Meet Becky Baihui Chen, Cinematographer in Downtown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Baihui Chen.

Becky Baihui, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
“Roads were made for journeys, not destinations.” It’s a bit of a cliché, but I find it fascinating that I reflect upon the words of Confucius when I think about my story so far. But it seems fitting, considering that it has been quite a journey for me. I was born in Shenyang, a city in northeast China. When I was five, my parents moved south to Guangzhou for better work opportunities. Like most of the children born during that time, I was an only child. I grew up in various boarding schools since first grade, where I would go home every Friday night, then return to school Sunday. The most vivid memory of my childhood was coming home and watching movies after dinner. My parents and I were big fans of action flicks, such as the “Mission Impossible” movies and the “Bourne” Series. These movie nights were something that I always looked forward to and always made me feel at home.

At fifteen, I came to the United States alone and enrolled in a boarding school in Massachusetts. The biggest difference I experienced attending high school in the US was the flexible schedule it offered after hours. This newly-found sense of freedom opened my eyes to more films and helped me get a better grasp of storytelling.

After graduating, I attended UCLA as an Economics major and actively participated in the film club on campus. Having my crush being a member might have fueled my involvement with the club, but I digress. On the plus side, I was able to work on many student productions that showed me the whole process of filmmaking, from paper to the screen. After four years as a Bruin, I decided to further my craft in filmmaking by getting my Master’s degree at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. Now I work as a freelance cinematographer, having shot fiction, documentaries, music videos, and commercials.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Obstacles are always part of the journey. From an artistic point of view, one of the challenges is to always create a visually different, unique experience. Keeping a fresh and open mind is vital to creating something interesting. Otherwise, it becomes stale, repetitive, and ultimately, boring.

Also, being a female Chinese cinematographer in a somewhat male-dominated industry also brings its own set of challenges and difficulties. But I’m up for a challenge, it builds character. However, I think the biggest lesson I have learned is to manage one’s expectations and to believe in oneself.

Rejections are hard to swallow, but it forces you to become persistent and keep working hard if you really want to succeed. When one door closes, another opens. Patience and quality work are essential in this industry.

Being on set can be draining, both mentally and physically.

With the long and grueling hours, it’s important to remind oneself that this job is a marathon, not a sprint. So keeping a healthy lifestyle is very important.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into your story. Tell us more about your work.
As a freelance director of photography (DP), I value the stories that I tell through my lenses. Every story is special, so I tend to work closely with directors and colleagues to create a unique and appropriate look for each project. Be it the framing, camera movement, lighting, and every visual element of the story, my job as a DP is a synergistic approach to storytelling – which hopefully makes the films we create not just beautiful but also effective in evoking certain emotions.

My international background has been an impetus for me to focus on stories of diverse communities all over the world, having filmed in Europe and South America. Epiphanies are profound when I capture something new and in the process, learn more about myself and the world.

Through cinematography, I was able to befriend Afghani refugees in Europe who were rap stars and talented computer science engineers. It gave me the opportunity to capture the art and stories of great women artists who have transformed the grief of losing a loved one into masterpieces. And lastly, having the privilege to tell a powerful story of the political situation in Venezuela. In both fiction and nonfiction platforms, the craft has led me to explore the effects of diseases like ALS or Alzheimer’s, and empathize with the plight of the LGBTQ+ community in China.

These experiences nurtured my capacity to grow not only as a DP but also as a human being, and I cannot express how grateful I am to have these life-changing events through cinematography.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
A good friend once told me that, “Luck is a residue of hard work and design;” something he picked up in a psychology book during undergrad. It is on how prepared we are to face the situation and opportunities.

However, I was very lucky to meet many wonderful and generous people who helped me a lot in my career. Luck came in as I took Professor Deland Nuse’s Cinematography course at UCLA, which lured me to pursue an MFA and hone my skills in cinematography. I believe it was luck when Professor Richard Burton accepted me into the School of Cinematic Arts at USC, where I learned about the craft and invaluable life lessons through mentors, colleagues, and friends.

Luck brought me to LA, the city with the most abundant resources for filmmaking, and in which I have met numerous talented artistic collaborators who continue to trust me with their work; individuals whom I can call my best friends.

But, luck is also how we make things happen. Opportunity comes and it is up to us to take a leap and reach out.

Contact Info:

• Website: chenematic.com
• Email: beckybaihuichen@gmail.com
• Other: https://vimeo.com/beckychen/cinematographyreel

Image Credit:
BTS by Sebastian Hernandez

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