** Early Bird Pre-Sale Tickets are now on sale***

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

Early Bird Screening + Gala Non-Member Price: $55 ($60 after February 9)
Early Bird Screening + Gala CAAM Member Price: $45 CAAM Members ($50 after February 9)
Film only: $35
Gala only: $30

WHITE FROG boasts a spellbinding cast of some of the most influential and recognizable Asian American talent today, including Booboo Stewart (you know, rock-hard abs from The Twilight Saga), Harry Shum, Jr. (the Asian dance machine from Glee), Kelly Hu (the badass sorceress from Scorpion King), B.D. Wong (Law and Order: SVU), and Joan Chen (The Last Emperor, Mao’s Last Dancer). This much-buzzed about film is written by the mother/daughter team, Ellie and Fabienne Wen and executive produced by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly).

The screening will be followed by a star-studded Opening Night Gala Reception at the Asian Art Museum, attended by many of WHITE FROG’s cast and crew. The Gala promises to be a red-carpet affair and will feature delicious treats from some of the Bay Area’s most popular restaurants, including Bushi-Tei, Chotto, Dosa, Serpentine, and Yoshi’s.

This is one event you don’t want to miss!

ABOUT WHITE FROG:
High-school freshman, Nick (Booboo Stewart), a young boy with Asperger’s syndrome is often neglected and misunderstood by his seemingly perfect family. When tragedy suddenly strikes, Nick is forced out of his comfort zone, and into finding the strength he needs to survive. WHITE FROG is a universal story about the power of family, friendship, and love.

Click here to view the trailer for WHITE FROG

RELATED LINKS:

Like us on Facebook:
http://facebook.com/asianamericanmedia

Watch us on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/caamchannel

Scope out our Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/centerforasianamericanmedia

Jake Shimabukuro LIVE at SFIAAFF30!

marky — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:42:56 +0000

CAAM Presents
WORLD PREMIERE OF THE JAKE SHIMABUKURO DOCUMENTARY
+ LIVE PERFORMANCE at SFIAAFF30!
WED MAR 14, 2012
CASTRO THEATER

6PM VIP Reception with Screening & Performance $175 // CAAM Members $150
7:30PM Screening with Performance $60 // CAAM Members $50

***Early Bird Presale tickets are now available***

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

“If everyone played the ukulele, the world would be a better place,” says Hawaiian-born Jake Shimabukuro, who has captivated audiences across the globe with his jaw-dropping mastery of the ‘uke.’ His technical virtuosity and broad musical palette – including jazz, rock, original Hawaiian standards, and innovative pop covers – have fundamentally redefined how the seemingly limited instrument is perceived by millions of people. Shimabukuro has been featured on CNN, in Times and Rolling Stones Magazines, and has performed alongside musical giants such as Bela Fleck, Cyndi Lauper, and Yo Yo Ma. But beyond his technical skill, it is Jake’s infectious enthusiasm for the ukulele as the “instrument of peace” that has made him a leader in the rising popularity of the ‘uke’ among everyday strummers and long-time enthusiasts.

Directed by renowned Asian American filmmaker, Tadashi Nakamura, the CAAM produced JAKE SHIMABUKURO DOCUMENTARY follows Jake over the course of his 2010-11 musical season, capturing dynamic performances before sold out crowds, as well as intimate moments of life on the road and visits home to his native Hawai’i, where he has risen from local hero to international star. Along the way, this self-taught Japanese American musician gently disarms a series of stereotypes, for Jake’s music confronts clichés about the romance and frivolousness of Hawai’ian beach culture, and challenges commonly held audience perceptions that limit Asian American musicians to classical and jazz conventions.

Don’t miss the World Premiere of this captivating documentary – PLAYING ONE NIGHT ONLY! And the icing on the cake? JAKE SHIMABUKURO WILL BE IN THE HOUSE to give a mind-blowing ukulele performance that’s sure to knock your socks off!

VIP Reception + Screening + Live Performance:
Join us for a rare and intimate gathering just before the screening with rising star Jake Shimabukuro, director Tadashi Nakamura, and friends! Our VIP guests will be treated to delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks to celebrate this special event. Following the reception, guests will be able to view the film and a live performance by Jake from a premium seat at the historic Castro Theatre. Reception begins at 6pm in the Castro Mezzanine and will be followed by the screening and performance at 7:30pm.

“Shimabukuro is a monster musician and boldly takes the ukulele where no ukulele has ever gone before, dazzling listeners with his blinding speed, melodic invention, and open-ended improvisations of remarkable virtuosity” — All Music Guide

Learn more about Jake here:

Jake’s Website:
http://jakeshimabukuro.com

Watch Jake Play:
Bohemian Rhapsody on the Uke
On CNN

RELATED LINKS:

Like us on Facebook:
http://facebook.com/asianamericanmedia

Watch us on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/caamchannel

Scope out our Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/centerforasianamericanmedia

Apply to the SFIAAFF Student Delegate Program

Gary G. — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:00:37 +0000

STUDENT DELEGATE PROGRAM INFORMATION & APPLICATION

I thought SDP would be a great opportunity to participate in the festival’s programs and meet people in the field of Asian American media. My actual experience exceeded my expectations because we had so many opportunities to get to know interesting people and be inspired by all the great work that is happening. This inspires me to continue to pursue my path to be a film producer and to continue with film studies. —Yen Le, SDP 2011

The program brings together a small but diverse student population to spend several days together during the Festival to view, discuss, and reflect on films and media.

Hosted by Festival staff, students interact closely with industry guests and join in thoughtful conversations with selected filmmakers, artists, and other Festival guests.

APPLICATIONS MUST BE COMPLETE AND POSTMARKED BY FEBRUARY 9, 2012.

Download the application here.

READY, SET, PITCH! – now accepting applications

ellen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:47:34 +0000

READY, SET, PITCH!

CAAM is excited to invite Asian American media producers and directors to submit applications for projects of all genres (documentary, narrative and multimedia) currently in development for our first ever READY, SET, PITCH! – a live fundraising event at this year’s SFIAAFF 2012.

In an era when technology and storytelling are much more intertwined, media makers are often confounded by how best to use tools such as crowd sourcing and funding, mobile apps, social media and the list goes on. While the new media landscape can at times seem overwhelming, ultimately we believe that it offers exciting opportunities and media tools to broaden a project’s impact and reach in a meaningful way.

CAAM will select 3 to 5 media producers with projects in development to present a fundraising pitch and audience engagement strategy to a jury of media professionals as well as a live festival audience. Media producers will have the opportunity to hone their pitches beforehand with CAAM. Each fundraising campaign should incorporate as central themes innovation, engagement and community.

CAAM will partner with all media producers featured in the live pitch event to promote their projects and fundraising campaigns. In addition to highlighting their media projects, the goal of READY, SET, PITCH! is to bring together media producers, foundations, and engagement strategists to provide constructive feedback and meaningful dialogue around new media and fundraising tools.

Pitch presenters are encouraged to showcase a lively and creative pitch after which the jury and audience will have an opportunity to provide constructive feedback. The winning pitch, selected by the jury with audience feedback, will receive a $5,000 CAAM award for research and development. CAAM also looks forward to providing opportunities for continued support for the producers and their projects in the future.

Each pitch should run no more than 7 minutes including 2 to 3 minutes of a trailer or sample media. A crowd funding campaign (e.g. Kickstarter or IndieGoGo) should be in effect during the festival (March 8-18).

Deadline to Apply: February 8th

To apply access the online application form at: http://caam.slideroom.com

Countdown to SFIAAFF30: Let’s Party!

marky — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:00:11 +0000

Photo: Michelle De Leon

CAAM presents
SFIAAFF Launch Party
Thursday, February 9, 2011
9PM – 2AM
@ 111 Minna Gallery
111 Minna Street (at 2nd Street), San Francisco CA 94105

On Thursday, February 9th 2012, the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) gets its 30th year started with a Press Conference announcing an exciting program that celebrates the past, present, and future – not only honoring pioneers in Asian and Asian American media-making, but also new directions in digital and interactive media, sound and youth culture, and gaming.

After the Press Conference, what better way to kick things off than with a partaaay! Join us at 111 Minna Gallery to celebrate the official launch of the Festival! Come out, pick up your hot-off-the-press Festival Program Guide, and enjoy some of the Bay Area’s hottest DJs. Doors open at 9pm.

On the turntables:

Chicken Skratch
DJ Inkfat
Nerstylist
DJ Bluz

$10 Admission | 21+
$5 FOR CAAM MEMBERS

Learn more about CAAM membership
or email membership [at] asianamericanmedia [dot] org.

SFIAAFF30 is Just Around The Corner!

marky — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:53:32 +0000

That’s right, folks. This year’s San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) is coming soon, and we’re turning the big 3-0!

SAVE THE DATES

When: March 8-18, 2012
Where: San Francisco, Berkeley, and San Jose, CA

The SFIAAFF, presented by the Center for Asian American Media, is the nation’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films, annually presenting approximately 120 works in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Festival’s 30^th anniversary program celebrates the past, present, and future – not only honoring pioneers in Asian and Asian American media-making, but also new directions in digital and interactive media, sound and youth culture, and gaming.

So, keep your New Year’s resolution – get out into the community and learn more about the richness and diversity of Asian and Asian American experiences (Wait, that wasn’t on your list? Well, it should be!).

Jake Shimabukuro: Ukulele Virtuoso

miel — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:20:21 +0000

Meet Jake Shimabukuro, 35-year-old Japanese American ukulele sensation from Hawaii. He started the ukulele at age 4, but his talent is now internationally recognized. Jake is best known for transforming this simple 4-stringed instrument with his innovative vision toward music and his passion for the ukulele. With elements of jazz, classical, folk, rock, and traditional Hawaiian music, Jake awes his audience with his incredible skills. He has performed on a number of nationally televised shows, such as “ The Late Show with Conan O’Brien” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and he spent the last year touring in the United States and Japan, for his latest album Peace Love Ukulele.

Find out more about Jake on TV this Sunday, January 15th, where he will be featured on CNN’s “The Next List”, and keep checking this space and our Facebook page to hear more about the upcoming Jake Shimabukuro documentary, PEACE LOVE UKULELE funded by CAAM!

MORE ABOUT JAKE SHIMABUKURO, and the upcoming film PEACE LOVE UKELELE:

This one-hour film portrait will capture ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro’s performances before sold-out crowds, as well as intimate moments of life on the road and visits home to his native Hawai’i, where he has risen from local hero to international star.

PEACE LOVE UKULELE is directed by Tadashi Nakamura

and is a production of the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) and Pacific Islanders in Communication (PIC).

Premiering at the 30th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (Mar 8-18, 2012).

Keep checking our website for more information about this screening and how to buy tickets!

Happy New Year from CAAM

miel — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:02:49 +0000

We at CAAM have been reflecting on an eventful 2011 — we were able to showcase some great artists and their work, help develop emerging and youth filmmakers through mentoring and fellowship initiatives, and we had an extremely good time getting to know our first-time supporters as well as catch up with long-time friends.

As this year comes to a close, we would like to thank all of you who have shared our story, attended our screenings, and generously supported all that we do. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2012!

All our very best,

The CAAM Fam