Going to Taiwan!
I leave for Taipei, Taiwan in just a few days. I’ll be flying from New York on August 12 and arriving in Taiwan on August 14th early in the morning. This trip has come together very quickly and is in large part thanks to an educator’s grant I received via the PSC (Professional Staff Congress), which is the teachers’ union for employees of CUNY.
My purpose for the trip is two-fold. First, in order for this to relate to the proposal for which I received the grant, I am going to visit with teachers of English at a few universities and talk with them about issues regarding writing proficiency in English and how Chinese-to-English concerns are addressed in Taiwan.
Secondly, I hope to meet with people in the film community and begin to get an idea of what production in Taiwan might entail. I would like to softly pitch the project and see if I might be able to meet with and perhaps audition some actresses for the lead role. There is still a lot of work ahead of me regarding the re-write and I hope to bring better authenticity to what is becoming more and more a Taiwanese screenplay.
If you have a great connection in Taiwan – someone in the film industry that might be willing to share some of his/her knowledge with me, or even someone that would be interested in hosting a New Yorker for a night, please let me know. I will be in Taipei for the first five days 14-18 and then will travel to Taichung for two days and then on to Kaohsiung and back to Taipei for the last two days. I return to New York on the 26th.
Since returning from Cannes, CONTEMPLATING EMILY has screened twice on Staten Island, first as part of a small monthly series of screenings hosted by film dude, Bill Woods and then again for the Staten Island Film Festival. We were pleased that our fans came from Manhattan to be there - including cast member Asta Hanson. We were not, however, so impressed by the festival itself. CE was grouped with the short horror films. A lesbian love story coupled with slasher films - now, that was a choice. It was also disheartening to note that a couple of the films were using music for which they had not acquired the rights. This reflects poorly on the festival organizers as they were charging admission to the screening.
On a brighter note, A big thanks to musician/filmmaker/lesbian activist Sandra Grace who gave away a couple copies of CE at the New York City Pride Parade in her role as MC for the parade in the heart of the Village. It was thrilling to see lesbian and gay couples run – yes literally RUN to Sandra’s side to receive their DVD copy of the film. I was even thanked by a young man who didn’t get a copy, but was just grateful to know that as a filmmaker I was there and that films by for and about gay people are (there.)
Folks, we have an audience, there is a need and my research suggests there is a market for this story. Say a prayer, wish me luck, I’m traveling farther from home then I ever have before in the hopes of bringing this film project closer to the homes of all the thousands of people who lined the parade route on June 24, 2007 and the many others who eagerly await films that tell the stories they relate to best.
Sarah E. Shively
My purpose for the trip is two-fold. First, in order for this to relate to the proposal for which I received the grant, I am going to visit with teachers of English at a few universities and talk with them about issues regarding writing proficiency in English and how Chinese-to-English concerns are addressed in Taiwan.
Secondly, I hope to meet with people in the film community and begin to get an idea of what production in Taiwan might entail. I would like to softly pitch the project and see if I might be able to meet with and perhaps audition some actresses for the lead role. There is still a lot of work ahead of me regarding the re-write and I hope to bring better authenticity to what is becoming more and more a Taiwanese screenplay.
If you have a great connection in Taiwan – someone in the film industry that might be willing to share some of his/her knowledge with me, or even someone that would be interested in hosting a New Yorker for a night, please let me know. I will be in Taipei for the first five days 14-18 and then will travel to Taichung for two days and then on to Kaohsiung and back to Taipei for the last two days. I return to New York on the 26th.
Since returning from Cannes, CONTEMPLATING EMILY has screened twice on Staten Island, first as part of a small monthly series of screenings hosted by film dude, Bill Woods and then again for the Staten Island Film Festival. We were pleased that our fans came from Manhattan to be there - including cast member Asta Hanson. We were not, however, so impressed by the festival itself. CE was grouped with the short horror films. A lesbian love story coupled with slasher films - now, that was a choice. It was also disheartening to note that a couple of the films were using music for which they had not acquired the rights. This reflects poorly on the festival organizers as they were charging admission to the screening.
On a brighter note, A big thanks to musician/filmmaker/lesbian activist Sandra Grace who gave away a couple copies of CE at the New York City Pride Parade in her role as MC for the parade in the heart of the Village. It was thrilling to see lesbian and gay couples run – yes literally RUN to Sandra’s side to receive their DVD copy of the film. I was even thanked by a young man who didn’t get a copy, but was just grateful to know that as a filmmaker I was there and that films by for and about gay people are (there.)
Folks, we have an audience, there is a need and my research suggests there is a market for this story. Say a prayer, wish me luck, I’m traveling farther from home then I ever have before in the hopes of bringing this film project closer to the homes of all the thousands of people who lined the parade route on June 24, 2007 and the many others who eagerly await films that tell the stories they relate to best.
Sarah E. Shively
posted by Sesame at 4:48 AM
3 Comments:
Hi Sarah!
I'm sorry I can't help you with a contact in Taiwan... but I'd like to congratulate you for your hard work in the promotion of your film... I'm sure you will obtain the results you deserve...
...I hope you enjoy Taiwan and Asian experiences...
...Remember me if you need something from Barcelona or everywhere...
Best wishes and good luck!
Manuel Baena
by:ANthony J Trimboli Howard Beach, Queens, NY- I think you would be very very good at international relations at your CUNY school. I went to Queens College-CUNY and was looking at the various photos you have when you are with others out there in the foreign country and you seem to get along well and walk around and all of that. I am a person personally that likes certain parts of New York City, NY such as East Elmhurst, NY,, Jackson Heights, NY, Astoria, NY,,, Jamesport, Long Island,, NY et al but I try to be equally as helpful when I go to an area that I may not like. I like CERTAIN communities but I am not going to behave bad if I go into a community that I do not like. I see that so much on here. Again, I do sometimes communicate with the Portuguese which are DIRECTLY EAST across the ocean from NYC NY and find it to be so funny how the people in Manhattan, New York KNOW that Portugal is DIRECTLY EAST across the ocean than the people like at the very TIP or very END of Long Island like that where the ocean is like that. That is funny. I communicate with Portugal across the ocean EAST DIRECTLY with areas like Avores, PT and Vila do Conde, PT and Gulpilhares, PT and Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal because basically they are DIRECTLY EAST across the ocean and I talk to them on e-mail. Wow. I mean it is so funny out there how like you can go into an area like Manhattan, NY which is not on the ocean coast besides like Lower Manhattan and they KNOW MORE about Portugal being EAST of us across the ocean MORE than some sort of sea side marina yes yes all the way out there in Orient Point, NY which is DIRECTLY EAST across the ocean you are in Avores, PT like that. Funny??? I love the photos here. You would be good in that CUNY class you want to teach or do or something. I went to Queens COllege-CUNY in Flushing and live here in Howard Beach, New York City, NY. I think you would do great in that class. Just the LOOK of those photos. Wow. Almost similar to how I talk to the Portuguese across the ocean that are DIRECTLY EAST like Avores, PT and Gulpilhares, PT and Vila do Conde, PT and Vila Nova da Gaia, PT and it is FUNNY how Manhattan, NY and The City of NY, NY knows more that PORTUGAL is directly EAST of us across the ocean than like a commuter sailboat company at the very end there... you would think that the commuter sailboat company at the EAST END of Suffolk COunty, New York would know more about the areas I communicate plus even into Northern Spain and into France and Spain like that, but no, NYC NY knows more about PORTUGAL directly EAST of NYC NY, them and a Montauk Yacht Club and Montauk Lighthouse and a Montauk Community Board out there...
by:Anthony J Trimboli Howard Beach, NY- Yeah, you behaved so naturally in those photos you had in a foreign country out there. Wow. So natural and so like you were there and attentive and all of that. Again, I live here in NYC NY and like only certain areas such as East Elmhurst, NY,, Jackson Heights, NY,, Astoria,NY,, Jamesport, LI,NY,, Blue Point,NY,, Mt Sinai,LI,NY,, etc. but I behave the same even if I am in a community that I may not like like where I volunteer at Riverside Church and Sunnyside COmmunity Services of NYC-- I kind of do not like Sunnyside, NY but funny enough I take a liking to Western Queens like Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, like that and some parts of Long Island and a little bit of CT and NJ...but I am equally as attentive if I am in a community that I do not like than a community that I like being in. Yes. Again, it is good the way you COMMUNICATE on the site there with the foreign people who you are talking to. It is GOOD to do that. Again, I have no problems with talking to the Portuguese especially the areas that are directly across the coast of US on the other side EAST like Vila do Conde or Vila Nova da Gaia and Avores, PT and Gulpilhares, PT. I have no problems speaking to them, but when you learn that The City of New York here enclosed not on the coast there besides a small part of Staten Island knows more about Portugal out there than even a commuter ship line out there at the very EAST END of LOng Island, NY, it had you wondering a little.. the commuter ship line out there should know all about Vila do Conde and Avores, PT where it is operated out there in Orient Point, Suffolk, New York. They do not--only a Montauk Light House and a Montauk Community Board and a Montauk Yacht Club know that Portugal is across the ocean there EAST from Long island...not too many others... I thought that commuter boat line to CT from the East End out there should have to know, but maybe not...maybe not.. well, I think you would be good at the CUNY position that you have with the job working with international people and all of that. You are so much like me--even if I do not like an area in NYC NY I still act the same way to a degree in terms of attentiveness and helping people as I would if I did not like the area. You would do good on that. Very good especially if a EAST END shipline of Orient Point, NY does not know about Portugal DIRECTLY EAST across the ocean about 3,005 miles in Vila Do Conde and Avores, PT like that... I found that to be strange with the EAST END commuter shipline not knowing about Portugal but they know about Rhode Island and Connecticut like that but nothing on Portugal... I thought they did a little...
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