Much delayed…
but here are some pictures of me & my friends with WongFu when they came to Boston College awhile back!
So random coincidence…
I think my cousin went to HS with Wes. I was looking through some old pictures the other day and found a group prom/HS dance picture with him in it!
I forgot to mention from my Boston College trip to see Wong Fu Productions that at the event, they were selling/promoting their new line of t-shirts based on their “Just a Nice Guy” short.
It’s a good way to make money. Here, I’ve broken down their business plan into simple, easy-to-understand steps:
But yeah, they are cool shirts on their own. Here’s a few:
(the back of the first one says “Shoulders to lean on”)
At the Boston College event, Wes wore a really cool shirt that’s not available for sale online:
I really want it! I think this is the best designed shirt out of all of ‘em. The others are all cutsey, but this one is a lot edgier and def more stylish. I facebooked Wes this morning asking him if they’ll be releasing/selling this shirt soon…so we’ll see! I’ll let you guys know when he replies 
Which shirt do you guys like best?
As promised, here’s my update about my journey to see WongFu Productions @BC last nite:
Arrived at BC promptly around 8:30pm. Lucky us, a friend drove. We parked and searched around for Cushing Hall…asked about 3 college kids who pointed at some general direction. We walked. Got lost. Finally arrived about 15 minutes later. This is what the room looked like:
Pretty packed. I’d say at least 300 Asian kids…a lot of them looked like froshies. They said that this set the record for the most people that have come out for a WongFu Event. So anyways, the WongFu guys–Phillip, Ted, and Wesley, introduced themselves and talked about how they got started, what they’ve been working on, and what they’re working on now. They also screened some stuff that’s not even online yet.
They premiered a new music video from the hip hop group Far East Movement (which won’t be released to the public for another couple of months), as well as a 20-minute short by Wesley.
So. I know most of you are thinking…what are they really like in person?
Apart from the 300-something crowd of fans at BC (one girl even had a “I <3 WongFu sign”) and the excited squeals from girls every now and then, they’re relatively normal. A bit on the nerdy/dorky side even. But in a good way.
They kept saying that they were nervous and not the best public speakers, but they had a great group dynamic, cracking jokes every so often. And yes, ladies, they are just as cute (ha, sorry had to throw that in)!
The one thing that stood out the most was how down to earth they are. Despite all their online fame, it hasn’t gotten to their heads. They made it a point to say that they don’t think they’re better than anyone in the room. WongFu also said that if you work hard enough, anyone can become a filmmaker and do what they’ve been doing.
And remember, these guys don’t have any formal film training. Honestly, I don’t think that their work is amazing, but WongFu def has the passion. They get my respect because they are trying and putting their stuff out there (online) for the world to see. It really amazes me at all the supporters and fans they already have. If they keep building up their fan base and really work and become focused, with the right connections, they can make it big. But I still think they have a long way to go.
I’ve been trying to pinpoint exactly what makes these guys so likable. I really don’t think it’s all about their work. I think it’s all in their personalities–they’re goofy, smart, nerdy, sweet, and serious when they want to be. These “nice guys” are just normal approachable guys. The kind of guys anyone can depend on as a friend. And most of all, other Asians can identify with these guys (i.e. Yellow Fever, Just a Nice Guy). These personality traits are very marketable, and this is what makes the WongFu brand.
So anyways, back to the event. After talking and screening their films, WongFu left it open to Q&A. One girl asked, “How has being Asian American affected WongFu?”
And the guys responded that it’s both good and bad. They recognize that it is harder to break into Hollywood being a minority and pointed out that most of their films have nothing to do with being Asian. Their movies aren’t catered specifically to any race; they’re simply telling a story that any human can relate to. But WongFu does really appreciate the support they’re getting from the Asian community.
After that, one of my friends (hardcore WongFu fan) was dying to know if these guys were single, but was too shy to ask (I wanted to know too! hehe). So another friend asked for us.
So this so-called friend said: “Are you guys single? My friends want to know. They’re right here.” And pointed right at us. So embarrassing! The guys really aren’t used to all this attention. They got really embarassed too (Wesley and Phllip ARE single BTW) and joked that they live vicariously through their films about love stories.
After the Q&A, everyone pretty much ambushed them for pictures and autographs. I got a picture with them but didn’t get to talk to them much–the line was really long. Overall, it was a good event and I learned a lot about WongFu.
It really goes to show how you can do anything you put your mind to. WongFu mentioned how UCSD has a sucky film program (or maybe it was none at all, not sure). These self-taught guys have succeeded and gotten their name heard. They just got invited to the Cannes Film Festival (woohoo) and are meeting with producers to start shooting their 2nd feature length film. And these big name producers approached WongFu themselves. Pretty impressive, huh?
I’m going to BC tonight! Woohoo. I will update you all afterwards. I’m really expecting a mob scene of Asians. I’ll be leaving BU about 7:15pm by T, hopefully make it there by 8ish, then find my way around campus to wherever this event is. BTW, I don’t do well at “finding” my way around. It’s more like wandering.
I’m so excited! Wong Fu Productions is going on tour again. Check out their spring lineup:
If you’re interested in making it out to BC…visit the facebook group.
For those of you that don’t know, Wong Fu is an independant production company that’s well known within the Asian community. In June 2003, a couple of Asian guys from UC San Diego decided to have some fun and posted up several music videos online of themselves lip-syncing to popular songs. From there, they became internet superstars. People loved their videos, told their friends about it, and even blogged about it on Xanga. They had the ultimate viral campaign. And keep in mind, this was before the time YouTube was invented. Since then, the three guys–Philip Wang, Ted Fu, and Wesley Chan– have directed, created, and starred in several short movies and have also gone on to shoot a feature length film. Their popularity and enormous support from fans led them to keep pursuing their film hobby and turn it into a career. Thus, Wong Fu Productions was born.
I’m def going to stop by this event. I’ve been a fan from the beginning. I used to watch their Seniorita and Qing Fei De Yi music videos all the time. It’s really great to see how they’ve evolved from amateurs into professionals. Their work has improved drastically. Although some of their pieces are hit and miss–these guys have a great personalities. One of their best works includes Yellow Fever, a short about why white guys can get Asian girls. Some other shorts (The Break Up) aren’t so good. But they’re got potential.
WongFu already has a pretty good following. It’s really inspirational to see these guys become role models in the Asian community. Despite their fame, the guys of WongFu are still down to earth. They went on tour last year to promote their feature length film at college campuses across the country. Just the fact that they’re taking the time to connect with their fans and continue to inspire other young adults says a lot. I hope they can one day break into Hollywood. Maybe even produce a version of 21 –with a cast more true to the story.
Little Asian Girl Updates
