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

Alright, Betty thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

The typical idea of success in my young adulthood was to secure a well-paying job at a giant corporation with health benefits, a 401k, and stability, like Disney. When I reached that goal, believing I had finally achieved “success”, I learned that the work behind the glamorous reputable title was more draining and dangerous to my livelihood than it was magical. I put my head down and made my team proud, only realizing a year later that each day looked the same to me.

I learned I deserve to live a life that looks different, colorful, and vivid, even if it involves taking risks and being uncomfortable. I quit Disney in October 2022 and traveled to Vietnam, my parent’s home country, and took it upon myself to grow and learn other life skills. I traveled through multiple cities, including my mom’s hometown, took dance, ceramics, tufting, and perfume-making classes, and redefined who I was outside of the titles and income brackets that society deems so valuable.

Upon my return, I delved into The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and began my own creative projects that were made without the need for external validation. Slowly, I completed a few short films and screenplays that I would have never imagined I would make, had it not been for the daring jump I took last year out of corporate life.

Elizabeth Ai, an award-winning producer who had a strong desire to spotlight Vietnamese-American stories in a positive and celebratory way, invited me to work on her feature length music documentary, NEW WAVE, in late 2022. As the Associate Producer for this film, I’ve had the opportunity to continue to lead and support logistics as well as contribute to the creative development and direction of the story. Our team will begin our film circuit in early 2024, so be on the look out!

Betty, 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?

I am a writer, community activist, and AANHPI creative arts enthusiast. I enjoy reading all sorts of literature, pole dancing, going to art museums, and learning about new perspectives and stories. My personality traits entail coziness, loyalty, fun chaos, and warm professionalism. My mission in life is to accumulate wisdom, spread love and compassion, and create impact during my time on this spectacular planet. Lastly, I am an Associate Producer on the indie feature documentary, NEW WAVE, a film that combats war stories and retells what Vietnamese-American identity means in this country. The film is about the Vietnamese-American New Wave music movement in the 1980’s where themes of historical trauma, chosen family, and coming-of-age overlap.

At UC Santa Barbara, I initially planned to be the principal of my alma mater, El Monte High, but later discovered there is more of the world to tackle and learn from, before leading the youth. I began my work at boutique video companies, grew into studios, commercial producing, now into working on indie film and freelancing. As of right now, I am writing and filmmaking, which I find is deeply enjoyable. I am proudest of the ideas I develop and build without the need of external approval – as long as they’re what makes me happiest. I am a logistics and planning wizard and am always happy to support on projects that are intentional and thoughtful in their creation.

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

We live in a society where everything is monetized and sometimes being a creative person feels like you have to be a great creative to be worthy of praise, money, awards, or even attention. I spent a lot of time fearing that I wouldn’t be a good enough creative and doubting my wonderful ideas because of the uncertainty I felt about being valued as myself in this society. I’m learning now, and it’s never too late to know that the ideas I have are valuable in and of themself, and there is no expectation for them to be these genius ideas that change people’s lives. It’s just me, my thoughts, and silly ideas that to me, are cute and funny, and because I love them, that’s all that matters.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Absolutely, yes. There are way too many barriers to entry in this industry, so please see everything below and take from these resources, because they are for you!

1. If you are a student, look for on-campus or media clubs that allow you to rent cameras, audio equipment, or even laptops for your short films. Ideally for free!
2. Libraries. Libraries are the cheat code that we forget about! There are laptops, hot spots, books, online resources, and print services. Services vary depending on where you live, but they are there and waiting for you.
3. LinkedIn Networking. I wish I began this earlier, but reach out to anyone you find interesting and shoot your shot to ask about their experience and what they do. You never know when they’ll need you or when you’ll need them.
4. Social Media Accounts. Depending on where you are or who you’re connected to, there are helpful resources and people who are always trying to help the community. For example, Golden Guide is an incredible AANHPI resource for job opportunities, national events, and blasts to uplift marginalized voices.
5. Attend community events. There are many free events that occur in each city and they’re on street banners, flyers, libraries, restaurants, etc. Keep an eye out and stay involved. The people around you are highly knowledgeable about things you don’t know about and you gain more with the perspectives you get in life.
6. Newsletters. I know we hate newsletters because they fill our inboxes, but newsletters from film companies or art companies are essential. Sign up for The Gotham, Visual Communications, or CAAM. You learn about grants, resources, events, mentorships, and general opportunities you don’t want to miss out on by ignoring these.

Every single one of these tips may not apply to you, but using creativity to navigate your way through your creative career is a powerful tool! You got this.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://newwavedocumentary.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newwavedocumentary
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newwavedocumentary/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettyhang/
• Other: imdb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11752125/ renrenspeaks blog post: https://renrenspeaks.com/2023/10/07/travelers-abroad-speak-mini-blog-series-part-2-meet-betty/

Image Credits
Image Credits: Bryant Swanstrom, Tom Campbell, Samuel Han, Yoon Hong