Today we’d like to introduce you to Hansen Yang
Hi Hansen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello everyone! I am Hansen Yang. I was born and raised in Beijing, China, with a family working in the film industry back in my hometown. Being the only kid in a family with a film background truly pushed me to pursue my dream of a film production career. At an early age, I started to fiddle with my dad’s film cameras and camcorders, shooting random things around me. My dad discovered that I have a unique bond with all forms of cameras and thought I could be a talented cinematographer in the future.
After graduating from high school in Beijing, I decided to study abroad. I arrived in the States in 2013 as an undergrad student at Arizona State University’s film program. In the summer of 2023, I graduated from Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, and I must admit it was one of the most incredible journeys in my life. I have met many talented and helpful people during the time I was there. I am currently a freelance Photographer/Cinematographer in the Los Angeles area. I am still pushing myself to become a professional director of photography.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As a newcomer, I would say it is not a smooth road to achieving the goal I set for myself. This kind of business is especially about reputation and connections. To get promoted to the position I wished for really takes time.
I still remember the time when I got out of school. I got into some gigs as a PA (Production Assistant). As “kids” from film school, we all had ambitions to have higher or leading positions in productions. Still, I take all these positions seriously; I put more effort into them and value myself. Because of my good working ethic and the connection I made during the production, it started to bring me more positions. I got promoted to 1st Assistant camera and camera operator. I even landed a position as a cinematographer in some budget productions.
Being positive is also a key to success. I still remember being rejected from the production for various reasons, but I never felt disappointed or looked down on myself. I usually give myself a break for a day or two from it, spend time doing some hobby thing, adjust my mood, and keep looking for opportunities.
Overall, I still want to thank all the great people I have met during the hard times; without the connections I made with them, it would have been hard for me to achieve what I have today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a freelance photographer/cinematographer. Most of my work is related to motion picture productions, including promotion videos, music videos, commercials, short films, etc.
One thing I am most proud of is the thesis film I shot during my last year in school, “The Highway is Alive Tonight.” It is a thriller short film. This short film was praised by all professors and selected by all faculty to participate in the ASC Student Heritage Awards in 2023. This year, it was officially selected by the LA Shorts International Film Festival, one of the most prestigious and largest international short film festivals worldwide.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think everyone has their take on the definition of “Risk-Taking.” I do, too.
I am a risk taker, but somewhat in a good way. I always do “risk management” before I take further action. I always ensure the risk I take, and the outcome benefits myself and the team I work with. As a cinematographer, I see “improvisation” as a risk. As most people know, the schedule is a leading factor during production when shooting a film because it directly connects with our budget and overall management. Most of the time, all shots are planned during the pre-production phase, and we schedule based on our pre-planned shot list. However, sometimes, in the middle of shooting, I may see opportunities for a different approach on a specific shot. From my point of view, this shot may have a significant impact on the outcome. For me, I would take any chance to make the shot. I may communicate with the director to get his input (If we have the time). Or I would ask for another take and make the changes. In the end, I would say 8 out of 10 times, they placed the shot I improvised into the cut, which truly highlights the overall storytelling. I would say that it is a successful risk-taking strategy.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madewithhans/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hansen.yang.96
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13506609/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
