I'm in art

So my boss' talented daughter is doing visual arts for IB and my picture was taken for this piece about how girls hold themselves up to impossible standards of beauty. Well, something along those lines.  You can interpret it.

Asian actors in Hollywood; Misogyny in the gaming community

"A Leading Man" Depicts The Asian Male Actors Struggle In Hollywood - Destroy to Rebuild, 28/12/2012

More Asians actors and actresses in Hollywood pls.

The above link goes to an old post but one that touches on an ongoing issue that doesn't seem to be getting much attention from the mainstream press.  'A Leading Man' is a movie about a good looking Asian American guy named GQ (yes, we all thought of the magazine) who is an actor trying to make it big in Hollywood but struggling to break through the 'bamboo ceiling', a barrier that is described by Lucy Liu as being rejected by Hollywood for not being Asian enough or not being American enough.  And thus, with no strong independent leading roles given to Asians, they are typecast all the time.  You're always playing the 'funny chink' or some martial arts expert.  Those who don't make it into film get by in LA doing advertisements, as GQ seems to be doing in one shot as he takes a huge bite out from a six inch subway.  But this constant struggle with Hollywood's 'quiet racism' takes a toll on GQ, who starts to get really pissed off at the lack of dignity he is given in his roles, as well as the lack of recognition he gets as a real actor.

So in conclusion, it's a movie about how Asian American actors are stuck in an awkward third space that nobody else recognises as a problem in the film industry.

Even now, most Asian American actors and actresses end up playing supporting roles or are eschewed completely for an all-white main cast.  Actors end up playing the stereotypical Kung Fu/Karate guy (Jet Li, Lee Byung-hu), a villainous bastard (Will Yun Lee in Red Dawn) or a comical sidekick (Jay Chow in The Green Hornet, Aaron Yoo in Disturbia).  Actresses get typecast as an exotic love interest (Katie Leung as Cho Chang in HP Jamie Chung in The Hangover II), a kickass karate/kung fu girl (Rinko Kikuchi in Pacific Rim, Lucy Liu in Charlie's Angels, Maggie Q in Nikita, Rila Fukushima in The Wolverine - NEED I SAY MORE?) or a prudish college room-mate who is conservative and likes to stick with her 'Asian sisters' (Pitch Perfect).

Even Justin Chon, who was supposed to be the central character of '21 and Over' became conspicuously sidelined by Skylar Astin and Miles Teller, whom the movie was really focused on.  I was disappointed but hey - at least he got cast?  Even if he were cast as that small funny Asian guy with the stereotypical 'YOU MUST BE A DOCTOR OR GET OUT OF MY HOUSE' sort of dad...

This is why I'm really looking forward to seeing Jamie Chung in her new movie Eden.  It's based on a true story about a Korean-American girl who gets kidnapped and forced into becoming a sex slave, so yeah, there really was no choice but to cast an Asian actress.  But I'm still really excited to see Jamie Chung get more screen time and being able to play a strong leading role in a Hollywood film.  It's still quite a novelty and I really hope I can see more Asians being given non-typecast roles.  Go Jamie.

Every Misogynistic Argument You've Ever Heard About Video Games - Jezebel, 12/7/13

Summary   

An opinion piece posted by UBERTROUT on feminist website/forum Jezebel that seeks to own every elitist male gamer who has argued the following:

"Games aren't marketed to women because women don't play games.""Women aren't REAL gamers, they're just casuals.""Anyone who came to video games late isn't a REAL gamer.""Publishers don't make games with female protagonists because they wouldn't sell. Men don't want to play a female character because then they might kiss a dude and that'd be gay."

The piece's conclusion:

So to anyone who has ever made one of these arguments: you too can be saved from being an asshat. Just, y'know, stop making these arguments. Have a tiny bit of empathy for people who aren't you, and ask yourself — REALLY ask yourself — if the problem isn't women playing games, but the men who are too scared to share their toys with the scary, unknowable ladypersons.

St Kilda Film Festival's Youth Short Film Competition

St Kilda Film Festival from Cindy He on Vimeo.

This was filmed on the night of 29th May.

No, I did not use a tripod.

To be honest, I sound like a 10 year old kid.  A 10 year old Asian kid.