Grasshopper for Grandpa
“Grasshopper for Grandpa” is the story of Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens, a celebrated institution in Santa Barbara, CA for more than 60 years before closing its doors in 2006. Opened in 1947 by, James Yee Chung, it’s now the last visible remnant of Santa Barbara's Chinatown. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the area in and around the Santa Barbara Presidio district was considered Chinatown.
The film is a portrait about Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens and explores why the place was so special to so many people. Also, why the special few who made Jimmy’s possible, like owner Tommy Chung and 30-year bartender Willy Gilbert, had that effect on so many patrons and passersby. In September of 2013, the bar reopened after being beautifully restored by longtime happy hour regular and patron, Bob Lovejoy, and his son, Clay.
The Production Story
We made the film in 2 ½ months. I began research in late September 2014 and we started filming on October 21st, We then submitted a rough cut to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on December 12, 2014. In terms of the magnitude and size of this project, it’s certainly the fastest I’ve ever made a project this big before. It’s like a mini-feature documentary film. We did more than 25 interviews. There are over 40 personalities in the film, some living, some now deceased that come across the screen in some form or another. I had 4 different camera guys help me shoot the thing, a couple friends do the aerial photography... I collected documents and photographs spanning the early days of Chinatown in Santa Barbara to the beginnings of Jimmy's Oriental Gardens, 1945 to the present.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
The film turned into a much bigger project and a much bigger expense than we anticipated, but I'm really glad I got involved and was able to make the film. Once it all started happening, I just went with it. I knew we had a good story that people from around the world cherish and hold onto closely. From start to finish, the film cost around $18,500 to make. Below is a breakdown of how the funds were distributed:
Costs Included:
Camera/ Gear Rentals: $3,000
Additional Camera Crew/ Transportation: $4,500
Editor: $7,500
Sound Edit: $2,300
Color Correction: $700
Photos/ Archival Material: $500
The Impact
Your contributions will help us recoup some of the funds used to make the film. The donations will also allow us to submit the film to other film festivals around the world, help us print DVDs, and allow the film to have a successful online life. Clearing music rights will also be another concern for each release. And the list goes on, but every penny donated will be put to good use. We can't do it without your help. Thanks! - Casey (Director)