Remember when I wrote about MILLIONS, the web series — the awesome independent project started by aspiring filmmaker Andrew Chung (who participated in this awesome interview with me a few years back)? I had posted Andrew’s KickStarter campaign last year and even donated to help make this web series a reality.
Well, it looks like the fund-raising paid off! I just received an email from Andrew saying that MILLIONS (@MillionsTheSeries) will be debuting its first 40-minute episode on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/MillionsTheSeries) on Monday, April 28th at 8pm!
MILLIONS is a story about a group of Asian American twenty-somethings whose ambition is to each become millionaires before they turn 30, and what they’ll do to realize their dream. The series explores the millennial generation’s obsession with fame and economic power with a distinctly Asian American twist. It aims to discuss how our mainstream exposure to super-rich young people like Mark Zuckerberg and Justin Bieber — wealthy youths who became rich through a combination of talent and luck — impacts our own popular ideas of ambition, success, and morality.
MILLIONS features a cast of all Asian North American actors, music by Asian Canadian YouTube legend J-Reyez, and was entirely funded through crowd-sourcing and Chung’s own life savings.
Trailer after the jump!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf6z4sxtBZ8
I decided to throw my money behind this project because I was super-impressed by the high production value of this trailer, and intrigued by the show’s concept. I was most energized to see a show that ambitiously planned to tackle the full range of complexity of Asian America — in all our beauty and our ugliness; in so doing, I think shows like this is what Asian America needs to fully challenge mainstream stereotype and replace them with humanized portrayals of who we are. Plus, being a covert Asian Canadian myself, I gotta support all my brothers and sisters in the Great North. And, I think I made the right decision: the show received positive reviews at the 2013 New York TV Festival and at the 2013 Marseille Web Fest where it won the award for “Best Direction”.
Here’s the full details of who’s involved in MILLIONS from the press release:
Created by first-time Director, Andrew C, MILLIONS stars veteran award-winning actor and playwright Ins Choi of the critically acclaimed play, Kim’s Convenience, as Ron, rising Asian North American talent, Hubert Tran (XIII: The Series) as Brandon and Jasmine Chen (Warehouse 13) as Mary, professional dancers Andrew “Pyro” Chung (So You Think You Can Dance Canada) as Deron and Lee “Lethal” Pham (of the world renowned Supernaturalz B-Boy crew) as Eddie, and newcomers, Stephan Kim as Charlie, Ben Brillantes as Jay and Tanya Mok as Lia. MILLIONS features appearances by rabidly popular YouTube stars, J-Reyez, Shannon T. Boodram and ShaqIsDope, and Toronto DJ, Dave “DJ Serious” Yan.
Joining director Andrew C on the creative team are Executive Producer Melanie Chung (Word, Goodbye Karrie), Producer Ben Brillantes, Cinematographer and Co-Producer Christian Peterson, and Composer, TMB (producer of Juno-nominated artist, JRDN).
Needless to say, I can’t wait for Monday, when the show’s premiere episode will air! So, mark your calendars!
