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

Klein, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

For better or worse, I try to find meaning in every project I’ve worked on. But the most meaningful one to date has been this feature-length screenplay that I wrote called, “RUN FAST, TURN LEFT”. It almost feels silly to consider a screenplay a “project” – ’cause my brain goes right to the other aspects of any production, like filming and post-production. But as someone who loves storytelling, and cares deeply about creating a compelling story, I feel like the scriptwriting process becomes its own thing. It’s got a life of its own.

This project holds so much meaning to me for a multitude of reasons.
This was the first feature-length screenplay I completed. Art tends to be made from pieces of its creator, sure, but I felt that the script was truly a piece of me. I walked onto the University of Tampa cross-country team, and this story was completed as I moved away from that part of my life. This script is about a high school track team, but the project that was writing that script was a lesson in writing what you know. And letting go of one passion as you take up a new one.
The first time you endeavor to do something, you learn a ton.
Among other gems, I learned that what skill I thought I had in writing was not enough. This project checked the notion that talent was enough and forced my to elevate myself.

I rewrote and revised this script to within an inch of it’s life.
And I did it under under the the tutelage of the greatest creative mind in academia; Professor Paul Hillier. He remains a lovely friend and an incredible mentor to me, both creatively and in life. As I’m writing new screenplays, I still think back to the first completed script I wrote, and the lessons I learned from that project.

Klein, 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?

Sure – so my name is Klein Wong, I’m an independent filmmaker and amateur cage fighter based in South Tampa. My clients tend to come to me for videography work – filming events, video edits, or helping to create social media content for their brand. Occasionally I’ll take photos. And of course; private lessons for Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, and MMA!

I started an LLC called Flow Films, which is in pre-production for my next project; a short, proof of concept film called “RUN FAST, TURN LEFT”. To see more, check out www.flowstateproduction.com.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I remember trying to move from the tech industry, where I had been working for years, to a more permanent video production position. After interviewing and receiving what I felt was poor feedback, I decided to start my first LLC and make my own video production position. I was sick of trying to convince people of my skill and work ethic, so I kind of had a chip on my shoulder about this already.

I got a note that was something like, “We don’t think you’ll really have the passion we’d like to see during the minutia of day-to-day tasks” – I mean, not only was that a claim that they couldn’t substantiate, it was downright wrong. I would work 8-5, go train at the gym, and then head home to edit whatever footage I had shot the week before.
So, it certainly wasn’t surprising to me that these people, who created nothing for themselves once they clocked out of work and went home to watch their stories, had a shallow view of me (at best).

Then, and now, the song remains the same: if I have an idea I want to execute, I find a way to do it.
“Didn’t get the job you wanted? Good. More time to get better.” – Jocko Wilink.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think that we have a decent structure to support artists in the sense that there are a lot of businesses looking for creatives to help them. Whether that’s image cultivation, branding, content creation – there’s a demand for artists. I think that a lot of people who are artists at their core, understand that they have to find a way to monetize their passions in order to pay bills.

What stands in the way, in my opinion, is the number of doors that are open. Entry level jobs for creatives tend to be very difficult to even get an interview for due to the number or applicants. I think big corporations and small business owners alike have warped expectations on both the variety of skills that applicants are expected to have, as well as the compensation that they think is adequate for such jobs. Couple that with both a degree, and anywhere from 3-7 years of experience being required for a position that encompasses multiple job roles, you’ll find a lot of creatives that opted out of a raw deal after being beaten down by the job hunting process.

Businesses want to package the creative skills of multiple, individual professions (video editing, camera operation, writing, graphic design, etc) into one Job Posting and hope they’ll be able to pay one person to do it all. We need more jobs for the creatives of the United States.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.flowstateproduction.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kleinwong_/
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kleinwongprofessional
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kleinwong_
• Other: Support my next project! A short film made in Tampa, by the artists of Tampa! Instagram: @runfastturnleft_film Venmo: @FLOWFILMS_

Image Credits
Photos by Jules Victor and Tom H.