Life & Work with Yoko Chen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yoko Chen.

Hi Yoko, 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?
I am originally from Kunming, China, moved to New York by myself at the age of 18, and went to the School of Visual Arts as a film major. I was doing a lot of short film production, music videos, and small fashion campaigns, mainly as a producer and 1st AD. I also directed and wrote a few short films back in New York and got nominated for several film festivals. Having a solid portfolio, I successfully got accepted into the American Film Institute as a producing fellow right after I graduated from SVA in 2022. Ever since then, I have been doing filmmaking, producing, 1st ADing, the things I love and have been passionate about since the day 1 I stepped onto this land.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a relatively smooth road for me compared to other film students or filmmakers. I think mainly because I knew I wanted to be on the path at a very young age and have been doing it since I was 18 years old. I always joke to others, “I grew up on sets.”, which is true. I spent most of my young adulthood on production. I learned how to be a filmmaker and how to be a good human in this field. So, even at the age of 23, I have a lot more production experience compared with other people who are the same age as me.

However, there are still some sacrifices in my personal life. I didn’t get to party around or travel a lot during the entire college years due to the amount of productions I was in. My mom sometimes calls me and asks me what is my plan for any summer break or winter break, I always tell her “Sleep for a couple of days and go into productions.” However, do I regret not having a lot of time having fun? Probably not. I still enjoy the stress and the fun of the production.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a producer and a 1st AD. Different from other producers who are eager to tell their own stories, I am very good at helping people to achieve their visions and execute their blueprints. I always think the director is the “painter”, and I am the “curator”. I love to support all the artists with their visions and dreams and make them even better with my own contribution. I love filmmaking and storytelling. For me, I hold every single project dear to my heart, and I truly care about them. I think that’s why people like to work with me as either a producer or a 1st AD. I also have a unique ability to illuminate social issues and explore interpersonal stories within the realm of young adults through her distinctive perspective.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Finding a mentor is not supposed to be something that stresses us out or something that we have to purposely look for. The true mentor always comes along when we genuinely work hard toward the goal we want. I always find the mentor in the most unexpected way, a production I am working on, at school when I genuinely want to ask questions, or in a class that I am actually passionate about and put a lot of effort into.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://achen280.wixsite.com/yokochen
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoko_chen150/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoko-chen-83775a191/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1DOE270ZBtwswRbMaplc8A