Misunderstandings (2016)
Run Time: 4:48
Stephen is staying with Tommy, when their friend Alan comes over Tommy tells him he likes Tessa, but before he can get in another word Alan goes and tells Stephen that Tommy is dating Tessa, who Stephen has had a crush on for quite sometime. Funny how with just a few words misunderstandings can and do happen.
Written & Directed: Pete K. Wong
Produced: Daniel Lee & Pete K. Wong
Starring: Kevin Reeverts, Daniel Lee, Evan Bailey Hunt, and Pete K. Wong
Director of Photography: Kak Lee
Editor: Pete K. Wong
Original Music Composer: George Vu
Location Sound Recorder: Tabitha Mobley
Color Corrector: Kak Lee
Sound Mixer/Foley: Audios Amigos
Production Designer: Isabel Contreras
Script Supervisor/Clapper: Cristelle Daudin
Wardrobe: Tabitha Mobley, Isabel Contreras
Hair & Make Up: Isabel Contreras
Martial Arts Action Choreographer: Orpheus Black
Run Time: 4:48
Stephen is staying with Tommy, when their friend Alan comes over Tommy tells him he likes Tessa, but before he can get in another word Alan goes and tells Stephen that Tommy is dating Tessa, who Stephen has had a crush on for quite sometime. Funny how with just a few words misunderstandings can and do happen.
Written & Directed: Pete K. Wong
Produced: Daniel Lee & Pete K. Wong
Starring: Kevin Reeverts, Daniel Lee, Evan Bailey Hunt, and Pete K. Wong
Director of Photography: Kak Lee
Editor: Pete K. Wong
Original Music Composer: George Vu
Location Sound Recorder: Tabitha Mobley
Color Corrector: Kak Lee
Sound Mixer/Foley: Audios Amigos
Production Designer: Isabel Contreras
Script Supervisor/Clapper: Cristelle Daudin
Wardrobe: Tabitha Mobley, Isabel Contreras
Hair & Make Up: Isabel Contreras
Martial Arts Action Choreographer: Orpheus Black
Q & A with the Writer/Director
Q. How did this project come to be?
A. Daniel Lee, who also is the co-producer and plays Alan in this short and I were having some pho (that's a vietnamese noodle meal) one weekend and he was telling me about a short film festival in Fresno, CA he submits to every year called the Germ. I told him how about we do something together this time? We've already had some lengthy conversations about martial arts action movies and I told him I've been wanting to do something along the lines of Dragons Forever, a Hong Kong action comedy with Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Yuen Biao. It's one of my favorites because it's not about the martial arts per say but about this 3 friends and the mischief they get into based on their personalities and friendship. I couldn't wait to get something going and spent the rest of that day writing the script.
Q. What can you tell us about the origins for this story?
A. Now your getting personal. Haha. Actually, I was going through something in my personal life that Daniel knew about and we had actually been discussing it as we ate our pho. Yes, that lunch together was the catalyst for this project for sure! I recently felt a bit torn and confused by the way this friend had treated me. We shared a little intimacy with each other and then she just became a stranger, a ghost to me. I thought hmm...wonder if I could work that into this story while at the same time see if I could create my own conclusion (a fictional one) for our characters. I knew that I wanted some martial arts in this and it had to be not about posing or flashiness while at the same time it wasn't like these guys were going to kill each other either. How would I do it? Then I started to think about the kids I work with...how when they got in arguments they'd end up pushing and shoving each other around, but when the teacher would go intervene we'd always find out that there wasn't a real intention to hurt or harm, in fact many times the kids were good friends. They just had a little simple misunderstanding but try to tell that to 1st graders and see how they react. I took that and shaped my own narrative for adults and I thought wouldn't it be funny to have a friend who has this personality ability to just completely say the wrong thing at the wrong time and cause a wrench in the friendship somewhere? Could it work? Of course it could, that's why we make movies.
Q. How long did it take?
A. The initial conversation over pho was in mid March and it took us a month to get the team together and then we filmed in one weekend but only a day and a half I'd say. Then the bedroom scene took another day for a few hours. After that editing took a few months finally releasing it first week of August I believe so anyways. We originally said let's shoot it over the weekend, but I had a feeling if I wanted to make it how I knew we could it'd take a little longer.
Q. I understand you actually brought in someone to help with the fight choreography?
A. Yes! My instructor Orpheus Black. He's the coolest and one of the nicest human beings I have ever met and he's become one of my best friends here in LA. Not only has he taught me how to fight better but our training together has also helped me a great deal in other areas in my life. I'm a BEAST now!! Haha! Since we met and I started learning the things e's shared with me I've always wanted to include him whenever I have an action project. He not only is a great fighter but he loves movies! Like really does!! I asked him to help me on a short trailer we shot for a TV Pilot before and it was exactly how I envisioned it. So much fun! Having him on the team, helping us choreograph gives me the confidence that we will have some cool stuff put on film. Stuff that only he could come up with. We are planning on doing some more of the bone breaking stuff soon here, but I wanted to bring him in for Misunderstandings. I'm grateful that someone of his caliber and expertise is willing to drop everything to come help us out! He really put us to work. Which I wouldn't ask for anything less then that. Funny story though, as we were coming up with the choreography all the actors and Orpheus wanted to do these really cool kung fu poses and moves, I felt like the sore thumb out of the group...but I knew that the story I was trying to express was something different, something not easily seen or done...I had to promise them the next projects they could go all out and do their chop socky moves and poses.
Q. Are you happy with how it turned out?
A. Yes! Completely! This was the first short movie of my own that I've directed from concept to completion since the move to Los Angeles. The transition hasn't been easy and it's been met with many challenges. It's been two years since my arrival and now I feel more comfortable and stable here and felt ready to tackle something. It was important for me to make something that I cared about and could be proud of. I can say that I'm very proud of not just how the movie turned out but how we created this with a good group of people who felt really happy and good to be part of something! Everyone worked really hard but had fun in the process too. Least that's what it seemed like to me. I've learned to relax more and not worry so much and if things suck then they do. But a movie is just a movie, in the end people will have their opinions what's most important to me now is the process and making this the most important thing moment by moment. I go in knowing that if I'd taken as much care in the people I am collaborating with and I've done my best then I believe we have something others will also enjoy. Maybe I'm just Mr. Positive now but that's the choice I've made.
A. Daniel Lee, who also is the co-producer and plays Alan in this short and I were having some pho (that's a vietnamese noodle meal) one weekend and he was telling me about a short film festival in Fresno, CA he submits to every year called the Germ. I told him how about we do something together this time? We've already had some lengthy conversations about martial arts action movies and I told him I've been wanting to do something along the lines of Dragons Forever, a Hong Kong action comedy with Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Yuen Biao. It's one of my favorites because it's not about the martial arts per say but about this 3 friends and the mischief they get into based on their personalities and friendship. I couldn't wait to get something going and spent the rest of that day writing the script.
Q. What can you tell us about the origins for this story?
A. Now your getting personal. Haha. Actually, I was going through something in my personal life that Daniel knew about and we had actually been discussing it as we ate our pho. Yes, that lunch together was the catalyst for this project for sure! I recently felt a bit torn and confused by the way this friend had treated me. We shared a little intimacy with each other and then she just became a stranger, a ghost to me. I thought hmm...wonder if I could work that into this story while at the same time see if I could create my own conclusion (a fictional one) for our characters. I knew that I wanted some martial arts in this and it had to be not about posing or flashiness while at the same time it wasn't like these guys were going to kill each other either. How would I do it? Then I started to think about the kids I work with...how when they got in arguments they'd end up pushing and shoving each other around, but when the teacher would go intervene we'd always find out that there wasn't a real intention to hurt or harm, in fact many times the kids were good friends. They just had a little simple misunderstanding but try to tell that to 1st graders and see how they react. I took that and shaped my own narrative for adults and I thought wouldn't it be funny to have a friend who has this personality ability to just completely say the wrong thing at the wrong time and cause a wrench in the friendship somewhere? Could it work? Of course it could, that's why we make movies.
Q. How long did it take?
A. The initial conversation over pho was in mid March and it took us a month to get the team together and then we filmed in one weekend but only a day and a half I'd say. Then the bedroom scene took another day for a few hours. After that editing took a few months finally releasing it first week of August I believe so anyways. We originally said let's shoot it over the weekend, but I had a feeling if I wanted to make it how I knew we could it'd take a little longer.
Q. I understand you actually brought in someone to help with the fight choreography?
A. Yes! My instructor Orpheus Black. He's the coolest and one of the nicest human beings I have ever met and he's become one of my best friends here in LA. Not only has he taught me how to fight better but our training together has also helped me a great deal in other areas in my life. I'm a BEAST now!! Haha! Since we met and I started learning the things e's shared with me I've always wanted to include him whenever I have an action project. He not only is a great fighter but he loves movies! Like really does!! I asked him to help me on a short trailer we shot for a TV Pilot before and it was exactly how I envisioned it. So much fun! Having him on the team, helping us choreograph gives me the confidence that we will have some cool stuff put on film. Stuff that only he could come up with. We are planning on doing some more of the bone breaking stuff soon here, but I wanted to bring him in for Misunderstandings. I'm grateful that someone of his caliber and expertise is willing to drop everything to come help us out! He really put us to work. Which I wouldn't ask for anything less then that. Funny story though, as we were coming up with the choreography all the actors and Orpheus wanted to do these really cool kung fu poses and moves, I felt like the sore thumb out of the group...but I knew that the story I was trying to express was something different, something not easily seen or done...I had to promise them the next projects they could go all out and do their chop socky moves and poses.
Q. Are you happy with how it turned out?
A. Yes! Completely! This was the first short movie of my own that I've directed from concept to completion since the move to Los Angeles. The transition hasn't been easy and it's been met with many challenges. It's been two years since my arrival and now I feel more comfortable and stable here and felt ready to tackle something. It was important for me to make something that I cared about and could be proud of. I can say that I'm very proud of not just how the movie turned out but how we created this with a good group of people who felt really happy and good to be part of something! Everyone worked really hard but had fun in the process too. Least that's what it seemed like to me. I've learned to relax more and not worry so much and if things suck then they do. But a movie is just a movie, in the end people will have their opinions what's most important to me now is the process and making this the most important thing moment by moment. I go in knowing that if I'd taken as much care in the people I am collaborating with and I've done my best then I believe we have something others will also enjoy. Maybe I'm just Mr. Positive now but that's the choice I've made.