Today we’d like to introduce you to Xiayang Li.
Hi Xiayang, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in China and came to the United States in 2014. Upon completing my bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina in 2019, I was accepted into the MFA Film Production Program at the University of Southern California. I am a writer/director with a passion for stories that explore the psychology of the characters as well as the social circumstances that formed them. I mostly write drama and thrillers, but often like to challenge myself and redefine the genres by incorporating innovative and unconventional elements.
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?
Not all of my family supported my decision to choose filmmaking as my career path. There were a lot of fights and arguments going back and forth. As enjoyable as I find production is, part of the journey is about one’s problem-solving skills and how one copes with stress and anxiety as the journey goes on. During one of my most recent USC productions, we had a situation with a park reserved for an exterior scene. To our utter surprise, the park was not ready upon our arrival. We were on a limited schedule and had to move to the next location. It took great collaboration among my crew to get the location ready for the camera. We ended up finishing early!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a writer/director and most of my works are in the thriller and drama genres. My most recent short film, “The Act of Crying,” a USC MFA thesis production, is currently competing in the film festival circuit. We are hoping to hear good news soon.
What sets me apart as a writer is the way I craft a character and their journey. I do a lot of character studies and like to explore their psychological traumas, which shape their personality. The Act of Crying, for example, is about a Chinese man who cannot cry and how he works with an acting coach to prepare for an upcoming project, which turns out to be his father’s funeral. The story, however, is really about how one’s resentment for their loved ones can refrain them from a visceral and genuine emotional response, and that it is okay for one to be truthful to their feelings first, even though most may consider it as selfish.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Creatively speaking, I take risks all the time. I like to write stories that haven’t been told before, and in ways that haven’t been done. One of my favorite films is Parasite (2019), which is a perfect example of unconventional storytelling. I LOVE playing with the structure of the story itself, misleading the readers/audience, and surprising them with something rewarding.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xy_li/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xiayang-li/
Image Credits
Photo by Michael Harrison Sparks
