Project: All My Life
Genre: A Coming-of-Age Queer Teen Romantic Comedy Short Film set in the 1990s
Production Company: Film Independent
Contract: SAG AFTRA Short Film Agreement
Union: SAG AFTRA (Open to union and non union talent)
Director: Erin Lau
Writer: Van B. Nguyen
Executive Producer: Calvin Lam
Producer: Fiona Hardingham and Selena Leoni
Casting Director: Damian Bao
Casting Associate: Monica Nazarouk (Damian Bao Casting / PPLE Casting)
Cinematographer: Jon Pham
Editor: Sara Schultz
Shoot Location: Los Angeles, CA (San Fernando Valley neighborhood)
Callbacks: June 16th
Rehearsal: Week of June 21st – TBD (1-2 day(s) for Christine, Jennifer, Peter)
Shoot Dates: June 25th – 27th
Talent Rate: $206/day – SAG AFTRA Short Film Agreement
(We want to flag that the location has two cats on the property. The cats will be sequestered into a private room throughout the shoot but anyone who has a cat allergy may have a rough time at the location.)
Why Make This Film?: Our film continues the important work of broadening what an Asian and Asian American experience looks like by showcasing a joyful queer love story.
Synopsis:
It’s the eve of prom in the 1990s , rom-com obsessed teen Christine has no date, and her best friend Jennifer can’t imagine going without her. Jennifer calls upon Peter, the local high school Prince Charming, to ask Christine to go with him. She’s elated, but when he kisses her, something feels… not quite right. It’s nothing like the spark she sees in her beloved rom-coms. She confides her confusion to Jennifer, triggering an idea in her. In the middle of the night Christine awakens to find Jennifer and her backyard transformed into a homemade prom. She soon finds herself in Jennifer’s arms, and before long they share a tender kiss.
Character Breakdown:
Christine (17 years old, Vietnamese Female) Raised in a traditional Vietnamese home, Christine is a sheltered, shy teen who still looks at the world of love in black-and-white. Rom-coms have been her manuscript for understanding the world of romance. Despite her commitment to waiting for her prince charming, it has yet to yield her any results. Her love life is empty and unexciting. For a teen, this is tragic. All she wants is to feel seen and cherished. She’ll soon discover, she has simply been looking for love in the wrong places. LEAD.
Jennifer (17 years old, Open to any Black or brown woman of color) Christine’s long-time best friend, Jennifer has always been her rock. Jennifer is deeply self-aware and comfortable in her skin. Yet despite her confidence, there has always been one thing that has scared her… Confessing her feelings to Christine and potentially losing her best friend. Will she overcome her fear of rejection and take a leap of faith for love? (Casting is interested in casting someone who is a part of the LGBTQI community for this role.)
Peter (17; Caucasian Male) Peter is the cool drama club heartthrob. He’s a tad shy, but might very well be the next Justin Timberlake. When Jennifer tells him that Christine has a crush on him, he holds nothing back in pulling out all the romantic stops. He’s the “ideal” classic Rom Com love interest.
Christine’s Parents (Both are Vietnamese Immigrants)
Mai (40-50 years old; Vietnamese Female; Must be able to speak Vietnamese.) Christine’s Mom. Vietnamese immigrant. Mai is kind, loving, and lighthearted, though could still be strict when needed. Complications with her pregnancy with Christine caused her to not have any other children. She cherishes the family she has.
Tuan (40-50 years old; Vietnamese Male; Must be able to speak Vietnamese.) . Christine’s Dad. Vietnamese immigrant. Tuan is a charismatic jokester who will do anything to provide for and love his family. He’s extremely hard-working, but he also plays hard in life. He instills that in his family as well.
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Our entire creative team is made of Asian Americans or women. The writer, executive director, casting director, and cinematographer are of Vietnamese descent.
About the Director:
Raised in Kahaluʻu on Oʻahu, Native Hawaiian filmmaker Erin Lau was selected as a Sundance Native Lab fellow for her film “The Moon and The Night,” which went on to screen in over 30 film festivals around the world, as well as on broadcast networks including PBS and KHON and shortlisted for the 2018 student BAFTAs. Most recently, she was shortlisted for the 2020 HBOAccess Directing program. By day, Erin works as a Senior Producer-Director for digital media company, Jubilee Media, creating empathy-forward videos for their channel. Her videos have garnered over 120 million views and given her the opportunity to develop content for brands including Google, Netflix, Always, and SK-II. By night, she is developing projects inspired by her family and heritage to elevate Pacific Islander stories.
About the Writer:
Van B. Nguyen is a Texas-native, queer Vietnamese-American writer/director who built a career in production as an assistant director. Growing up on a steady diet of things she shouldn’t have watched, she knew from an early age that storytelling was her jam. Her short films have screened at several film festivals, and her pilot, Casualties, was selected as one of the top 20 unproduced pilots by female writers for the WeForShe 2019 WriteHer List. Her writing has also been recognized by Austin Film Festival, Nicholl Fellowship, Sundance Episodic, CBS Writers Mentoring Program, and Walt Disney TV Writing Program.