1.9.17

Commercial shoot!





1.4.17






I'm at 0:40 and 1:30:




11.28.16





11.2.16





10.12.16

My Logitech commercial is out! I show up at 0:16:





9.04.16

Yay, I won two tournaments in one week!
  • 1st Place Black Belt Women's Kata (Seido Karate Hollywood Dojo Inter-Dojo Tournament)
  • Division 8 Champion (WCTTA league)






7.28.16

Whee I made my first time-lapse live drawing video and it was so fun! Watch it with the sound on!



I'm also in the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) promo video (they also interview the two current Olympians!). I'm at 08:39:




7.8.16

My project "Ecocity VR San Francisco" has been released online!

I am the MC for 3 segments - go to http://ecocityvr.org, click on the play button, and then the camera icons under Socio Cultural, Eco-Literary, and Inclusive Design. The project was sponsored by the non-profit Ecocity Builders, who are trying to reshape cities for the long-term health of human and natural systems!



5.25.16

My VISA print ad is online!



I went to IMDB to forward a friend the Numb3rs episode where I was a co-star - and found out they are using my picture in the IMDB thumbnail!





Another TT League win! Yay!



Sketch inspired by a Chinese proverb: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”



3.7.16

I got cast in a Bay Area movie! I play the Guide for the film The Valley!

I recently started competing in league tournaments for table tennis and I've been the Division 7 Champion for three weeks! Yay!



1.18.16

A second spot for Presence Security! I'm at 1:07:




1.14.16

Yay, I got upgraded to principal! They're playing it on TV and radio (I'm at 0:17):




10.29.15

My print ad for Golden Gate University is being shown! I saw at least five of the banners in a 2x2 block around Mission and 1st St. in San Francisco. So fun!



9.23.15

Yay, I shot another commercial! This time for a new water-saving device. I'll update when it gets released!

6.29.15

Wow, my second print ad in two weeks! This time for Siemens. Feeling so blessed!

6.25.15

I've added some new sketches to my gallery!



6.21.15

The commercial I shot for Presence Pro is on YouTube!


6.18.15

Woo hoo! I shot a photo shoot for a VISA print ad. So happy!



1.07.15

To fret or not to fret?

A number of years ago, I had opened for a major Taiwanese singer at a show, made some side money as a wedding singer, entered in singing competitions, and wrote and produced my own demo cd. I was competing in an Anime Expo VO competition when one of the other contestants said, "You're Chyna Chuu? I have one of your songs on my Winamp playlist!" It was crazy flattering because I had taught myself guitar, piano, and songwriting, but at the time it actually felt more terrifying than anything. I took my songs off the web and stopped singing and playing music from that day on. I didn't know it at the time, but there were so many other things in my life that I had to settle first. Luckily, the Universe guided me on a circuitous journey to give me what I needed. Now back at the beginning, same but different.

I had a guitar class tonight, and my heart feels so indescribably full! To wholeheartedness and dreams!



2.09.14

I can't believe I've been up here in Northern California for almost a year... It's definitely been a challenging period for me because my life is so different now...



I was listening to "What Would Love Do" by Jason Mraz the other night:
      
      It's nice to meet you
      No, I'm not from outer space
      But I'd like to take you, to a higher place,
      Where we won't ever have to leave the ground.
      Just ask what love would do now.
      
      If it's got you thinking about a change of scenery
      Try letting go of what it was or how things ought to be
      And ask what love would do now,
      Just ask what love would do now.
      
      If you care to join me oh when you shake my hand,
      Do not let go and soon you'll understand
      What it means to have a friend beside you,
      Who's there to remind you that love is what you are right now.
      
      Ask what would love do,
      What would love do,
      What would love do now.

This is my favorite line from the song - "Try letting go of what it was or how things ought to be..." - those words encapsulate my current journey and phase of life. I still may not be able to solve my identity crisis or know what my purpose is in life, but I do know that allowing myself to do something creative for the first time in eight months made me feel one with my soul. It started off as a cursive L and made me reconnect with what I love and who I am:





1.07.14

Happy New Year everyone! 2013 was a tumultuous year that brought huge revelations for me, and I feel like I've grown so much. May 2014 continue to bring insight and joy!

I was adding videos to my Youtube channel, and I found this blast from the past. It's from a 2007 job I did for Hannah Montana, Season 2, Episode "Smells like Teen Spirit." I played Brianna, and I had a Southern accent. Ha ha, I don't even recognize my own voice??


I'm at 3:58 into the clip, telling Miley Cyrus's character how much I love her perfume!

7.17.13

A friend told me that he was doing a Google Images search for "angry female asian driver" (don't we all??) and he said, "Didn't expect to see your picture there."



I am an... Internet meme???!! OMG?! This picture is from a car-related stock photography shoot I did years ago. I don't even get the joke, but the whole situation is hysterical! LOL!!


5.3.13

I recently fell ill and had to go to the emergency room. My condition wouldn't have worsened to such a state had I been aware of what impetigo and antibiotic allergies were. Here is my 30-day photo journal of the "rash" on my face that turned out to be so much more:




3.25.13

I was invited to a screening of "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone," and the theater was pretty packed. The director, Don Scardino, said that the editor's cut was three and a half hours! So they really had to trim a lot, including a lot of his favorite scenes, so he apologized in advance if people's beloved bits got cut.

My line and two of my scenes ended up on the cutting room floor. They cut all my interaction with Jim Carrey at the birthday party, but I am still in a good portion of the scene with James Gandolfini. But the best news is that I have a CREDIT at the end of the movie! Woo hoo! It's the first time I've ever seen my name on the big screen!!!

It has been a great beginning of the year - I shot a 3-day recruitment video for a prestigious government agency where I played an agent AND I shot a commercial with *Jackie Chan*! It is a short film/promo video for the Embraer Executive Jets Legacy 650 model, and Jackie Chan is their new spokesperson (they gave him a jet as a gift!). I have a speaking role as the Chinese Desk News Anchor. I'm not in the same scene as Jackie (his shots are solo), but I'm going to cross it off my bucket list anyway! Now I just have to work with Jet Li and my childhood wushu crushes will be fulfilled! (~__^)


12.22.12

The official trailer for "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" has been released and I'm in it! You'll catch me at 2:00 when Jim Carrey's character hammers a nail into his hand:



The movie is scheduled for release in March 2013. Yay!


Recently I shot two industrials - one for the USC Business School, and another for a Customer Service company. I also got offered a role to shoot a pilot pitch for Spent TV. Here's the Facebook post from the Spent TV page:




2012 has been a wonderful year. Happy Holidays, everyone!


11.2.12

Another year older, another year wiser!




5.9.12

I have a speaking role in an upcoming New Line Cinema film coming out next year! It's called "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" and it stars Steve Carrell, Steve Buscemi, Jim Carrey, and James Gandolfini. James Gandolfini plays Las Vegas casino owner Doug Munny, and I was cast to be his personal valet. I was in three scenes—a total of five days on set. Such a nice cast and crew!

I wore three different designer outfits and here's one of them:



For my last scene I wore a Sretsis dark gray dress that I absolutely adored! It was a rental so unfortunately I couldn't even offer to buy it from the Wardrobe Department. I also tried scouring online for it to no avail, *sniffles*...

When I'm rich my closet is going to be filled with Sretsis clothing—I totally love their style!!

My karate style's founder, Kaicho Nakamura, turned 70 recently, and all of the dojos around the world made birthday videos for him. My dojo, Hollywood Dojo, made a video set to Randy Newman's "I Love LA", highlighting different LA landmarks.

The compilation video is over an hour long, but I have set it to start at our submission. For the Kodak Theatre shots, my hair was still nicely styled from shooting Burt Wonderstone the previous day—I purposely didn't wash my hair, hee hee! (^___~) I had five minutes to draw the "We love you" and "Happy Birthday Kaicho" signs:





I also did a shoot for Red Monkey accessories modeling jewelry, watches, and cuffs:


For the first two pictures, the no-eyebrow look was done on purpose to look high-fashiony!


I am also excited to announce I have switched to a new agency, Venture IAB :) And lastly, here are some recent sketches!





11.5.11

I recently got to work on a wonderful project with Tim Russ. The part was originally looking for a Hispanic news anchor, but I read for it, and this is the feedback that Tim wrote for me on CAZT:

Chyna was very well prepared, and gave a very convincing, and believable read. She obviously took time with the material. She is my first choice for the part.

Then I got cast! Tim changed the role to Asian and changed the character's name too. How cool is that? I'm also currently on avail for a commercial, and had a Producer Session at Disney. Whee! I think all of these wonderful things are happening to me because I'm at a great place in my life.

Here are two sketches that I recently did:


< BR> It was fun to doodle "The Search for Longevity". I was inspired after watching the BBC documentary "How to Live to 101" and I was sitting on the floor while my two rabbits frolicked around me. I've never tried drawing a dragon before and old faces are always fun to try and imagine. The "Four Cardinals" is actually one sketch that I duplicated and rotated in three other directions. I had doodled the top picture while I was on the phone with AT&T Customer Service, and somehow the paper got rotated 90 degrees CCW. S saw it and said, "Did you draw an amaebi?" We then turned it every which way...

It was my birthday on Nov. 2. Go Scorpios! Here's a pic of me eating my two favorite foods in the whole world: fried rice and dumplings!! *gobble gobble*~!

This year's birthday was by far the most meaningful birthday for me. I'd have to say it's the best birthday ever - not one where a lot of fancy, flashy, external hullabaloo took place, but rather one filled with internal validations. I'm at such a happy, satisfied place in my life. I feel like 2010 was a year where a lot of resolutions and closure took place.

There's no gift more valuable than inner peace.


10.5.11

I just finished watching Twelve Kingdoms (Juuni Kokki). *swoon* It's now my favorite anime of all time! My favorite themes to watch (psychology, philosophy, emotional journeys, character development) all deftly executed and woven into a breathtaking world.

I took a break from drawing my unconventional art and tried to sketch two of the female characters, Shoukei and Youko. It was engrossing and I'm learning so much about facial proportions. It's so fun to visually experiment and see how one little teeny detail can totally change the mood of the picture...




9.23.11

I have three commercials on the air right now! GotoMeeting (which plays all the time on CNN) is now running two different spots, one where I'm in the supermarket and the other where I'm in Kenya at a water well:



Then I have two commercials running in the Asian markets:

DirecTV


Care1st Health Insurance

I got to ride a bike all day for the Care1st Health Insurance commercial. So fun!

I had some big theatrical auditions lately for G.I. Joe 2, Harry's Law, and Apartment 23. I got really good feedback from the casting directors.

My deal memo with the two producers fell through on my screenplay. The scenario wasn't quite right, but I'm really grateful that it happened the way it did - I walked away with a greater understanding of the process. Everything happens for a reason - you can't place a price value on experience! I'm excited to finish up two more screenplays soon.

Sketch inspired by a personal epiphany:


6.23.11

I'm in the pre-production phase of my first screenplay! It's been so exciting (fingers crossed!), and in the meantime I'm undertaking an epic adaptation for my next screenplay.


A fellow dojo mate saw me in an advertisement at a Laguna Niguel bus stop.


On set. I'm constantly astounded by the creativity of makeup artists.
Who knew yellow lipstick could be so fabulous!


5.13.11

I finally got the copy for the Fujifilm demo I did with cinematographer Gabriel Beristain! It's a fictional day in the life of five aspiring entertainers.







5.13.11

My GoTo Meeting commercial is running now!




4.11.11

I am so excited about 2011! So far it has been an unpredictable year full of surprises and memorable experiences!

The Fujifilm 250D film I shot with cinematographer Gabriel Beristain was screened in Los Angeles and London. How cool is that?





I put up stills in the "On Set" section of my photo gallery:


I went to the screening and it was so beautifully done! I am waiting to get the digital copy of the entire film. Luckily, the on-set photographer, Michael Bulbenko took a video of me during a rehearsal of the wushu sequence. I had to choreograph a short sequence with a space constraint of a few steps of movement, so I just linked a bunch of Long Fist moves together.


Speaking of martial arts, I flew to the Seido Karate headquarters in NY to take a four-day promotion test.


.......................*drumroll please*.........................


(That's me on the left punching during the Kumite portion)


I passed! I am now a 1st degree black belt in Seido Karate! OSU!

The Hollywood Dojo Events Calendar section contains a link to pictures and an essay I wrote about my experience. It was truly one of the most memorable experiences of my life.


3.15.11

I love Brian Regan! He is my FAVORITE comedian. I'm usually covered in sweat because he makes me laugh so hard. I was listening to his audio CD "All By Myself" and felt inspired to doodle. I usually draw in silence. These acoustically-inspired sketches contained lines and shapes that were crisper, thinner, edgier. Perhaps somehow related to the cadence of joke delivery?




12.23.10

Great News! I've had more success passing my script around. Thanks to a supernice contact, I got my script into the hands of a UTA agent, who read it and thought it was good! He's putting together notes for me. I also have a producer and a director reading my script. I'm so excited!

I got hired again to work with Fujifilm as a lead for their 250D demo film with cinematographer/director Gabriel Beristain (S.W.A.T., Blade: Trinity), one of the best directors I have ever worked with. He set a very ambitious vision for the creative and visual film that he wanted, and I was so honored that he involved me so much in the input process. I'm going to be doing wushu and a very emotional scene in the film, I can't wait to see the footage!

The Fujifilm Eterna Vivid projects I did last year are available on YouTube:


With DP/Director Phedon Papamichael:



With DP/Director Kramer Morgenthau:



With DP/Director Dion Beebe:


I'm progressing really nicely on my second script, and with Christmas around the corner, I'm incredibly optimistic for what 2011 will bring. I was able to do some sketches during my dojo holiday party while we were playing "Name That Tune":


I'm like a giddy kid in a sandbox when I have a pen and a blank piece of paper

We also had a hula hooping contest. I rock at hula hooping. I really do. If I had to, I could jumprope and hula hoop in my sleep. Unfortunately my mobile-minded skirt was determined to scandalize, so I had to stop. Next year I will wear pants and hula my way to ultimate victory!



11.13.10

I'm learning a lot about the difficult process that occurs after a script is finished. The hardest part is not finding out the contact information for agents, producers, managers, but how to get access to them. I bought the Fall/Winter 2010 Literary Agency Guide for $60 only to find out that 90% of the listed contacts accept submissions by "referral only." Jeez. I can't even mail them a query letter to ask if I can send them my script because that would go against their "No Unsolicited Materials" policy. Why couldn't I have at least one relative who worked in a studio??? Hee hee...

I know that literary managers are more willing to take on unestablished writers, but I'm going to wait on them until my agency mailings come back. Out of 32 agency query letters sent out on Nov. 3:
4 Returned Unopened Envelopes - I'm guessing the contact or submission info is now outdated since the book came out in June 2010
3 Query Responses - Two agencies were nice enough to reply and say that my concept wasn't for them, another agency said they weren't accepting new materials or clients
2 Script Requests - one from my old manager and one from a seido contact who is also a writer

I'm trying to think of unconventional (but sane) methods to try and get my foot in the door because I've exhausted all of the "legit" options. It's my dream to have my script produced by Harpo Productions and Playtone Productions. I learned about Playtone after Nia Vardalos said on the screenwriting series, "The Dialogue," that her experience with them on "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" had been wonderful. I really related to Nia's interview because we were both minority actors who wrote screenplays to create opportunities for ourselves. Nia had also mentioned that she would read any script that came to her the right way, so I contacted her via Twitter and asked her if I could send her my script. Alas, no response. I tried emailing Harpo Productions asking if I could send Oprah my script. No response. I tried tweeting Rita Wilson asking if I could send Playtone a query letter. No response.

In "How to Sell Your Screenplay," Dov Simens said that if you called up an agency and said you were looking for a literary agent they would most likely hang up on you. But if you found an agent that represented a director and called saying you had a script for the director, you might have a slim chance to get them to look at your script. I thought that was a mighty interesting approach. In my spec script, I wrote the part of my mother specifically with Gong Li (my favorite actress) in mind, so I decided to call David Unger at ICM and tell him I had a script for his client. With my heart beating out of my chest, I picked up the phone...


 
Fun Fact: I was handpicked by Oscars producer Laura Ziskin at a go-see to wear Gong Li's
"Curse of the Golden Flower" costume for the 2007 Oscars Best Costume Design segment


I called ICM, got transferred easily to David Unger's office and said smoothly, "I have a script for Gong Li, may I send it to you for consideration?" The secretary put me on hold and then came back and asked me, "Does your script have full financing? If not, we don't accept unsolicited materials. When you get full financing and can make an offer to Gong Li, then give us a call." Tear.

In the meantime I'm just going to start writing my next spec script (I've already finished the outline) and think of other ways to somehow get my script in the hands of an agent or producer. I know it's commercial and marketable, if only they could read it! I won't give up!!

As my inkjet doled out query letters, I doodled with a Sharpie while listening to its gentle whirring hum:


I read a great quote by Marvin Phillips: The difference between try and triumph is just a little umph!


11.2.10

It's my birthday! My best birthday ever, really (I'm saying it a la Bridget Jones :). I copyrighted my spec script yesterday and I'm so excited about the possibilities. It's a coming-of-age dramedy. Now I'm focusing on finding literary representation, which is going to be difficult since a lot of agencies only read scripts through referrals. I just need to get the chance to send it to them, I really believe that they'll love it!



35 day aged steak for my birthday lunch

Here are two new sketches with a ballpoint pen:



Recently I was reading AFTRA magazine when I saw a writing contest sponsored by the First Entertainment Credit Union. To enter, I had to write a original short story that had to mention "First Entertainment Credit Union." I love writing short stories, so here's my entry below:



A Generous Deposit
by Chyna Chuu


        For the past five minutes, Estelle, 66, had been staring at her paycheck. When once it had represented the solution to all of her problems, today she saw it for what it really was - a watermarked piece of paper that could no longer define happiness for her. Ever since she had turned 50, something happened. Perhaps it was a combination of the senior yoga class she had begun taking, her volunteer work at the library, or simply just laughing more with her fellow aged cohorts about the little things. Whatever the reasons were, her golden years were bringing her a sense of joy and peace that she had never before experienced in her youth.

        So she sat in her car in the First Entertainment Credit Union parking lot, knowing she drove here to deposit the money, but not knowing why she wasn't getting out of her car. ìI just don't need it,î she admitted. Ever since her husband Sam died, it was just her and faithful dog Hugo in their two-bedroom house. She really had more than enough to sustain her and Hugo indefinitely. Sam had invested smartly in telecommunications ventures, so the extra income from her successful painting career was just sweet icing on the cake.

        Oh my. The car clock showed she had been in her car for twenty minutes. She stared into her rearview mirror at the security guard sitting by the ATM. I hope he doesn't think I'm casing the joint because I've been sitting here so long. The thought made her chuckle. The burly security guard was in his 30s, chubby, and clean-shaven. His plump, sausage-like fingers were gripping a book and he was reading it intensely. Estelle squinted to try and read the title. The Secret to Fulfillment.

        Estelle unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car. She shuffled towards the security guard, observing that he had four other books stashed under his chair. As approached him, she noticed his eyes were closed and he was chanting, ìUnleash your energies to the world. He took a deep, deliberate breath and a slow, meaningful exhale. He looked so relaxed she realized she might startle him if he were to open his eyes and suddenly see her standing in front of him.

        "Excuse me," Estelle said tenderly. She glanced at his name tag. "Peter, is it?" She decided the safest bet was to preempt even though she felt intrusive disrupting his personal moment. Peter snapped to attention and upon seeing her, quickly tossed his book underneath his chair with the others, where it fell next to a giant cookbook entitled Decadent Desserts.

        "Yes, yes, is there a problem, ma'am?" Peter stammered.

        "I can't help but notice the book that you're reading. Would you mind please telling me what the secret to fulfillment is?"

        Peter coughed, clearly embarrassed. "I think it's about doing what you love, ma'am."

        "And what do you love to do, Peter?" He was really growing on her, ruddy cheeks and all.

        "I love to bake, ma'am. I'm trying to save up for my own bakery." He was positively scarlet now.

        "Oh, that's wonderful. Peter, will you do me a favor? I'm going to write down my address on a piece of paper and when you open up your bakery you deliver me some of your goodies." Estelle took out a pen and a piece of paper from her purse and began writing. "Banana nut muffins are my favorite."

        "Unfortunately, I'm still a bit aways from my shop, ma'am," Peter confessed, fighting back tears.

        "You'll get there soon, don't you fret, Peter. Take care now." Estelle handed him the paper.

        Estelle smiled and began walking back to her car. Peter looked down at the piece of paper and realized he was holding Estelle's paycheck. On the back, Estelle had endorsed it and inscribed, Peter, in life the things that make us happy are the things that are most worthwhile. Best wishes. Peter turned it back over and couldn't believe his eyes. The check was for $200,000.





10.12.10

Check out the new promo video for my karate dojo:



8.15.10

The past two months were tough for me as I got sidelined by a knee injury suffered during wushu class. It was an awakening situation for me though - learning how to walk again, redefining how to exercise, reconnecting with each muscle. I'm fully healed now but I feel much more in tune with my body. I also worked a lot on my screenplay which is about 2/3 done :)

I tried sketching with a new weapon of choice - Sharpie Extra Fine Point. I normally like being able to shade and have more precise control over line thicknesses but the Sharpie forced me my designs to take shape on a certain way. It was fun :)

I've posted them on my Sketches page:



< BR> 5.15.10

I took my wushu Level 10 test and passed! Go me!! I am now Level 11 (out of 16) and really loving how it's so challenging physically and mentally.

One of the AFI films I did screened at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival recently, and now it's availably on HBO On Demand! It's called "Lucky Lotus" and the character I play is named Thuy. If you are an HBO digital subscriber, no extra equipment or installation is required. You can select the film from on-screen menus with the remote control. How cool is that?!


4.8.10

My sister-in-law recently saw me on the Yahoo main portal and took a screenshot:


That makes four different ad campaigns that I know of so far from that one stock shoot - Costco Car, American Express, Torrance car dealership, and now Yahoo editorial :)

I haven't updated in a while, but a lot of things have happened: I won 1st place Kata at the Interdojo Johshin Honzan Karate Tournament, shot a principal role with Gus Hansen for a Full Tilt poker commercial, totally revamped this website (I had hardcoded the old one in HTML back in college but this time I learned css for a more layered look), am currently on avail for a print job, and was on avail for two other projects but released. I am learning to do crazy things in wushu that really challenge me physically like aerials and butterfly kicks. I will feel so cool when I finally do my first real butterfly!!

Some of my sketches below were inspired by movies I've seen recently (dancing queen - "This is It" with Michael Jackson, sacrificial sickle - "We Feed The World", leapfrog - "Cane Toads", king corn - "King Corn"). Click to see their full-sized versions:




1.18.10

My ex-coworker from Apple recently asked me if I'm on the American Express website. He says the picture sometimes pops up before the login page, so he took a screenshot for me:




LOL! Another picture from a stock shoot I did that has been bought and used! ^_^

A couple of days after he told me I was eating soba in Torrance and reading Lighthouse magazine when I couldn't believe what was on the last page. The same picture being used by a car dealership for their advertisement:




Too cool!


12.29.09

2009 was an slower year compared to others, but it did peak with me as a lead with the biggest names I've worked with yet (cinematographers Phedon Papamichael, Dion Beebe, and Kramer Morgenthau). I really do believe that everything happens for a reason, and the challenging year has fueled me to focus on new, self-produced endeavors. I began writing poems and short stories that I hope to publish as an anthology. I am also penning my own screenplay with myself as the lead and a certain actress to play my mother. I also know who I want to produce it and suffices to say I have corresponding pictures on my vision board. 2010 will be a year of great happenings! Happy New Year everyone! (^_^)


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Copyright (c) 2010 Chyna Chuu