Daily Inspiration: Meet Yinghui Li

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yinghui Li.

Hi Yinghui, 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. 
My name is Yinghui, and I’m a graduate student at Chapman University majoring in Film Production with Directing emphasis. I was born and raised in China, and I came to the US to pursue my filmmaking dream in 2021. Although I’ve always had a creative voice and wanted to become a storyteller, I never had the opportunity to be exposed to the industry and the world of filmmaking. I grew up in a very academic environment, and I studied Economics in my undergrad. My parents have always supported my creative voice, but making a living as a filmmaker seemed unrealistic for them. I was good at what I was studying in undergrad, but I knew that was not my real passion, and I couldn’t rest until I had my creative visions fulfilled. 

The only way for me to get into the industry and the creative environment was to go to film school. I was so hungry for the exposure to films and to network with other filmmakers who share the same passion. It was very challenging to get my foot in there because I didn’t have any filmmaking background other than the several elective film classes I took in my undergrad. But I’ve always believed in my inner voice and the stories I wanted to tell. I believe that if I’m genuinely moved by my story, I will be able to find an audience who also shares an emotional connection with it. Because, at the end of the day, I want to tell stories about human emotions and human connections that transcend language and culture. 

I came to the US to study film in 2021, and I will be graduating in May this year with my MFA degree in Film Production. It has been an amazing journey full of excitement and challenges. I’ve honed my skills as a filmmaker and storyteller, and I can’t wait to see how the journey unfolds after graduation. 

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?
It’s been a long way since I decided to pursue filmmaking as my career. In the early stages, one of the biggest challenges was to convince my parents that what I wanted to pursue was a serious career path and I could make a living out of it. It took me almost two years to get them fully on board. They have been giving me tremendous support since then, and I couldn’t thank them enough. Once I entered film school, I realized that it was more difficult than I thought to stick to your visions and ideas when there are so many different voices and opinions around you. It’s great to hear different kinds of feedback, but at the end of the day, you should always be honest and truthful to your inner voice. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a writer/director who likes to tell stories about human connections. I love exploring the complexity and conflict, depth and beauty in human connections that take so many different forms in different situations. As an international student studying in the US, I’m interested in creating characters with a duality in their cultural identity. I’m very proud to bring my cross-cultural experience to the creation of my characters and stories and I believe the emotional honesty and truthfulness are what the audience can resonate with no matter where they come from. 

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
I like watching the talk show “Actors on Actors.” It’s very interesting to learn how those great actors approach their characters and how unique their approaches are for different characters and projects. They often talk about how they work with the director and other actors on set, which is very informative and helpful to me as a director myself. 

In terms of books, One Hundred Years of Solitude is one of my all-time favorite novels, and it has highly influenced my storytelling style. I have read the book several times, and I still go back to it from time to time. It’s one of the most important creative beacons for me. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yinghuifilms.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/yinghui_lii
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/yinghui-li-a01375262

Image Credits
Antonio Zamarripa