WEB SERIES TURNED FEATURE FILM COMBINES HOLLYWOOD ACTORS AND YOUTUBE STARS, TO BE RELEASED ON JUNE 23
ONLINE WATCH PARTY AND PREMIERE EVENT SET FOR JUNE 23
June 3, 2015 – Los Angeles, CA – Digital entertainment curator FilmBuff will release the web series-turned-feature action comedy AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS from filmmakers/YouTubers Stephen Dypiangco and Patrick Epino a.k.a National Film Society on June 23 on all major VOD platforms including the film’s website, powered by VHX, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu and Xbox Video.
An irreverent homage to the nameless, expendable, yet imposing villains of ‘80s & ‘90s action flicks, AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS plunges a ragtag group of Asian “bad guy” actors into a deadly mission to take down LA’s most nefarious mob boss. The cast uniquely combines popular Hollywood actors including Randall Park (The Interview, Fresh Off the Boat), Al Leong (Die Hard, Lethal Weapon), Dante Basco (Hook), Yuji Okumoto (The Karate Kid, Part II), Tamlyn Tomita (Joy Luck Club, The Karate Kid, Part II), George Cheung (Rambo: First Blood Part II), and Aaron Takahashi (The Wedding Ringer) with major YouTubers such as Wong Fu Productions, Wendy Nguyen (Wendy’s Lookbook), and AJ Rafael.
“We are excited to be launching our project with FilmBuff,” says co-director Patrick Epino. “They have made it possible for us take our movie to major platforms so that it can reach a wider audience. These legendary performers have spent their careers in the background, and this project finally gives them their due. It places them front and center where they belong. We look forward to building this into a franchise by developing a potential sequel and other kick-ass projects within the AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS universe.”
The AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS intellectual property originally began as a 2-minute video on Dypiangco and Epino’s National Film Society YouTube channel, where they incubated the project as part of the PBS Digital Studios network. With a modest but highly engaged and passionate audience, the duo recruited key talent and then took their concept to Kickstarter, where they raised production funds and expanded their fan base.
The first web-based project to ever participate in the prestigious Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) Emerging Storyteller program, the film premiered at CAAMFest and went on a successful festival run, playing to sold-out screenings of enthusiastic fans.
“We are so lucky to have found such young, talented, and dedicated filmmakers in Patrick Epino and Stephen Dypiangco,” says FilmBuff’s Sam Scupp. “Starting this project as a two-minute video and expanding it to what it is today is such a remarkable feat, and we are proud to have a part in sharing AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS with the world. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these two fantastic filmmakers.”
Using VHX, AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS will coordinate an online watch party experience accessible from anywhere in the world on June 23 that is tied to a special premiere event in Hollywood.
“AWESOME ASIAN BAD BUYS owes its existence to our online supporters, so it only makes sense to thank them and reach new fans with a big online watch party,” says co-director Stephen Dypiangco. “The film is available for pre-order from our website via direct-to-consumer platform VHX, which has empowered us through powerful tools and inspiring advice to expand our audience and turn our release into a major digital launch event.”
“We’re very excited to help Awesome Asian Bad Guys take control of video sales through their own (kick-ass) website,” says VHX CEO Jamie Wilkinson. “For a film with such a great fan community already, it’s the perfect opportunity for them to build a direct connection with their audience.”
AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS is co-directed by and co-stars Stephen Dypiangco and Patrick Epino. The film is produced by Stephen Dypiangco, Patrick Epino, Milton Liu, and Diana Williams and is executive produced by Phil Yu, creator of the Angry Asian Man Blog, and Devon George.
The original Awesome Asian Bad Guys video and project updates can be found at AwesomeAsianBadGuys.com.
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