Choke (2013)
Written, Directed, & Produced by Pete K. Wong
Starring: Minh Pham, H.T. Altman, and Stephanie Shively
Genre: Drama/Comedy
A documentary crew follows Mike, a motivational speaker in training out to land the job with a corporate company with the help of his coach Duke Hassonhoff. Mike will get three chances to prove he's their guy! Can he do it?
An insightful look into the world of motivational speaking from a humorous perspective.
Written, Directed, & Produced by Pete K. Wong
Starring: Minh Pham, H.T. Altman, and Stephanie Shively
Genre: Drama/Comedy
A documentary crew follows Mike, a motivational speaker in training out to land the job with a corporate company with the help of his coach Duke Hassonhoff. Mike will get three chances to prove he's their guy! Can he do it?
An insightful look into the world of motivational speaking from a humorous perspective.
Photos courtesy of Nancy Wong Photography, LLC
Q & A with Minh Pham
Mike from Choke
Q1. How did you find out about the role?
A1. Pete had told me that he had written it for me and I was very flattered when he approached me with it. I accepted it without any questions cause I knew he did good work and I trusted in him. Anything he does always has something to offer whether its for learning purposes or for pretty much anything he does I'd accept.
Q2. What made the role appealing or not appealing to you?
A2. For the motivational speaker it was something that I had not done before, so that was appealing. Anything that I haven't done yet I always like to try it. And the story behind it was very appealing because as a motivational speaker he actually fails, a failing motivational speaker. That I hadn't ever really seen before, in the beginning purposely, until he gets better and better at it. In an interesting way it has kind of an oxymoron for that character a motivational speaker supposed to be successful and help other people move on with their successes, but he himself doesn't seem to be successful at it...at the start.
Q3. How much about motivational speaking did you know prior to taking this role? And after the role?
A3. (Laughs) the only motivational speaking that I've ever seen was those late night televangelist, I see them as motivational speakers because they are doing the same thing they are trying to help people improve their lives in their own way and whether they are a fraud or not it's there to motivate people whether its real or not real that's the purpose of it. And I think when Pete gave me a link to look at a motivational speaker online. I looked at it a little bit but then I decided not to because my character had to have no experience because he's in it fresh so he doesn't know anything about it still in training, so I didn't bother to look at it maybe the scenes towards the end I did look at it, because he's supposed to be more successful. What i learned afterwards was he goes through trial and error learning from his mistakes and probably from the script and the content at the end is when I learned more towards the end.
A1. Pete had told me that he had written it for me and I was very flattered when he approached me with it. I accepted it without any questions cause I knew he did good work and I trusted in him. Anything he does always has something to offer whether its for learning purposes or for pretty much anything he does I'd accept.
Q2. What made the role appealing or not appealing to you?
A2. For the motivational speaker it was something that I had not done before, so that was appealing. Anything that I haven't done yet I always like to try it. And the story behind it was very appealing because as a motivational speaker he actually fails, a failing motivational speaker. That I hadn't ever really seen before, in the beginning purposely, until he gets better and better at it. In an interesting way it has kind of an oxymoron for that character a motivational speaker supposed to be successful and help other people move on with their successes, but he himself doesn't seem to be successful at it...at the start.
Q3. How much about motivational speaking did you know prior to taking this role? And after the role?
A3. (Laughs) the only motivational speaking that I've ever seen was those late night televangelist, I see them as motivational speakers because they are doing the same thing they are trying to help people improve their lives in their own way and whether they are a fraud or not it's there to motivate people whether its real or not real that's the purpose of it. And I think when Pete gave me a link to look at a motivational speaker online. I looked at it a little bit but then I decided not to because my character had to have no experience because he's in it fresh so he doesn't know anything about it still in training, so I didn't bother to look at it maybe the scenes towards the end I did look at it, because he's supposed to be more successful. What i learned afterwards was he goes through trial and error learning from his mistakes and probably from the script and the content at the end is when I learned more towards the end.
Q4. How did you prepare for this role? Was it any different from previous roles?
A4. I did skim through a big thick training book Pete gave me that used to be his. Then during the 'neo-nazi' scene I did prepare for that one. I got that influence from Dennis Hopper in the Twilight Zone episode "He's Alive." It's what inspired me to help create that scene with Pete. I studied how Dennis Hopper tried to get the crowd going to join him but he's been unsuccessful at it. I did study a lot how he talked to get people riled up.
A4. I did skim through a big thick training book Pete gave me that used to be his. Then during the 'neo-nazi' scene I did prepare for that one. I got that influence from Dennis Hopper in the Twilight Zone episode "He's Alive." It's what inspired me to help create that scene with Pete. I studied how Dennis Hopper tried to get the crowd going to join him but he's been unsuccessful at it. I did study a lot how he talked to get people riled up.
Q5. What was it like working with Pete as the Director and working with everybody else?
A5. Pete gave me lot of leeway for my character he listened to my ideas and had an opened mind and seemed to go with what worked best. He also allowed me to have more takes to mold the scene. There was a lot of leeway with the script as well. We did a lot of improv and I see a lot of it made it into the final cut of the film that's what worked and I'm glad that I was able to 'breathe' as an actor to explore as far as it can go and I think that is one of the successes of the film and I was allowed to have room to do things that my character would want to say or do that he may or may not say. As for the crew and rest of the cast everybody was wonderful. In the past, I've worked on sets that had drama behind the scenes, but this one seemed to be one of the best and pleasant everybody was respectful, positive, and seemed friendly. I think the extras probably had a lot of fun they didn't expect what was going to happen that was part of the fun and surprising them was fun and I'm glad I was able to surprise them.
A5. Pete gave me lot of leeway for my character he listened to my ideas and had an opened mind and seemed to go with what worked best. He also allowed me to have more takes to mold the scene. There was a lot of leeway with the script as well. We did a lot of improv and I see a lot of it made it into the final cut of the film that's what worked and I'm glad that I was able to 'breathe' as an actor to explore as far as it can go and I think that is one of the successes of the film and I was allowed to have room to do things that my character would want to say or do that he may or may not say. As for the crew and rest of the cast everybody was wonderful. In the past, I've worked on sets that had drama behind the scenes, but this one seemed to be one of the best and pleasant everybody was respectful, positive, and seemed friendly. I think the extras probably had a lot of fun they didn't expect what was going to happen that was part of the fun and surprising them was fun and I'm glad I was able to surprise them.
Q6. What do you hope people will get after viewing Choke?
A6. Nothing is perfect...when you're doing something that you think you're good at that you want to do there's always something else that you're good at if you can't do this, if this isn't something that you don't want to do there's always something out there you can be successful at. (laughs) Something like that hope that makes sense?
A6. Nothing is perfect...when you're doing something that you think you're good at that you want to do there's always something else that you're good at if you can't do this, if this isn't something that you don't want to do there's always something out there you can be successful at. (laughs) Something like that hope that makes sense?
Q & A with Pete K. Wong
Writer, Director, and Producer of Choke
Q1. Where did this idea come from?
A1. I actually had a job for a very short term as a motivational speaker for a company. Got through the intensive training got hired and then for some fate reason didn't make it to the first gig and got let go without anyone telling me that I got fired. Which was actually kind of funny looking back, because throughout the whole ordeal something in my gut was telling me this job wasn't for me but I needed work so I kept at it. Turns out it wasn't for me. Few weeks later I was offered a position where I'm still at currently. Q2. What do you hope people get from viewing your film? A2. That's for the viewer to decide. But if you want to know my motivation for making this. I've got a lot of respect for motivational speakers and along the same ways actors. You have a lot to prepare and it may or may not be a lot of pressure on you. One reason was wanting to show this world to others who might not know what they go through. The other reason was the question "what makes us successful?" Kept racing around in my mind. I think many of us go through life worrying about things not working out as we want them to. I find myself doing that, not as much now but before. Who defines my success? Other people or me? I wanted to put something out there that shows how even when we work really hard to do our best it may still blow up in our faces! But that's life and instead of worrying and being upset, angry, or even sad about it try and see the amazing things you've accomplished already and without giving up still have coming. Q3. How different was the original script to the final film? A3. All the scenes and pieces are still intact but many minor things changed. Locations changed and how characters spoke to each other and their interactions and actions with each other changed. Also the order of how the scenes were carried out changed around. Some of the scenes audiences have the strongest reaction to were ad-libbed lines by the actors or ideas other members of the cast or crew gave me to help carry out the actions of the scenes. That's why I keep saying this movie wouldn't be anything without all the people that were involved. All these people that were part of the creative process helped make me look good (laughing) ! Q4. What made you want to go with the mockumentary style to tell the story? A4. Good question. Though I haven't seen a lot of The Office TV show, the BBC version or NBC one I like the tone and approach with the story and characters. At one point I had come across Ricky Gervais other TV series Extras about being an extra in the film/TV industry. I really liked how the British humor is both funny, sad, and real at the same time. They seem to be more genuine in their approach then the American shows/films. I guess that and all this hype about reality TV shows which I actually have never sat through an entire show. Just not into that sort of thing. This was part of the inspiration and the film Little Miss Sunshine. I love films and stories that are funny yet dramatic in how they choose to tell their stories. I am a big fan of theatre and I love stories like Waiting for Godot, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest, and Beyond Therapy written by Christopher Durang. (laughing) I love to laugh and cry I suppose! |