THE BACKSTORY: During the pandemic, as anti-Asian hate crimes surged, I was reminded of an early draft I’d written when I first learned about Vincent Chin. With the rise of revisionist-history storytelling in film, I found the perfect way to tell my story: four losers searching for identity and purpose. As other Vincent Chin biopics were announced, I knew my story had a different spin — using Vincent Chin’s historical relevance to tell a more complex story about being Asian American.

THE ACCOLADES: The script has received strong evaluations on the Black List, the industry’s gold standard for identifying great scripts. Building on that momentum, it was a Quarterfinalist in the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship (run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) and a Semifinalist at the Austin Film Festival.

THE WINDS OF FATE: Once the script earned recognition, the winds of fate got busy, bringing people into my orbit. I’ve crossed paths with Oscar-winning producers and acclaimed Asian directors, and landed on the radar of a few A-list actors. I also gained support from screenwriters, showrunners, directors and talent agencies.

I’m most proud of meeting Christine Choy (RIP), who reminded me of the importance of being bold, taking chances, and making a statement. I also connected with someone associated with the Vincent Chin Institute, who appreciated that my fictional narrative steers clear of life-rights issues while telling a unique story.

 

BUDGET: 5-8 Million.

STRATEGY: Attach an experienced, notable producer. Cast A-list Asian actors to play the present-day versions of the Mou Yongers. Rely on the depth and rare complexity of roles, then cast emerging young actors to play the teen version.

For the strong present-day female role, cast an international actress with a strong fan base, known for taking on prestige projects, to attract foreign box office appeal. With the appeal of a unique Vincent Chin project, bring on a director as an EP and mentor. The goal is a film like Sinners — Oscar-worthy and a box office success, and Do the Right Thing — a movie that is talked about for decades.

THE POWER OF MOU YONG: It’s remarkable that the Cantonese word for “useless” is anything but. The word sparks lively conversation with everyone who can read it — when I made a t-shirt with those characters, an expat from Hong Kong even approached me at a train station, asking, “Does that say what I think it does?” He thought it was the name of a band. What I love most is laughing with my family and all the aunties and uncles. Growing up, the word was associated with shame, defiance, and self-doubt. Now it can heal.

I made a “Useless Ones” trailer as an homage to director Jon Chu. At his book signing, he spoke about how Apple’s “Here’s to the Crazy Ones” ad shaped him growing up in Los Altos.  At the signing, I had a chance to put myself on his radar, and once I get a producer and an agent, I can share my script with him.