Today we’d like to introduce you to You Wu.
Hi You, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I was originally from Beijing, China. I grew up with the trend of technology and social media, so since I was very young, I started to take photos and videos using my parent’s huge DSLR camera and post them online. It was during high school that I gradually got more interests into making movies. A couple of classmates and I wrote scripts, shot footages, edited them into a short film, and tried to participate in some local student short films competitions. They obviously did not work well, but they did interest me more in this industry. I decided to go out and study film. I studies at Loyola Marymount University for four years in the School of Film and Television and gained a quite strong basis of film production skills, in which I found out editing is the one specific area that I enjoy the most. I kept wanting to dig more into this profession, so after I graduated from LMU, I applied to AFI for a more in-depth learning and practice of editing, and here I am.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Studying in a foreign country is always a challenge. Not just language is a barrier, culture differences are also very hard to overcome. I think filmmaking is a highly collaborative work, and it requires constant communications with people in various department. It has always been hard to fully understand others and execute their vision, as well as communicate my own vision and wants to others and achieve the goals. We are all from different cultures and backgrounds, so it is crucial to try to understand what others went through in their culture and let everybody be on the same page. It is very challenging to do so, but I will keep trying.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The main area that I’m focusing on is editing. I’ve been editing short films and some of them are going out to film festivals right now. I’m currently an editing fellow in AFI Conservatory, and my long-term goal is to become a film editor. I’m also interested in other area in postproduction, including sound design and coloring. I’ve been working as sound mixer and DIT on set as well.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Being able to understand and connect with others and being able to express ideas and thoughts to others makes me happy. It is so charming that through various ways (film, music, books, etc.) that I can learn from diversity of people and connect to their thoughts. This is also way I want to be part of this creative industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youwu25.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ywu.0125/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youwu0125/
