NARRATIVE SHORT
AUGUST 11, 2021
USA | 11 minutes | 2020
Drama, musical short film directed by Jerry Sun
Starring Nathan Policarpio
One Day (Yi Tian)
Chinese title: 一天
Told through rap, One Day (Yi Tian) is a story about an Asian-American high school senior, Ben, who wants to perform at the school talent show. The only problem is that he is held back by his mom and his obligation to attend the annual Chinese New Year celebration.
Interview
CineAsian Films (CAF): What inspired you to make the rap musical, One Day?
Jerry Sun: The inspiration behind making one day came from trying to explore something different. I am in no way a musician nor have I ever tried to make a film of this sort, but something about incorporating music into the film intrigued me. I’ve watched a few musicals before, and the challenge of creating one was something I was up for.
CAF: Did you have any inspirations for One Day’s visual style?
Sun: I took in inspiration from Pixar’s Bao. I watched that film and the look of the film stuck with me. During the process of planning for One Day, I also watched a lot of rap music videos and what ever music movies I could find. 8 Mile was one of them, the gritty handheld style played an important part in connecting the camera to the character.
CAF: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during production?
Sun: The biggest challenge we faced during production had to be the production design. We shot at my old high school and on a soundstage, but had to build out and create the world. Time is always tight, and this one was no exception. Another tough challenge was writing and creating the music for the short. I have to be honest, writing lyrics is no joke, it’s a miracle that I was able to pull it together, with some help from friends of course. Countless hours were spent scribbling on a notebook.
CAF: Are you working on anything new?
Sun: Currently I am working on a few music videos and trying to improve my cinematography.
One Day is one of the many great projects shared with CineAsian Films through our submissions process. If you’d like to join them, submit your film.
Credits
Director, Writer, Producer, Cinematographer: Jerry Sun
Producer: Silvy Gueguzian
Also featuring: Karlie King, Christine Cabana, Jennie Kwan, Crystal Lee
CineAsian Films 