13: Creating Film and Community with Vivian Hua

03/25/19 • 59 min

Vivian Hua is the director of the Northwest Film Forum (NWFF) , a non-profit film and arts center dedicated to public dialogue and creative action through collective cinematic experiences. Prior to NWFF, Vivian was Communications Manager for ICANNWiki, a collaborative resource dedicated to simplifying the complex issues, policies, and players in the sphere of internet governance. Vivian was also editor in chief of REDEFINE Magazine, a print and web magazine focused on music and the arts.

Vivian got a BA in sociology focused on Law, Society & Justice. Social justice has been a central theme in Vivian's life and is reflected in the work she pursues. In 2017, Vivian released Searching Skies, a narrative short film about a Syrian refugee family. The film was screened in 50 venues across the US and accompanied by a discussion series where people could meet a Muslim person, sometimes for the first time, and ask questions.

In today's episode, we talk about Vivian's vision for the NWFF, Vivian's sudden decision to pursue film upon turning 30, and exploring social justice with film.

Quote

When I turned 30, I had a personal revelation. I spent my entire 20's supporting other peoples art ... So how do I work on my own now and had a calling to do film

– Vivian Hua

Notes

what is NWFF
getting started in film
divination and following signs
typical day
hosting film discussions
searching skies
current projects
routines to recharge
vr and film
community and diversity at NWFF
marketing art

Closing

inspiration
- being inspired by the person that you're with
surprising fact
- used to be a huge raver and gamer
principles
- be authentic to who you are
closing
- anyone who has a cool idea, reach out to Vivian and the NWFF
- open to random emails

Contact

LinkedIn
Email: [email protected]

These shownotes are also available at http://folkstories.org/13

In today's episode, we talk about Vivian's vision for the NWFF, Vivian's sudden decision to pursue film upon turning 30, and exploring social justice with film.

Quote

When I turned 30, I had a personal revelation. I spent my entire 20's supporting other peoples art ... So how do I work on my own now and had a calling to do film

– Vivian Hua

Notes

what is NWFF
getting started in film
divination and following signs
typical day
hosting film discussions
searching skies
current projects
routines to recharge
vr and film
community and diversity at NWFF
marketing art

Closing

inspiration
- being inspired by the person that you're with
surprising fact
- used to be a huge raver and gamer
principles
- be authentic to who you are
closing
- anyone who has a cool idea, reach out to Vivian and the NWFF
- open to random emails

Contact

LinkedIn
Email: [email protected]

These shownotes are also available at http://folkstories.org/13

Previous Episode

12: Feeding Ghosts with Tessa Hulls

Tessa Hulls is an artist/writer/adventurer whose work spans a multitude of genres and whose travels have taken her across all 7 continents, much of it on bike. She is the daughter of two first generation immigrants and is currently working on a graphic novel about her grandmother titled "Feeding Ghosts".

Tessa describes herself as a compulsive genre hopper who has worked in some capacity as an illustrator, cartoonist, editor, interviewer, writer, performer, chef, muralist, conductor of social experiments, painter, teacher, and researcher. She is fascinated by the concept of home. Outside of working on her graphic novel, Tessa is also focused on public speaking about little known women at the turn of the century and social activism.

In today's episode, we talk about Tessa's current project and its origin, we talk about Calvin and Hobbes and being either totally engaged in or out of work, and we talk about the feelings that come with home and solitude.

Quote

I'm completely convinced that serendipity is a muscle that gets stronger the more you exercise it... I just like to sling myself out in the universe and see what happens.

– Tessa Hulls

Notes

history and start into genre hopping
Feeding Ghosts and origin of Tessa's current project
reading habits
Calvin and Hobbes
a day in the life
combining work and hobbies while avoiding burnout
cooking professionally
lifestyle and trade-offs
concept of home
solitude and what it means
artists residency
coddiewompe: "to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination"
feminism and activism
getting to know America by biking across it

Closing

inspiration
- overwhelming canon of women in the 20th century doing things that they shouldn't have been able to do
surprising fact
- professional cook and how it started with rugby, whisky and pie
principles
- piece by Jim Dodge: "They can do whatever you cannot stop them from doing. You can do whatever you can pull off and still live with yourself"
closing notes:
- lookout for Guided by Ghosts, Tessa's upcoming project to be exhibited in Santa Cruz, which weaves together her current family history with the Chinese history of Santa Cruz

Contact

Feeding Ghosts Notebook

These shownotes are also available at http://folkstories.org/12

Next Episode

14: Focusing on the Message with John Lauer

John Lauer is the CEO of Zipwhip, a Seattle based businesses that enables businesses to text message their customers through software and API solutions. Zipwhip is one of Seattle's fastest growing private companies and was the first business that made it possible for landlines and cellphones to communicate with each other.

Prior to Zipwhip, John was already neck deep in entrepreneurship. John started coming up with business ideas ever since he was thirteen. John started his first company, Rootlevel, at the age of 21 - Rootlevel was a web design firm based in Detroit and had included GM and Ford as their clients. John dropped out of college one semester from finishing his computer science degree because he made a commitment early on to never do something that would require a resume.

In today's episode, we talk about John's storied history and start in entrepreneurship, we talk about the makings of Zipwhip and the state of texting, and we talk about the focus and people that it takes to start a business.

Quote

If you contribute to humanity, humanity rewards you back, which gives you more ability to contribute. It sort of pancake layers on top of itself.

– John Lauer

Notes

how John got started with entrepreneurship
dropping out of college and commiting to startups
Zipwhip, how it got started and where it is today
importance of texting to businesses and consumers
closed vs open systems
predictions about communication platforms going forward
finding the right people to start a company with
staying focused and deciding what to focus on
ways of recharging

Closing

inspiration
- week without at Zipwhip - two weeks without office food, raised $5000 to donate to Mary's place
surprising fact
- walk around with smile on face but there's a great amount of simulation happening inside of what might happen at Zipwhip
principle
- do the right thing
closing notes
- Zipwhip will keep plugging forward and texting is adding huge value to peoples lifes, lots of new releases coming out later this year