The Short List: Bait
“The Short List” is a 100 percent locally produced TV anthology series airing on KFVE Mondays at 7:30 p.m. The Short List brings together local actors, directors, writers and crew in Hawaii’s filmmaking community to showcase their talents by creating high-quality short films.
The show’s premise is an anthology series similar to Steven Spielberg’s classic TV series, “Amazing Stories.” Each 30-minute episode features a stand alone story which is introduced by the mysterious crack seed shop owner, Mr. K. There are five unique stories by five different directors.
TalkStory Productions asked each of the directors to talk about their work on The Short List and their thoughts on the Hawaii film industry. This is the second in a series of interviews with the directors on the eve of their premiere.
Other interviews in the series:
The Short List airing Mondays 7:30pm on KFVE.
BAIT, airing April 9 —
A lack of communication over years of marriage sets a retired local
Japanese man and his wife down a spiral of events that culminate in a
shocking conclusion.
Director: John C. Ching
Starring: Dann Seki, Blossom Lam Hoffman, Duane Char, Pomaika’i Brown
Writers: Grant Ching, Jason K. Lau, Dallas Moffis
Producer: Angela Laprete
An Interview With Director John Ching
What made you want to work on THE SHORT LIST? What about this project is different from what you normally do?
There is a richness to storytelling in Hawaii. As a director and executive producer on THE SHORT LIST it was important to showcase some of that storytelling in Hawaii.
Working at TalkStory Productions, I’m always interested in stories which have substance. When I read the script to Bait by Grant Ching (no relation), I felt it was different from others I had read. I liked that it was a very subtle story with a dark twist.
This project was quite a unique learning experience for me since this was my first time directing. It allowed me to work closely with actors and crew. I was involved with every aspect of the filmmaking process
What was most memorable about working on THE SHORT LIST? Were there any challenges?
As a first time director, I got a lot of support from both the actors and the crew. I had a lot of great time working with everyone. It was a very collaborative process which really made it a better film. All the actors worked really hard on their performances. The crew especially producer, Angie Laprete, Director of Photography Anne Misawa, associate producer Wainani Tomich and editor Seong Kyu Whang were really helpful and encouraging.
There were two camera shots which I felt helped define the film. Both were really difficult for the camera operator Mark Morgan but he did an amazing job on both. A jib shot with the camera swinging across the water and doing a sweeping shot of Honolulu harbor and stopping in front of actor Dann Seki’s face as he reels in a fish. The second was a steady cam shot at the end of the film which starts in the kitchen, moves down a hall and ends up in the bedroom.
With only a three day shoot schedule in the budget, we had a lot of pressure to finish filming on time. I would like to say that everything was planned but sometimes because of the time limitations we had to improvise. With the dedicated and competent crew, we were able to finish the shoot without any problems.
Did you have difficulty finding Hawaii talent (in front of / behind the camera) to work on your film?
There is a lot of talented actors here in Hawaii. We had a wide range of actors to choose for the various roles in our film. There’s an old Hollywood saying that working with kids and animals can be very difficult, unfortunately we had both in this film. The good news was that both the child and the dog generally worked out pretty well. Some scenes with Buddy the dog were challenging because he was a bit anxious being in the same room with an actor holding a knife.
I can’t say enough positive things about the crew. Because we filmed over several weekends in July and August of last year, some crew members were not available for the entire shoot. Luckily, we didn’t have any disruptions while filming which says a lot about the depth of the crew we have here in Hawaii.
How could Hawaii film community continue to have more projects like this?
There is no shortage of good quality stories to tell. The Hawaii film community definitely would like to continue to have more independent film projects like THE SHORT LIST. Looking at the number of Hawaii produced films at the Hawaii International Film Festival and the Ohina Film Festival, there is no shortage of people interested in making short films. In order for THE SHORT LIST to continue, the challenge is to find capital to support projects such as this.
How would you describe the film industry in Hawaii in general?
I think the industry is strong and vibrant. It continues to grow due to the steady flow of mainland studio productions filming in Hawaii. It definitely helps actors and crew members work on their craft and increases the talent pool.
While the industry relies heavily on mainland studio productions to sustain the business, it would be great to have more home grown independent films developed and financed locally.
What could local government do better in supporting local filmmakers?
TalkStory Productions has worked with the Hawaii Film Office as well as a number of the County Film Offices on various film and TV projects. These offices have been very supportive of local film productions.
Films require capital investment to get made. It would benefit local filmmakers if the government can do whatever it can to help in capital formation.
About the director: John Ching has had a passion for the film industry for over 25 years. He is a graduate of Punahou School and Claremont McKenna College, and has obtained an MBA from Pepperdine University. He worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles for over 18 years working for several film producers. He returned to Hawaii in 2007 to manage TalkStory Productions. BAIT is his debut as a director.
Check out The Short List on Facebook.
