Daily Inspiration: Meet Lihui (Ian) Wang

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lihui (Ian) Wang.

Hi Lihui (Ian), it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Hi, my name is Lihui Wang, but I usually go by Ian. Fun fact — I actually picked my English name from the Marvel movie Thor the night before I went to my international high school.

I used to describe myself as a multimedia artist since I’ve explored many creative forms and tools — from graphic design, 3D animation, digital fabrication, photography, and filmmaking, to even street dance. My curiosity for different mediums has never faded. Over time, my exploration led me toward becoming a music video director and 3D artist. Now I’m dedicated to contributing to music video and commercials production with the aesthetics shaped by my multidisciplinary creative background.

My dream to be a music video director started when I was in high school. During my junior year, one of my alumni named Jeremy Z. Qin, who directed music videos for a famous Chinese pop star Lexie Liu, shared his experience working as a director in an Alumni Talk. Back then, as a ‘typical’ student who strove for the best grades and extracurricular activities for a high-ranked university, I was inspired by a totally different direction I could go for. The talk planted a seed in the back of my mind, motivating me to pursue a creative career.

I got enrolled into UCLA in 2021, majoring in World Arts and Cultures, a highly theoretical major just like art history and cultural studies. It was fun to learn about those yet I kept thinking about whether I wanted these to be my four years. Failing to switch my major into Design Media Arts at UCLA internally in my sophomore year, I decided to transfer. I ended up getting into both USC and NYU’s media arts program. Honored to be accepted by the top-notch film schools in the US, I eventually came to USC’s Media Arts + Practice for how the program is deeply connected to film production. I envisioned myself learning all these technical tools and applying them into filmmaking. I also wanted to stay in LA for the best entertainment scene. I firmly believe that I made the best decision of my life. Starting here, I met a bunch of passionate creative friends who I can chase my dream to be a director with.

I’ve always been a visually oriented artist — I absorb cinematic and avant-garde imagery that resonates with me and integrate it into my own process. One of my biggest inspirations is Blade Runner 2049. Among all the mediums I’ve worked with, Blender feels most natural to me. It lets me visualize and build any whimsical environment I imagine. My early years as a cityscape and architecture photographer also shaped my sensitivity to structure, light, and urban aesthetics — elements that continue to inform my work today.

In the beginning of this year, I co-directed my first music video with one of my peers in my cohort, featuring the rising RnB star JayLoni from the USC community too. Then, in the summer of 2025, I interned at a music video production house, an experience that reaffirmed my desire to direct. Working closely with artists like OneRepublic, MaSiWei, and Walter Kwan, I felt the thrill of turning creative concepts into moving visuals. Music videos uniquely combine all the mediums I love, allowing me to realize artistic visions in collaboration with musicians. After this work experience, I’ve continued directing and participating in music video projects both within and outside of school this semester. I believe deeply in the storytelling potential of music videos — it’s a form that moves people differently than traditional films do.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has never been a smooth road for me ever since. From feeling inspired in high school, figuring out how I should approach this goal, to making the actual move, it took a lot of time and conflicts to figure out the process and reassure myself it was okay not to follow what everyone else wants to pursue in tech and finance. I failed switching majors in my first two years at UCLA and had to stay one more year in college since it was a 3-year project at USC. But I am glad how my parents have been supportive along the way.

It was not always a clear path. It is not like what I was used to in high school, where I just needed to get a good grade and a good result would follow. Instead, a lot of time I just keep working without knowing if all these efforts would take me to the place I want to be. Especially now most of my high school peers graduated and obtained a decent and stable job. It is hard not to compare myself to them and question if I made the right decision. But deep down, I know I don’t want a routine life. I’d rather face uncertainty than regret not pursuing my passion. These challenges and doubts are part of the landscape — the “scenery” I’ve learned to appreciate along the way.

There were moments I considered safer alternatives — like working as a designer in a company for a stable income. Maybe it could be good too?But whenever I think back to the spark that started it all, I’m reminded why I chose this path. My summer internship solidified that conviction: directing is what I truly want to do.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Building my techniques in 3D environments building, I often describe my visual style as inspired by cyberpunk and maximalism. When I first encountered cityscape photography in high school, I was drawn to shooting moody neon lights and layered cityscapes, as inspired by Blade Runner 2049. That mood stayed with me. Whether I’m creating 3D environments or directing a music video, I like building scenes that feel alive yet distant — rich in texture, color, and story. I tend to embrace maximalism — layering light, sound, and space to immerse viewers in visual abundance. I believe “less is a bore.” Every small detail — reflections on glass, a flicker of light, a photo on a wall — carries meaning. I love the idea that someone could revisit my work and discover something new each time.
What sets my practice apart is how I merge personal memory with digital creation. I often embed fragments of my own life — photos or objects that hold personal significance — into 3D scenes. These become my digital “sites of memory,” small traces of who I am woven into imagined worlds. It’s a way of preserving my individuality in my digital creation.
My aesthetics and passion for storytelling through music videos come together in CIRCLES, a project I co-directed earlier this year. The video follows two partners in crime in a post-apocalyptic outer-space world, exploring their separation and longing — a visual echo of the theme of “running around in circles.” To bring this sci-fi vision to life, I collaborated with peers in my program who specialize in 3D environment design, creating a sequence of 3D-composited montages that reveal the couple’s love story before the apocalypse. The project reflects what I love the most about music video production — the blend of world-building, emotion, and collaboration that turns imagination into something tangible.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
As I mentioned, I chose to stay in LA instead of moving to New York. I love the sunny vibe everyday here and people are passionate about what they are doing since they all come here from different corners of the world to pursue their dreams. I am quite active in the dance scene in LA. Dancing in different studios like Millennium and Movement Lifestyle and dancing with the best dancers in the world, I was stunned by everyone’s mentality and motivation to pursue their dreams. Sometimes when I doubt myself, I would often think of these people I met in the studios and how they relentlessly practice what they love. LA inspired me so much. The people I met here also helped me shape my dedication in my creative career.

But indeed there is something that I don’t like about this city-transportation. As someone who does not have a car here, it is just hard to move around the city. Sometimes I rely on my friends who can drive me around for dance classes or other activities. And it is also challenging to randomly hangout with people since everyone is so far away from each other. Back in the cities I lived in, it just took me minutes but hours here. Still, despite the distance, L.A. remains the place that fuels my dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ianwang02.cargo.site/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lihuiwang02/?hl=en
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianwang02/

Image Credits
JOANIE