Private Project

Playing In Fog

Funded by a grant from the SF Arts Commission, musician Dan Lee (Scrabbel) composed music inspired by his hometown of San Francisco. In direct contrast to the current outside view of what San Francisco has supposedly become, this musical love letter of sorts to the City by the Bay features 6 original compositions that draw inspiration from all directions of the city such as: old photos of his mother in SF in 1968 on her first day in the US, the eerie ambient hum that comes from the wind hitting the Golden Gate Bridge, and a dedication to the surf rock drummer and chef/owner of a favorite neighborhood Japanese restaurant (Halu) in the Inner Richmond district.

The song writing took an unanticipated direction when Dan received an Owner Move In Eviction notice during the making of the project, but without missing a beat, the situation became fodder for artistic expression about the housing crisis in San Francisco. There are also collaborations with local musician/actress, Yea-Ming Chen, (I Will Make You Mine, Daylight Savings), SF jazz musician - Mike Olmos (trumpet), and Sebastian Wang (Korean Samulnori director at Univ. of Maryland). Dan's 8 year old daughter also co-wrote one of the songs and has been a collaborator on the 2 previous projects.

The music is paired with images (old and new) exploring different areas (and eras) of SF - such as Holly Park at sunrise, surfers at sunset on Ocean Beach, the swing dancers in Golden Gate Park, the F-train on Market street, and Karl the Fog. In all, the project shines a light on a side of San Francisco that locals will know, and others may find refreshing.

  • Dan Lee
    Director
    The Good The Bad The Dokkaebi (CAAMFEST 2021, REEL Asian Toronto Film Festival 2021), The Magpies Of Seoul (CAAMFest 2019)
  • Dan Lee
    Writer
    same as above
  • Dan Lee
    Producer
    same as above
  • Yea-Ming Chen
    Key Cast
    I Will Make You Mine (2020), Daylight Savings (2012)
  • Ami Miki Lee
    Key Cast
    Magpies of Seoul (2019), The Good The Bad The Dokkaebi (2021)
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Music Video, Short
  • Genres:
    Music video
  • Runtime:
    27 minutes 52 seconds
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Japan, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • San Francisco
    United States
    November 16, 2024
  • San Francisco
    United States
    June 22, 2024
    World Premiere
Director Biography - Dan Lee

Dan Lee is a San Francisco based Korean American musician. He has performed and released music under the name, Scrabbel, since 2001. He is also the touring keyboardist for indie rock band The Aislers Set, and has toured the US and Europe extensively with them, opening for Yo La Tengo, Belle and Sebastian, Le Tigre, etc.

Since 2019, Dan has continually received an Individual Artist grant from the San Francisco Arts Commission that has funded his current exploration of blending western music with Korean traditional instruments. The first 2 grants led to "The Magpies of Seoul" (2019) and "The Good, The Bad, The Dokkaebi" (2021) - both of which had their debuts at CAAMFest in the year of their release. The latter had its international debut at the Toronto Reel Asian Intl' Film Festival (2021). The 3rd grant for "Playing In Fog" (2023) explores his hometown of San Francisco through the eyes of a Korean American.

Dan is also a preschool teacher and father. Both roles play a large part in his art. He has collaborated with his daughter in all three grant projects, exposing her to the creative process, and giving her a platform to express herself and contribute to the work.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

As a 2nd generation Korean American musician, I am constantly exploring my roots from my parent's homeland to my own in San Francisco. I'm always looking for the connection between past, present and future (especially since becoming a father) and expressing it through music and visually via film.