Frank W Chen
| Frank W Chen | |
|---|---|
 Frank W Chen | |
| Native name | 陳惟揚 |
| Born | Weiyang Chen 6 May 1981 Taichung, Taiwan |
| 🏡 Residence | New York City, NY |
| 🏳️ Nationality | Canadian, Taiwanese |
| 🎓 Alma mater |
|
| 💼 Occupation | |
| 📆 Years active | 2008–present |
| Notable work | Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story |
Frank W Chen, also known as Weiyang Chen (Chinese: 陳惟揚 ; pinyin: chén wéi yáng; born May 6, 1981) is a Taiwanese-Canadian filmmaker, architectural designer and musician. His debut feature film, Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story (2018), premiered at the 34th Annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for International Documentary Feature.[1] The film was critically acclaimed and received the People’s Choice Award Best Overall Feature at the 22nd Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival[2] and a nomination for Best Documentary at the 55th Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival.[3]
Biography[edit]
Early life[edit]
Frank W Chen was born in Taichung, Taiwan and grew up in Taipei before moving to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at the age of 13.[4] He holds a degree in Urban Studies from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).[5]
Career[edit]
Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story (2018)[edit]
Chen was eventually introduced to Taiwanese pitcher Chien-Ming Wang in 2013 through a mutual friend. The two met for dinner after a Minor League game in Moosic, PA. Chen remembers after the meal, watching Wang awkwardly contorting his 6-foot-4 frame into his small rental car.[6] “That image struck me,” said Chen, “For me, he was still a national icon, but he [was still having] to endure all of these lonely Minor League stints just to try to get back to where he thought he belonged. That became the impetus for the movie.”[7]
The documentary follows Wang through multiple comeback attempts, his life between rehab programs, and the lonely stints away from home.[8] Chen admitted that even though he was rooting for Wang’s comeback, he had backup plan just in case Wang failed.[9] “When we started in 2014 and going into 2015, he was struggling, and we actually had three scenarios set up.”[10] “[The movie] simply would not have been as gripping and heartwarming of a story. His eventual success is vital to the narrative.”[9]
Chen’s background in architecture and interests in townscapes, atmosphere, light, and shadow had a visual impact on the film.[11] Chen said that he did not want to overly dramatize Wang’s successful Major League comeback. To him, Wang’s accomplishment “is not so heroic, but humble return.” Wang simply set a goal and accomplished it.[12] Wang’s family life was closely examined in the film. His relationships with his long-suffering but exquisitely poised wife and his two adorably puckish little sons convey the breadth of the sacrifice any pro athlete faces.[13] The theme of father-and-son relationships is repeated throughout the film. Chen said, “My parents sent me to Canada when I was young. And I never lived with my father since I was 13. I only get to see him two weeks per year. There’s always that sentiment I had to deal with and I saw that with Chien-Ming.”[14]
The film has been called a “sober and inspiring look at a faded New York Yankees star, ‘the Pride of Taiwan,’ struggling through a years-long ‘comeback.’[15]
Music[edit]
Chen is the lead singer and guitarist for New York City-based band Torpid May.[16] The band toured Taiwan and Hong Kong in 2014 and continue to perform locally.[17]
Chen, himself, helped compose the soundtrack for Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story, writing three tracks for the film.[18]
Filmography[edit]
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story |
Awards and Recognition[edit]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story | Vancouver Asian Film Festival: People’s Choice Award for Best Overall Feature | Won |
| 2018 | Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story | Golden Horse Film Festival: Golden Horse Award for Best Documentary | Nominated |
| 2018 | Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story | Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival: Audience Award for International Documentary Feature | Won |
References[edit]
- ↑ Visual Communications (10 May 2018). "Congratulations to our 2018 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival winners!". Visual Communications. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ↑ Blogger VAFF (18 November 2018). "Festival Recap: Celebrating INFUSIAN at VAFF 2018". Vancouver Asian Film Festival. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ↑ "55th Golden Horse Film Festival Award Nominees & Winners". Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards. 18 November 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- Chiang Pei-ling and Ko Lin (2 October 2018). "Chien-ming Wang elated at Golden Horse nomination of film about him". Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 12 July 2019.CS1 maint: Uses authors parameter (link)
- ↑ Golianopolous, Thomas (18 June 2018). "A Different Sort of Happiness". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ↑ Hu Jiaming (22 December 2018). "【專訪】催生「後勁」的另一股後勁：陳惟揚導演 [Interview: Another striving force that gives birth to "staying power": Director Chen Weiyang]". Taro News. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
- ↑ Yu, Wufei (23 October 2018). "A Baseball Star for All Taiwanese: The Chien-Ming Wang Documentary". Ketagalan Media. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- Ko, George (7 June 2018). "Back On the Mound with Chien-Ming Wang". Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- "Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story, Interview with Director Frank W Chen". We Are Moving Stories. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ↑ Kepner, Tyler (16 June 2008). "Yanks Lose Their Ace and Eye Another". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- "How far would you go? The Chien-Ming Wang Comeback Story". YouTube. 13 May 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ↑ Frater, Patrick (18 September 2018). "'Late Life' Baseball Documentary Heads for U.S. Release (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Cheung, Han (13 December 2018). "Movie review: Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story". Taipei Times. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ↑ Withiam, Hannah (1 November 2018). "Life after Yankees stardom: Inside one-time ace Chien-Ming Wang's fight back to MLB relevance". The Athletic. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ↑ "《後勁：王建民》導影─成就後勁的傻勁：王建民✕陳惟揚 (中) ["Post-Strength: Wang Jianmin" Guide - Stupidity to achieve stamina: Wang Jianmin, Chen Weiyang (middle)]". Sport Vision. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
- Guo Wei (31 December 2018). "讓導演拍到泛淚 王建民的「後勁」在哪？[Let the director photograph the "staying power" of the tearful Wang Jianmin?]". Liberty Times Net. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
- ↑ Guo Wei (4 December 2018). "球星會客室》王建民 有什麼了不起 [What is the great thing about Wang Jianmin?]". Liberty Times Net. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
- ↑ Noh, David (19 October 2018). "Film Review: Late Life: The Chien-ming Wang Story". FilmJournal International. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ↑ Titze, Anne-Katrin (29 October 2018). "A long way home: Frank W Chen on Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story". Eye for Film. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- Lee, Chelsea (10 May 2018). "Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story". CAAMFest. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ↑ Moore, Roger (17 October 2018). "Documentary Review — A pitcher attempts a comeback in "Late Life: The Chien Ming Wang Story"". Movie Nation. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- "《后劲：王建民》美国盛大上映 经典回忆 让球迷满满感动 ["Pushing Power: Wang Jianmin" American grand release of classic memories makes fans full of emotion]". SoHu. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- "超勵志！王建民紀錄片 美國主流戲院19日上映 台灣12月 [Super inspirational! Wang Jianmin's documentary film, the mainstream American theater, was released on December 19th in Taiwan.]". NewTalk.tw. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ Cheng, Emily (25 September 2014). "Emily的紐約音樂相機: 樂團：Torpid May／地點：The Rock Shop [Emily's New York Music Camera: Orchestra: Torpid May / Location: The Rock Shop]". Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ de Fontenay, Eric (20 March 2014). "Torpid May, the New York City based trio, is taking their music back to their homeland of Taiwan and Hong Kong". MusicDish. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ "Documentaries". Asian American International Film Festival. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- "Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story Soundtrack". CD Baby. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
External links[edit]
- Frank W Chen on IMDb
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