Arts & Communications: Filmmaker
Arts & Communications
Filmmaker: Edgy Lee
For artist and filmmaker Edgy Lee, the notion of transition is an all too familiar experience. As one who disliked violin and piano lessons at a very young age, she made leaps from music to painting; from fine arts to children's illustration; from modeling to TV roles; from record producing to movies and documentaries. Coming full circle, she will testify that having studied music helped tremendously.
It Hurt, Hurt, Hurt
"I hated practicing. It hurt, hurt, hurt. I'd be stuck inside on a sunny day….But once you get to a certain level, it actually becomes fun. Learning to play music helped me develop self-discipline. That's a key to being successful — self-discipline. Be it music, sports, business, you focus and see the larger picture…to see your dream fulfilled."
Modeling and Acting
Lee attended the San Francisco Art Institute to study painting, after concentrating primarily on music in lower school. She soon began modeling, working "in front" of the camera, and landed small parts in TV and films. Among the things she discovered: "You're at the bottom of the totem pole. You have no say in the dialogue as hired 'on-camera talent.' They'd say, 'You're not Asian enough!' Others asked me to speak with a Chinese accent, when the character was Japanese. I learned a lot. There's no classroom like a movie or TV set. Making movies is a team effort. There are lots of egos on a film set."
Music And Record Producing
After working with directors in print modeling, TV, and film, Lee came to a point where she wanted control. She dove into music at a time when there were few female record makers. "Record producing was not a glamorous job," she says. "In those days, it was analogue editing, where you manually spliced tape. It took patience and days of editing."
Moving Back To Hawaii
Eventually, Lee returned to Hawaii for her sister's wedding. When she visited friends in Papakolea, she was appalled to see what had happened to her childhood friends and their kids. "High alcoholism, drug use, single parenthood, spousal and child abuse... and kids had posters of Jamaican reggae artists. Where were the icons of their own great Hawaiian role models? I became interested in doing a film on native Hawaiian culture. I had not seen any films that portrayed them honestly and would also be understood by non-local viewers."
The Best Decision
When Lee finally decided to do the film, she still lived in L.A. She recalls, "It seemed like for years prior to my moving here in the 1990's, people had gotten used to working for the other guy….They worked for other producers. No writers, no directors, no producers were working on these productions. But I decided, 'What the heck! I'm going to move.' I would have to make my own path. I think it was the boldest and the best decision that I have ever made."
Numerous Awards
Lee has built up FilmWorks Pacific in the last ten years. With co-producer, Jeffrey Mueller, she works in a wide range of media with contacts all over the world. They've picked up numerous awards. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin named Edgy Lee as among the "10 Who Made a Difference" in 2004. She carries her message loud and strong. "The arts can build strong adults," she says. Lee knows there are solutions out there.
If You Choose Film And Television
Lee's advice to teens who choose the film or television industry: "Realize that your notion of what this business is like, is nothing like what this business is like. It requires a tremendous amount of dedication and desire. I have friends who've been waiting tables with their screenplays under their arms, and I see them back in L.A. ten years later, still writing, still hopeful. That's dedication."
And if you succeed, you'll have the chance to make it better for someone else. Edgy Lee has been out there and done that.