Wesley Chan Instagram – Story time.. Since the Cannes Film Fest just wrapped up, lemme take y’all to 2008 when @thewesleychan & I went to Cannes for the first time, why, and how it connects to today…
I was 23 and it was my first time going to Europe ever. We were a year out of college and @wongfupro was trying to make a movie. I talk about this experience a lot because it was my first taste of trying to make a “Hollywood movie” the traditional way. In 2008, no one cared that we had an emerging online audience, and warned us of casting Asians as leads. We were told to recast in order to pitch/sell a movie. We were told to go to the Cannes film fest to attract buyers and rub elbows with studio ppl. I always say that it was the ickiest I ever felt. (Although my future @bopomofocafe cofounder @ewangus did his best to help organize a productive and fun trip, complete with shots on the beach and flying @fareastmovement out to perform at fancy parties)
The trip was eye opening and a huge learning experience. The whole process actually made me realize at the time that I didn’t wanna bend to Hollywood’s narrow minded standards and instead WF doubled down on building our YouTube community.
Btw the movie never got made. We shot a spec trailer and in it, there was this helmet Wes’ brother @chosetec made. It’s always been in out office and most recently it made a cameo appearance, 15 yrs after its first use, in our recent sketch on @ryanbergara’s head. In case you were wondering where that thing came from. Bio link to watch the new vid!
Thx for reading this far. With WF’s 20 yr anniversary coming up, should I share more throwback history?? | Posted on 30/May/2023 11:34:15
