We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cheng Kai Kao a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Cheng Kai , thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

It has never been consistent for me and I hope that is not a turn-off for whoever is reading and have a wish in pursuing creative work as a “full time” calling. It is day one for me until it is not anymore and I probably don’t have the time to find out why but to find out how I’m going to make it happen again. The major steps for me is to place myself in a place where I intuitively think it will work for me, work with the people I intuitively think we will connect well. Therefore I can filter by experience where doesn’t work for me, who doesn’t work for me. I don’t think focusing on the speeding up the process is going to help anyone at all, I’d just get myself in the situation and figure it out, take the time and enjoy the ride.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started working as an assistant visual designer for concerts while I was still in design college, because I really wanted professional experience. I manifested, and luckily my seniors from the same school picked me up and bring me in the team. That’s the starting point of being a professional visual creative, in the work I picked up cameras to capture materials for the concert visual, also, later in my school year I chose shooting practical scenes for the thesis animation piece, that allowed me to learn the basics of filmmaking and cinematography by doing. Plus the constant practice on editing and finishing my own work, I have become an do-it-all professional that just love the craft and keep growing.

For those who don’t know who I am, what I do, I am a filmmaker, director, editor, and a Krump dancer. The love of music and fashion had led me to my clientele who is the advocate of them or agency to connect to the bigger crowd. I helped m clients connect to the culture of the metropolitan, or build identities that would be recognized by the culture. My most proud works so far are in the music video industry, which I directed numerous pieces for the musicians around the globe. my deep passion in rhythm, music, dance and styles are my long-lasting fuel for keep thriving in the competitive industry.

I’ve spend most of my free time in the work of Krump dance, dancing not only helped me build a strong foundation in visual work in terms of expression, musicality and fashion, but also keep me honing my career in all these industries by practicing this cutting edge dance style. Most importantly is my connection to the people, that inspires me as an artist in the biggest way possible. I love observing people, and I love stories.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes. The pursuit of true freedom is my constant practice, not only is a conversation with the audience but also with myself. I want to inspire people, one person I inspire adds more fuel in my tank.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I don’t have one best story to say this but I think the relationship with the people around me is the thing I had to keep unlearning. At the beginning years I was overly lucky to work with some of the most renowned artist, I thought I was killing it in all aspects. Until I relocate to New York and found out that what I had back home was called “privilege”, so I went through years of trying to find my peers and finally came to a realization: Always build with the people I feel connected. Do not fancy that I can befriend with everyone.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kaochengkai.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaochengkai
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kao-cheng-kai-37a0b37b/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kaiwandao

Image Credits

Kao Cheng Kai