 Okay, we're back. We're live. It's Monday indeed a Monday. We're still getting over what happened last Tuesday We have a special guest David Farmer. He's an actor And a lawyer too and he is a member of the screen actors Guild and aftra aftra Which is the let's see American Federation and radio radio artists. Yeah, okay. It's very important and it's a local right here But one day who knows he could be the president of the National Combined Organization, you know, if Trump can get elected anybody And he made a movie we're gonna talk about today todo was made in the Philippines very interesting and played at the Hawaii Film Festival International Film Festival and also had won some awards in New York when we talk about that Yes, but you know first I'd like to just get your take on the on the Trump thing I guess Trump had an effect on the Hawaii International Film Festival. What was it? well the our show we showed on last Friday and Saturday and Had disappoint we had there were good audiences, but it was a disappointing turnout and in talking to the volunteers they made this observation that Attendance because usually if is well attended not all the films but usually most and The last time we took a film from Philippines here was a couple of years ago full houses on both on both shows And similar time slots, but prior to the election the volunteers told us Typical good-sized houses for most of the films after the election they it dwindled and The sense was our Friday showing was on Veterans Day So maybe there's a pass on that, but then in general the post-election houses were very much smaller and As you and I talked about briefly just a while ago It I think Has to do with this post-election Malleys and you know post-partum blues that I think all of us most of us anyway Are feeling as a result of the election. Yeah. Yeah, see what happens now And we don't know which way this is gonna go so we could have a long time of post-partum blues Yeah, or hopefully maybe better short time anyway This movie total was shot in the Philippines to dark comedy drama and it swept the awards at the 41st Metro Manila Film Festival new wave competition Including a special jury prize best director was terrific David best supporting actress for Bibbeth or Teza or Teza or Teza and best supporting actor for a through through Ray's foul foul Reyes Yeah, yeah, it's currently touring the festival circuit around the world and Gee You you got an award too including the audience choice award for best film at the 39th Asian American International Film Festival in New York. What a deal. Yeah, and you played the role of a Nasty immigration officer at Nasty It was a stretch. It was a stretch. You had to work on that one. Yeah, man. I had to practice that look Yeah, so tell us how your career got you into this movie Well, let's see the I guess the most recent Filipino facet of my career Started out with We've traveled my wife and I's my wife was from the Philippines. We travel every year and stay usually a couple of months We she reconnected with a auntie through Facebook of all things and she Be K. Jimenez is her name. She was in the back in the day the sort of Luella Parsons of the Philippines And she's still somewhat somewhat She's in Canada now, but she also still travels there so she hooked us up with Bibbeth or Teza who is known as a comedy in her own right a comedy actress But also a writer and a director and so that led to two appearances on a show called vampire on daddy Co, which is my daddy is a vampire. I played a visiting vampire by the name of Uncle Lucio complete with teeth so we did that and and then her husband taught at NYU tish Asia which has since been closed, but it was it's in Singapore and Car Carlos Prime student was John Paul Sue who is now More based in LA, but LA, New York, but and he this was his first feature film So as in all things, you know from Hollywood to the Philippines It's all it's not what you know, it's who you know And so that those connections turned into the two television and this film and perhaps more As we go back on Thanksgiving, it's like developing any career I suppose is who you know and it's it's a tree exactly all the branches of the tree take you somewhere Exactly, exactly. We don't do it by ourselves. I'm better. What it is. You sit at home. They don't It doesn't ring. It doesn't you know, it's terrible So this is really interesting that you know, so you're a An over-the-hill immigration officer a nasty immigration American immigration officer Stationed in the Philippines correct spending his plot the whole movie is English. I take it No, the whole it and the whole film is Tagalog with subtitles But also it's it's not pure Tagalog. It's what they call Todd Taglish Which is where it's blah blah blah blah and English phrase will drop in and that I've been fascinated by that to figure went What's the shift? What's the call the shift from one to the other, but you know The Philip they say about Filipinas 300 years in a convent 100 years in Hollywood But it's also the most literate country in Asia Both in its native tongue as well as in English So you can almost to a person find somebody who can speak English in the Philippines where maybe in the province is a little bit Less, but certainly no so our movies big in the Philippines now huge But they also are going through what our industry in this country is going through which is a whole I Want to say crisis really of new media Internet the brave new world of all of all of that and how Not so much pictures are produced because that you know through The the You know digital camera me and well that and also but it's the it's it's Getting distribution is still the name of the game and finding the audience and certainly social media this film has has own Facebook page and It'll have the film will also have its Official opening in in November 23rd in the Philippines. There's one more showing on Kauai on the 20th next Sunday at 715 and where in it's the Kauai Waimea It's either auditorium or theater, but it's in Lohue and Again, if folks want to double double-check that and get tickets Why international film festival web page has all the information and ticket availability and all that So there is a large Filipino American community in Kauai So we're you know hopeful that we get a good turnout and we also had a Vast contingent come here for the Honolulu showings The Beth Orteza John Paul Sue One of the producers Donald Martin It's a true story actually about a fellow who goes through every scam You can imagine a phony family of just and tried in real life seven times with this and failed failed failed until finally He got someone who was willing to hire him as a caregiver for his mom and And so Francisco the the real total It's it's all his story, but done with you know certain embellishments and and that it is a fiction film but so he was there the actress who played the major sort of LA bad baddie taking money for you know without any return And so it was it's it's been a great pleasure to kind of host them first time in Hawaii for many of them and you know this whole thing with with I think both Australia and New Zealand well, especially New Zealand and Philippines they have vibrant film production and The connections to Hawaii are so palpable and but over the years. It's kind of like it's been hit or miss you know But but but and not anything really, you know solid so hopefully that this might be solid Well, this you know and and they are also talking one of the things that's driving the industry now the film industry are film credits States competing with with each other with film credits and we've been what does that mean well you get a tax credit Oh sure. Yeah. Yeah from different states have different amounts. We've been blessed with a good one It's controversial still I think because people don't understand it They think we're kind of you know robbing our tax revenues, but the money we bring in as a result And it's so much so that we as a union are going to be looking to the next legislative session to actually extend When you're doing a film because we've had you know Mike and Dave need wedding dates was shot here up at Turtle Bay So we have films that come in But it's the episodic television and we're now in the seventh year of Hawaii 5-0 with the Feeling that the eighth season might be really Going to be on the burner. Yeah, and so these tax incentives these tax You know breaks need to have a shelf life more than just you know tours for years But you know Atlanta is very busy now right now because of the tax incentive there and Right, you know La production is actually kind of down from The because of all everybody's doing a sense of some or your eyes a huge competition all over it is and if you know Watch out Puerto Rico will have will have really good scenery and we'll lose all our scenery shooting to Puerto Rico Which happened already that's a couple of movies. That's that's true And I guess the only still in between the travel costs, and I'm not sure what kind of on-the-ground technical talent they have in Puerto Rico, but you have more travel costs from LA Because what's interesting with all these productions, you know New Orleans Atlanta, North Carolina At least unless they get their LGBT law straightened out They may lose, you know work over there because you know producers are saying look we can't work under these conditions It's an international industry go anywhere do anything. Absolutely. You know if you can dream it You can do it and movies will deliver it through the world Yes, and we live in a world that you know is enhanced by only and when we come back from this break David Mm-hmm. I like to explore your character. Okay your immigration officer character All right, how you shape that how you acted that out. Oh, it can hardly wait It's gonna give us the lines from the mouth cuz he remembers them David Farmer an actor and a lawyer talking about a movie. He's in Toto Filipino movie. We'll be right back Hi, I'm Donna Blanchard. I'm the host of center stage here on think tech on center stage. I talked with Really amazing Artistic guests about what they do how they do it and the most important point why they do it I think I hope the show is inspirational for everyone. I know it's always inspirational for me I'm also the managing director of Kumakuhua theater, which is right next door and I happen to have with me now Will Cahele who is an artist we just finished a conversation I hope you can catch on center stage and we work together at Kumakuhua theater. Why should people come over there? because it's a great place to see plays written by Local playwrights why should people watch this show? Oh? because because it's cool and it's Great things to know every week and because you know you are a very cool hostess. Oh That's perfect. Thank you. Give me my money We're back. We're here with David Farmer an actor and a lawyer and he's in a film called Toto We can take a short clip from that film Okay, the trailer and take a look at exactly what's happening and we'll come back and we'll talk to David about his role And why do you want to visit the United States? Children God bless them I Service miss Porter your American. Yes. Will you marry me? So it's pure business. If you insist we can have sex it's okay with me You know sir you are from America taxes. Oh Oh boys. I love go boys. I like a shit Would you marry me? Excuse me You complete me It's a lovable lovable trailer and a lovable movie the characters are all lovable even you well, you know I'm one of the darker colors, but and as far as the lines you heard them all Well, you know one thing is clear is that it's an insight into the Filipino culture today Definitely and life of the Philippines. It's funny. It's warm. It's witty. Exactly and it's got it's got a je ne sais quoi About about you know about the the Filipino culture and how appealing it is to you Yes, I mean I always like the Filipino culture a lot well and and the absolute resilience of the people I mean this is set around the post Yolanda in Tacloban Although it was actually shot somewhere else except for a couple of scenes, but but yeah, I mean This is a people a culture that takes it on the chin in so many ways and now they have a president from hell Trouble with everybody. Yeah as well of equal opportunity in sultan here, but But they come up they get back up with smiles on their faces and it's legitimate I mean we talk about a loha spirit, but there is a spirit very very warm spirit with the Filipino culture and people that I mean my extended family now is in the Philippines, you know, so Great. Yeah, so I mean to me I the humor in this trailer is really funny Yeah, it's not just way off in the distance. It's really funny It's now yeah, and I have to say that there is a certain, you know, Filipino cinema has a reputation of the either being What's called poverty porn, which is you know all the poor, you know and poverty isn't an issue there's not to minimize it or slap around you know violent stuff or Dumb it dumb a you pardon, you know since we're on Comedy slapstick stupid comedy. This is a very sophisticated film and in part because the writers and directors Have been exposed to more than just homegrown Sensibility director as a graduate of NYU tish Singapore He this is his second film his first film was called pug pug Which was about a poor people living on the sort of trash heap of of and be better It was in that one as well, but this is his first feature and It's an international quality, you know, and you know as far as our industry in our American industry Most of our income comes from foreign distribution Our domestic market still is there, but the people around the world. Yeah, that's right. That's right Including China right and it's not only in movie houses. It's in every media really including your telephone exactly What so why is this movie winning so many awards? Would you say I mean what how would you how what what? You know quality do you find in this movie that makes it so popular? I think two two things one is it's an immensely human story. It's a story that especially Filipinos and Filipino Americans can relate to that is the American dream and The other thing is about it. It's with all of the nasty discussion about immigration and our immigrants We a nation of immigrants Truly, it's a it's a feel-good story because okay Toto goes through this the scam route and try them as an intellectual experience for the audience to follow exactly Is it not unsophisticated this scam? No, no, it's pretending Here's my family and here we are and we have fake paperwork and that I've done and you know My role as the you know dog at the gate is to say deny deny deny with relish It's the only relish the guy has in his life is saying no, but ultimately He is redeemed because of the kindness of the of the actor that you see you saw a Blake Boyd who is also a sag after actor and And he's able to do it legitimately So on all levels both the struggle the human human struggle The humor of it as well as the ultimate outcome. It's a feel-good movie. It's great Let's talk about you for a minute. Okay, so How did you get into this role? I mean what I mean? Yeah, that is you have to get into it, right? Yes become the immigration officer, right and mean and nasty right say no all the time, right? Well Actually, I auditioned via Skype with JP and the death so I'm here and they're in Manila but JP was very Clear from the get-go of who this person was and what he wanted the screen to see that this was a you know a career of probably mid-level civil servant They're burnt out on the Philippines burnt out on his job a miserable human being Who just park in time until he gets his pension and get the hell out of out of Manila and so I With some of my state service History I could relate to that But so that actually that was part of the prep was just to having observed folks of that description And then but you know, I mean I would say as most people would say I'm a mensch I'm I'm I'm I'm I don't have a nasty bone in in my body except when people make me angry But so it was Davidson's horrific lawyer to you know, you don't want to be adverse today Anyway, you go yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you know if you're if you're paying me I can get on the job, but the The Adjustment but also to working with that, you know, that the family group that was in that's in the trailer and You know, but just we had to keep straight faces for a lot of it because you know, it was just Humor humor on the set humor on the same nature on the set exactly So how do you you know, how do you do that? How do you make yourself like that? It's not really you and and tell me how did you express, you know, I mean, what are your lines? Well, you say you heard probably most of them the longest the longest line was The guy asked me, wow, why did you reject me, right? And I said 23 No job not much in the bank Denied Why don't you go to Hong Kong Disneyland? You see a lot of Mickey Mouse there because the idea is they're going to go to Disneyland that's why they're applying for a visa Right heaven protect me So yeah, that's so I'm feature I'm in the beginning right at the beginning and then at the end Now now this guy is legit. Toto is legit And he's coming with his papers and there's a lady a lady immigration officer, Filipina And much nicer demeanor and then I come in and I I look over and then I whisper in her ear And it's like, oh, he's gonna poison the wall, you know, because he's seen this guy several times Walks out looks at the paper Accepted so you didn't poison Or just blind So I mean what is it teach us about the immigration process in general They were you're an American immigration officer what with it with the desk so to speak and processing papers right in Manila I correct correct. Yeah, yeah, because it's it's the Department of Homeland Security And these are you go out into other countries? Yes. Yeah, so and I think they hire As a film shows they hire both local people as well as imports from the United States But you know, I briefly Did a little immigration work. We're talking now here maybe 15 years lawyer immigration lawyer immigration work And I had the experience of taking a lady down who had family here and stuff But she was undocumented So we went down for a interview and as I remember it was maybe early afternoon They kept us there until about six o'clock And then they scooted her out to the airport prison for a bag-and-bag order to put send her away And that experience was enough for me to go again about this kind of practice because my view is that immigration ironically is Racist, you know, if you're coming in from Ireland or France or Italy you've got a much better chance than you do from anywhere in Asia and So, you know our Immigration system is very very flawed and it's going to be interesting to see what are the promised threats That have been made this last campaign cycle. You know how you voted. Yeah Never mind You see my underwear So tell us, you know, I mean what it's like, I mean so you have very few minds Yeah, which means that you know the the actual time on screen is not that long. That's right Is it worth doing this? Is it fun doing this? Is it, you know, highly? Compensable or is it just that you want to be involved in the mix? It's it's the love of it and and the other thing is too, you know, you don't get to be Brad Pitt overnight But so you have to pay dues there's a I did a workshop literally yes Although when you reach seven even the union, you don't have to pay dues anymore Oh interesting as long as you've been in the world you do at least 15 days with it. Yeah, so But I was at a casting workshop with the lady in Jennifer Cooper she does casting for LA in LA for Y5o and You know She gives this insight That you know casting directors make up their mind within the first four to six seconds You know and they want to see who the uniqueness of who you are but to prepare for that I did a monologue from the verdict. Remember that Paul Newman film David Mammet shirt One of the important film and his summation speech is like less than a page right on on camera and play time it took three minutes because To me best work Paul Newman ever did that scene that scene well and that that that role You know from this down-and-out pinball playing guy in a bar On the rocks and in fact, I was in law school when I came out and I I swore to an internal little Promise to myself that when I woke up In district court hungover I would I would bail the profession. That's that's never happened But that speech is wonderful because it's all about you know is We're lost, you know most of the time we're lost, right? And we there's no justice the rich wind, but it was so timely He nailed it and he nailed it and also in consideration of what we've been just going through and are still going through was inspirational inspirational and I got you the role well got me some nice remarks from a casting director, but she was if she was a wonderful resource. She was very Helpful in what she saw and what she communicated back and to a person she was very positive and with actors You have to stroke them otherwise to get my ornery. It's all about your self-image and all that Well, that's right. So with all of that in mind. I have to ask you this question What's next? Well 50 I've done 50 but you only get one turn in the barrel because the producers don't want the Viewers to say hey, I saw that guy. It wasn't him. So one time in the barrel unless I become a current it doesn't look like that's happening They are several projects Don Martin and John Paul are under consideration My wife is a behind-the-camera Lady she she doesn't like to be the center of attention But she's so turned on by this whole process that she's planning to invest in the next In the next project. So we'll see one of them is a very interesting story about the at the time of World War two Philippine president who basically sheltered Juice fleeing from Europe and from China and it was actually in terms of the numbers of people that he saved It was incredible and that that's it not widely it's a kind of it's an Asian chindler's list Yeah, I want to see that I want to see this. Yeah, I want to see you one film. Oh, right. Thank you David farmer I appreciate it to talk to you always