At first glance the new web series Lumina looks like an action thriller with a brooding atmosphere, but a closer look reveals a dark fantasy world that could be our own. I don’t know what influences series creator Jennifer Thym drew from, but, while rewatching the trailer (which I’ve done many times now), I am reminded of modern fairy tales (or urban mythology) by authors such as Neil Gaiman and Charles De Lint, who write about worlds that secretly coexist and interact with our own. The images on the Lumina website are beautiful and I look forward to seeing more of the world Jennifer Thym has created. I’m especially in love with the image of Lumina leaning against a wall while, in her reflection, Ryder caresses her. I think that image captures and poignantly illustrates the place inside all of us where our deepest loneliness is calling out to be loved.
Lumina premieres this summer on YouTube.
RockGinger and Sommertime Productions are proud to announce that the Lumina Web Series Official Trailer is now available to view online at www.luminaseries.com in the new High Definition YouTube format.
Lumina is a daring thriller web series starring JuJu Chan (Jiu Jo Remix MV for Terence Yin and 24 Herbs, TVB People’s Choice Award for Miss Chinatown USA 2009) as Lumina Wong, a young lonely Hong Kong woman who has a chance encounter with the mysterious Ryder Lee, played by Michael Chan, star of the viral YouTube sensation, Wall Street Fighter IV. Lumina’s diverse international cast includes Vince Matthew Chung, recent winner of The Amazing Race Asia 3, as Lumina’s best friend, Teddy Waits.
Directed and written by first time Asian American director Jennifer Thym (RockGinger) and produced by Sommer Nguyen (Sommertime Productions), Lumina was filmed on location in Hong Kong with the cutting edge RED One camera. The series will feature music from the independent Asian music collective, The Enigmatic Army.
“Lumina will open your minds cinematically, and the story will open your hearts to the impossible,” says producer Sommer Nguyen. “Web series is a new and exciting medium,” adds director Jennifer Thym. “With Lumina, we wanted to create a beautiful and intricately woven story, something that you could watch in bite sized internet friendly segments but would still tantalize you for hours to come.”
Lumina Wong (JuJu Chan) is beautiful but works far too much; although she lives in a city of millions, she still feels lonely and isolated. Late one night, Lumina has a chance encounter with Ryder Lee (Michael Chan), a handsome young man from another world that she can see in mirrors and darkened window reflections. She revels in the fantasy relationship until mirrorspy Eben Sanchez (Jacob Ziacan) comes into her life, warning her of the treacheries of the people of the Dark Realm. Soon Lumina must choose between the safety of the world she knows and the deadly allure of the unknown.
Lumina the Web Series will premiere summer 2009. For more information, please contact us or visit our website, www.luminaseries.com.
Lumina Links:
Lumina — The Official Web Series Site
Lumina on Alive Not Dead
Lumina on Facebook
The Official RockGinger Blog