© 2008 Smoking Gun Productions Pty LtdSuite 14D / Level 1Oxford Corner169 Unley RoadUnley SA 5061Ph/Fax: (618) 8272 9846mail@smokinggun.com.au

PRESS KIT mY Generation

Fresh Off The Boat 1 x 25 min documentary (SBS/SAFC/ScreenWest)

Hip-hop comedy group F.O.B. - immigrant slang for ‘fresh off the boat’ – are determined to break down cultural barriers by taking the piss out of their own respective races, no matter what the consequences.

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LOG LINE

Hip-hop comedy group F.O.B. - immigrant slang for ‘fresh off the boat’ - are Generation Y Melbournians who want to be heard. Fast paced and articulate, funny and provocative, F.O.B. are determined to take the piss out of their respective races and break down cultural barriers, no matter what the consequences...

SHORT SYNOPSIS

Watch out if you don’t like ethnic Australians!

Music/comedy act F.O.B. are young, ethnic-proud and outspoken. Of Malaysian, Indian, Filipino, Egyptian and Assyrian heritage, these Generation Y Melbournians are pushing cultural buttons and seeking notoriety by taking their unique brand of ethnic comedy out to the most public domain they can find: Federation Square. For them, the concert is a chance to gain further national exposure as performers as well as have a few laughs along the way.

But in the current political climate and with lyrics like "Explosives, let's blow this building to the ground zero/ Now I'll be my town's hero” could they face a backlash?

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SYNOPSIS

The guys from music/comedy act F.O.B. stand out as true Gen Y’s: sharp, tolerant, ambitious, culturally savvy, technologically minded, brand-wearing consumers. And while they are all proud of their distinctive cultures, like most Gen Ys they value their friendships above all other types of relationships. They take the piss out of their own and each other's ethnicities, and the natural camaraderie between them comes from being able to make light of these cultural differences, rather than being forcedly respectful or tiptoeing around them.

The group’s first-ever public performance at Federation Square is the perfect opportunity for the guys from F.O.B. to reach an even broader audience and see if they can get their music out into the wider community. But is the mainstream public really ready to hear what they have to say?

As typical Gen Ys, the members of F.O.B. are all still living at home with strong family and cultural ties. Growing up as second-generation migrants has meant their parents have worked hard to provide them with a comfortable life. But while their families are supportive, language barriers and generational differences mean they don’t truly understand F.O.B’s lyrics and the potential negative response they may generate.

Incorporating observational asides, tongue-in-cheek animated sequences and original F.O.B. musical skits, this film follows the five members of the F.O.B. collective and takes a look at why and how their music is now striking a chord with other ethnic Australian Gen Ys who understand first-hand the power of ‘owning’ your respective racial and cultural stereotypes.

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THE MIXTAPE

Play »

The F.O.B. Mixtape was launched in April 2007 and features a selection of hip-hop club hit songs re-recorded with a twist – the lyrics have been ‘flipped’ to take the piss of racial stereotypes.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

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MEET F.O.B.

CHRISTIAN a.k.a. MC JUSTICE

“Wanna be Chinky? You gotta act more Nerd and get your dad to scream, “Do your maths homework!”

ROHIT a.k.a. MC KAOS

“If you wanna go and take a ride with me, 3

dollar flag fall in my taxi, oh why does it smell

this way? Hey! Must be the curry!”

GRAEME a.k.a. GMC “I’m sick of rice and I’m sick of the noodles, I’m sick of the white man always teasing our doodles!”

MO a.k.a. MC ANONYMOUS

“Using Mum’s headgear for scrubbing the dishes, and since Osama’s been missing my family’s under suspicion!”

SIMON a.k.a. DJ SIMON SEZ

Fresh Off The Boat PRESS KIT pg 6“!?!”

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

After reading several online articles about the F.O.B. collective and downloading their mixtape and videos on MySpace, we immediately wanted to know more about them. Not only were they pushing boundaries with their music and trying to get people thinking about racial stereotypes, they all came from different backgrounds and still lived at home. What did their parents think of what they were doing, we wondered? We decided to make the journey to Melbourne to meet the guys in person to find out - luckily we did as we got there just in time to film the official F.O.B. launch in April 2007.

Seeing how the group interacted with one another revealed to us how F.O.B. are a great example of how ethnicity and cultural differences are no longer an issue with the younger generation of Australians. Making fun of each other’s ethnicities is a way of easing tensions and by playing down the value of stereotypes in society young people can get on better without having to even think about these things.

Following in the footsteps of Australian ethnic comedy pioneers such as Hung Le (who features on the mixtape) F.O.B.’s lyrics are an opportunity to reflect on the quirky side of the various cultures and traditions that make Australia such a rich society, while at the same time highlighting the similar qualities that can be found in every family of any cultural background. Furthermore, through the subversive medium of comedy, topics normally considered taboo or uncomfortable can be publicly explored.

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Unskilled workers, offshore telemarketers, mandatory detention and terrorism are just some of the issues tackled on the mixtape, and the guys from F.O.B. have no qualms about pushing buttons with their politically incorrect lyrics. They know what they want and they’re not afraid to go out and get it. Despite the risks they’re making their mark on the world in a way we can all be inspired to do too.

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BIOS – KEY CREATIVES

Writer/Director/DOP: Mark Andersson

Following stints as a breakfast cook in Sydney, taxi driver and landscape gardener in Adelaide, Mark graduated from film school in 2000 with over 15 short film credits to his name. In 2006, he formed the documentary production company Budaya Productions with fellow filmmaker Katrina Lucas. He went on to make the award-winning documentary Stone Country,

which screened on the ABC and at festivals nationally and internationally. Recently Mark won Best Documentary and a Cinematography award for his film A Fighting Chance, made with Producers Katrina Lucas and veteran filmmaker Tom Zubrycki for SBS television.

Writer/Director: Katrina Lucas

Katrina has worked in academic research, community services and performing arts before pursuing documentary filmmaking. Since forming Budaya Productions, she has written and produced documentaries that have won awards and screened at festivals in Australia and overseas. Katrina works as a writer, director & producer, and is currently producing an

educational documentary on Australian eye doctors in Burma.

Editor/Graphics/VFX: David Ngo

David is a young, Gen Y, South Australian editor who has cut a diverse range of projects ranging from documentary, experimental, reality television to children's animation. Credits range from children's

Fresh Off The Boat PRESS KIT pg 9program The Fairies, SBS series Risking It All, Channel 7 series My Restaurant Rules to the awarding winning animation Carnivore Reflux. Currently David is cutting his first feature film Broken Hill, an American-Australian co-production.

Producers: Smoking Gun Productions

Smoking Gun Productions is a South Australian based production company formed in 2001 by Shane McNeil (writer/director) and Kristian Moliere (producer). Since then, Smoking Gun has produced a number of award-winning music videos, TVCs, documentaries, television programs and short and feature length films with the support of funding agencies and broadcasters such as the South Australian Film Corporation, Adelaide Film Festival, South Australian Youth Arts Board, Channel 7, ABC and the AFC.

Most recently they produced the award-winning, critically acclaimed, feature film Boxing Day with director Kriv Stenders. They are currently in pre-production on their second feature film with Kriv – a western entitled Home.

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CREDITS

Written and Directed by Mark Andersson & Katrina Lucas

Produced by Kristian Moliere & Shane McNeil

Commissioning Editors Anna Miralis & Trevor Graham

Cinematographer Mark Andersson

Editor David Ngo

Additional Editor Erfan Khadem

Additional Photography Cameron Davies, Katrina Lucas, Rachel Thompson, Justin Parker

Sound Recordists Mark Andersson & Katrina Lucas

Additional Sound Recording Bart Bee

Graphics and VFX David Ngo

Additional Graphics Elendil Archer

Animator Luku Trembath

Illustrator Greg Holfield

Online and Grade Resin

Script Editor Shane McNeil

Production Manager Kristian Moliere

Production Assistant Tom Young

Production Accountant Kristian Moliere

Stills Jo Duck

Transcriptions Hannah Tunstill

Original Music Rohit Mukerjea, Tom Harrer, Ian Hughes

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Narrator Christian Ng

Additional Narration Ted Nogard

Sound Edit & Mix Best FX

Legals Shaun Miller, Marshalls & Dent

Insurance Richard Hyde, Webster Hyde Heath

Completion Guarantor Jenny Woods, Film Finances Inc

Series Titles Resin

Website designed &developed by Karmabunny Web Design

Special Thanks to Rohit MukerjeaChristian NgGreame McIntoshMohammed AtwaSimon Haddad and their families

Thanks also to Shayne Hood & Hooded InkAndrew Montell & Solid StateDefrim IsaiRebecca SummertonKath McIntyreMelanie JoseMelissa JuhansonChristine Sweeney Fed Square Pty Ltd

Stills Used with permission from Associated Press

Music ‘Don’t Wanna Be An Asian’ FOB Mixtape feat. GMC(Third World 2007)

‘Best Of Both Worlds’ FOB Mixtape feat. Justice(Third World 2007)

Fresh Off The Boat PRESS KIT pg 12‘The Corner (Chutney Roll)’ FOB Mixtape feat. Kaos(Third World 2007)

‘Simon Sez Scratch Break’ FOB Mixtape(Third World 2007)

‘Explosives’ FOB Mixtape feat. Anonymous(Third World 2007)

‘Ride Wit Me’ FOB Mixtape feat. Kaos & GMC(Third World 2007)

‘How To FOB’ FOB Mixtape feat. Kaos(Third World 2007)

‘Passports 4 Life’ FOB Mixtape feat. Kaos, GMC & Justice(Third World 2007)

‘Turn It On’ Justice & Kaos(Solid State/Warner 2007)

‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ (Traditional)

‘State Occasion’ by Ian Hughes (Used with permission from Audio Network)

Produced in association with

Produced with the assistance of

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www.westernaustralia.com

Produced in association with

Produced by

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© 2008 Smoking Gun Productions Pty Ltd, WBMC, South Australian Film Corporation, Screenwest

www.sbs.com.au/mygeneration

RELATED LINKS

The official ‘mY generation’ series website: http://www.sbs.com.au/mygeneration

To hear the mixtape and see FOB videos: http://www.myspace.com/fobmixtape

To hear original Justice & Kaos music: http://www.justiceandkaos.com/

For more info on the filmmakers and latest news on the doco: http://www.budaya.com.au

HOW TO PURCHASE THE PROGRAM

Contact:

Smoking Gun Productions Pty LtdSuite 14D / Level 1Oxford Corner

Fresh Off The Boat PRESS KIT pg 15169 Unley RoadAustraliaUnley SA 5061Ph/Fax: (618) 8272 9846mail@smokinggun.com.au www.smokinggun.com.au

SBS CONTENT QUESTIONNAIRE with directors

Mark Andersson & Katrina Lucas

Q: What was the inspiration behind this documentary? And/or how did it come about?

After reading several online articles about the F.O.B. collective and downloading their mixtape and videos on MySpace, we immediately wanted to know more about them. Not only were they pushing boundaries with their music and trying to get people thinking about racial stereotypes, they all came from different backgrounds and still lived at home. What did their parents think of what they were doing, we wondered? We decided to make the journey to Melbourne to meet the guys in person to find out- luckily we did as we got there just in time to film the official F.O.B. launch in April 2007.

Not long after, the SAFC, ScreenWest and SBSi initiative for emerging filmmakers came up, looking for story ideas for a series on Generation Y. Thinking F.O.B. fit the bill perfectly, we applied and were one of three projects from South Australia to be

Fresh Off The Boat PRESS KIT pg 16selected.

Q: What do you like/find challenging about making documentaries? Did you encounter any particular challenges in making this documentary and, if so, how did you overcome them? Any lucky breaks, and if so, how did they come about and how did you embrace them?

We are interested in documentaries that are about everyday people who live extraordinary lives. People who are making waves, are passionate about what they do and who impact on the world around them inspire us. For us, observational documentary provides a creative opportunity to explore the layers of someone’s story and share in their life, if only for a brief time.

Being allowed into the personal lives of others is fascinating, but also challenging. One of the challenges in this doco was trying to get all the F.O.B. guys together during the short periods we were in Melbourne to shoot, as they all lived in the different outer suburbs of Melbourne and had various jobs and other commitments. It was often hard to get them to answer their phones, let alone arrange times to meet!

A second challenge was stylistically trying to making a high quality documentary while still capturing the ‘homemade’ feel of FOB’s skits and videos. Luckily our talented Gen Y editor, David Ngo, was able to give assist us achieve the look we wanted using creative graphics and text.

Q: How does the documentary relate to your past work, if at all? Was this film a natural next step or a radical departure from your previous work in film, TV etc?

As a creative team we seem always to be drawn to multicultural subjects and stories. In our work we aim to create culturally and socially aware films that both entertain and enlighten. We hope this was successfully continued with Fresh Off the Boat.

Q: Apart from "it's a masterpiece" what would your ideal viewer response to the doco be!?

Whether or not the audience appreciates hip-hop and whether or not they find ethnic

Fresh Off The Boat PRESS KIT pg 17comedy humourous, we’d love for them to look beyond these things and see how F.O.B. are breaking down cultural barriers and challenging ethnic stereotypes. They know what they want and they’re not afraid to go out and get it. Despite the risks, they’re making their mark on the world in a way that hopefully we can all be inspired to do too.

Q: What is your next project or what are you working on now?

We are currently working on a number of short documentary projects, as well as developing a longer form documentary project following a Sudanese stand-up comedian in Adelaide.