Year 12 and Counting......

12 year anniversary of my quadruple bypass surgery (CABG)

In the Name of God

When reading the Bible,  a lot of the stories are just that, bible stories, I have seldom thought about how they occur in everyday life.  Do you really experience the story of the tax collector or how Zacchaeus    climbs a ladder to see Jesus?  A lot of the sermons treat the stories as metaphorical.   I was thinking the other day of the pharisees.  The heir-achy of the church.  The learned and holy.  I haven't heard many sermons covering the corruption or delusionment of the governing temple.  You would think that with technology and advanced knowledge that it should not occur in out modern times.

But we have many distortions that I overlook, Later Day Saints, Scientology, Universalism, etc. I always thought it would come from outside the church, through society, and the government.  Not within.  At what point does it consume and take over our basic faith.  At what point do we become self delusional and at what point do we justify everything in the name of God.  

I understand the dynamic in business.  It occurs everyday (so much for my theory on societal advancement).  Profit, greed and ego (power) often overcomes decency.  But it seems like those ingredients are ever-present and are becoming more common in the age of the megachurch.  

Justification in the name of God, discourages evaluation and review.  It labels those who question the proclamation implying a lack of faith.  It is usually followed by a reprimand of unfaithfulness and unchristian like behavior.  There are many warnings in the Bible.  Are we implored to think, evaluate, review, compare, before we leap?

I find it ironic that what is motivating me now is to read the Bible not so much for my faith in Christ, but to research and verify what I'm being taught from the pulpit. That worries me.  It also worries me that more Christians become more suspicious of the established man created church governing institutions.    

What encourages me is that many have not lost their faith, but strengthened as they move away from those established institutions, in the name of God.

Amateur Film Maker

 Then unexpected side affects of a student film maker is that you start looking at tv shows differently.  Id include movies, but as you know, I don't see a lot of them.

Im starting to observe how often they cut to a different camera, how they frame the picture with little or no headroom (thanks Cory), or the type of shot.  What I should be looking at is how they craft the show, the storyline, but that is something im not ready for, yet.  

What disturbs me as I watch season 5 of Mrs. Maisel, I spend more time watching the credits.  Yes, the acknowledgements at the end of the show.  What font are they using, what format, who they are crediting. Yes, I am getting ticked at those shows where they minimize the screen off to the side while they start the next show.  Show me the damn credits.......

Maybe I aspire to be like Chuck Lorre and have note cards at the end of the show with my thoughts of the day.  Like this blog.  I guess Im there already.  Off to watch episode 4 of Mrs. Maisel and read the credits.

Historic Japanese American church nearly loses name, legacy

Our church during the 80s and 90s.

Published June 13th in the Asian American News (ASAMNEWS.com)

 https://asamnews.com/2023/06/13/church-takeover-prevented-japanese-american-history-erasure-southern-california/?fbclid=IwAR3-OOfgXJUHfHFh-rkfDu0me0e84FhHL49u0rmxEhu7kevvW-4J2amk62k

Memorial Day 2023

 

Japanese American Vietnam Era Archives JAVEA

 Long name.  Short explanation, the Interview of Sansei (third generation JA) Veterans of the Vietnam Era.  The Vietnam Era is considered 1960 to early 1970s.  Veterans are defined as anyone that served in the armed forces during that time period.  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Reserves, National Guard, Coast Guard, etc.  Assignment is not a factor, In country (Vietnam) stateside, other countries.

Interviews are conducted according to the Library of Congress Veteran History Project.  We record and document according to their guidelines and submit raw footage to the VHP.  They will edit and post on their website.  

The questions we ask are slightly modified to reflect the JA community.  Some were born in camp, most out of the incarceration resettlement.  We try to cover the community they grew up in, military experience and their repatriation into civilian society.  Benefits (life lessons, VA assistance, etc.), reflections.

It is our attempt to recognize a forgotten or ignored portion of our JA community. The two of us (Don Bannai and myself) are not veterans.  I missed the draft lottery by two months.  But during Vietnam whether you were drafted or fortunate to not be, you were affected. I may have followed the lottery knowing that I was not affected, but they lived it.  

The unexpected benefits of these interviews, is that it has given us a wide perspective of the war.  Some fought in Korea, some stayed stateside, some overseas in Europe, some before the escalation of the conflict.  Some in the thick of it. Each veteran has his unique story and we are trying to preserve those stories.  Already, too many have passed.  And many still struggle with the VA, PTSD and agent Orange.

The interviews are in 20 minute segments, and if at any time they don't feel comfortable with a question, we move on.  Many have said, they have not told these stories to their family, or talked with other veterans.  We hope it helps them move on and provide a history for their grandchildren.

God of Film Making

 I have written about a recent takeover of our old church.  I have volunteered to document the churches congregations reaction to the recent events.  To be honest, it is difficult to keep my emotions suppressed, but in order to help those displaced, I need to maintain neutrality.  In order to tell the story, it has to unfold on it's own and not prompted or directed.  

This I my own philosophy when interviewing people.  Whether it is the Sansei Veterans or displaced church members, the neutrality and inquisitiveness seems to be my most valued trait.  People must trust that they will not be manipulated. 

But with that philosophy, comes an internal burden.  It becomes emotionally draining.  If I do two or three interviews a day, I come home exhausted, both physically and emotionally and requires at least a day of down time. 

Neutrality also comes into play when editing the footage.  Does it reflect their mood and did it alter their views, does it accurately reflect the context of the whole interview.  That is the ultimate burden of trust.  Lets hope that it is maintained.  That is not to say the end product will be liked by all, but you let the chips fall where land without disturbing them.

Editors can be the God of filmaking.  We can manipulate, create, to our pleasure.  The goal for me is to minimize my editorial bias.  Wish me luck.

Fear of Success

Recently my picture, or I should say a photo from my latest film has been chosen as the representative of the Digital Histories Senior video class set of films for this year's LA Asian Pacific Film Festival.  My film is on my observations of aging and has a picture of me examining myself in my bathroom mirror. For anyone looking up the program, they will see that picture.  Autographs in the lobby after the showing.  I pay you.

https://festival.vcmedia.org/2023/programs/digital-histories-2023/

After  six years of film making, my latest film has been chosen at a few film festivals.  Nichibei in the Bay Area, Disorient in Eugene, Or, and at the Gardena JCI.  Now you would think this is a validation of my film creativity and work, but it is more a matter of timing and luck.

Most film festivals have a theme and my film last year on a Santa Clara Judge and his flag signing project honoring WWII Japanese American Incarcerees happen to fit in.  I can honestly say it is more of the subject vs the film itself.  It is usually shown in a shorts program with other short films.  They are wonderful films, created by talented film makers.  After viewing them my wife looks at me and says "you need to up your game" and I agree.

There is always a fear, of not of failure, but of the fall from success.  There is always the fear of when walking assuredly, of tripping. Let's hope the perspective keeps me grounded.  

Influences

When friends start talking about major influences in their lives, I tend to drift off into the background.  Mine are not usually the norm.  People have shared famous presidents, major philosophers, biblical authors, etc.  These are mine.

Mad Magazine.  Memories of M&S pharmacy on Centinela, back in the corner of the store where the comic books were displayed.  Plus mom would put one in my Christmas stocking every year.

Paul Conrad, political cartoonist for the LA Times.  I loved his drawing style and wit.  A lot of my cynical view of politics were formed by his cartoons.

Get Smart, Buck Henry and Mel Brooks, TV show of the late sixties.  Absurdity can be hilarious. I Want to build my own cone of silence.

Smothers Brothers Comedy hour,  While friends religiously watched Laugh In, I was glued to Sunday nights at 9pm.  Not only did I love the satire, but also the music, not so much the bickering between the two brothers.  I always was fascinated by the photo montage backed by Mason Williams' Classical Gas.

Gary Trudeau, Doonesbury,  I don't agree with his politics, but love his satire.  He reflects the times we live in.

Gary Larson, the Far Side,  Self explanatory.  Must be all that rain in Seattle.

Modern Christian Terminology

 A hostile takeover in the name of God.

A hostile takeover is a type of acquisition where a company (the acquirer) takes control of another company (the target company) without the approval or consent of the target company's board of directors. In other words, the target company's management is not in favor of the takeover, hence the term "hostile".

Cornell University 

hostile takeover | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute

This is a new one on me.  There are at times the secular business world intersects with the religious.  Recently my former church, Anaheim Free Methodist was taken over by the Pacific Coast Japanese Free Methodist conference and given over to another church.  This was without warning or consent of the AFM board.  Notice was given on a Sunday and taken affect on that same day.  Staff was relieved of their duties, finances taken over and new pastor assigned.  It is now the North Campus of the Voice Church.  https://www.voice.church/secondlocation

Needless to say, the former congregation is not happy.  The question is, if it is labeled the will of God by the denomination leadership, is it?  

Lessons Learned

 Im approaching the finishing touches on this year's film "When I'm 64". The subject is aging.  To vent somewhat, I had gone to a church to film a senior basketball league.  The original intent was to film a friend put on his braces (four, two on each leg).  It evolved as I also took footage of the group gathering at the circle for announcements and a devotion as well as them playing a game.

Two weeks later I go back to get signed releases and take a few more photos.  As I got my signatures, it occurred to me that I since I was in the church gym, I should get permission to film from the office.  When I approached the office, it was not too much of a surprise that they never had received such a request and didn't know how to approach it.

Later that afternoon, I received an email saying they did not feel comfortable with the request and denied permission.  That put me in a panic as the last 4o seconds was on the group and the devotional on where we are going as old men. I appealed to the person giving the devotional that maybe we can re record the story outside the church.  He decided to appeal to the church's pastor.

In the mean time I did what film makers should not do, is show him the film.  He was not happy with my editing.  Short story, his ending mentioned Billy Graham as the source of the story and he ended the story in prayer.  I did not include the prayer in the film.  I had originally had the part of where it was a story told by Rev. Graham.  When I showed it to my DH class, when they heard Billy Graham, they made remarks and did not bother to hear the end message.  At that time it was more important the message stay in and I took out the reference to Dr. Graham.

After viewing the film, he withdrew his appeal to the pastor as he did not like that I took out the reference to Dr. Graham and the prayer.  End of story.

There are some issues here to consider.

Film makers point of view:  They are the final editor, if they have the personal releases, they can do what they want.

Church point of view: They have the right to control what is recorded on their property.  They should have a policy to deal with modern days technology.

Story teller point of view:  Im unsure of this one, if he signs the release, he has no control.  

Reality:  There is a respect from me for the church and the storyteller on their representation.  I will not go against their final decision.

Actuality:  I made the revisions to the film removing pictures, video and voice from the game, pre game circle and devotion in the film.  Including any references to the church.  I also shredded the signed release forms.  I did find and interesting quote from Dr. Graham that I did insert at the end of the film.

                Old age may' have its limitations and challenges, but in spite of them, 

                our later years can be some of the most rewording and fulfilling of our lives.       

                                                                                                                        Billy Graham

43rd Anniversary