VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS AT 35

TRT: 58mins

As NAATA enters its 25th year, it is pleased to salute the pioneering work of Los Angeles-based Visual Communications (VC), the nation’s oldest Asian American media arts organization. Founded in 1970, VC this year celebrates its historic 35th anniversary. Over the past three and a half decades, VC has grown from a production-based entity, creating such classics as CRUISIN’ J-TOWN and MANZANAR, to an enormously influential media arts center. Today, VC offers media training and workshops, the annual VC Filmfest: Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival and holds the nation’s largest archive of Asian American visual history, with over 300,000 photographic images.

In Person: Directors R.J. Lozada and John Esaki

		DOWN SO BAD, LOOKING UP USA 2004 5mins, Video Color DIRECTOR: R.J. Lozada
From VC’s “Armed With A Camera” fellowship comes a story of an elderly Filipino evoking the spirit of his muse, Charles Bukowski.
		STAND UP FOR JUSTICE USA 2004 33 mins., 35mm Color DIRECTOR: John Esaki
A ground-breaking film based on the story of the Mexican American teenager Ralph Lazo, who, in 1941, outraged by the forced internment of his Japanese American friends, boarded a train to Manzanar to join them. From veteran filmmaker John Esaki and VC Productions, STAND UP FOR JUSTICE is one of the most important films of the year.
		VC DIGITAL SLAM 2003
A lot can be said in 30 seconds, and the proof is this spectacular collection of 40 half-minute digital video works created by filmmakers who have been supported by VC Filmfest. With the concept of “visual communication” as a starting point, these films do anything but resemble each other, displaying enormous diversity, creativity and depth. Each is a gem, from comedic sketches to moving elegies for VC’s former Executive Director Linda Mabalot, who passed away in 2003. Directors include: Mark Arbitrario Chito Arrelano Lisa Asagi Andre Bias Roddy Bogawa Anne Bray Akira Boch Ralph Buado Eric Byler Ben Caldwell Julie Cho Martha Chono-Helsley Tanuj Choprav Roman Cortez Lakandiwa de Leon Mar Elepaņo Winston Emano Lawrence "Kip" Fulbeck Zach Helsley Daniel Hsia Joan Huang Michael Idemoto Ann Kaneko Juli Kang Yiuwing Lam Lela Lee Justin Lin Cynthia Liu Ming-Yuen S. Ma Tadashi Nakamura Spencer Nakasako Stann Nakazono Meena Nanji Art Nomura Greg Pak Fatimah Tobing Rony Angel Shaw Mike Siv Valerie Soe Janice D. Tanaka Pamela Tom Donna Tsufura Tracy Tubera Michael T.Uno Mia Villanueva Robert C. Winn Kristina Sheryl Wong Steven Wong