Turn on a television and take note of the first Asian-American on screen. Chances are he’s a delivery boy, a kung-fu master or an extra in the background.

During a time when Asian-Americans are often cast in stereotypical roles, it is no surprise “Better Luck Tomorrow,” a film which broke away from convention, caused a commotion in the Asian-American community.

The independent film, directed by Justin Lin and released in 2002, featured one of the first all Asian-American casts in stateside film to date. On Wednesday evening, one of the lead actors from the film, Parry Shen, came to afterHOURS to discuss the movie’s impact with students.

“I love how the movie bleeds race away,” Shen said. “No one mentions race. The characters are regular kids in society and humanity. They share the same hopes and fears.”

The Asian Student Union (ASU) organized the event. Thade Wolf, events coordinator for ASU, helped to bring Shen to campus.

“‘Better Luck Tomorrow’ is a film that really speaks to young Asian-Americans today,” Wolf said. “It speaks to the culture in America. It is very important because it speaks specifically to them. Instead of having Asian-Americans in roles like cooks, it has them in the lead.”

Shen said he took the part because it offered a new kind of opportunity.

“If you saw the stuff that I’ve done before, the real question would not be, ‘How could I go for it?’ It would be, ‘How could I not?'” he said.

Shen explained the challenge Asian-Americans face in the film business today.

“Everything is all about business and no one is trying to press race,” he said. “Last year, there were almost no roles from Asian-American actors. Out of about 6,000 roles, only 116 were for Asian-Americans.”

Attendees were shown a 35-minute documentary about the production of “Better Luck Tomorrow.” This documentary, created by a University of California, Los Angeles student, showed the intimacy of the cast and their strong dedication to the film.

“We were doing everything and anything to make the film a success,” Shen said.

This dedication led the director of the film, Lin, to max out 10 credit cards and accumulate a debt of $250,000 to fund its production.

Fielding an all Asian-American cast was “Hollywood suicide,” but the documentary showed Lin stuck to his principles. He would not compromise when producers would only offer support under the condition he changed his cast. This decision helped create a dynamic of mutual respect between members of the cast and crew that was extremely valuable, Lin said in the documentary.

The piece also showed at one point during filming, the actors dusted off their hands and helped deliver bags of sand to a set to help along the filming progress.

“Better Luck Tomorrow” was selected to appear at the Sundance Film Festival at Park City, Utah. This is the pinnacle for independent films, with 1,500 films a year competing for 16 slots.

The response to “Better Luck Tomorrow” was contentious.

“Our film created so much controversy that it would not be ignored,” Shen said.

In the months after Sundance, Lin went through the challenge of finding someone who could distribute the film. The ensuing drama was difficult for the cast and director.

Eventually, he landed a deal with MTV Films. It was then time to see how the public would respond.

The film was greeted with anticipation and high ratings from critics because of its casting and message.

“It breaks down and shows that what you see in the mainstream stereotypical roles is not an accurate depiction of Asian-American society,” ASU president Mike Lee said.

After the documentary, students were asked to participate in brief skits illustrating the progress of Asian-American movie roles. The first series featured Asian-Americans in roles such as the delivery boy, the karate-chopping cook or a student with only one line.

The second series consisted of scenes from “Better Luck Tomorrow” and 2004’s “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.” Students pointed out the contrast in the significance of the Asian-Americans in these skits was blatantly obvious.

Toward the end of his talk, Shen offered three major pieces of advice he had learned during his acting career.

“First, find your core. I never sought out to make a lot of money, but I have found that one thing that I could wake up excited for. Don’t take the path of least resistance,” he said. “Second, take a stand when it is not convenient. It’s the little things every day that can send a message. Finally, don’t give up your power. Over time, if you find your core, strive to be significant and use all the potential that you have; everything will fall into place.”