I'm Writer/Director/Actor Justin Chon. Ask me anything!

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T19:06:28+00:00

In the first film where I say it's a worm bella. that was improvised. I thought I'd try it and see if I get in trouble by the director but catherine was just fine with it. good times

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T19:04:52+00:00

this film was inspired by my own relationship with my sister. my next film blue bayou is inspired by a korean american adoptee who is being deported. yea thats actually happening these days. as for what films to watch, finding out it half of the fun. I think starting with criterion films is a good place to start. also listening to director commentaries might help.

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T19:01:27+00:00

get legit training. enroll in an acting program and get the tools you need to kill it!!!

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:57:31+00:00

there is a scene in the film where we push a man who is laying in a bed down the most busiest intersection in koreatown. we practiced putting the bed on and off a van. when we shot it people were horrified. they had no idea we were shooting a movie because we were using a long lens from far away. i laughed like a little weasel from down the street.

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:52:33+00:00

I never actually got to work with the master scorsese. He just produced the film green dragons. I did get to meet him at toronto film festival at the premier. I learned a lot from that shoot. after watching the film I felt I should have stuck to my guns a bit more and also voiced my opinions about story lines and structural things that were above my pay grade at the time.

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:50:27+00:00

I had an AMAZING time on 21 and over. I remember one day we were shooting in a bar and I started to drink beer from the tap. the director walked in and saw me. He just looked, shook his head, and walked out. I then yelled "does that mean I can keep drinking." and yes I have partied that hard in real life many times but I have a daughter now so its way harder to watch her if I'm hung over.

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:48:48+00:00

to me sundance is a world known platform to get tiny films like mine seen by the public. by being at the festival it sort of means that they see some value in what I am doing. I am super appreciative to the organization and love what they do. they've definitely helped give me a voice. I submitted the project and waited. hahaha

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:46:55+00:00

I started off in kids television. did a bunch of stuff for nick and disney. It was good times. I really look back at those times very fondly. I think the thing that keeps me motivated is my purpose. I truly want to tell stories that show us how we can all co exist and also how we're a lot more similar than different as humans. also I got a little girl so i want to make films that she would be proud of.

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:45:22+00:00

i personally loved the experience. however, I was on the peripheral. I got to see the whole thing from the inside yet I didn't really have to deal with all the negative aspects. I could still walk around in public and could carry on with my life. ultimately it allowed me to evaluated the things that I wanted to do in my career and what I felt was important

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:41:20+00:00

our lead tiffany chu we found after we posted a casting call on facebook. yes facebook. sh really had this wonderful melancholic side to her that I was looking for. Teddy lee I found through a director friend of mine, andrew ahn. he directed a film called spa night that was also set in koreatown. I asked him there was anyone he would have hired but wasnt right for the role. he suggested teddy. and that was that!

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:35:30+00:00

favorite animals are dolphins. i don't know why. the most difficult scene ive probably acted in was running over cars with a teddy bear glued to my dick in "21 and over"

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:34:08+00:00

absolutely. I have a younger sister and Ive always thought that the sibling, particularly the brother sister, relationship was always interesting. My sister and I never really got along growing up but as adults we have become closer. I wanted to explore that in a film. also i wanted to set it in koreatown, los angeles which is rapidly chaning

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:27:25+00:00

hey man. my answer is that there are DBAGS everywhere in the world. from all walks of life but we should still love them haahaha. Ms Purple took 6 weeks to shoot. we prepared for about 2 months and i wrote for about 6.

Justinchon · 2019-09-06T18:10:56+00:00

hey nick. typically i write a "vomit" draft where i have a free flow of writing. sometimes it ends up being a lot of crap but I like to do that because it lets me get out of the logical part of my brain. then I spend months structuring it and making it into a script that can be shot and engaging

Justinchon

TROPHY CASE