Today we’d like to introduce you to Max Lin.
Hi Max, 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?
At this stage in my life and career, I’m a director and editor. I’m 22. The first memory I have of picking up a video camera of any kind was my uncle’s old Sony VHS camera that we took on classic touristy immigrant vacations with our family. I turned ten, and the one thing I wanted for my birthday was a Flip camera (you know the funky thing with the built-in flip-out USB stick? That one). I think I might have used it three times total, but it was a cool piece of equipment to walk around with as an elementary school kid. I told myself years later in late middle school, that I would take photography seriously and saved up to buy myself a Canon t3i for Christmas. I think I used that thing a total of 5 times. Still a total waste, but at least we made some progress, right?
Anyways, the whole pipeline of me going from the kid with a flip to me now started when I signed up to take a video production elective class in my high school. I learned how to edit before I really understood how a camera worked, and I fell in love with the process of building together a video with no rules, no regulations, and the only limit being the capacity of your creativity and knowledge of the editing software. Directing was something that I ended up learning to love and get into as a result of editing because I wanted to start editing things that I had pre-visualized in my head. For me, envisioning something that I’d want to edit was always the first step, and that has permanently engrained itself into my process as a director.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Creatively, it’s been relatively smooth. Not because it’s easy, but because with any struggle I’ve found with creative block or brainstorming original ideas, it always came down to making a breakthrough and forcing myself to create things until I produce something I really love.
The hardest part for me as a creative, fresh out of college and searching for stable work, is making a steady income with the work that I personally love and WANT to create. It’s a tough reality knowing that most of the time, a majority of people, unless you have a mass following or platform, will not care to pay you to create the stuff that you love to make. It’s still something I’m trying to figure out for myself right now. Questioning how, at this stage, I’m going to get paid to create art that I love and want to share with people (and get paid little to none for it). It’s something I still don’t have the answer to, but I believe that the only way to combat that is to power through and keep making things I love with increasing quality each time until someone truly recognizes and appreciates my style of work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a director and editor. I make music videos, fashion films, short-form content, and experimental shorts.
I’m most proud of a couple of pieces of work that you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXbfdqJFLHY&ab_channel=ADAMOH
I think what sets me apart from others is being able to create whatever the hell I want to without feeling the need to stay within a specific style. Do I have a distinct style? Yes, but I don’t believe that it shackles me in a way that would prevent me from making videos that are not in a specific genre, editing style, or subject matter.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Be kind, be humble, and be confident!
The most important thing that I value at this stage (and I think this will remain the same for a long time) is not a hard skill. There will always be someone more talented than me as an editor, director, creative director, cinematographer, etc. I’ve come to terms with the fact that it simply isn’t possible to be the greatest at everything, but what’s more important is to be kind, humble, and confident enough to know that I, with the help of the creatives I love and deeply care about, can create things that are far more incredible than one person can do on their own. I think developing valuable relationships with people and being widely recognized as somebody who is a pleasure to work with in addition to being a great editor and director is the best compliment I could ask for. Above all, I’d rather be known as a good human being than some creative who’s decent at his job.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.xamnil.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xamnil/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB0VKr76eCz8PbfSM2oZd4g
Image Credits
First Photo: Jeremy Rufino (@rudefino on IG)
Johnny Cu @cutakesphotos
