Contact me for Directing, Producing, Production/Post-Coordinating + Consulting.
(Note: For advice, please see my FAQ below. Also due to multiple projects, I may not respond quickly. Thank you for understanding. And if I don’t reply within several weeks, please send a follow-up email.)
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FAQ: Questions I Get Asked Frequently
Q: How can I get more involved in my film community?
A: There are so many pockets of community on Facebook, instagram, twitter, etc. For BIPOC documentarians, join Brown Girls Doc Mafia via FB, Asian American Documentary Network on their slack. If you’re a writer, join/form writing groups who will keep you accountable no matter what.
Q: Are there any fellowships, programs, or organizations you'd recommend checking out that had a big impact on your career when you were first starting out.
A: There are so many fellowships, mentorships, and orgs out there that are willing to help. I definitely recommend applying to Visual Communication’s Armed with a Camera and CAAM's Fellowship. Getting mentorship is really important and it was one of my favorite parts of my journey so far.
And I haven’t personally been involved in these fellowships but heard many great things:
- Directors: 18-25, apply to Sundance Ignite
- Doc editors: Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship
- AAPI Directors: Submit your shorts to HBO Visionaries
- AAPI Screenwriters: apply to CAPE New Writers Fellowship
Don’t wait till you’re “ready” to apply to these programs and just go for it! I applied to every fellowship, mentorship, grant, etc AT LEAST 3 TIMES before I finally got a yes. Try to not let rejection get you down because I believe things always happen when it’s the right time. And with every rejection, ask yourself how can I get better? and DO THE WORK! Truth is, I know I didn’t get into these program the previous years because my work was just not there yet.
Another way to get mentorships if you can’t get into any programs is by reaching out to people who you admire, you can find anyone’s emails these days. Linkedin, twitter, instagram DMs are great. Email them and ask them if they would have time to provide any mentorship. Be very clear in your asks (ie: give feedback, shadowing on set, getting advice) and commit to it.
Q: What inspired you to go into the creative industry? And did you always want to do what you're doing now?
A: It’s two things and it sounds super corny but 1) I wanted to create change in the world 2) be a voice for my people. When it comes to filmmaking, I can change perspectives and people through my storytelling. Honestly, I didn’t know I would get into filmmaking especially because I never knew that it could be a viable or even sustainable career. I just knew in my teens that because I was really bad at school that I would need to play to my strengths 1) I’m good with people 2) I loved movies. From then on, I just studied, consumed every film, and created anything and everything that I could within my means.
On another note: life is very unpredictable and I feel like one person shouldn’t be tied to just one thing, hence why I like to do so many things (ie: filmmaking, social media, film programming). You will have many careers in your lifetime so things will always evolve. You don’t have to know exactly what you want to do early on. The only advice I give to people who want to find their dream job is 1) write down the things you’re good at 2) careers you like and from there, try to find where those two intersect.
Q: Have you ever felt that your ethnic and gender identities make you more susceptible to getting shut down?
A: I think it's easy to fall into the thought that being Asian American or a woman will have more challenges which can be true but once you stop thinking that that is the reason why you are getting shut down, it just becomes easier. I used to go into white spaces and be like “OMG, I’m the only asian AND woman in this room” and be hyper conscious of myself. No matter what, being in the media industry is hard so don’t make it even harder by burdening yourself with those thoughts. It gets so much better when you don’t think about it and instead think of it as your superpower. Always remember to stand your ground, speak up, and take up space. You deserve to be there as much as anyone else and don’t let other people tell you otherwise.
Also this is something extra that I want to say beyond these questions. I’ve said this time and time again but if there is one advice I could give people, it’s to just DO THE WORK (even resting is doing the work). Even if the idea isn’t even fully formed, just start little by little and it may form into something bigger in the future and even if it doesn’t, every little progress, even if its failure, helps you become a better artist.
Q: What are your favorite films?
A: Here is my letterboxd!