Meet Our Newest Intern Sophia Yuen

You may think that you see Sophia, our newest intern, around a lot, but no, that may be her twin sister, Stella. Coincidentally, they both moved from the bay (San Mateo)

While Stella was busy studying abroad and eating kimchi in Korea during the past year, Sophia stayed in sunny San Diego making the most of her year. Along with taking her courses and working on campus, she was an active member of the Asian Pacific Student Alliance, being on the executive board as the Director of Finance Assistant for one semester, Historian for the next semester, and finally Director of Finance her junior year.

Currently, she is enjoying her last semester at SDSU, taking it easy with the last of her courses, working a few hours on campus, interning at SDAFF (administration), and directing APSA’s annual Fashion Talent Show (April 7). Come say hi to Sophia anytime, but don’t feel offended if you get a weird look… it’s just her sister.

Reel Voices Update and SDAFF Trailer 2009

Well folks, another season of Reel Voices is wrapping up... It's a balmy 88 degrees outside the ARTS building in Liberty Station, and closer to 98 inside the computer lab. RV Interns Lora and Lupe are putting finishing touches on their films... Junia is expected later this afternoon. Staci is "finished", but hasn't shown her project to her valiant instructors yet; Steve will finish tomorrow, Holly and Jarrod are both in good position to finish, but exact details remain unclear.

So, for those of you keeping score, it's 0 finished films and 8 still to be completed - with 33 hours to go.

I initially thought it was the youth that gave them the procrastination gene, but upon closer examination of my own habits, it seems creativity is sometimes enhanced by approaching deadline. :-)

As I swelter in the EZ Bake Oven computer lab, I am also on deadline for a project... the 2009 SDAFF trailer. I have spent the last several weeks (and every waking moment) watching the greatest hits of SDAFF 2009, and suffice to say I am impressed. (On a related note - if you haven't purchased your all-fest pass yet, the time is now! $125 for all-you-can-watch privelidges, and the price goes up $50 on Tuesday -- so hurry!)

Since I don't have my camera, here's a quick screenshot of progress on the trailer. Should be done this week, so stay tuned for the big reveal!

Reel Voices Reunion

As the temperatures crest 90, the parking lots within miles of the beach are full, and the ChocoPies melt in your hand, not in your mouth... you know it's July. And when it's July, it's camera check-out time for SDAFF's Reel Voices.

To celebrate the first day of camera checkout, pizza was ordered, sodas were consumed, and we invited the illustrious alumni of Reel Voices to come in and give advice on what the '09 class should have been paying attention to over the past several weeks.


(Intern Holly Cramer looks on as alumni Roland Lazarte, Ali Tanaka, Ryan Medel and Joska Charles spin yarns about how difficult editing a documentary can be.)

Much of the advice centered on the editing of the projects... the part the students always seem to think it going to go easy, but can take days or weeks longer than planned. The universal advice was "don't procrastinate" -- advice that will serve them well in life, as well as in editing -- although some of us artistic types battle that advice even once we attain "instructor" status!

Some of the alumni used a little artistic license to exaggerate their instructor's reacton after seeing the first draft -- c'mon guys, it couldn't have been that bad! But all agreed that they were happy with their films upon completion, and the recollections of premiere day were great across the board.

Thanks to those of you that attend the screenings and support the films. It means a lot to the students, and we hope we leave you with a little piece of them, as well.

Reel Voices 2009

Hard to believe we're halfway through classes for Reel Voices 2009 already... in some ways it feels like we just started, and in others I wonder how we'll cover everything we need to cover before the end of the summer!

Last week, Apple offered to bring us in to their Fashion Valley store, and learn Final Cut Pro with the geniuses. (Geniuses not only in stature, but in title!) We took them up on their offer, and spend two and a half hours with Dane and Alan. We broke students into groups of two, and Apple had set aside enough copies of FCP so that each student would have their own computer.

Alan took editing newcomers Steve and Joey, Dane worked with FCP 101 graduates Junia and Lora, Akira joined forces with Lupe and Holly, and Staci and I braved Color Correction and 3d motion.

Everyone learned a lot, we created some SDAFF buzz in the Apple Store, and now we're ready to get the whip crackin' with a couple of shooting and editing exercises back at ARTS this week, before we begin camera checkout and get student projects from concept to completion!



Top Row: Joey, Alan, Holly, Mike, Steve.
Bottom Row: Dane, Junia, Lora, Staci, Lupe, Akira