Today we’d like to introduce you to Dylan Huang.
Hi Dylan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It all started in 2019 when Alan, the founder of Paradox Films, had the idea to keep a few of our excellent friends together and continue making films. Honestly, we had a very slow start. Initially, I never imagined we would reach where we are today or that we would have the opportunity to share our story. We encountered numerous challenges such as budget constraints, full-time jobs, equipment issues, and more. During that time, we basically took on jobs everywhere as freelancers. Of course, we still do a lot of freelance work these days, but back then, we had little chance to interact with each other, let alone complete something truly valuable. When we were all trapped in a dilemma of isolation, self-centeredness, and lack of interaction, I wrote my first film, Sinking. Coincidentally, it is a project about loneliness and isolation. It may not be the best work I’ve ever written, but it surely means a great deal to me and the team. I can say responsibly that it was Sinking that brought us together, that bonded us—the filmmakers who are always looking to tell important stories. We found that there are some things we can never accomplish alone and that we always need to rely on each other. This realization mirrors how loneliness is depicted in Sinking: at the end, we face only one thing—death. Of course, this is not the truth; it’s just my personal opinion. I realized that there is something romantic and cinematic about simply being able to keep making films and creating stories with certain people. We are together, experiencing sadness, feeling the sunset, thinking of solutions, failing and succeeding together. This is extremely important because in these processes that we are all bound to go through, we can share the fruits without worrying too much. For better or for worse. Since then, we have been working as a team, shooting several independent films one after another. And just a few months ago, I completed my film, The Gray Dwarf Stars. But I need to emphasize again that what has brought us to where we are today is the hard work of the entire Paradox team, the fear of loneliness, and the love for film and television art and expression.
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 is undoubtedly a tortuous road. It has cost us a great deal of time, energy, and money to get to where we are today. As a grassroots team, we have had to learn almost everything from scratch—how to communicate, how to be ourselves. We often ask this question: what should we do, and who should we face to make films? These questions never disappear along the way but keep repeating over and over again. Every shoot is a lesson. We are always students trying to understand the world as events unfold. We remain naïve and ignorant, and I think that’s a good thing. It is because of this ignorance that we are not afraid of the thorns ahead. We still have many films to shoot and many stories to tell, so before we reach the end of the road, I believe we’ll always remain ignorant and continue walking this potentially endless, tortuous path.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Writer/Director, and while these roles are challenging when it comes to supporting myself, I spend my spare time writing and working on set as a DP and Gaffer. So far, I’ve finished two scripts and am currently working on my third—one that is my first feature script. This new project incorporates surrealist elements and explores the value of existence, connection, and redemption. I dare not say that everyone will like it; in fact, I acknowledge that it may be somewhat contrary to the mainstream market. However, in an era increasingly reminiscent of what Neil Postman described in “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” I believe such a film can also represent my stance toward the current entertainment market, or simply serve as a big middle finger. At this point, there’s no need to elaborate on who I am or what sets me apart from others. I never claim to be a genius or anything special. I’m just an ordinary person who longs for freedom and finds myself crying bitterly after getting drunk again and again. I find things unpleasant and let them trigger the anger and sorrow within me. I watch time slip away bit by bit but feel powerless to change it. I’m not special by any means—just an ordinary person who sees through my own mediocrity, accepts it, and eventually enjoys it. I write about certain things, express them, tell this disgusting world to “go f*ck itself,” and then lose another day to mediocrity, only to do it all over again the next day.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Childhood story? Maybe it was playing PSP in an air-conditioned room, or eating Ice cream on the roadside. No, it was probably a broken toilet that was thrown away in front of my house. It was left there for more than a month and no one took it away. I’m really, really curious as to how it end up there and never get picked up.
