EVENT: 2011 Shortcuts Film Festival

I had a great time co-hosting the 2011 Shortcuts Film Festival – Western Sydney’s only youth short film festival at the Powerhouse Youth Theatre. There was a turn out of approximately 150 people all coming to support their budding filmmakers and their short film.

I would like to congratulate Vinh Nguyen [pictured right] (whom was involved in Vietnamese Stories Digital Storytelling Project & Vietnamese Theatre Project – projects that I’ve coordinated in the past) on his award for Best Film – The Tech Effect. Vinh has entered into Shortcuts for the past 5 years and have been vying for the major category ever since. He’s definitely grown as a filmmaker over the years, testing different styles, genres and formats of storytelling.

Also a major big congratulations to the makers of short film “Canvale High – School of Cliques”. Directed by John Nguyen and Peter Thai Tran, with the collaboration of their year 10 school mates, their first time ever film took out runners up for People’s Choice Awards on the night. I facilitated their filmmaking sessions at Canley Vale High and am impressed with their developments throughout the short time span I was with them.

It was also awesome to see Mr Robert Shehadie (“Fat Pizza” and “Housos”) made a supporting appearance and share a few bellyful of laughs as well.

This year, we had Aga Kolaczkowski (Emerging & Filmmakers Fund for Screen NSW) and TV actor Steve LeMarquand as our judges. Unfortunately, two of our other judges pulled out the last minute and our dependable and all time mentor Craig Anderson (“Double The Fist”) was happy to fill in.

Big ups to Kimberley Tan for a great festival coordination of the event and hopefully it will develop even further in 2012.

SHORTCUTS ’11 Winners

Best Film

The Tech Effect – Vinh Nguyen

Audience Choice Award

The Tech Effect – Vinh Nguyen

Best Script

Metal Kingdom – Skylie Moss, Corey Bolton & Hayley Franke

Best Actor

Kyle Mcleavy in No Empathy

Best Cinematography

Hello Panda – Ali Kadhim

Best Sound Design

A Rock’s Life – Robert NC Thomas

Best Editing

The Tech Effect – Vinh Nguyen

Charming & clever Rob Shehadie

Picnic! Its No Picnic!

Yes. I succumbed to this campaign in my best buddy's Japanesey sailor moon like school uniform in an attempt to do a Picnic ad. After scoffling down a rock solid choc a block coated nasty looking bar of high compact calories I managed to say my lines "Picnic. It's No Picnic".This campaign is almost over now and I only wished I did this earlier. Click below on my submission and vote 1+ (Pllleaase....).

Here's a couple of my mate's submission. This is Keego, 21 years old, Melbourne-based model and multimedia producer and her submission has recently been aired! Go girl!

This is Vinh Nguyen, he's a multimedia and avid filmmaker and his submission has also been aired in Sydney recently!
Jack Ngu and I are the latest contenders to try to go for the last 5 ads to be aired! Hope all gos well!

ICE on SBS 30 TVC!

Hey a while back I was at Film Motion Studio in Kogarah with Fadle El Harris and Project Coordinator Fadia Aboud for my first voice over session gig.

Talk about nerves and fumbling over words and what not.
I finally realised I can’t say the community too well. Apparently I say, “Communiy” and forget the “T” all the time. Maybe its the lazy ocker talk or something in the water.
But for those who want to check it out, tune into SBS One TV from now on for the advertisements from this month.

Thanks to the sponsorship of the newly established SBS Foundation, ICE will be able to reach a national audience by broadcasting short advertisements about what we do and our programs.

The first of these 30 second advertisements, featuring Ali Kadhim, is currently being broadcast.
Shout out to Vinh Nguyen and his stop work motion design – so funky!

Click here to check it out on Vimeo!

"Rumble High" TV Series Meet

[L to R]: Meet the development Team; Marie Setiwan, Steve Ada, Jack Ngu, Andy Minh Trieu & Maria Tran

Date: Sunday, 18th October, 2009
Time: 8pm-10pm
Attendence: Maria Tran, Marie Setiwan, Jack Ngu, Steve Ada, Andy Minh Trieu & Vinh Nguyen.
Apologises: Timothy Ly.

Meet the "Rumble High" Writing Development Team; all young and aspiring and now given an opportunity of a lifetime to formulate a TV series for ABC3. The aftermath of TV - Micro Series in 2008 "Downtown Rumble" has sparked up interests for something more substantial, and of course, longer in duration with better character development and story development.

Prior to this meeting, Marie & Steve have undergoing much discussions and rationalisation of the character of this, now 26 episodes by 30 mins series. Marie has been managing relations with our producer-to-be Craig Anderson (writer/ director "Double the Fist"), meanwhile juggling between the graphics design of the pitch material, script development and continual idea formation.

Jack Ngu has always brought in a good sense of inquistions and raised vital questions of the logistics of how this project will translate on screen and whether the "kid" demographic will understand it.

Andy Minh Trieu, reminded us all of "budgets" and demostrated his abilities on the character in development "Zen" through a dialogue run through.

Vinh Nguyen, our latest recruit, was quick on the ball with tossing food for thought questions, and got everyone grounded in regards to the "make it happen" component.

Overall, a very good meeting and now we will be awaiting for the green light.