Michael Chan
1 Could you please introduce yourself to our audience?
I'm an actor, podcaster, and model from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I've been in the industry for 14 years and work predominantly in television and film. Some of my more recent appearances were on 'Mayday', 'Blood & Treasure', and a print campaign for Canada Post. I am also the co-host of 'Talking With Our Mouths Full', a community podcast that showcases the beauty of diversity in Toronto through its food and people. We're available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major podcast apps.
2. How did you get the idea for the film?
My film was inspired both by conversations with friends who were forced to seek new agency representation during the pandemic and my own experiences as a Canadian artist of Asian descent. Although Canada is known for being a progressive and diverse country, we still have much work to do when it comes to representation in the entertainment industry as a whole. I wanted something creative to do while in lockdown and putting my feelings onto the screen felt right to me.
3. Please tell us something about the filming process?
4. What are the reactions and comments you get about the film?
4. What are the reactions and comments you get about the film?
Oh, goodness! Prior to the pandemic, I had no filmmaking experience, so having to learn everything as I worked on 'The ONLY Asian' was quite the adventure. If I were to choose one thing to talk about in terms of the filming process, it's the resolution and framerate. I never spoke with the other actors about what settings to shoot our individual footage in on our cell phones because I never even thought of that! So, we all had different settings, which ended up being a nightmare in editing since Premiere Elements on my laptop struggled with having footage with different settings being edited together, leading to issues with flickering. I did figure things out in the end, though, which is now experience I can bring with me into future projects.
4. What are the reactions and comments you get about the film?
4. What are the reactions and comments you get about the film?
4. What are the reactions and comments you get about the film?
So far, the reaction from the festivals we've submitted to and the people we've shown the film to privately has been incredibly positive. We weren't sure what to expect when we decided to submit our film to festivals, especially since it's so simple in its execution. The overwhelming support we've received has been quite humbling and we're incredibly grateful that our message of diversity is being heard.
5. What can we expect from you in the future?
4. What are the reactions and comments you get about the film?
5. What can we expect from you in the future?
I've written several short film scripts since making 'The ONLY Asian' and am currently in the early planning stages of having them made. I'm fortunate to have been able to meet many incredible local artists online during the pandemic and collaborating with them once lockdown is finally over on my films and the ones they've written is something I look forward to with great excitement.