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

Hanyun, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I was clueless when I received my undergraduate degree diploma on the podium. The flashlights, the smiling school faculty, and the cheering crowds only strengthened my feelings deep inside, a world that is so quiet that I can only hear my panic thoughts echoing around. What am I supposed to do now? I pursued what I really wanted in college, film, but the harsh reality just started to hit me—what can my film degree really do for me? How can my knowledge of film history or film theory get me a job? None of the big studios hire a recent college graduate for film creative jobs, but I lack both the knowledge and the interest in pursuing the business side of the industry. After a series of inner battles, I started as a freelancer. Since I chose what I wanted instead of a stable, money-making job from the very beginning, I will just keep going.

At first, the instability of the job shattered me a lot. I was invited for an interview with a branding company to make a creative video, yet the next morning I was informed that they could only proceed with local artists. After I signed a confidentiality agreement, a tech company representative notified me that they had to change the strategy plan for their products, so my involvement had to be canceled. It was extremely difficult to make a living out of such instability, but gradually I found excitement in the process because I could try many different creative jobs which pushed me forward and stimulated my creative instincts. I worked as an archival coordinator for an award-winning documentary director. I was a director’s assistant for a feature film production company. I was a production designer for a drama series. Despite all these and perhaps most importantly, I made my film as an independent filmmaker, which helped me get into the film production MFA program at USC and is now entering film festivals. Because of my freelance experience, I know exactly what I want and need here at my new school – I will take advantage of as many resources as possible to help me achieve my goal.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Hanyun, and I was born and raised in Suzhou, China. When I was 16, I went to Costa Rica alone for a two-year high school program. When I was 18, I was in New York for my undergraduate degree. Now I am in LA, pursuing my interest in film production with an MFA degree. My interest in filmmaking started before I attended college, and my later experience has only strengthened my passion. I had experience in different roles in different scales of filmmaking, which helped me to gain a comprehensive vision of the craft. My film mostly focuses on women and minorities.

My short film Elevator was nominated for Best Short Film and Best Male Lead during the Shanghai 48-Hour Film Marathon Competition; My short documentary In Characters was sponsored by the Shanghai Theater Academy—one of China’s prestigious theater and film schools. I have collaborated with and worked for award-winning directors, including documentary filmmakers Mirdu Chandra and Matia Karrell. My current developing short film, Flying Like a Bird, enters the semi-final round of ScreenCraft Fall 2024 Short Film sponsored by Coverfly and has been brought to the list of Roy W. Dean Grants Hot Film in the Making.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

The finance of making a film was the one that tripped me for a long time. Most of the grants might take at least over three months or even half a year or longer to announce their decision. If you know there’s a story you want to tell, start the pre-production as soon as possible because you will have the chance to connect with the organization of these grants. Even if you don’t get the grants from them eventually, you never know what opportunities they can bring to you. One of the grants I applied for recommended a streaming platform that they know will be interested in my film and encouraged me to make a connection with them, so now I am establishing connections with potential distributors and fundraisers.

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

For me, the reward comes in moments. These moments when you get a perfect shot, or when you are talking with someone who sparks an idea, or when you are collaborating with an artist who is really passionate and loves your project, or when you show your film finally to family, friends, and a larger audience are the ones that really make everything worth it. I have gained generous support from my family, friends, classmates, teachers, and strangers telling me how much they love the story brings me a lot of strength.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hanyunfilm.wixsite.com/hanyunfilm
• Instagram: @hanyyyunz
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/hanyun-zhang
• Other: The best way to reach me: [email protected]