Meet Doris Shen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Doris Shen.

Hi Doris, 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. 
Let me share with you how music and sound have been a cornerstone of my life. It has given me a sense of direction and how to confidently collaborate while making decisions. The beauty of music and the beauty of creating drew me to studying audio production. 

As an artist, I was craving more ways of expressing myself. I needed more creative outlets, so I began to explore other directions that music and sound could take me in. I had found distinction through international competitions, such as the 2008 Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games and the Bartók International Choir Competition in Hungary, where I won first place. 

USC gave me a great new sense of direction by inspiring me to learn more about sound. I now desire to apply my audio experience to fields beyond film sound and music performance. I want to pursue a career in the field of audio production, working with films, games, and more by providing my own studio production services, working artistically behind the scenes to express a story. Connecting myself to the world today now through storytelling, 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As an international student, I have faced many challenges, ranging from small to big, but none that could deter me from achieving the success that I see for myself. Some of the challenges started with my introspective understanding of the cultural differences between my homeland and my home here in the US. Having to understand and learn how to make people emote, from the perspective of a transplant, has made my education at USC both challenging yet more rewarding. As a sound designer, learning how to tap into a different audience has made me stretch and flex my creative muscles as an artist. I have taken some missteps along the way but have achieved great insight into how not just my own mind works but the hearts of the people that view my work. Sound and its creation speak a universal language and served as my mentor while developing as an artist. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Communicating nonverbally through sound and its impact. I learned as a transplant from Beijing that catching up to the language differences would be harder than finding common ground, a common language, to use for when trying to share or enhance a story. The storytelling element of my sound design is what keeps me centered and most satisfied, as I can feel the reaction of the audience to my work. My first short film, ” The Fall of a Spiral,” revealed many things to the artist growing in me. I had my first taste of successfully completing a film, a story, to share with an audience. The reactions and insight I gained from that project solidified my passion for the ongoing exploration of my creative endeavors. 

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Los Angeles is such a diverse landscape that I do not have to look very far to find pieces of my homeland here. The food is fantastic, the people are from all walks of life, and the opportunities are plentiful. There is so much that this city can give you if you just know where to look. I have enjoyed my adventure in Los Angeles; it has kept me inspired to continue my education and artistry. The unfortunate part of chasing your dreams in LA, though, is simply the roadblocks you literally face while traversing the California highways. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shenyushu.com