Rising Stars: Meet Tian Xu of Anaheim,CA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tian Xu.

Tian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hi, I’m Tian. I was born in. Beijing,China and am an editor and colorist.

My mother was a TV producer at a news channel, so I got an early exposure in the industry. When I was in high school, I told my parents I wanted to make movies. They supported me by sending me to a summer camp, where I visited Hollywood for the first time. Stepping onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame and swimming by the Santa Monica Pier was an unforgettable experience.

I went to an English-speaking high school and studied at ArtCenter College of Design. I started as an Illustration major but later switched to Film. At ArtCenter, I made great friends and studied under Professor Matia Karrell, she is an Oscar-nominated director who taught our Directing II class.

I briefly returned to China before studied in the Film Production program at Chapman University. During my postgraduate year, I interned for Matia and worked on her documentaries. I learned the craft of editing and made several award-winning short films.

My breakthrough came with my thesis film, “Drifting Boat,” about an elderly Chinese immigrant struggling to connect with her granddaughter. We shot it in Glendale, and it premiered at TCL Chinese Theatre. The film went on to win six festival awards and opened many doors for me in the documentary space.

One of those doors led to “Did You Forget Mr. Fogel?,” a documentary about an American English teacher wrongfully detained in Russia. I came on as colorist, and the film launched the #FreeMarcFogel campaign. After five years in a Russian corrective colony, Marc Fogel was finally released. Knowing that our documentary played a role in bringing someone home to their family is incredibly humbling.

This success led to commercial work with Crazy Maple Studio, which TIME Magazine named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Companies of 2024. I’ve edited viral mini-dramas like “Snatched a Billionaire to Be My Husband” and “True Luna,” which have millions of views. I’ve also worked on IMAX films like “Cities of The Future,” narrated by John Krasinski and directed by two-time Oscar nominee Greg MacGillivray.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest challenge was definitely the cultural transition from Beijing to LA. I had a hard time adapting to Film school culture, it took me about five years to feel comfortable with the culture. Here you’re encouraged to have a strong voice and fight for your vision, which was the opposite of what I was used to. I had to learn how to be assertive about my artistic choices while staying true to my collaborative instincts.

Another challenge has been the pressure of social expectations. My parents had a clear path laid out for me: find a stable job, get married, and start a family. Choosing an unconventional career in the industry felt like going against the norm. When I have doubts, I packed my backpack and travel. I gain confidence about carving my own path.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a video editor, which means I’m responsible for taking raw footage and crafting it into compelling stories. Whether I’m working on an intimate documentary, a viral mini-drama, or an IMAX film, I’m always looking for the emotional truth in the material.

What sets me apart is my ability to work across different formats and find the universal human elements in every project. I’ve edited everything from award-winning documentaries that help free prisoners to commercial content that gets millions of views. The technical requirements might be different, but the fundamental job remains the same: make the audience care about the characters.

I think my background gives me a unique perspective too. Growing up between cultures, I understand what it means to translate not just language, but entire worldviews. That shows up in my work – I’m always looking for stories about connection, about how people find each other across barriers.

Editing is often called an invisible art because when it’s done well, you don’t notice it. I take pride in that invisibility. My job is to serve the story, not to show off my skills. The best compliment I can receive is when someone says they forgot they were watching something constructed – that means I did my job right.

Here are two of the projects that I feel the most proud of:

1. Drifting Boat (2022, editor) Best Short Film at Dance With Film Festival, Best Short
Film at Central Michigan International Film Festival, Best Narrative Short at Toronto
International Women Film Festival, Best Short at Vancouver Independent Film Festival,
Best Short Film at Accolade Competition, Nominated as Best Short, Film at Toronto International Women Film Festival,Silver Remi Award at WorldFest-Houston International Film Fest, Award of Merit at The IndieFEST Awards.

2. Did You Forget Mr. Fogel? (2023, colorist) Official Selection at Santa Barbara
International Film Festival, Audience Award at National Film Festival for Talented Youth.

Any big plans?
I have a lot of plans for the future, such as travel and work on a feature film. I just completed a short film called “The Cloud,” which premiered to positive feedback at Speiser Sturges Acting Studio in Santa Monica. We’ve submitted to Cannes and other major festivals, so I’m hopeful for a good festival run.

My ultimate goal is to work for a major post-production house like Harbor Picture Company, editing Hollywood films that reach massive audiences. But I don’t want to abandon documentary work – that’s where some of my most meaningful contributions have been. I think the ideal career includes both blockbusters that reach everyone and documentaries that change individual lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12856314/
• Instagram: @xtzfilm
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianzhuo-xu/