From: PShen31191@... [mailto:PShen31191@...]
Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 1:05 AM
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Subject: EWP class, a favor please...


Dear Fellow Saturday Classmates,

A film that I did called, "Better Luck Tomorrow" from MTV
Films is about a month and a half away from opening nation wide and I
have drafted the letter below which I'm about to send across the
country as a campaign of sorts to illustrate how important it is for
the community to come out in full force when the film opens. I feel
it's really hollow just to say "See the film!" without giving a good
reason why. Hopefully this letter will do just that.

Even though most of you have not seen the film, I can tell you
that if this film does well, it will break down a lot of doors for us
all as Asian actors. Roles that we've been just dying to play in the
mainstream. Basically, what we've all been working towards every
Saturday. Read the letter, check out the film's site and pass the
letter on to others you might want to make aware about this film and
have them do the same. Especially if you are in contact of large
organizations that can dissemenate info. I'm planning to blanket the
country and that's only going to happen with people sending it to
others and them sending it to others, etc. Thanks in advance for
those of you guys that forward the following letter below and I'll
see you all bright and early on Sat!

parry

__________________________________________________________

A CAST MEMBER'S LETTER
What the April 4 and 11, 2003 release of "Better Luck Tomorrow"
really means.

Dear Friends,

In our lifetime, it is rare that we bear witness to an event, much
less be a part one, that might change society. When the film "Better
Luck Tomorrow" opens on April 4, 2003; it will be one of those
events. On that day,"BLT" will be released in New York, Chicago, Los
Angeles and San Francisco. And open the following week, April 11,
in: Washington D.C., Boston, Houston, Honolulu, Sacramento, San
Diego, Seattle, Portland and Minneapolis.

The release will set a benchmark for a number of "firsts". 1) It is
the first Asian American film ever to be picked up at the Sundance
Film Festival. 2) It is the first film ever purchased and
distributed by MTV Films. 3) It is the first all Asian-American cast
to be widely distributed by a studio in a long time. It is because
of all these "firsts" that I am drafting this memo, to shed light on
just how essential it is that our community support this film. The
first 3 weeks' attendance will determine whether or not we'll be
setting a benchmark record for "firsts--and lasts".

I know it sounds extremely self-serving that an actor in the film
have the audacity to draft such a plea to see his film. But it is
because I have been so close to the film through production and have
personally seen people from all ethnicities react so positively to
it; that I truly believe this event is exactly what we as a community
have been yearning to get behind for years. Whether you are Asian or
not. To send a message to the world. It is not "just" a movie.
What hinges on the release is so much larger than the film itself.

The power of cinema is colossal. Whether you realize it or not,
billions of people shape their outlooks on life from what they see on
film. Their beliefs. What is important in life. Differences
between right and wrong. And when the world is exposed to the
clichéd images of Asians that currently occupy the screen, these
images subconsciously encapsulate for them what Asian people are.
The martial- artists practitoners. The nerdy students. The exotic
sexual prizes. The guy that delivers the food to your door. And it
becomes a self-fueling process because audiences continue to pay
admission to see them. While unfortunately, these are the only roles
that are available for Asian Actors to portray.

Fans of "BLT" and major film critics have all praised the film for
being an accomplished and engaging universal story centered on teen
violence. The film is not a judgmental piece of the actions, but a
narrative of how real life teen violence is set in motion. The film
represents stories from headlines that we've all read that just
happen to be told by Asian actors.

"Best and most provocative--a funny-sexy-scary powerhouse."
-Peter Travers, Rolling Stone Magazine.

"Extraordinarily accomplished and thought-provoking."
- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"Stylish and very well acted."
- David Ansen, Newsweek

"The hottest, most stylish and smartly twisted film."
- Duane Bygre, The Hollywood Reporter

"A damn fine movie."
- Harry Knowles, Ain't it Cool News

Phrases, such as how the film "broke all the rules in Hollywood"
and "after the first 5 minutes, I forgot that the cast was Asian" are
repeated over and over again. For the first time, our true voices
are being heard and understood by the Hollywood decision makers.
That we're just regular people and we too, have stories that all
human beings can relate to. Where we don't have to go around
everyday, basically saying, "Hey, I'm Asian" through our actions
depicted on screen.

MTV Films' vice president, Michael Cole summed it up best, "You've
got a universal story in terms of what these guys are experiencing,
and I think that's why people respond to it so strongly. It's told
from a perspective that we haven't seen before and that we often
don't see." He observes, "I thought ["BLT"] was incredible for our
brand and for our audience. When I saw the movie I just said: 'You
know, we really need to buy this movie. This movie is what we are.'"

I, as do MTV Films and other studios that bid for the film, recognize
that the film is on the cusp of a new beginning in cinema that has
yet to be tapped into. Everywhere we've traveled across the country
(and Canada) with the film at festivals, Asian audiences thank us for
giving them a new voice on screen for the world to see.

But this film needs a base -- legs to help it rise and be heard. And
your voice can only be heard through the box office. Let's be frank,
for the first few weeks, a majority of the people that will be open
to seeing the film, based on face value alone, will be Asian
Americans. When non-Asian people see images of the film or the cast,
occasionally we hear them ask, "Is it subtitled?" or "Is it like a
Jackie Chan movie?"

When I hear those comments, I realize they're not intentionally meant
to be malicious, but it goes to show what has been established in the
minds of the public when they see Asian faces on a movie poster. And
it's that mentality which illustrates the very reason why we need to
support good films with Asian casts; whether we agree with the films
or not.

I know in my heart that we as a community are large enough of an
audience to overwhelm Hollywood; make them do a double take and
realize there is a market they have not been catering to.
Hollywood's eyes will be tracking the opening of the film very
carefully because it loves a trend. So we beat them at their own
game--make it impossible for them to ignore the numbers. They will
be forced to make similiar projects based solely on a fiscal point of
view. They'll jump on that bandwagon to repeat a successful formula
that has been established by "BLT". But this will only happen if we
want it to by coming out in full force.

In turn, three-dimensional Asian characters that audiences genuinely
care about as people and not just as functional props, will emerge
and slowly change narrow Asian perceptions. The Black community's
current successes in cinema stemmed 20 years ago because they were
passionate about the films Spike Lee and John Singleton were making.
Films that were true to their communities. Hollywood took notice to
the box office numbers and it led to more projects which told of the
African American experience besides being a slave or living in the
ghettos.

For the past decade, my schooling and acting has exposed me to
hundreds of Asian American organizations at colleges across the
country. I've been witness to sooo many China Nights, Asian club
meetings, ECASU, ACAASU, APEX conferences, panels by Amy Tan, Ronald
Takaki, Jude Narita all discussing and theorizing the same topics of
assimilation and perceptions--all those years have finally culminated
into something tangible: This is that "something" we can get behind
and will have a huge impact. And it's a very simple thing to do--
just see the film. That is your vote. Tell people about it and have
them do the same.

The Details:
April 4th 2003, "BLT" will open in:
New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco

The following week on, April 11, it will expand into:
Washington D.C., Boston, Houston, Honolulu, Sacramento, San Diego,
Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis

You should be seeing MTV FILMS running our trailer in theatres and
playing them on their channel shortly. Based on the box office
attendance after the first 3 weekends, the studio will then see if it
is worth rolling out into more theatres across the country, the same
way "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" did. Once it rolls out nationally,
others unlikely to see the film will have then heard the buzz/acclaim
and go to just see a good movie. And they will tell others and so
on.

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that as many people see the
film during those first 3 weekends to get the momentum going. If you
do not happen to reside in the initial cities, spread the word to
those you know who do live there. And with a bit of luck, it will
make its way to your hometown after week 3. If the "I'll wait to
watch it next week" mentality occurs with this film, chances are
there won't be a next week. Every person helps.

Since this is an unprecedented film, I can see it doing great things
in terms of changing the way America thinks and opening doors for
similar projects. But unfortunately, I can also see it easily just
dying and going away if we allow it, just like we did with Margaret
Cho's "All American Girl".

Many planets have aligned for a project with Asian-American lead
characters to come this far, and if this opportunity slips away, you
can be certain it won't happen again for a long, long time. As I
said before, Hollywood loves to jump on a successful formula but it
will stay away from a scarcely attended "Pluto Nash" like the
plague. If you've read this far, I sincerely thank you for your
time. Please pass this letter on to inform others. It's an exciting
time for us all. Let's keep the momentum going!

Sincerely,

Parry Shen
"Ben" in "Better Luck Tomorrow"
Visit www.betterlucktomorrow.com or www.parryshen.com for more
details on the film and how to help.