Today we’d like to introduce you to Yiran Chen.
Hi Yiran, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Southeast China’s small coastal town is where I was born. My family purposefully encouraged my interest in literature and the arts when I was young. My passion of reading was fostered by my father’s weekly trips with me to the public library where I would check out classic literature. According to the elders, I used to be very extroverted and talented at telling stories. Every time I went to see the elderly in the village, I would tell jokes to make them laugh. Later, under the strain of needing to do well in school, I started to become more reserved. Exams and papers were the priority of the day. I constantly indulged in fantasies I conjured up in my head, masking a lot of negative emotions and perplexity inside of my heart, hoping for various life surprises to happen, eager and ready for adventure. I started using books and movies as a stress reliever. Even my own novels, which I began to write.
I studied radio and television journalism in China after enrolling in college. It happened when I first learned certain videography techniques and began to create on my own some news or documentary content. I saw more independent and artsy films during my undergraduate years because I had a lot of spare time, and I came to realize that very good movies may greatly influence one’s perception of worth and life paths. Initially, I believed that making movies was out of my reach, but subsequently discovered that it was more about how you perceive the world while developing your own aesthetic. Later, I took full advantage of the chance to study abroad at Columbia University and came to New York City on my own for the first time to conduct an in-depth exploration of cinema studies. I did this because I wanted to learn more about the art form of film and because I had always wanted to make great movies. So, despite my family’s objections, I applied to American film schools.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As a filmmaker in LA, I constantly battle to strike a balance between my films’ commercial viability and artistic merit. Also, I assumed I would pursue directing in graduate school, but I eventually came to the conclusion that my love of pure visuals was greater than my love of directing. I decided to pursue a career in cinematography and became a DP. As a female DP, I had many concerns during this process. The physical disadvantage of being female comes first, followed by the underrepresentation of women in the profession of cinematography. However, as I went along, I like the path I took and eventually discovered my strengths as a filmmaker. I must admit that working with excellent female directors to present more feminist perspectives was really enjoyable for me. In terms of how I see stories and how I translate emotions into visions, I can see similarities between myself and them. I am able to get what they requested quicker as a result. By making art, I hope to continue my exploration and discover more distinctive female voices.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I utilize light and shadow to tell stories, evoke feelings, and establish an atmosphere. In a constrained creative environment, I select various tools, focal lengths, angles, scales, and movements to create a cinematic film that connects people. My deep sense of empathy and capacity for capturing the scene’s most dramatic moments are my strengths.
The ability to focus on various groups of people with each film, such as those with eating disorders, bipolar disorder, and deaf people, is what I enjoy most about making movies, to give these marginalized, underserved folks a bigger platform for speaking. One project that I’m particularly proud of was collaborating with a female deaf director from the same school to create an emotional family drama about deaf individuals adjusting to the next generation’s growth. The cast of the movie was entirely Deaf, and a live interpreter helped out during filming. This was the first time I had to observe up close the challenges faced by deaf people and their upbeat attitude in the face of those challenges.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Never give up, keep hoping, and believe in yourself. Keep the enthusiasm for the art. Never lose sight of the inspiration behind your initial efforts.
Image Credits
Juliet Wang
