Mẹ (2018)
Mẹ, mother in the northern Vietnamese dialect, follows two generations of moms as they create a new dish for the family restaurant. Reimagining their parent’s pho shop, the next generation carries on the family legacy through Vietnamese cuisine.
Freshly
Baked
AN ORIGINAL UNSCRIPTED SERIES
LOGLINE
FRESHLY BAKED focuses on six Chinese baked goods examining the origins, techniques, and people behind the delicacies. This unscripted series explores the diverse bakeries around Greater Vancouver uncovering similar iterations of each Chinese baked good found in different cultures. Joined by various guests, host Osric Chau and filmmaker Derek Kwan, will peer into the ovens of baker’s as they share personal stories highlighting the connections we form surrounding the humble bakery.
SERIES
TREATMENT
"A 'Freshly Baked' take on the food-based docuseries."
Fresh!
SYNOPSIS
An original unscripted series, FRESHLY BAKED breaks down six staple baked goods traditionally found in a Chinese bakery. Narrated from the personal perspective of filmmaker Derek Kwan, the series will intertwine anecdotes formed from his Chinese-Canadian upbringing and the prominent role baked goods have played in his life. Along with host Osric Chau, we will uncover the similar versions of these six Chinese baked goods that are found in other cultures as we explore the diverse bakeries around Greater Vancouver.
A fresh take on a food show, FRESHLY BAKED will peer into the ovens of baker’s delving into the tradition, culture, and food that make up various bakeries yet to be highlighted on screen. We’ll hear from the people and families behind the bakeries with meaningful discussion consisting of their stories, triumphs, and struggles. These bakers will share what it takes to run a bakery from insight on their recipes and techniques, to the sharing of real and grounded stories exploring what their bakeries mean for them personally and what they represent for the surrounding community.
Rogers + Creative BC Documentary and Factual Development Fund
an ORIGINAL unscripted series
from Director DEREK KWAN
WINNER Grand Jury Best Short Documentary SAAFF '19 - ME (2019), Director
WINNER Best Short Documentary DisOrient '19 - ME (2019), Director
Telefilm "Not Short on Talent" - Short Film Corner at Cannes, FR - IDOLS NEVER DIE (2019), Producer
CONCEPT
A mixture of cooking show and traditional documentary culminating with the exploration of the human condition. Taking inspiration from the style of programming paved by Anthony Bourdain in “Parts Unknown” and refined by David Chang in “Ugly Delicious”. Through the use of voiceover, animation, natural banter, and informal interviews & discussion the narrative will be presented in rooted stories told through baked goods. With influence from "The Choe Show" with its creative and off-the-wall cut scenes, along with “How to with John Wilson”, the narration will have comedic undertones with quirky personal stories and connections from filmmaker Derek Kwan.
Parts Unknown
Ugly Delicious
INSPIRATION
The Choe Show
How To with John Wilson
"A mouth watering
6 Part Series."
HOST
Osric Chau has been a working actor since 2002 and is best known for his role as Kevin Tran in the CW series Supernatural and Vogel in the BBC America series Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. He has since produced a number of short films between acting roles culminating to producing and starring in his first feature film “Empty by Design” which was shot in the Philippines. “Empty by Design” premiered as the closing night film at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, won Best international Feature Film at the Soho International Film Festival and was the centerpiece film for the Austin Asian Film Festival, Seattle Asian Film Festival, and Vancouver Asian Film festival.
Derek Kwan is a Vancouver based filmmaker and actor with a passion for telling stories surrounding food and culture. In 2016, he was among a group of emerging Canadian filmmakers selected as part of the CBC Diverse Creators Workshop. Since then he has created over a dozen short films and content pieces for CBC Arts, Comedy, Canada 150, Vancouver, and Creator Network, broadcasted on television and digital. Derek directed the documentary film “ME” funded by Telus Storyhive, winning Grand Jury Best Short Documentary at SAAFF ‘19 and Best Short Documentary at DisOrient ‘19. Other notable official selections include Toronto’s Reel Asian ‘19 and AAIFF ‘19. He was also a Producer on, “IDOLS NEVER DIE”, a Telefilm “Not Short on Talent” selection screening at the Short Film Corner in Cannes, FR.
DIRECTOR
DIRECTOR'S VISION
A “freshly baked” take on the food-based docuseries, episodes will surround baked goods synonymous with my childhood upbringing. Featuring casual, real conversations with diverse bakers, this series will shift the traditional documentary and find inspiration from narrative storytelling in presenting compelling characters and stories.
Spontaneous and on occasion breaking the fourth wall, FRESHLY BAKED won’t shy away from pulling back the curtain on the filmmaking process with constant conversation between subjects, guests, and director. Interviews with our Chinese bakery subjects will be spoken in a mixture of English and Cantonese, capturing the mixed culture experience of living and working in Greater Vancouver.
The combination of Host, Osric, and my own similar but still very different Chinese-Canadian upbringing will act as a recurring theme and basis for the series' narrative. Osric has recently plunged into the food industry, having opened a new restaurant concept during a pandemic nonetheless! Guests will act as catalysts for conversation as the banter bounces between Host, Guest, and Director. Viewers will be immersed on screen in the baked goods as our subjects engagingly share their processes and personal stories.
DIRECTOR
Derek Kwan
PRODUCER
Osric Chau
GENRE
Unscripted, Documentary Series
LOCATION
Greater Vancouver
LENGTH
6 x 22 min episodes
DISTRIBUTION
Streaming, Broadcast
AUDIENCE
There is an oddly relaxing feeling when viewers watch food based shows. Similar to ASMR, it’s something you put on in the background. No pressure, you know what you’re going to get when it comes on the screen.
With FRESHLY BAKED we want to have the essence of that feeling but more importantly capture and keep the attention of our viewers.
We aim to weave a narrative that the audience will be invested in. In building characters and telling stories with recurring themes, viewers will be drawn into our subjects and relate with the personalities portrayed on screen.
Diverse audiences from diverse cultures:
This target audience may not normally consume food related content, however FRESHLY BAKED may spark their interest by seeing food, images, stories they identify and can relate with. Programming that excites them because it’s something that hasn’t been widely showcased on screen before.
25 - 34 yrs:
Millennial audiences with an interest in food/cooking and finding new content. The series will be relatable to them and they may know the guests and are curious to see what the show is about.
35 - 55+ yrs:
Audiences with an interest in food related programming and content. They may discover the series through a broadcast network or streaming platform (ie. CBC, CBC Gem).
The goal for the series is to connect with a diverse audience and establish a familiarity with them culturally. To hopefully evoke some sort of emotion and bring joy from watching the series. English language programming may even be a secondary form of content for them, possibly it reminds them of their home country, or things they grew up eating.
Lastly, connecting with audiences from established food related content such as the likes of: Anthony Bourdain, Ugly Delicious, The Chef Show, Bon Appetit. However, what none of these showcase is the diversity of Canadian food and culture. This is where FRESHLY BAKED will fill in, highlighting the diverse food and stories yet to be told.
Food content:
Brings in loyal food content lovers. As a lover of food programming myself, I am always in search of new food related content to consume. This series will bring forth something this audience hasn’t seen before, which excites me, and will hopefully excite this target audience.
Guests:
By integrating guests to interact with the host and the bakery subjects, guests will bring their own respective audiences. They will be able to share FRESHLY BAKED with their networks and followings, casting a net and bringing eyes to the series.
Local coverage:
Peak the interest of Vancouver in highlighting local spots and eateries. People always enjoy finding new places to try and eat. And whenever local spots are highlighted on screen, this brings in local viewers.
Bakeries:
The bakeries themselves will also bring in their own audiences, through friends, family, loyal customers, and their community.
*Best viewed in Full Screen*
View this treatment on a Computer for the full episode breakdowns
