Meet Qing ‘Quillan’ Shao

Today we’d like to introduce you to Qing ‘Quillan’ Shao.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I first started, all I knew was that I wanted to tell stories. I wanted to create content, and I wanted my voice to be heard. Now I actually still feel the same. I grew up in Beijing and initially went to Boston University for a communication major. I thought that I might become a journalist at first. However, all the classes I was interested in were film classes — film production, screenwriting, editing, cinematography, lighting, etc.. All those hands-on classes made me feel alive. I felt more capable than ever because I could learn all those skills that I need to make my story come through. Eventually, I decided to major in Film&TV production instead of journalism. I made quite a few short films in college, wrote numerous stories that I’m still to this day very proud of. My first career opportunity came to me when I was a college junior. My Editing teacher, Daniel Mooney, recommended me to intern at Oscar winner Errol Morris’s post-production facility in Cambridge, MA, and that experience was the start of my career working in post-production.

By that time, I had very little idea about ‘being an editor,’ but I really loved the people and the vibe at Errol’s facility. I learned that with editing, I can make my story flow. Then, in the last year of college, I did a summer internship in LA at Secret Headquarters Inc. It was a boutique post-production facility led by very experienced editors. They let me cut my first web spot for the show SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, and I was blown away by the satisfaction of finishing a decent piece of work that people will actually watch. Since then, I decided that I want to be an editor. I want to be the person who makes the image and audio pieces come to life. I moved to LA from the east coast right after that internship. I remember that I just wanted to live in LA — the center of the entertainment industry, and the town that’s filled with opportunities. Now, five years have passed. I finished my MFA in Film Editing at the American Film Institute Conservatory last year, edited numerous award-winning short films, commercials, and a TV pilot. Currently, I’m finishing my first indie feature BABY, DON’T CRY and earlier this month, my AFI thesis film TAPE got the Special Mention for the Best Student US Short at the Palm Springs International Short Fest.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, it has definitely NOT been a smooth road. When I first moved out to LA, I literally had nothing. I was a foreign kid that most companies would prefer not to hire, since there might be future visa issues, and I had very little experience working in the industry. Therefore, after wondering around doing small free gigs for a while, I realized that I need connections and real practices for editing to launch my career in this town. So I worked very hard on my portfolio and applied to a few film schools here in LA. I was lucky that I got my first choice—the AFI Conservatory.

Another big challenge, which I also consider as an opportunity is culture differences. Although this is my 10th year living in the States, I still from time to time catch moments of conflicts which are due to culture differences, since after all I grew up in a different environment from most of the people I see everyday. These conflicts can be upsetting sometimes, but I happen to be very interested in the reasons behind them — the different ways of thinking based on different cultures. I consider these conflicts beautiful and authentic moments of life which deliver great stories. I believe that by understanding the different cultures and ways of thinking, we can be better people with bigger hearts and make better cross-culture contents that capture more audience.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m currently a freelance editor/assistant editor that works on all kinds of media and contents– films, TV shows, commercials, web series, music videos, YouTube videos, social media campaigns, and etc.. I believe good contents are good contents, no matter what formats they’re in. To make good content, good stories are crucial, and storytelling is what I’m the best at. Besides all the technical and software skills, I’ve dedicated my self to telling good stories and being a great creative collaborator for the past ten years. I’m very sensitive to character logic and emotions, good at capturing moments and building expressive environments through visual images and sound designs.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I would say curiosity. I’m always curious and desire to learn more. From new effects and software to characters’ psychology. I always want to know more about my works so that I’m better equipped to make the story better.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://quillanqs.com/
• Email: [email protected]

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