Meet Jing Niu

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jing Niu.

Jing, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I made my first few films in high school with my rowdy friends- artsy films that used images like words in a poem. We’d stay up all night exploring with our camera. I love the process of birthing something fresh and powerful into the world with the people who speak my creative language.

I used to produce videos for major magazine brands, but now I direct narrative films and music videos full-time. I have an undying passion for celluloid. We shot my most recent music video on 16mm, and it just premiered on The Fader. I’ve very proud to go back to my film roots.

Great, 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?
Some of the biggest roadblocks that I’ve hit were related to self-confidence issues. I think a lot of creators are looking for someone else to give them permission to jump-start their practice. At some point, I got tired of waiting, and just gave myself that permission.

Once I started on my journey, it was a matter of making a daily routine out of it. Also as a minority, I used to hold on to a lot of hate and blame the world for the lack of opportunities. But now, I’ve transitioned into space where I’m very proud of my background and culture, and I use it to better the world.

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I’m an independent filmmaker with films online, in museums and film festivals. I also work with brands to create video content.  Artistically, I take on projects that I feel are fresh and say something new. Professionally, I enjoy working on projects that expand my experience and cinematic language. As a director, I get most excited when I get to collaborate- working with peers to come up with an amazing final result.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
People often joke that I’m a slow talker. But that’s because I’m very articulate and intentional with my energy. I enjoy indulging in listening to and watching people. My experiences have a way of finding a way into my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jing-niu.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neon.baobei/

Image Credit:
Philips Shim, Haley Saunders, Andres Vargas, So Yun Um

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