Today we’d like to introduce you to Changyi Yu.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a freelance director, cinematographer, and gaffer from China. I enjoy writing/directing, cinematography and lighting. Since I was a kid, I was full of enthusiasm for art. I’ve painted for many years, played the drums, written short stories… but when I met cinema, everything changed. Now I live in Los Angels, a filmmaker working as a director, cinematographer, and gaffer.
Unlike those who chose filmmaking at a young age, I decided to be a director in during a sudden sleepless night in high school. Afterward, I started watching films like crazy, and have now accumulated a watchlist of over 7,000 movies that I’ve seen. Then I grabbed my camera and started to shoot some short films with my friends. It was at that time that I realized my passion for cinema. I started to create my own stories and being largely inspired by Literature. Nabokov, Faulkner, Dostoyevsky, Haruki Murakami, and Fitzgerald are some of the great writers that influence the scripts I write. If I hadn’t read these books in the class secretly, my films would be totally different. I believe in “auteurism”, a French New Wave term distinguishing anyone who controls multiple aspects of collaborative work. The French New Wave has influenced me the most as I see art as a way of expressing oneself. All my stories reflect my thoughts and philosophies. I like to explore relationships between individuals and the relationship between the individual and the world. I am attracted to the extreme loneliness of human beings. For me, the value of individual existence may be above everything else. To “Be alive” is more than the income of 50,000 bucks a year or a house with a dog. No amount of fame and success can eliminate the spiritual loneliness and confusion of self-existence.
After coming to LA, I found another love within cinema — cinematography and lighting. In my opinion, the story is the most important part of filmmaking. There are many ways to tell stories, and cinematography is an indispensable element. I prefer to use the camera to explore the deeper meaning of a story than to take unnecessary cool shots. Tied in with cinematography, lighting is also indispensable. Gaffers are the second pair of eyes to the cinematographer. Through experience, I have come to love being a gaffer. I am always eager and excited to work with all kinds of lights and grip equipment. There is no better feeling than working on set.
Has it been a smooth road?
Creating is never easy. In many cases, I feel that I love cinema, but it seems that it does not love me. I sacrifice everything just to get a glimpse of it. I need to find the best way to express what I really want to say, and cinema is my only answer.
To be honest, I have suffered some gender bias as a gaffer. In this industry most g/e (Grip and Electric) are male. It’s a stereotype for many people that only men can work as g/e, but I don’t think so. I believe in the power of women. I hope that through my efforts, I will try my best to break the ceiling of this industry, although I know it is not easy.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I work as an LA-based freelance director, cinematographer, and gaffer. I just finished a shoot — as a gaffer for a TV series. Now I am preparing three projects as a cinematographer. At the same time, I am also writing a film script featuring Asians. In Hollywood, Asians are not mainstream, but the success of Crazy Rich Asians makes me feel that some changes are happening. In filmmaking, I am good at obeying rules and breaking rules — does this sound contradictory? Actually not. Most people are always thinking about how to break the rules and create something unique, but they often don’t know the importance of the rules. I firmly believe that we can skillfully play around with the rules only under the premise of clear control of the rules.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
LA is a frenzied hub of filmmakers. There are many passionate people from all over the world, in one location working for the same goal. LA is definitely one of the best places to start for any filmmaker. You have tread heavily, and have a good head on your shoulders to make it in this industry.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 818-877-3485
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shortnameisinvisible/
Image Credit:
Mia Redwine, Wanxin Ding, Jason Hung
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