Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Liz Tran. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Liz thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us a story about a time you failed?

To be honest, my whole career has been a series of failures and learning curves. I initially moved to LA at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic to pursue screenwriting, my childhood dream. Before arriving, I applied to USC’s screenwriting program and got rejected. I was so determined that I made the rejection date my iPhone passcode—to remind myself to keep pushing. But the pandemic made it nearly impossible to network or find industry jobs, so I pivoted. I started working on hip hop music video sets through mutual connections back home in
Northern Virginia, testing out different roles. I tried being a 1st AC, but the stress led to critical mistakes—misplacing expensive memory cards, assembling camera rigs wrong. I then dabbled in art direction, but it didn’t feel right either. One moment sticks out: I was in an airport in Hawaii after wrapping a video shoot for my friend and client at the time Melione when I got a DM from director Edgar Esteves—someone whose work I had admired since high school. He asked to see my art direction reel, so I rushed to put one together. He left me on read. And honestly? He was right to—my work wasn’t there yet. I then briefly pursued product videography and photography, working 9-to-5 for brands like Lucy in the Sky and IF & Co. But I realized what I truly loved most was color grading. After this time, I worked very briefly as a color assist for color house Ethos Studio, where I learned a lot about color grading at a high level from their crazy talented and efficient team, making me realize I wanted to fully commit to becoming a full time colorist. I took another shot with Edgar, this time with a refined portfolio focused on editing and color. This time, one thing led to another, and I ended up joining his post house, Digital Sword—where I’ve met some of the most talented people and gotten career opportunities I never imagined. So I don’t have just one major failure—I have a series of them that led me to the right path. What I’ve learned is that failure isn’t the end. It’s the process of sitting with yourself, reflecting on what truly aligns with you, and having the perseverance to keep going. The hardest truths are often the ones that push you toward growth.

Liz, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a colorist working primarily on music videos, ads, and the occasional narrative project. I initially moved to LA for screenwriting, but after exploring different roles in production and post, I discovered that color grading was where my skills and creative instincts aligned best. What sets me apart is my versatility—I can deliver a bright, pop-commercial look just as well as a moody, stylized filmic grade. I love the challenge of capturing each client’s specific artistic vision and using color to shape the story’s emotional impact. Some of the projects I’m most proud of include Blxst’s album short film I’ll Always Come Find You and its offshoot music videos (I Need Your Love ft. Ty Dolla $ign, Dance with the Devil ft. Anderson .Paak). I’ve also worked on Ice Spice’s Phat Butt and Sam Smith & Alicia Keys’ live studio session for Not the Only One. Currently, I’m wrapping up a YouTube series called Celebrity Substitute, featuring guest teachers like Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Camila Cabello, Lisa from BlackPink, and Billie Eilish visiting NYC public schools. At the core of my work, it’s about storytelling through color. Whether it’s a commercial, music video, or film, my goal is to enhance and refine the visuals in a way that fully realizes the project’s emotional and artistic intent.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Above everything else, I’m a storyteller at heart. I want to be able to contribute to the process of telling stories that impact people’s lives and change their perspectives on things the same way stories have done for me. Every moment in my childhood where I’ve faced challenges/ emotional turmoil, I can name a show or movie that helped me get through the time and emerge out of it with a paradigm shift or new perspective. No matter what I do, I want to help people express whatever message it is that they feel is important to them. As a colorist, this means helping directors/DPs/artists/commercial clients achieve the emotional atmosphere and tell the story they want to tell through color.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Honestly, seeing the work I do make it out onto the world — whether it’s on YouTube, a billboard on Times Square, or seeing it screened in an AMC theater. I think that moment of seeing your work in a public setting, watching people’s reactions to it, and realizing the effect it might be having on large scale audience is so freaking dope.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://liztran.net
• Instagram: @lizdoratee

Image Credits

Blxst, Anderson . Paak, Ice Spice, Ty Dolla $ign, Red Bull Records, Sam Smith, Camila Cabello (Celebrity Substitute), Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield (Celebrity Substitute), Amarier Lizana