Buckaroo Boy (1996) Experimental autobiography on the coming-of-age of a Japanese
American boy in the 50's and 60's. It humorously explores the influence
of TV cowboys and other mainstream heroes on minorities' self-identity.
Throughout my childhood, I held on tightly to the idea of being a cowboy
when I grew up. But as I got older and more aware, I came to realize
that there weren't any Asian cowboys with glasses. This video is about
the questions that arise when your role models are fantasy figures that
don't reflect your native ethnicity, race, or culture. It considers the
influence and power of television/film over its viewers. It also
speculates on the seldom-considered relationship between those of
Japanese ancestry and Native American Indians. As in most of my work, Buckaroo Boy incorporates layers of information, conveyed not only
in the conventional use of sound and image, but through the innovative
use of framing mattes, chroma-keyed overlays and digital manipulations
of photographs and computer generated elements. Available for purchase at Hope Media Productions.
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Finding
Home (2006) is about Japanese Americans who have decided to live in
Japan rather than America. The video examines what they have gained and
lost with this decision. The six Japanese Americans featured respond to
questions about lifestyle, identity, personal evolution, and choice of
residence. They provide fresh insight into the expatriate experience for
those who have chosen to live in their ancestral homeland. Nomura, a
sansei (third generation Japanese American), and a first-time visitor to
Japan at age 57, shares his impressions of being in Japan throughout the
documentary. Available for purchase at Hope Media Productions
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Fire
and Ashes (1989) A documentary about Korean performance artist, Sonia
Hahn. Documents the destruction of her paintings through ritual of dance
and fire in the California desert.
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Getting
Along (1992) An experimental look at racism and its roots. This
award-winning video (Atlanta Video
Festival) is included in over 100 university collections nationwide.
Features music by the late nikkei composer Glen Horiuchi. Available for purchase at Hope Media Productions
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John (1986) About men named John. Examines the power and humor in one's given
name. Interviews with men named John, the public, famous Johns, and the
a look at the variations of the name throughout the world provide food
for thought on the universal topic of one's given name. Music composed
by Johann S. Bach.
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las
palmas de los angeles (1989) An informational and poetic look at the
palm trees of Los Angeles. Silent sentinels, witnesses to a century of
change, palm trees have become the de facto symbol Southern California.
Features original poetry, latino song classics, and a rap song about
palm trees. Available for purchase at Hope Media Productions
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Wok
Like A Man (1987) is a music video with substance that explores the
reasons for immigration/immigrant experience. I produced it in 1987 after
hearing my son talk trash about his Chinese immigrant classmates at a
San Gabriel Valley high school. `They don't know anything,' he grumbled,
`They stick together and won't even talk to you. Why don't they go back
to China?' I was stunned by his intolerance. He is a Yonsei, a fourth
generation Japanese American, whose great-grandparents were born in
Japan. I told him that his own ancestors, not so long ago, had had their
own problems with adjusting to America and having America adjust to
them. Our discussion made me think about all the immigrants that make up
America; why they might have left their native countries, what they lost
and gained as they made their ways in a new land. I also thought about
how all immigrants, from the freshly arrived to the comfortably
assimilated, live very different lives. These musings evolved into a
docudrama about three Chinese Americans, a wok chef, a young urban
professional, and a teenaged skateboarder.
Wok Like A Man is a MTV look-alike designed to appeal to the young
viewer, but with a meaningful perspective on immigrant roots and present
realities. Thankfully, my son grew up to be a thoughtful, demanding, yet
tolerant individual who was hopefully influenced by the discussion that
led to this video.
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