Adventures in Multi-Camera Televsion Part XIV: My experience working in Asian American Television at LA18/KSCI-TV

As a member of the studio production team of LA18–or as one might call it, the Asian Univision–I’ve had the unique experience of working in a cross-cultural, multi-lingual environment right here within the United States. As part of a cross-trained crew, I worked as Floor Manger, Camera Operator, Audio Technician, CG person and, most recently, Senior Technical Director. I also edited video, prepared graphics for the shows and other important functions that helped make our 4 to 5-per-day shooting schedule run.

Producer, Crew and Co-Hosts for LA18 Midday Buzz

According to Los Angeles Magazine article The Unique Challenges of Being the Only TV Station That Caters to L.A.’s Asian Communities: “Like Univision, LA18 draws from a potential viewer base that, despite a tough media climate, is actually expanding…The Greater L.A. area contains the largest number of ethnic Koreans living outside of Korea and the largest number of ethnic Filipinos living outside of the Philippines. More than a half million Chinese live here, too; in the United States only New York and the Bay Area have more.”

The main question I get about my experience at LA18 is,  How does the crew, not being bilingual, communicate with the talent? Interestingly enough, the process is very efficient. Though the shows are not conducted in English, the on-air talent and producers were bilingual, and they communicated with crew regarding when to insert videos and when to wrap segments the communication was very efficient.

Lions Gate finds sucess targeting Latino audiences

“A lot of people will say this film came out of nowhere, but we spent a lot of time and energy marketing the film to our core audience.”
-Paul Presburger, Pantelion CEO

http://variety.com/2013/film/news/hollywood-gets-instructions-from-latino-audiences-1200665085/

“Instructions Not Included” recently surpised the box office and became the #1 movie in America and highest grossing Spanish language film in the U.S. to date. Pantelion the Lions Gate-backed distributor targeting Latino audiences, marketed the film. The approach in releasing the film was a brilliant move on Lions Gate’s part to woo Latino audiences in a way that attracts families and women to the box office — not unlike their approach to marketing African American fims vis-a-vis Tyler Perry. 

Films geared to audiences of color with an interest in family — with the right balance of humor, culture, and compelling themes — can be a recipe  for success!

-O.G.