Just got back from a fun weekend in SF where we attended the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival! Though we didn’t have any films playing (forgot the submission deadline), this trip was special because we got to share it with some fellow YouTube friends and peers, speaking on a panel about YouTube and new media. I must say, it’s really great that festivals now are really starting to recognize the power and significance of online media and content creators…and it’s all thanks to YOU, for showing your support which therefore turns heads causing people to think/believe “hey, maybe this online stuff is actually legit!”
(photo Andrew Rose)
The panel was a great success, over a couple hundred people tried to get tickets, but sadly, the theater was so small, only 100 or so could get in. For those who were turned away, or waited outside til we came out, CassFung uploaded a good amount of the panel onto Youtube to watch. Check out the clips to hear our answers to some pretty good/serious questions. It’s pretty insightful hearing everyone’s takes on what we do.
*note…it is primarily centered around AA issues…but that’s just because it was an AA film festival. heh
**note… Of course if you’re interested to hear Tim’s, Ryan’s, and Kevin’s responses, watch the entire clips. You hear our thoughts all the time, but how often do can you hear Nigahiga, TimothyDelaGhetto, and Kevjumba talk about this stuff? hehe. But if you wanna skip to us I noted the times that we talk. (Sorry in advance, I talk a lot)
***Ted couldn’t make it to the panel. He had to stay in LA to handle other WF biz. We have stuff to take care of all over. Perks of having a team of 3 I guess. heh.
How we got started. The Appeal of YouTube. Female Asian Youtubers.
1:17, 5:02, 8:23
Daily life. The rise of Asian American performers on YT. Having similar ideas on YT.
00:13, 2:52, 4:43, 7:25
Challenges of Being a YouTuber. Balancing community and YT
00:39, 4:22, 6:09
How we’re trying to “change the game”. Looking toward the future.
1:00, 3:47, 6:10
After the panel, we headed back outside where a ton of people were waiting for us to come out. picture tiiiime.
Big thanks to Lisa Lee, publisher for Hyphen Magazine (link) for being a great moderator! and for the pics. And to Christine Kwon for setting up the event!
August 8, 2010 at 10:40 pm
Very insightful Phil. Good job guys. Wong fu all the way!
March 19, 2010 at 3:21 am
KEVJUMBA AND THE WONGFU(ES) ARE RIDCULOUSLY SEXAYYYY
March 16, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Are you guys coming to the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival? Random: I love Kevin’s tee and jacket in the last pic
March 15, 2010 at 5:05 pm
skinny tie! cute.
March 15, 2010 at 3:25 pm
You guys have been doing a lot of stuff lately! =D Keep up the awesomeness!
March 15, 2010 at 2:28 pm
I was so close to going.
March 15, 2010 at 11:22 am
It was fun to be in attendance for this panel event and it was amazing to see the huge amount of people outside wanting to take a photo with you.
P.S. I’m the guy who asked the last question about how you discover new material.
March 15, 2010 at 11:17 am
what a great-looking panel. ;]
i wish i’d been there!<3
March 15, 2010 at 10:58 am
Very informative guys… keep up the inspiration!
March 15, 2010 at 9:18 am
Heh.
March 15, 2010 at 8:35 am
Thanks for posting these awesome vids! Haha. I see my friend waiting in line =P. Keep up the great work!!
March 15, 2010 at 8:25 am
thanks for posting these videos and pics! love seeing whats up with wong fu news!
March 15, 2010 at 7:45 am
It was an awesome experience and an inspiring panel. Definitely worth waiting 2 hours in line for the rush tickets haha. Cool pictures!!! I see myself in one of them but didn’t turn around to look in time. XD
March 15, 2010 at 1:39 am
Good stuff! Thanks for posting these videos! Add oil!
March 15, 2010 at 1:16 am
glad you guys had a great panel! I wish I could have gone. But I had to work till 6 pm. And the pacquiao fight was on that day as well so I had to watch that XD. Maybe next time you guys are in the bay area I’ll definitely stop by.
March 15, 2010 at 1:05 am
I’m always excited when I see asian-films screening outside of asia but sometimes confused as well with the many types and groups of different asian cultures around me everywhere I go, there’s just so many different asian-cultures out there (ie: asian-american, asian-australian, asian-british, chinese-canadian, korean-american, tawainese-american, singaporean chinese-Nea Zealander… and that’s just the english speaking countries, not to mention the many non-english speaking countries where there’s asian-italian, asian-brazilian etc, there’s just so many culture in each one of us, sometimes I find it hard to believe that we call ourselves just by one culture or one nationatlity) I know wong-fu film is more culturally asian (chinese) influenced, such as the oneday HK series and the majority of asian cast and crew, but can people expect more of a cultural-mix from your films in the future? or will you guys stick to more asian-american? just curious
March 15, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Awesome question. I’m Indian Singaporean, and have never stepped foot in India. I’m Singaporean by nationality. Let’s say If I had decided to migrate and get a U.S. Citizenship at a very young age, would I be considered an Asian-American, since Indians ARE Asian and i’m from an Asian country? Because the mass media portrays to singaporeans(including the Chinese majority, Malays, Indians and all the other minority races) AND other Asian nations that Asian-Americans are solely the Chinese, Koreans, Japanese. Is this correct? Or does America view “Asian-Americans” as ALL the races that come under Asia? For example, not just the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese but do they include other Asian races such as the Thais, Vietnamese, Laotians, Indians, Nepalese, Sinhalese(Sri lankans) Malaysians, Indonesians and the Phillipinos? Just wondering. If the Americans view the Asian-Americans as ALL the Asian races then the world media is portraying that extremely wrong. Wong Fu Productions, KevJumba, NigaHiga, HappySlip, you ALL are breaking grounds and social barriers with your work. You guys are the people that have the MOST massive Asian fanbase among other Asian youtubers. Fans living in Asian countries. However I do feel like more can be done to show who Asians really are. There’s more to Asia and Asians no matter our nationality that non-Asians do not know about. And I truly believe that you wonderfully talented artistes can break that stigma. Continue making your wonderful videos and films and to Wong Fu Productions, I hope to see your work on the big screens soon! =)
March 16, 2010 at 12:45 am
Yeah, I guess it’s down to what we look like… is that good or bad? I mean there must be some degree of cultural-stereotyping in all of us, so I guess, it would be extremely interesting to explore this boundary of cultural-stereotypes, and can this exploration bring people closer to their own cultural-identity? hmm I would really like to know. I mean American-Caucasian can essentially be an Asian if he is more culturally Asian than any other culture right?
Anyway, just wondering, because I travel a lot, once I was in the cinemas in United Arab Emirates (Dubai), I remembered I watched a Jacky Chan film, before the film have started, I turned around, had a look at the audience seated in the cinema, which were mostly middle-eastern Arabic speaking locals. After the film as people walking out, I got one local Arabic teenager asks me if I also know Kong Fu, and I laughed and said I wish! and she said she thought all Chinese knows a bit of little Kong Fu. I think some stereotyping are so innocent, I almost felt that people and cultures needed to be stereotyped…to feel that there’s some kind of group, culture, or identity that people want to feel that they belonged to, but why? Hmmm…
March 16, 2010 at 2:38 am
Like i said, the media portrays a very stereotypical view of us. *coughs…coughs which is why im hoping WONG FU PRODUCTIONS can do a video addressing that issue..cough cough…* it’s REALLLLLY VERY frustrating to know that people do not see Asia as a whole but with just a few spicific races. it makes me feel more like an outsider trying to be asian when i really am a true blue Asian! i wonder what the non-Chinese,Koran and Japanese-American people who ARE asian think about it.
March 19, 2010 at 9:53 am
its ironic because in the UK and especially in London the ‘asians’ are always refered to as the indians, pakistanis, sri lankans etc ( you get the jist). Asian is barely ever used to describe people who are oriental and are from china, japan, korea etc so its actually the opposite here. Even in legal documents for passports etc, boxes would include asian-indian, asian- pakistani and then simply ‘chinese’ or even ‘other: please state’ in another box.
March 14, 2010 at 9:28 pm
It’s awesome that you guys are getting so much attention! Keep up the great stuff.