by Han Cho
All aspiring filmmakers, take a look at this! The first of its kind, Visual Communications (VC) is a non-profit organization committed to portraying Asian Pacific American people, their cultures, communities, and perspectives through media art. Founded in 1970 and inspired the Civil Rights and Anti-War movements, founders Duana Kubo, Robert Nakamura, Alan Ohashi, and Eddie Wong, along with a collective group of artists, filmmakers, photographers, and educators, set out to document, audiotape, and photograph Asian American life.
Since then, it has grown into a media arts center and produced over 50 films and videos, numerous photo exhibitions, and programs dedicated to meeting the needs of the diverse Asian Pacific American community. To cultivate the growing generation of APA youth, VC offers their Armed With a Camera Fellowship. For seven months, VC will provide mentorship, training, and networking opportunities in addition to access to facilities, equipment, and a stipend to create a five-minute short to be viewed at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.
Submissions will be accepted until July 29, 2011. Ten artists will be chosen and announced in August. For more details, check out VC’s Web site. Good luck!
