We were lucky to catch up with Tianxiao Chen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tianxiao, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

My connection with films carries a strong sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of an era when most people, much like myself, began their journey with movies through bootleg VHS tapes. During those idle moments, I found myself captivated by the screen, unknowingly developing an initial fascination with cinema.

In my early years, adversity obscured the creative side of my identity. However, I have come to realize that creativity can be a healing force. Whenever I utilize a camera to craft visual narratives, a profound sense of satisfaction consumes me. Amid life’s challenges, envisioning my experiences as scenes in a film empowers me to confront the unknown with resilience and strength.

At the age of 21, I directed my 30-minute undergraduate thesis film, a pivotal moment in my journey. I believe that as a filmmaker, respect and patience are paramount. Collaborating closely with actors, I share insights into character and story construction, drawing from personal experiences when beneficial. Open-mindedness to their perspectives fosters a collaborative environment that yields gratifying results.

Following this, my debut work graced the big screen at Broadway Cinematheque in China. As I engaged with my initial audience, I became acutely aware of their limited understanding of “womanhood.” Society’s tendency to marginalize works about women and feminism left little room for open-minded exploration. Faced with this reality, I strive to amplify the voices of women through the art of filmmaking, sharing stories that reflect my own experiences and offer deeper insights.

My undergraduate studies provided a solid foundation in film production knowledge. Exploring various production techniques, I discovered a profound attraction to editing. Similar to my love for watching baseball games, the “flow state” I experience while editing mirrors the players’ focused attention on the ball in flight. Time seems to dissolve, and I become fully immersed in the editing process, piecing together fragmented images to evoke emotions and tell a compelling story.

Despite the intricacies of editing multiple footage pieces, the satisfaction derived from witnessing the entire work emerge as a cohesive, emotional entity is unparalleled. It was during this time that I first realized my aspiration to become a professional in the film industry, making it my lifelong pursuit.

Tianxiao, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi! I’m Tianxiao Chen, and you can call me Christine! I am a film editor currently based in Los Angeles. I was born in Shenzhen, China, and I spent most of my life there. I’m currently a second-year Editing fellow in American Film Institute. After the first year of study, I exploited fully the possibilities of editing as much as I can. I edited different genres of shorts includes drama, comedy, and mockumentary. Through these projects, I explored different styles of editing, elegantly using it to express the essence of my filmic vision. Currently, I am working on my AFI thesis film, which is about a single mother must go to extreme lengths in order to provide Thanksgiving dinner for her children. It is about motherhood, humanizing the outlaw, poverty, and freedom. I’m really excited to bring this special realistic drama to the audience through editing. Moreover, I become more clear about my career path in the future as a film editor. For me, cinema is about raising questions and looking for the answers. It acts like a mirror, revealing things we might not see or may not want to see in ourselves. I really want to explore the complexities of life through films and cannot wait to visualize more relatable stories as an editor.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

NFT technology and digital artworks epitomize different facets of our digital age, emerging in response to the contemporary demands of this era. The unprecedented fusion of digital art and technology is driven by the exclusive capability of blockchain to host digital content, facilitated by NFTs and their smart contracts for seamless transactions. Whether traded on the blockchain or in traditional avenues like exhibitions or auctions, it fundamentally creates a scene. The blockchain setting, however, boasts higher efficiency in a broad market and provides robust protection for digital works, leading to its widespread adoption.

In terms of trends, an intriguing branch in the digital art realm is generative art. Algorithms, driven by software and programming, have permeated various aspects of societal life, altering our thought processes. This trend, to some extent, marks a breakthrough in human imagination, where the convergence of human and machine patterns holds the promise of unlocking new possibilities from a different dimension. It signifies a cross-disciplinary dialogue among artists and technologists, challenging mental boundaries inherent in each industry. In the next era, a crucial skill will be the ability to break down these boundaries—facilitating communication, integrating diverse thinking patterns, and constructing a more open perspective.

In essence, the synergy of NFT technology, digital art, and emerging trends reflects the dynamic canvas of artistic expression in the digital age, ushering in a new era of possibilities and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

“Siddhartha” has been a profoundly influential book for me. I first encountered this book during my undergraduate, and what resonated with me the most was Siddhartha’s journey. His quest for meaning, the period of asceticism in the forest resembling our time in school, and his pursuit of love and wealth mirroring our societal experiences, all struck a chord.

Every step of Siddhartha’s journey was fraught with uncertainty, pain, and doubt. Much like me, he too faced moments of profound questioning and inner turmoil. But in the present, that’s not what matters. What truly matters is that he’s experiencing all of this now, in this moment.

This book has provided immense encouragement for me, especially as becoming a filmmaker. I’m unsure whether I’ll become a famous artist in the future, but what I do know is that every emotion I’m going through is precious. Every single present moment is a unique and eternal existence in the river of time.