THE ANIMATED ADVENTURES OF JUDO GIRL

This is a really cute documentary that is in Production at Making Waves Films http://makingwavesfilms.com/. Director Kimberlee Bassford has recently completed a fundraising trailer for the film, which is included just above in this post. Kimberlee and her camera were with Teshya and her younger sister Teniya in October when they both swept their divisions and won gold at the Infantil Pan American Judo Championships in Panama City, Panama. It was their first international tournament and first time competing on the USA National Team. Teshya and the film project were even featured in an TeamUSA.org article, the official website of the United States Olympic Committee.

Kimberlee wil continue to film Teshya and her family over the next two years as she prepares for the 2012 Judo World Championships. It's bound to be an animated adventure!

One Voice: This is No Ordinary High School Musical

I am lucky enough to have Director of One Voice Lisette Maire Flanary (Lehua Films) a writing mentor, so before writing this entry I met up with Lisette at IHOP in downtown LA (my suggestion) to ask "Would it offend you if I described your documentary as Spellbound meets Native Hawaiian soul?". Her eyebrow raised and she shot up straight in the booth "No way! That's exactly how we pitched it."

One Voice follows a group of teenage chorus directors as they compete for the honor of their young lifetime. To represent their class and compete to take home the grand prize trophy in the Kamehameha Schools song contest. The contest is a unique amalgam of Hawaiian language songs, intense vocal arrangements, with a healthy pinch of band geek. Which, is totally hot now thanks to Glee.

This is Lisette's third film destined for public television broadcast, and is her most emotionally gripping documentary to date. While watching One Voice at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival the audience in the Director's Guild Theater, completed absorbed in the action, applauded enthusiastically along with the proud onscreen parents after the song performances.

One Voice will be airing next year on Public Television, until then the film will be screening at film festivals domestically and internationally. You can see the trailer a www.onevoicemovie.com

Pacific X-Change Participants

I just got back yesterday from Oahu. I was there for three days for a filmmaker conference, and I met a lot of cool people. I have another blog entry that is being posted on the ITVS website about the conference itself, which is reposted below. But I thought it would be good to showcase some of the other filmmakers that I met while I was over there because there is absolutely a budding community of filmmakers all throughout Polynesia, which is very exciting for me to see. Here are just a few:



Jacob Holcomb - lives on Oahu and is currently working on a documentary about the revitalization of the art of Tongan Tatooing. I also got to see the vampire film that he made. It was an official selection of the 2008 Louis Vuitton Hawai‘i International Film Festival. He is working on making the feature. You can see the trailer and more at: www.hawaiivampire.com



Keoni Kealoha Alavarez - is from Pahoa, Hawai‘i his current project is about Hawaiian burial grounds. You can learn more about his productions here: www.hawaiianislandproductions.org

Narrative Report - 3/13/09

So I fell behind and few days on the report, and honestly. I know that I have been doing things over the last few days, but I cannot remember much other than yesterday I met Leanne from PIC, and everyone at the office over there. That was great.

March 13th, 2009

The day was the most brilliantly clear here on the Windward side of the island that I can remember. I wanted to whip out the camera and take b-roll while it was so clear, but I had to get all of the storyboards and schedules copied and ready for the meeting with PBS crew and Mom.



I did snap this picture while it was beautiful, and hoped that the clear blue sky would last until after the meeting.


Mom and I went to a little cafe in the Macy's called The Gazebo which is a favorite of Mom's to meet with both of the camera men, and Robert.


The meeting went very well, and all know the outline of what will happen on March 20th and 23rd. This was the first time she had met the other people that I have been working with, and I think she was very glad to see some of the people that I have been leaving her in the middle of the day to go and talk with.

After that I showed her the trailer that was on my website, I was scared as to how she would react to this since it was the first time she had seen this, and it shows me crying because of her, and talking about her mental illness. She said that it seems like she abandoned us, but I told her that no I never thought of it like that. Which is funny since I had said the same thing to Leanne yesterday over lunch. Mom also said that it seemed "like a downer" and I told her that good stories have ups and downs. She agreed to this. On the whole I was surprised and relieved about her reaction. The more she sees what I am doing with the project the more open she is becoming with me, and the more easily we are able to work together. This whole process is very healing and constructive for us both I think.

After that we went around and got some more nature b-roll and finished buying the rest of the things that we would need for lei making. By the time that we did get back to shoot the Koolau Mountains it was of course not as blue and clear as it had been before.



And then of course again, as we moved away from the Koolau to take b-roll of flowers it got bright and sunny again. Here is a picture of Plumeria and Hina Hina in the background that I took in Mom's yard.



Our search for kupukupu ferns brought us to an old friend of Mom's who had a lovely garden. She has all kinds of flowers and plants that we will be able to use. Which means less things that we will have to buy from Safeway, and she also said that she did not care if we videotaped, which is great.

Best Day Ever!

A man who was born on the same island as me, in the same hospital as me has just become the 44th president of the United States of America. I am looking forward to being an active individual in a more responsible America.

And also after about a year and a half of grant writing I have received a Research and Development Grant for my documentary film Haku Inoa: To Weave A Name from Pacific Islanders in Communications.

Mahalo nui to Leanne, Robert Pennybacker, Karin, and the dozens of others who have helped me get this far.

There is still a long road ahead please visit the website to find out more about the film or donate.

I now get to look forward writing and scouting in February, and shooting in March. More updates soon!