{"id":25063,"date":"2012-05-13T16:11:39","date_gmt":"2012-05-13T20:11:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/?p=25063"},"modified":"2013-11-11T01:56:09","modified_gmt":"2013-11-11T05:56:09","slug":"jq-magazine-jqa-with-director-regge-life-on-live-your-dream-the-taylor-anderson-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/2012\/05\/13\/jq-magazine-jqa-with-director-regge-life-on-live-your-dream-the-taylor-anderson-story\/","title":{"rendered":"JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Director Regge Life on \u2018Live Your Dream: The Taylor Anderson Story\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“‘Live Your Dream’ is principally about Taylor, but it is actually the story of all the JETs who come to Japan, so I really want to look at what the experience is for a variety of people and how that experience changes both the teacher and the students they interact with.”<\/p><\/div>\n

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By <\/strong><\/em>Renay Loper<\/em><\/strong><\/a> (<\/strong><\/em>Iwate-ken<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, 2006-07) for <\/strong><\/em>JQ magazine<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em> Renay is a freelance writer and associate program officer at the <\/strong><\/em>Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. Visit her blog at <\/strong><\/em>Atlas in Her Hand<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Live Your Dream: The Taylor Anderson Story<\/a><\/em> is the latest work by filmmaker and Global Film Network<\/a> founder Regge Life, who has been making groundbreaking films for over two decades including the acclaimed Doubles: Japan and America\u2019s Intercultural Children<\/a><\/em>, and most recently Reason to Hope<\/a><\/em>, which chronicles the events surrounding the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Live Your Dream<\/em> not only shares the story of JET alum Taylor Anderson<\/a> (Miyagi-ken, 2008-11)<\/strong> who tragically lost her life in the 2011 tsunami, but it also seeks to celebrate the lives of those who live their dreams and inspire others to make a difference. JQ<\/strong> caught up with Life to discuss the film, which is being prepared for a November release.<\/p>\n

Your relationship with Japan spans over two decades. What stirred you to first go there, and how has this relationship grown over time?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a question with a very long answer, so let me try to be brief and to the point as possible. Japanese film has always intrigued me, so as a young filmmaker I would watch marathons of Japanese films at a cinema on Eighth Avenue called the Elgin. After years and so many movies, I was introduced to the Creative Artists Program of the NEA and Bunka-cho, and that is how I went the first time to witness the making of Tora-san #43<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How has it grown? Well, leaps and bounds. Four completed films, almost four years in residence in Tokyo, and a current feature project in development for almost 10 years.<\/p>\n

What inspired you to make this film and document Taylor\u2019s story?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like most people, watching what was happening [during the time of the tsunami and earthquake] was mind-boggling and devastating. I have never been to Ishinomaki before, but I have been to Hachinohe, Morioka, Ichinoseki, and other parts of the region; so when I saw water rushing over rice fields like that and trucks and cars being carried\u2014I just couldn\u2019t believe it. It was devastating [to watch] for someone who has never been there before, but when you have been there, you [can better understand] the magnitude of what was happening. So at that time I\u2019d just finished the film about Haiti, and from my work there, I realized there was probably going to be a story that needed to be told: something that no one would cover.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t remember where I saw the fist e-mail about Taylor\u2019s story or how it came to be, I just remember reading about her online. I made a few calls and one thing lead to the next, and slowly but surely, I was able to get in touch with Taylor\u2019s family. And even still, it was all about timing.\u00a0As a parent, I would have completely understood if no one got back to me.\u00a0Then suddenly, I got this email from Andy, Taylor\u2019s father. Giving him credit, he did his due diligence and did some research on me and became familiar with my work. [This all happened] at a time when they were swarmed by the media, so I took my time and we worked as they were comfortable.<\/p>\n

Every step of the way, I checked in.\u00a0Andy connected me with some of Taylor\u2019s friends from Ishinomaki, so when I went back to Japan, I carved out some time to spend with them.\u00a0One of her friends picked me up from the train station and that\u2019s when it really hit me. At that time [the devastated area] was pretty much cleaned up\u2014but even still, there was a lot to be done.\u00a0Visiting Ishinomaki and meeting [Taylor\u2019s] friends solidified it with me.\u00a0I knew I needed to share her story.<\/p>\n

Since this is a documentary about a JET participant, what cooperation did you receive from JET Program itself for the making of the film?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The CLAIR office in Japan was very generous to the film and made a remarkable pledge. We also received support directly from one of the people on staff! The JET alumni chapter in New York City (JETAANY<\/a>) was also very generous, as well as JETs from all over the U.S. and even abroad.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What is it about Taylor\u2019s story that is different from any other story or any other JET participant?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not taking anything away from anyone else or any other JET participant, but everyone who speaks about her talks about what an unbelievable kind of person she was, about her passion for life, her passion for Japan. For instance, the story behind one of the photos<\/a> we\u2019ve used for the website is inspiring.\u00a0Earlier that day, she and all her friends had done a huge bike ride scavenger hunt where they had rode their bikes all around Ishinomaki finding different things just for fun. It was summer, so you know it was very hot!<\/p>\n

When it was done, everyone was tired and all they wanted to do was go back home, take a shower and chill.\u00a0Taylor wouldn\u2019t allow it.\u00a0She told everyone that one of her kindergarten classes was having a summer matsuri and they all were going!\u00a0So she made them all put on a yukata and go over to the school.\u00a0Apparently, this is what she did.\u00a0She just grabbed people and said, \u201ccome on, this is what we are doing\u2019\u201d and \u201clet\u2019s do this and let\u2019s do that.\u201d That passion and zest for life, that \u201clet\u2019s not waste a moment of this precious thing called life\u201d\u2014that\u2019s just inspiring to me!<\/p>\n

It reminds me of not only my time in Japan, but also my first time abroad when I went to West Africa. I realized the meaning of being in the \u201cpresent\u201d\u2026that it really is a gift. It also makes me think about how much we take for granted.\u00a0Think about if you find yourself somewhere where nothing is taken for granted, it makes you really look and appreciate life, every moment of it.\u00a0That\u2019s the impression I get of Taylor.\u00a0That\u2019s the kind of stuff\u00a0I want to celebrate and let people know about.<\/p>\n

Also, I am trying to build the Monty Dickson<\/a> (Iwate-ken, 2009-11)<\/strong> story as well\u2014it\u2019s proven difficult because there\u2019s nobody that can really talk about his experience in Rikuzentakata, so I am still looking. Though, the more I learn about Taylor and Monty, the more I am learning that these are two kindred spirits.\u00a0Whether they knew each other or not, they both were living a dream.\u00a0Taylor\u2019s happened for her early on when she was a little girl: she just knew this is where she had to be.\u00a0There was nothing that was going to stop her.\u00a0For both of them, you realize something really clicked; and it was something about Japan and their life there.\u00a0After all these years working with Japan, I have a deep appreciation for that, for people who can connect with the country more than the superficial level. I want to celebrate that.<\/p>\n

Both Taylor and Monty had this philosophical side to them\u2014they had sayings and expressions that they shared with friends.\u00a0Without giving it all away, I think these are two people who kind of knew they weren\u2019t going to be here much longer.\u00a0You will see in the film that their friends have since started to make sense of their pieces of advice and little sayings.\u00a0It all now has a new resonance; it is starting to come back up. And it makes you begin to wonder, \u201cwhat did they know?\u201d<\/p>\n

It really makes you stop and think, you can\u2019t live life at 30 mph, you have to live at 60 mph.<\/p>\n

U.S.-based production starts in June, and you’ll be going to Japan this month. What are your plans there?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Japan, I am doing more interviews with friends of Taylor and some of the companion stories about the experience of other JETs during the crisis. I am also hoping to get to Rikuzentakata to meet someone who knew Monty Dickson and can speak about his life and times there.<\/p>\n

What else do you want to include in the film?<\/strong><\/p>\n

As I just shared, Live Your Dream<\/em> is principally about Taylor, but it is actually the story of all the JETs who come to Japan, so I really want to look at what the experience is for a variety of people and how that experience changes both the teacher and the students they interact with.<\/p>\n

As we know, you were running a campaign on Kickstarter<\/a> and I see that you have surpassed your fundraising goal, congratulations!\u00a0 Moving forward, what can people do now to continue to support the film?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kickstater is great, because it does just that, kick start. It is not the entire budget for the project\u2014the goal was about 70% [of the total budget] and was what was needed just to shoot the film.\u00a0It did not take into account original music, making a Japanese version, and of course all of the things that have to be done to promote and disseminate the film after it is made.\u00a0The next phase is editing.\u00a0So if anyone would like to be a part of contributing to the dissemination and distribution of the film, that would be great!\u00a0For making the Japanese version, helping to see that this film is distributed widely in both the U.S. and Japan, contact me at www.thetaylorandersonstory.com<\/a> and liveyourdream1 [at] earthlink.net.<\/p>\n

You mentioned dissemination. What are your plans?<\/strong><\/p>\n

First, we are going to try and get it distributed as widely as we can, for example through organizations such as the American Association Teachers of Japanese<\/a>. We would also love to see this get into the Monbusho<\/a> in Japan.\u00a0We would love to see this introduced into the Japanese educational system.\u00a0I think this would be an invaluable tool to help kids to really think outside of the boundaries.<\/p>\n

After 20-plus years that I have spent coming and going [in Japan], the thing that I have noticed that still plagues Japan is that it is so insular; and a lot of it [has to do with] the educational system.\u00a0The educational system is not teaching kids to look outside.\u00a0We feel this film can be a step in the right direction; a needed step, I feel.<\/p>\n

How do you think this film will help kids to look outside?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I think they need a role model in a way.\u00a0They need somebody from the outside who came to their country and interacted with them, and became a part of their community. I am learning more about Monty, but I know for sure that\u2019s what Taylor did in Ishinomaki.\u00a0Her mission was to really become part of the fabric of the community. And I think if Japanese kids see that, this whole thing of us and them\u2014the Gaijin and the Nihonjin\u2014will start to break down.\u00a0To me, the power of the [JET] Program is being able to go out and explore Japan, find out what\u2019s going; not just being the \u201cgaijin on display.\u201d<\/p>\n

What about your dissemination plans here in the States?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most of my films up until now have been in higher ed, so I have to admit this is kind of a new world for me.\u00a0I am really looking to get into the secondary school world.<\/p>\n

You have mentioned tons of takeaways from the film, but for the JET community in particular, what do you hope we walk away with?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am not saying everyone should try to be Taylor or try to be Monty, but everybody, particularly now, needs to be more open and in some respects humbled at the opportunity of being a JET and an ambassador between two countries and two cultures.\u00a0Don\u2019t limit the assignment to merely being the gaijin on display.\u00a0See it as an opportunity, a real chance to be and do more; to leave something behind when you go and encourage those who you may meet, or have met, while in Japan to follow your path in America. Maybe even one day you, would get a call from a kid you taught in a far-off place in Japan or someone you interacted with, saying they are now in America because of you, because of what you showed them.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s about reaffirming the mission of the JET Program and the encouraging the new generation of JETs to become the generation that builds the new relationships for \u201ca brave new world.\u201d We know the world is changing. The U.S.-Japan relationship is going to change, too. We can\u2019t do what we did 10, 15 years ago. Times have changed. There is something new going on. The JETs of today and tomorrow have to be part of that newness and part of that change.<\/p>\n

To me, the story of Live Your Dream<\/em> is not so much what happened to Taylor, but more about the good works. Yes, her story is in it and she is not here with us in the physical sense anymore, but Taylor\u2019s mission is still very much alive.<\/p>\n

Live Your Dream premieres Nov. 9 at Saint Catherine\u2019s School<\/a> (Taylor\u2019s high school) and CenterStage in Richmond, VA. For news and additional screenings, visit the film\u2019s homepage at www.thetaylorandersonstory.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By Renay Loper (Iwate-ken, 2006-07) for JQ magazine. Renay is a freelance writer and associate program officer at the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership. Visit her blog at Atlas in Her Hand. Live Your Dream: The Taylor Anderson Story is the latest work by filmmaker and Global Film Network founder Regge Life, who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4,378,263,25,291],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articlejournalism","category-earthquake-tsunami","category-film","category-interviewprofile","category-jq-magazine"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pkZ7m-6wf","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25063"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25063\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25068,"href":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25063\/revisions\/25068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}