James Lee
Please provide a brief summary of your research.
My research was in service of a dramaturgy packet and the beginnings of a third draft for my full-length stage play, “The Spirit of Renewal,” which is a story about a Korean-American screenwriter attempting to write a spin-off to a popular fantasy-genre film trilogy with the author of the novels that inspired the original films. In order to properly examine the lives and careers of Asian American filmmakers and screenwriters — their experiences in the industry, the way their identities influence their creative decisions, etc. — I looked into various interviews with a list of Asian American directors and screenwriters, using journalistic databases to find articles from industry trade publications. I also made the effort to seek out various articles that detailed their creative careers as they moved from independent projects to more mainstream budgets, and examine if there were any shifts in thematic content or representation. Over the course of several weeks, I also interviewed Korean-American theatre directors and writers to have a stronger understanding of how to represent our identities in theatrical spaces, as my project may be about film, but is still fundamentally a work for the stage. The end result was an extensive dramaturgy packet containing a compilation of quotes from these articles and sources, and transcriptions of the interviews I conducted, all of which is in service of enhancing the journey, background, and character arc of my play’s protagonist, as well as how to comprehend how she navigates the industry that surrounds her, for a third draft of my play.
What made you initially interested in researching your project in particular?
Considering my interest and desire to join the entertainment industry as a Korean-American in a creative and artistic capacity, writing a story about someone who shares the same racial identity as me was not a very far stretch. The impetus for this play was a deeply personal one; watching the recent wave of Asian-led films and television, both from Hollywood and abroad, reach mainstream acclaim and fame had me genuinely thinking about my place in this industry, simultaneously celebrating this rise in representation while also questioning its earnestness as it becomes more evidently profitable. This research project’s attempts to support my play were the direct byproduct of wanting to figure out the kind of life I would lead as a Korean-American aspiring creative in film, and the answers I discovered were both more enlightening and complicated than I reasonably expected.
What made you interested in pursuing (interdisciplinary) research more broadly?
Research is something that I’ve grown to recognize as an essential piece in a writer’s toolkit — it’s exactly the kind of thing any writer needs to enhance their understanding of the topics they’re covering, the worlds they plan to create, the characters they want to forge, and so on. Its essentiality has led me to emphasize its importance in every arena of my creative life, and I’ve sought out multiple opportunities to seek support and tutelage on how to properly conduct it over the course of my academic career.
Describe your experiences with research thus far. Was it tricky? What skills do you think you’ve gained?
I’ve previously worked as a research assistant for Exal Iraheta, who’s an assistant professor and advisor in RTVF — specifically for his play in development, HONGO, which predominantly concerns mycology and indigenous medicine. Most of the skills I assembled during that time — how to find interview subjects for research, what kind of sources to look into, how to dramatically incorporate research into the actual text of the play — have wound up directly applying to my own independent research for my SURG, which was a learning experience in its own right as I steadily started to discover my own methods for research and how I could apply them to the writing style that I’ve already established for myself. Every writer works differently, and that includes the research they conduct — this experience in particular has given me the confidence to directly involve myself more in the worlds that I want to both represent and create in my stories.
Any tips or advice you have for students similar to you that are interested in pursuing undergraduate research?
Learning how to properly conduct research is an act of genuine respect for the writing you want to do — especially if you’re planning on writing a story about a specific kind of demographic, profession, industry, etc., and even if those worlds are familiar to you. “Write what you know” can only carry you so far as-is, so expand what you know — undergraduate research is one method to properly expand your horizons and broaden the reach of what you’re able to write about. Stay curious, always make a concerted effort to break beyond your comfort zones, know how to pivot when schedules and availabilities don’t turn out as planned, and always think about what you could still learn next, even after completing the given steps for research you’ve set out for yourself.