THE
VEILED
COMMODITY

Short Film

Written, directed and produced by Dickson Chow, “The Veiled Commodity” is a short film that deals with slavery’s past and present day issues. The film employs various design and animation techniques to tell a history of slavery and the problems of its present day counterpart; the trafficking and victimization of people around the world.

This project was produced as a gift to a non-profit organization to help bring awareness to the issue. It is our way as artists to give back to society and hopefully, in one form or another, help bring an end to such atrocities happening in the world today. This is the first part of a three part series. The other parts will be about sex slavery and child soldiers.

The following concept paintings served as a style, color, lighting and mood reference for the production of the film.

Top: Sex Slavery

Middle: Forced Labour

Bottom: Child Soldiers

picture
AWARDS

Director's Choice Award
RINCON International Film Festival 2009

Best Animated Short Award
San Francisco Frozen Film Festival 2009

Best Animated Short Award
Detroit Windsor International Film Festival 2009

Best Animated Short Award
Bayou City Film Festival 2009

Best Animated Short Nominee
Long Island International Film Expo 2009

PRESS

PANAMA TV Showcase
Winter 2010 on Sveriges Television AB (SVT), SWEDEN.

Short Notice TV Series Feature
Episode 104 on MNet America.

Arts Rational on CFRO 102.7 Radio
Fall 2010 Vancouver, CANADA

Stash Magazine
Issue 54, Feature, 2009, USA.

CG Magazine
Nov 2009 Issue, CHINA.

FILM FESTIVAL OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

Short Film Corner, Festival De Cannes 2009

Vancouver International Film Festival 2009

Los Angeles United Film Festival 2009

Anchorage International Film Festival 2009

Artivist Film Festival 2009

Asian American International Film Festival 2009

Boston International Film Festival 2009

Delray Beach Film Festival 2009

East Los Angeles International Film Festival 2009

Indianapolis International Film Festival 2009

San Francisco United Film Festival 2009

Jersey Shore Film Festival 2009

Holly Shorts Film Festival 2009

Bronx Independent Film Festival 2009

SF Shorts International Festival of Short Films 2009

Tulsa United Film Festival 2009

SoCal Film Festival 2009

Grand Rapids Film Festival 2009

San Diego Asian Film Festival 2009

Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival 2009

Moondance International Film Festival 2009

Asian Pacific American Film Festival 2009

New York United Film Festival 2009

Chicago United Film Festival 2009

Chicago International Reel Shorts Film Festival 2009

Filmanthropy Film Festival 2009

Short Short Story Film Festival 2009

Indie Memphis Film Festival 2009

Big Bear Lake International Film Festival 2009

Indie Memphis International Film Festival 2010

Burbank International Film Festival 2010

Indie Memphis Freedom Series 2010

CREDITS

Director: Dickson Chow

Co-Director: Vinh Chung

Original story and screenplay written by: Dickson Chow and Vinh Chung

Voice of Narrator: Carmen Lezeth Suarez

Voice of Ernesto: Jorge Conzalez

Additional Voices: Justus Zimmerman

Designers: Dickson Chow, Vinh Chung

Additional designs: Lynn Wang, Kennis Chow, Rajeswaren Shanmugasundaram

3D Artists: Vinh Chung, Dickson Chow, Adrian Sairin, Sal Rangel, Christina Ku

Character Animators: Vinh Chung, Adrian Sairin

Background Painter: Rei Cayetano

Compositor and Colorist: Dickson Chow

Score: "Tolls", "This is Human", "Aquacreep"
Composed and performed by: Julie Belle
Production and engineering: Daley Hake

Music for Forced Labour: "Rondalla En LA Menor"
Composed and performed by: Sal Rangel

Sound Design and Final Mix: Eric Mason