Kickstarter

"My Life In China" is a personal documentary that retraces my father's journey to Hong Kong, Macau, Guang Zhou -all the way back to Taishan, the rural village where he was raised. We visit every important stop along the way.

We visit various family members who stayed through communism that are now part of the "new middle class"

We return to an empty village.

As much as the film is about my father's journey, the film is also my own journey into my own heritage.

"My Life In China" is a film that all Americans can relate to.  Every family has a special story.  In my case, it's my Chinese-American story.

In America, everyone has a family story of immigration.  Everyone, at some point, has had somebody in their family leave their native country behind to search for a better life.  How did they hold onto their identity?  How did they adapt to their new life?  The purpose of this film project is to reach as many people as possible with the hopes of inspiring them to think about their own family story.

BACKGROUND

My parents immigrated to the United States just prior to my birth in 1976.  My father's migration to the United States undoubtedly changed him - his identity seemed split.  He had one foot in Taishan, the village of his birth and the other in Boston, his new home.  He encouraged my brother and I to be "Americans", but never let me forget that we were Chinese.

My father would always tell us the story about how he walked for 7 days and 6 nights, before swimming for 4 hours to Macau to escape communism in 1966.  I will never forget the many times we were reminded of how we were the lucky ones in the family.  We were the ones who "got out" and had the opportunity to create better lives for ourselves.  His story would fall on deaf ears as I was more concerned with trying to fit in and be American.

As I get older, my quest to fit in has been replaced by my desire to rediscover my origins.  In 2008, my father and I retraced his journey back to our home village while visiting family along the way.

During my entire childhood, I couldn't comprehend the magnitude of my father's story of immigration.  It is only now that I am beginning to understand his selfless act.  And for that, I am forever grateful.

PLEASE HELP ME FINISH MY FILM!

Currently, "My Life In China" is in post-production.  After working on the film off-and-on for 5 years, I'm finally close enough to REALLY finishing it.  I need to secure the necessary funds to FINISH the film in a timely manner.

The money raised will be used to help pay for:

1. Music from composer Joshua Geisler.  Here's an example of some music he's been working on:

Part of the funds raised will be used to do a proper recording in a studio with musicians playing authentic instruments.

"My Life In China" will be a documentary film that's as much about the music as it is about the story.

"Into the Village" will eventually replace the copyrighted music (12 Girls Band) in the following video clip.

2. Sound Design/Mix

3. Graphics/Effects

4. Color Correction

5. Subtitling in different languages

6. Creating BLURAY/DVD

7. E&O insurance

8. Distribution/Advertising/Applying to film festivals

"My Life In China" IS A SAFE BET!!!

I was awarded the 2007 Guggenheim Fellowship to launch "My Life In China".  I have the experience necessary to see the project through to its television broadcast.  My previous film: "Kokoyakyu: High School Baseball" was nationally broadcast as part of PBS's 19th season of POV.  I'm hoping to broadcast "My Life In China" on Public Television again.

Most film ideas don't get started -let alone shot. "My Life In China" is in the FINAL CUT STAGE.

***"My Life In China" is being produced through Projectile Arts, Inc.  A 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  All money raised is 100% tax-deductible!!!!!!

*****Josh's Bio: