Today we’d like to introduce you to Bruce Wang.
Hi Bruce, 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.
The world is like a tumbler toy for me. It swings back and forth, but each time, it returns to a balance point to then swing again shortly after. We, as humans, are destined to coexist with this swinging. From a macro perspective, we are all like prisoners. Everyone is physically trapped on this floating blue orb we call home. Spiritually, though, we are the freest. We can think, we can dream, we have emotions, we can love and be loved. I love this world, even though it’s filled with lies, sorrow, and violence. This makes all the beauty of the world stand out more, making it extremely precious. Happiness is often ephemeral and because of this, I worked desperately to record every moment and preserve it. That’s the reason why I chose film and cinematography. I picked up my camera when I was in junior high school. At that time, my self-awareness was just sprouting. With the passing of time and the increase of professional knowledge, cinematography is my nutrition for my pursuit of self-worth. “Time” is the central theme in the vast majority of my work. I am obsessed with the concept of time.
The most effective way to experience the past is through films and old footage. It is the most direct and romantic way. Whenever I watch material from decades before me, I feel a connection just by looking in the eyes of those on the screen. They make me travel through time and enrich my life. By watching such material, I feel the importance of preserving our lives. I therefore want to shoot more footage closer to this theme: our daily lives and the current world we live in. I imagine a hundred years from now, people watching it and feeling the same emotions I felt watching the films of the past. I wish to relay artistic romanticism.
“Emotion is all we’ve got.” This is what Jong Lin, the Director of Photography of the Ang Lee trilogy, taught me. He has been the most influential teacher throughout my life. We worked together as part of the same crew. He taught me that cinematography always serves to convey emotions and stories and, as a cinematographer, how to help the director complete the work. Mr. Lin has been an inspiration to me in this field. I will never forget his words of wisdom.
I keep shooting films to reach this goal. The stories I’ve been telling are about ordinary people. I am passionate about shooting on-location productions, so most of my time is spent scouting alongside directors. Locations allow the story to unravel on its own in front of the camera without the need for further explanation. When the characters and scenes are combined, we can achieve a level of realism unreachable otherwise. I have shot stories portraying dancers, musicians, cleaners, medical personnel, firemen, painters, and veterans so far. The themes revolve around family relationships, friendship, love, the pursuit of self-worth, depression, and death. They are just the tip of the iceberg in real life, but they are themes that can be magnified in movies if put under the spotlight. I am planning to shoot more realistic themes in the future.
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 wasn’t meant to be an easy road, and my journey continues because I’ve never reached the mountain top of where I want to be, so I need to keep working for it. How to make better work and how to be seen is probably a question every filmmaker needs to face. Maybe the only solution is to keep shooting, don’t stop, there’s always hope. Maybe I’m an idealist. I have been the cinematographer in most of the projects I have worked on. I have had the opportunity to work on some professional feature film sets and be the Director of Photography on multiple independent films.
My true passion lies in filmmaking. Making films is my constant dream, and I want to use cinematography to convey the emotions I want to express.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We’re always thinking about what we can get instead of what we can leave behind through our lives. Everything I create is based on this concept. We won’t be able to take anything with us after our short stay on this planet but the work we create is eternal. I, therefore, cherish everything I create, whether it’s films, songs, writings, or photographs. They are all different yet meaningful to me. They show that my brain is not a playground for other people’s thoughts. They are the proof that I have existed. We will keep changing, but they won’t; they become the light marks in the tunnel, and that is time. The world is a dream, and everyone treats this dream differently, but for me, it’s not how the world sees you but how you see the world, and I have been working hard just to provide all with a unique perspective of it.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
TO ALL FELLOWS AND FILMMAKERS. WE GOTTA KEEP GOING!!! THE FUTURE IS OURS.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.puyuwang.work/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bruce_wang_lee?igsh=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4EZ20siduhOzYuFWSI9RGq?si=IrGPRGxlRESUFIxxdkJYwA
