In February, 2021, director Natasha Lee and producer Lucia Tran assembled an all-volunteer, all Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI)-identifying crew to sit with AAPI documentary subjects, to learn about their experiences in America – and to capture their reactions to the disturbing – if too familiar – climate in which we find ourselves. On March 16, the mass shooting of six AAPI victims in Atlanta, GA, added to the emotional weight of the material and influenced the experience of making the film. The result is IN THE VISIBLE, a short documentary the filmmakers intend as a tool in the ongoing fight against white supremacy and its systematic, destructive manipulation of the AAPI community against other BIPOC (black, Indigenous and people of color) communities as a ‘model minority.’
Director: Natasha Lee
Producer: Lucia Tran
Subjects: Nithya Raman (South Asian American, LA City Councilwoman), Jake Choi (Korean American, Actor), Joy Cho (Thai American, Designer), Mas Yamashita (Japanese American, Retired), Tisha Alyn (Filipino American, Golfer), Sherry Cola (Chinese American, Comedian/Actress), Larry Sir (Cambodian American, Mechanic), Lindsay Watson (Hawaiian, Actress), Lien Ta (Vietnamese-Chinese American, Restaurateur), Benjamin Holtrop (Taiwanese American, Stylist), June Berk (Japanese American, JANM Volunteer), and Albert Tsai (Taiwanese American, Actor).
The Undeniable Voice of Art
Creative Growth, the first organization dedicated to supporting artists with developmental disabilities, has teamed up with creative marketing company, John McNeil Studio to unveil its new brand. Representing 50 years of elevating the work of artists with disabilities within the arts community, Creative Growth’s new brand campaign includes a new identity and logo, new positioning, brand film and a redefined strategy centering on the ‘undeniable voice of art.’ Creative Growth’s evolved brand is at the forefront of a shift towards art that stands for the inherent reveal — the power of artistic expression to bring understanding and connection to us all. The brand’s new expression includes unobtrusive color and design choices that purposely don’t compete with the voice of the artist and instead, serve as a container for the art to have a voice of its own. Executive Creative Director, Gerald Lewis of John McNeil Studio explains “We needed to create a powerful, distinctive voice for the brand. But, it couldn’t compete with the voice of the artists because in the end, the art has to speak. It had to be simple, honest and genuine, in line with the mission of Creative Growth. Artists will spend 30 years making work, honing their craft and following their voice inside this space. We wanted to celebrate that. So, while the mark, the brand, is simple and honest, it’s also expansive and energetic.” Kicking off the new brand campaign is a short film capturing the voice of artist William Scott as he walks through downtown Oakland and enters... Read More