Visions

File Under: Miscellaneous

This weekend we had a very well-attended event. It was called HEROic Visions, a conversation with Ellen Poon (Special effects advisor on Hero). Yes, we should have posted about it here. But you know, we're ramping up now.

Laying the groundwork for WORK.

Which segues quite nicely into the presentation we had today at the "now weekly" staff meeting. Last week NAATA decided that if we were to get a better grasp on our org and where we are going [this relates to a Scenario planning meeting we had a few weeks ago that was facilitated by the Global Business Network --- they asked us this question: "Where would you (NAATA/Your Dept.) be given different combos of political/funding/social scenarios?"] Individual/ Cross-departmental ideas of where certain departments would be or where they would flourish was varied. At the staff meeting we realized that perhaps it made sense for everyone at NAATA to engage in more interdepartmental dialogue.

So today Festival was up to bat first. We gave a rather thorough assessment of where we are and where we want to be. We also fielded questions from fellow staffers regarding our goals and practices and also how the financials will pan out.

It seems do-able, these goals. Having Chi-hui, Taro & I hash them out and then present them helps us address how we plan to accomplish everything. In a way we are moving in towards an essential team building phase and it feels pretty good.

A Common Vision

File Under: Film Festival Planning

Last week Taro, Chi-hui and I sat down to try to envision the Festival in 2006 and 2010. It seems an important question, yet one that hasn't been asked in the recent past. "Where is the SFIAAFF going?"

We need to imagine where we want the SFIAAFF to be, so that we can work backwards to put policies and practices into place to make that vision a reality. It is important to write this information down, to concretely outline our hopes and dreams for the SFIAAFF so that the Festival proceeds at a trajectory that we'd like it to (whether or not we will be personally here to carry out all the policies and practices).

We're still working out the details of many of the nitty gritty of the vision, but some tidbits include a good brand and an event that is a destination.

The best thing about this exercise is us sharing what we each consider an ideal SFIAAFF.

A Cloud of Smoke

File Under: Synopsis & Review

HAROLD & KUMAR GO TO WHITECASTLE is a very light romp in the vein of DUDE, WHERE'S MY CAR? (written by the same peeps). The movie is enjoyable in the same way as well. Weird things happen to Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) as they embark on an Odyssey worthy search for Whitecastle Sliders after smoking out in their apartment.

Their very long evening includes Neil Patrick Harris on ecstasy stealing their car, a ride on a cheetah, the offer of a foursome with a hot woman and her disfigured husband, bullet wound surgery, a trip to Princeton University, and a jailbreak.

Critics will very likely point to the undeveloped female characters as the main disappointment in the flick. (And yes, that could be better.) Others may point to some of the very obvious race focused jokes, but you know what - that's just life. The characters of Harold & Kumar come off like regular Asian American guys and for Hollywood that is very commendable.

I'm not a fan of these types of easy-gag type of movies, but I enjoyed Harold & Kumar for everything that it is. And when I left I told my friend that I liked it much better than DODGEBALL.