Independent cinema.
Ideas in motion.

About AA Frame Journal

AA Frame Journal explores Asian American screen culture and the practical work of making, sharing and preserving moving images. Our guides follow a project from the first location visit to the screening room, with space for the home movies and community archives that inform filmmaking.

The journal brings production notes, post-production workflows and screening ideas together for small crews, programmers and curious viewers. It is a new publication and is not the former Asian American Film Lab organization.

Our contributors

Olivia Bennett

Olivia's favorite part of independent filmmaking happens long before the cameras start rolling. From planning shooting schedules to turning ordinary rooms into temporary studios, she finds the behind-the-scenes problem-solving endlessly fascinating. Her perspective is shaped by a deep appreciation for small crews that accomplish ambitious projects with limited resources.

Marcus Hayes

Ask Marcus about camera cases, and the conversation might last longer than the film itself. Years of working around production equipment have made him unusually attentive to the details others overlook: cable organization, protective storage, and the difference between a packed case and a properly packed one. He approaches filmmaking as both a technical discipline and a creative adventure.

Sophie Carter

Independent cinema has always appealed to Sophie because of its ability to turn constraints into creative opportunities. Her interests range from documentary storytelling to the practical realities of shared editing suites and temporary production spaces. She is equally comfortable discussing a film's visual language and the complicated logistics behind its creation. When she isn't immersed in a project, she can usually be found at a local film screening.