REVIEWS
BROOKLYN SPECTATOR
CUPID'S MISTAKE
(Phaedra /Dearfilm: Not yet rated by the MPAA)J
September, 5, 2001
Here's a sweet little independent movie from Korean-American
filmmaker Young Man Kang who wrote, produced, and directed this, his first
feature. 'CUPID'S MISTAKE' is a "la ronde' type of love venture that
has each individual rebuffed by the other, who is in turn equally rebuffed
when the shoe is on the other foot.
Susan(Susan Petry) is an actress who is in love with filmmaker Gil (Everado
Gil), but he doesn't respond with similar feelings. Rather, he is entranced
by Toya (Toya Cho), a Korean-American model who doesn't respond to his overtures
of love. She in turn loves Ken (Ken Yasuda), a Japanese-American body builder
and personal trainer, but is nixed by him when he is made aware of her love.
He finds Susan, who completes the cycle, only to be rejected by her when he
expresses his feelings.
It's Gil who comes to his senses concerning Susan, but now it may be too late.
Against the backdrop of Santa Monica, love and relationship turn out to be
fickle and fleeting, and matches aren't always in the making. Pain, frustration,
and heartbreak are readily seen in these encounters.
Running an hour and ten minutes, "CUPID'S MISTAKE" has ordinary
dialogue between ordinary people in ordinary situations - nothing of the glossy
Hollywood variety.
The film well demonstrates finding, keeping, and losing love is all part of
the love game.
Shot on digital video and a $980 budget, with improvisation by the principles
in this love quadrangle, "CUPID'S MISTAKE" appears more real in
its situations than a lot of the romantic dribble that has come out of Hollywood
with enormous budgets.
Easy Reader
South Bay Newspaper Weekly
Cupid's Mistake
Sep 25, 2000
This little (70 minute) ¡°jewel¡± is much like a cinematic
poem celebrating the ups and downs (hey, let¡¯s face it - usually overwhelmingly
downs) of UNREQUITED LOVE. Writer/Director Young Man Kang gives us a fresh,
hip retelling of the basic equation of ¡°unrequited-ness¡±. namely A loves B,
but B loves C, but C loves D, and¡¦ well - you¡¯ll have to see for yourself
where the chain ends in the hands of Kang and his talented, attractive, offbeat
young cast. Filmed along the Santa Monica/Venice Beach magical strand of the
West Los Angeles Pacific coastline, there¡¯s an electric, ¡°happening¡±, almost
upbeat feeling to the story, which is told in sweetly framed and segued subchapters
-- all despite the fact that no one seems to be actually getting the object
of his or her affection, -- not to mention, lust. The end result is a film
that will make you mist-up knowingly and cathartically if you¡¯ve recently
lived through the experience, and smile wistfully, if you¡¯ve had time to heal,
but still recall those ¡°head-over-heals¡± past days when you were miserable,
but oh-so alive. ¡°CUPID¡¯S MISTAKE¡± opens Sept. 15/16 at Laemmle¡¯s Sunset 5
(8000 Sunset Bl., W. Hollywood). Program information/Times: (323)848-3500
By Joseph Sirota
New York Post
nypost.com
CUPID'S MISTAKE
August 24, 2001
KOREAN-American director-writer-producer Young Man Kang's
comedy, shot on video for just $980 (yes, $980), is no mistake. The California-set
tale of a love quadrangle isn't perfect. For one thing, it goes on too long.
But it looks good, the cast is perky (especially Toya Cho, as a model who
can't decide between two suitors), and Kang shows lots of talent. It will
be interesting to see what he can do with a real budget. Running time: 70
minutes. Not rated. At the Two Boots Den of Cin, Avenue A and Third Street.
by V.A. Musetto
New York Times
nytimes.com
Stammering Through Generic Moments of Rejection
August 24, 2001
Cupid's Mistake" begins with a character issuing a voice-over
advisory: "This is a story of relationships, and how caring for someone doesn't
mean that person cares for you. You know what I'm talking about." So we do,
which is probably why most of us will not feel a compelling need to experience
generic moments of painful personal rejection as played out by a group of
young Southern Californians with limited verbal skills. One character is compelled
to finish every statement she makes with "or something"; another giggles hysterically
through most of her speeches and at one point, describing the beaches of her
youth, says, "I so remember it would be like mud and sand and stuff." With
such alluring patter, it's hard to believe that anyone could be lonely in
Los Angeles, but apparently a few people still are. For example, there is
Gil (Everado Gil), an aspiring filmmaker whose work ? nice if you can get
it ? seems to consist of photographing pretty girls as they frolic on Venice
Beach. Gil is in love with Toya (Toya Cho), a chattering Korean-American model,
but Toya is in love with Ken (Ken Yasuda), a Japanese-American bodybuilder.
Closing the circle in this no-sex "La Ronde" is Susan (Susan Petry), a German-born
model who is in love with the oblivious Gil. In this land of perfect bodies,
all Gil has going for him is some Johnny Depp-ish facial hair, which may be
why he became an artist. He becomes the emotional center of the piece, though
his emotions are limited to self-pity and anger. He begins stalking Toya,
following her in his car and peeping through her windows. The film finds such
behavior adorable. Film, actually, is a misstatement, because "Cupid's Mistake"
was shot on video, and not video of the highest quality. Mostly, the picture
looks and sounds like a public-access soap opera, with flat lighting, tinny
dialogue and a loopy synthesizer score. The Korean-born writer and director
has a terrific marquee name, Young Man Kang, but his natural gifts seem to
stop there. Like Gil, the would-be filmmaker, Mr. Kang has discovered the
effects button on his camcorder, and he relies upon it to provide what style
his work has: a pixilated movement here, a fade to monochrome there. At 70
minutes, "Cupid's Mistake" is short, but then, so is our time on this planet.
by Dave Kehr
The Village Voice
villagevoice.com
Circle Jerk
August 22, 2001
Made with $980 and about as many brain cells, Cupid's Mistake
is more cute than clever. A tale of titillation and rejection, Young Man Kang's
debut feature follows four unfulfilled twentysomethings in the City of Angels.
Susan, the anguished actress, loves Gil. Gil, the tormented filmmaker who
makes videos of frolicking women on the beach subtitled with Hallmark sentiments,
longs for Toya. Toya is the model whose heart is lifted by bodybuilder Ken,
her personal trainer. The star of Ken's romantic drama is, you guessed it,
Susan the thespian; the sexy circle is complete. Cupid's Mistake Written and
directed by Young Man Kang Pioneer Opens August 24 The dialogue, which was
wholly improvised, includes the "like"s, "uh"s, and general feeling of contrived
spontaneity native to The Real World. The we're-friends-but-I-love-you scenes
are either drenched with provocative sunlight or packed with candles; these
techniques seem to be borrowed from the tamer selections of late-night Cinemax.
by Sasha Statman
New York Metro Magazine
newyorkmetro.com
Cupid's Mistake
Guerrilla filmmaker Young Man Kang's improvisational love story, which was shot in Los Angeles and cost $980 to produce. (1 hr. 10 mins.; NR) Opens August 24
Filmmakers Alliance
filmmakersalliance.com
Cupid's Mistake: Young Man Kang's First Feature
spring 2001
FA Member Young Man Kang had directed over 50 commercials
for the Asian television market when, in 1998, he quit his job to pursue filmmaking
in the narrative format. Relying heavily on improvisation, Kang shot his first
feature length film, Cupid's Mistake, on Betacam and Mini-DV. For a budget
of 980 dollars. Cupid's Mistake first premiered at the New York City festival,
Screen and Light, where it received a positive review from Film Threat. After
that, the movie's distributor, Phaedra Cinema, contacted Laemmle's Sunset
5 in Los Angeles, where the movie opened last September. Kang says Cupid's
Mistake's next stop is the Pioneer Theater in New York City, where it will
play August, 2001. Though Phaedra is technically the distributor, it appears
that Kang is still footing the bill for ads and shipping costs. In order to
keep costs down, Kang has forgone newspaper ads and promoted his film on the
internet and by word of mouth. He has also kept the movie alive on video,
avoiding the costly blow up to film that starts around $40,000 and can reach
as high as $100,000 and beyond. Kang says he works 50/50 box office deals
with the theaters and rents his own video projection equipment that must be
brought into the theater. So far, he says he is breaking even- which, it should
be noted, is better than most Hollywood or independent movies do financially.
As for Kang, he's already in post on his second feature, First Testament:
CIA Vengeance, which he describes as an Asian-style La Femme Nikita.
by Filmmakers Alliance
Who wrote the screenplay? How long did it take? How many drafts did he/she
go through?
I wrote 'Cupid's Mistake'. There's no screenplay format. I just have a few
pages written out. I thought about the story for a few months, then I wrote
it out on paper in a few days. It's really a simple story. A likes B but B
doesn't like A, B likes C but C likes D....It's like nobody gets anybody.
Mostly the scene is dating scene A&B, B&C, C&D and D&A...
Was the screenplay strictly followed in the filming?
I just let the actors improvise, ... just like natural dating.... I asked
them, "what would you do when if you guys were dating. Then the camera
just followed them.
How did you finance the project?
My budget was $980. I used some funds from money made on a TV commercial I
directed.
Did you story board your scenes? And if so, did you use a program or an
artist or?
The funny thing is I used to be a storyboard artist. But this project is no
storyboard, the camera just follows the actors.
How did you find your actors? What kind of pay if any did you offer your
actors and crew?
All my friends. They're good actors. I cast them a few times on my TV commercial
projects before this filming. 4 actors... Gil, Susan, Toya and Ken.... I paid
them $100 each. Gil. I paid him $200, because I rented his apartment for the
shooting.
Did you create a budget and did you stay on target throughout the process?
What was your budget?
There were no headaches, no one involved with the budget. I did whatever I
wanted for this film.
Did you shoot with DV, 16mm, 35mm, other?
DV. DV is cheaper, the camera is small. It's easier and faster to move around
a location without a permit.
Did you rent, buy or borrow? Was it a one camera shoot?
Just one camera that I have. The Canon XL-1. Did you shoot wide screen?- 1:
1.31, I changed it 1: 1.81 in post-production.
How did you handle sound on the shoot?
Most of the scenes I rented pin-mike(Wireless), some scenes I used just the
camera mic.
What kind of lighting did you use and how much of the indoor and outdoor scenes
were lighted?
Outdoor no lighting. Indoor just 1-2 lightings . 1k
What type of obstacles did you encounter when shooting outdoors?
Background sound, especially near the ocean and street.
What were the obstacles you encountered while shooting? Any Advice?
Choose quiet locations unless you have a big budget sound package.
What kind of shots, dolly shots, crane shots, steadicam or other types
did you use and what resources did you use to accomplish these?
None of them, most of the shots were handheld. The handheld shot makes the
scenes appear natural.
What other equipment did you find useful on your shoot? Is there anything
you wish you would of had and didn't?
I wish I had a better sound package.
How did you edit the film? What system did you use to edit?
I edited this film in Media 100. Media 100, Later I made the film wide screen
through Final Cut Pro.
What were the obstacles you encountered while editing? Any Advice?
I don't have much Hard drive space.
Where did you get the music for the film?
I used music from a CD my friend Oliver Lyon supplied. I gave him a Video,
and I got a CD from him.
How much Foley will you end up incorporating in the editing process?
No Foley in this film.
What are the main suggestions you would give other filmmakers, based on your
experiences on this film? In planning, in post production, in scoring, in
editing, in pre production, etc.-?
Just shoot, these days it's much easier to make film, because of DV filmmaking.
What were the obstacles you encountered while marketing it? Any Advice?
Money. In order to keep costs down, I have forgone newspaper ads and promoted
my film on the internet and by word of mouth. I have also kept the movie alive
on video, avoiding the costly blow up to film $40,000 - $100,000.
Have you struck a deal with any distributors?
Though Phaedra Cinema is technically the distributor, it appears that I am
still footing the bill for ads and shipping costs.
Have you returned any profits from the movie as of yet?
I broke the even through the box office. Next step I'm working with Angelpop.com
e-commerce site which was selling CD's, Video's and DVD's through the internet.
They'll launch 'Cupid's Mistake' in May 21. Hopefully I can make some money
through that avenue.
Have you tried the film festival route and if so, how is it going?
Screening at Light + Screen Film Festival in NYC (01/25/2000) Screening at
Cult Movies Convention 2000(10/22/2000) Audience reaction was very positive,
then FilmThreat.com interviewed me. Cult Movies Magazine reviewed this film
also.
What are your future plans for the film?
Cupid's Mistake next stop is the Pioneer Theater in New York City, where it
will play on August 24. And on the internet site: www.angelpop.com on May
21.
What do you have in the works after this film?
I just finished my second digital feature film, 1st Testament: CIA Vengeance
starring Ron Becks and Soo J Kim, a first-time Black/ Korean co-production.
An Asian/American action drama, it is stylistically reminiscent of Le Femme
Nikita. I shot it on a budget of $10,000 in just 7days, it was first presented
in pre-release form at the AFM in Santa Monica a few weeks ago, and is currently
being marketed at the Cannes Film Market 2001.
Student,Faculty Films Presented in Festival
By LUIS E. SAAVEDRA
The Pan American
Kang had a similar experience to
Saavedra¡¯s while filming ¡°Cupid¡¯s
Mistake.¡± For its production, Kang worked
with a budget of barely $1,000.
¡°I want to be a World Guinness Record
holder as a filmmaker,¡± he said in an e-mail
interview.
Because the record holder for the highest
budget in film making is ¡°Titanic,¡± Kang set
up to do the opposite. And he accomplished
it. ¡°Cupid¡¯s Mistake¡± recently made it to the
Guinness World Record for the least
expensive feature film.
Even more exciting than filming on a low
budget was working without a script.
¡°I gave the actors the basic idea,¡± he said.
¡°That¡¯s why they look so natural in the film
because 100 percent of their acting is
improvised.¡±
From carefully planned film productions
risky adventurous projects, UTPA students
and faculty had the opportunity to enjoy a
variety of films during Independent Film
Week.
¡°It¡¯s a shame that we hadn¡¯t seen these
type of events before,¡± Saavedra said. ¡°But
I¡¯m glad to see they are starting to have them
more often.¡±
