This A-Profiler we bring you award-winning writer and director Greg Pak who has gained recognition and critical acclaim for his feature film "Robot Stories" staring Tamlyn Tomita and Sab Shimano, but did you know that he is a writer for some of your favorite comic book characters? Find out what other things you don't know about Greg Pak in this A-Profile.

Your site URL:
http://www.gregpak.com/

Can you describe who Greg Pak is?
The writer and director of the award winning feature film "Robot Stories" and numerous short films, including "Fighting Grandpa," "Mouse," "Asian Pride Porn," and "Po Mo Knock Knock." Also, the writer of Marvel comic book series such as "Incredible Hulk," "X-Men: Phoenix - Endsong" and "Iron Man: House of M."

What's your ethnic background?
Hapa -- Korean and Caucasian.

How did you get into film making?
I studied political science in college, but I'd drawn cartoons and done theater and written short stories since I was a kid. I was always obsessed with storytelling and the movies, and when I went to Oxford as a graduate student to study history, I finally had the chance to get involved with a student filmmaking group. From my first day directing on set, I knew that was what I needed to do with my life. I went to the NYU grad film program after Oxford and, many moons later, here I am.

Do you have any future projects that you will be working on?
I've just finished a couple of new short films which should be hitting festivals next year (updates will be posted at www.gregpak.com). And, as always, I'm working on raising money for my next feature film.

In the comics world, I have a few new projects coming out -- one is an eight page story in Marvel's "Amazing Fantasy" #15 called "Mastermind Excello." It features a boy genius named Amadeus Cho who's on the run from a nefarious secret agency. Tons of fun, with great art by Takeshi Miyazawa. After the book hits stands on November 30, Marvel.com will poll readers to see which of the characters in the anthology will get a miniseries -- please feel free to check it out and vote.

The other big project is the "Incredible Hulk" comic book. I'm writing the "Planet Hulk" storyline which begins with Issue 92 in February. Pencils are by the very talented artist Carlo Pagulayan.

Out of all the movies you have created which one is your favorite? Is there one movie were you thought you could have done a better job?
I love all my children. But for sheer laughs, I'd probably have to pick "Asian Pride Porn" and "All Amateur Ecstasy," both of which are still screening at www.atomfilms.com. For emotional impact, I'd pick "Fighting Grandpa" and the "Robot Fixer" episode of "Robot Stories."

Why is "Robot Stories" such a good movie?
I should leave that to others to say. But I will shamelessly plug the actors -- the cast includes amazing performers like Tamlyn Tomita, Sab Shimono, Wai Ching Ho, and Cindy Cheung. Wai Ching Ho, who plays the mother in the film's second story, has won three Best Actress awards for her work in the film -- she's absolutely incredible.

What do you think a movie director's goal is when they are directing movie?
I can't speak for other directors. But when I'm on set, whether I'm shooting a comedy or a drama, my goal is to find that human spark at the heart of the scene we're shooting that makes the moment ring true.

How do you come up with your ideas?
I tend to work best with contrasts, looking for the unexpected. With my short film "Mouse," for example, I knew that it could be fun to watch a guy chase a mouse around his apartment. But for the story to really work, I needed to figure out what was going on emotionally. When I looked at the emotions that a mouse on the loose can evoke, the notion of an unwanted pregnancy came up. The contrast was unexpected and the symbolism rang true and the story finally found itself.

What are some obstacles new film makers face in today's movie industry?
Getting the dollars to make a feature film is always the big challenge. It's particularly tough for films with Asian American lead characters, since movies are generally financed on the basis of who's in them, and there's a very small number of "bankable" Asian American stars. It's a Catch-22 -- Asian American actors need to get cast as leads to become stars, but it's incredibly difficult to get a movie financed unless the actors are already stars. So we just have to keep finding ways to make movies, by hook or by crook, to get the stories out there and give those great Asian American actors the chance to become stars.

What's more important to you -- the story itself or how the scene appears?
Camera angles and cinematography are a critical part of telling the story. But if the characters aren't compelling, the prettiest images in the world don't mean much. So once you get to the set, the success of the story ultimately depends on the performances. So yes, I do everything I can to work with my creative crew to get the most beautiful, evocative, and compelling cinematography and production and costume and sound design. But working with the actors to get to the heart of each scene is the most important thing I do on set as a director.

How can you tell if the movie you're watching is a Greg Pak film? Do you make your films for yourself or for your audience?
I've worked in a pretty wide range of genres -- from documentary to experimental to comedy to drama. So it's a little hard to say exactly what makes all of these projects recognizable as my own. Maybe one thing many of my films share is the effort to combine humor with genuine human emotion. Maybe another thing is a touch of the unexpected, an inclination to draw quirky connections, to aim for fun and evocative twists.

Is film making very glamorous?
Heck, no. It's the best work in the world -- tons of fun and hugely rewarding. But it's also tough, stressful, and challenging, with an enormous emphasis on practical problem solving.

What's the difference between a director and an executive producer?
The executive producer is usually the person who pulls in the money. The director is the creative force guiding every element of the production.

Are Asian Americans directors well respected and represented in the movie industry?
There are great Asian American directors working at every level of the film industry -- M. Night Shyamalan, Wayne Wang, James Wong, Justin Lin, Karyn Kusama, Eric Byler, Alice Wu, and Michael Kang, to name just a few. But it's worth noting that even an enormously successful filmmaker will probably struggle for years to get financing for a film featuring Asian American leads. Asian American filmmakers have proven time and time again that they have the chops to make great films. Now the challenge is to keep nurturing and developing a critical mass of Asian American stars whose participation will get films financed.

Which do you think is better acting or directing?
Acting can be more fun in the moment -- as an actor on set, you have just one job, which is to connect with the other person or people you're working with and find the heart of the scene. The director's working toward that same objective, but he or she is simultaneously worrying about a million other details -- the job's much more stressful. Nonetheless, directing is the place to be if you have your eye on the big picture, if you're hungry for the experience and responsibility of shaping the whole story.

Do you see yourself doing anything else besides directing movies?
I did improv comedy for years and I'm writing comic books now. And I could easily see myself working on television projects or writing fiction. Essentially, I'm interested in storytelling -- and there are many different, compelling ways to tell stories. But there's something special about the multi-faced challenges and rewards of filmmaking. That complete experience of making a film -- from the writing to the rehearsals to shooting to editing -- is tough to top.

Thanks again for taking the time to answer these burning questions is there any tips or words you would like to leave your fans or aspiring film makers?
Thank you. My website www.filmhelp.com is full of pointers for aspiring independent filmmakers. But my advice in a nutshell? Get practical experience and seek out rigorous criticism. These days it's pretty easy to get ahold of a MiniDV camera and some editing software; actually writing and shooting and editing a short is the best way to build skills. But the next, critical step is to build a community of friends and colleagues who can give rigorous feedback about the work. Every project can be improved and every filmmaker has lessons to learn -- the key is to develop thick skin and an open mind to make the most of helpful criticism.

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This issue of A-Profiler is brought to you by Ray Lam. Special thanks to Greg Pak.

Images courtesy of Greg Pak.
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