Racial and sexual violence against marginalized communities have been long standing issues in the United States. These Armed With a Camera films are commentaries on fetishization, violence, and white supremacy that subvert your expectations.

Whether it be a nuclear family or individuals banded together to memorialize the good times, the need for “family” is strong within the Asian American & Pacific Islander community. So it is in this set of intimate portraits of people whose bonds are unshakeable, created by our Armed With a Camera and Digital Histories filmmakers.

In anticipation of Visual Communications’ 50th anniversary celebration, we are pleased to bring back a series of documentaries built around the vast holdings of the VC Archives, compiled, lensed, and edited by VC co-founders Duane Kubo and Eddie Wong. Accompanied by revealing interviews with many of the subjects who were captured in their younger days by VC founders and core staffers, these short films provide a glimpse into the spirit and vitality of the burgeoning Asian American Movement in all its forms. Join us for a special Monday Nite VC conversation on Monday, November 16, 2020 at 5pm PT featuring special guests as they discuss the VC Archives and its ongoing legacy.

Post-WWII community “re-development” initiatives have created waves of disruption, casting the vitality of Los Angeles Little Tokyo in doubt. In this program curated in cooperation with the Little Tokyo Community Impact Fund and featuring many highlights from our Digital Histories production program for older adults, we cast an observant eye on our community-builders and institutions that no longer exist, and hold out hope for a brighter future. Join us on Monday, October 5, 2020 at 4pm PT for a Monday Nite VC conversation about measures being undertaken by stakeholders to advocate for long-term solutions to protect the character and legacy of Little Tokyo.

We’re excited to bring back a special Monday Nite VC presentation featuring GRASSROOTS RISING, a documentary produced by Visual Communications and directed by Robert C. Winn. Join us on Monday, September 7, 2020 at 11am PT for a FREE daytime webinar as we chat with director Robert C. Winn and special guests whose work in various labor fronts are as vital today as they were when GRASSROOTS RISING was first screened in 2005. In the face of perhaps the most consequential Presidential election in over a generation, the lessons learned from the various organizing actions depicted in the film are sure to resonate strongly today.

The range of expression displayed throughout our Digital Histories and Armed With a Camera productions is so broad that we just had to create a showcase to allow all these stories to properly “breathe.” Enjoy this random grab bag of films that are sure to put a smile on your face.

No matter how futile the effort may be, being heard and understood are two of the most important ingredients to mutual understanding. Unfortunately, not everyone gets the memo. Take a look at how conflicts escalate in this selection of Armed With a Camera films.

As this selection of Digital Histories films attest, there is a whole wide world outside of our little corner of the world — if only we’re brave enough and curious enough to venture out to experience it.

At some point in everyone’s lives, the “moment of truth” arrives that can change lives or personal perspectives. It’s up to us — and us alone — to make those key decisions, and hope that we make the right choices.

Are we trying to get over, or just trying to make do? This selection of Armed With a Camera non-fiction works foregrounds the generosity of spirit, fellowship, ingenuity, and occasional deception that is needed to get through difficult times.

Mother knows best...or does Father know best? Familial entanglements are as timeless as audio recordings, paintings, or even a collection of aluminum cans. In the end, they are just as memorable.

This kinetic selection of works from Visual Communications’ Armed With a Camera Fellowship showcases a broad range of storytelling styles, all in the service of essaying stories about first encounters, chance meetings, and defining revelations.

It’s all about food! Our Digital Histories and Armed With a Camera filmmakers know that food is a wonderful way to express one’s true feelings and cement a sense of “community.” Even if that special gift can be taken for granted at times, we still enjoy it while it lasts.

Thanks to our intrepid Digital Histories and Armed With a Camera filmmakers, the broad range of expressions (and complexities) of love occupies an honored place within the scope of our storytelling. Whether traditional or non-traditional, these works affirm that when it comes to love, there truly are no boundaries or walls between the ones we care about.

They may not be famous. They may not even be that well-known to most. But the people who make an indelible impact in our communities and on our lives are the ones whose words and deeds are largely unsung. Take a look at these Armed With a Camera and Digital Histories films about people whose lives are worth savoring.

As Visual Communications celebrates 50 years, we look back at VC Classic films centered around our Native Hawaian & Pacific Islander communities. On Monday, May 11, 2020 at 5 pm PT, join Visual Communications and friends for a Monday Nite VC event in an engaging conversation about how they utilize media to build, connect, and empower communities.

CLAIMING A VOICE: THE VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS STORY is a documentary chronicling the first twenty years of Visual Communications. Join us on Monday, May 4, 2020 at 5 pm PDT for a Monday Nite VC event in an engaging conversation about the survival and collective process of the first arts group dedicated to productions by and about Asian Pacific Americans.

The selection of short films in “Our Voices” was curated for Grand Park’s Our L.A. Voices, a spring pop-up Arts+Culture Fest that celebrates the diverse and powerful artistic voices in Los Angeles County. These films premiered on Grand Park’s digital platforms from Saturday, April 25 - Sunday, April 26, 2020; but don’t worry, you can watch them all again here!

“Advocacy cinema” has always been a hallmark of Visual Communications’ role within the Asian American Movement, and this selection of short works live up to that lofty legacy. Featuring films from both the Armed With a Camera and Digital Histories programs,  a “call to action” is indeed apropos for the times we currently live in.

The full range of “Americanness” is emphatically expressed through this selection of works from Visual Communications’ vanguard Armed With a Camera (AWC) Fellowship for Emerging Media Artists, a program which develops the next generation of Asian American and Pacific Islander artists to capture their world and stories. No proof of citizenship needed here, and none asked.

We’re excited to launch VC CONNECT, an online destination through which just some of the hundreds of films and media productions created by Visual Communications can be found for your enjoyment. Each week, we’ll roll out a new batch, specially themed for our audience’s diverse cinematic palate. Our focus this week is Little Tokyo, featuring films made by participants in our Digital Histories program.