We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mason Ma. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mason below.

Mason, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

I always tell people that if you have your loved ones around you and feel generally happy in this moment, then don’t go back and change a thing. You might mess it all up, like in the sci-fi classic ”The Butterfly Effect”. I’m doing just fine now. All the life and work experiences from the past few years have shaped me into the best state of mind I’ve ever been in – a state my younger self might not have been capable of understanding. Even if I could go back in time to lecture myself, my younger self probably wouldn’t have listened. He was a fool, but that’s the point: we’re all supposed to grow and get better each day.

Hypocritically, if I can start over again, I’d choose to pursue a filmmaking career elsewhere rather than Hollywood.

Connections are key in this industry, and as a foreigner, you tend to have fewer of them. Therefore, I write my own projects and film them, then money becomes the next issue. Everything in LA is unfairly overpriced – not just filmmaking but life in general. You’ll still need income to sustain your personal life, and that same money could support you in making ten more short films back home.

On top of that, nowadays, foreign-made films tend to stand out more when they’re shown in U.S. film festivals. The typical American style has become so dominant that it often feels formulaic, leaving little room for originality. In contrast, foreign content brings fresh perspectives and becomes the new blood in the industry.

Hence, I’d suggest NON-U.S. filmmakers focus on saving money and producing films locally. Once you’ve made a film that resonates, submit it to U.S. film festivals. Build your reputation first. Then, maybe you can consider coming to Hollywood and see how it works for you. But do NOT come here unprepared, thinking everything will fall into place just because you’re in America. Unless you have deep industry connections, the odds are stacked against you.

Or, don’t even come at all. Life here is expensive and competitive, and making movies in your own region can be just as fulfilling, and often more impactful, than making them in Hollywood. Don’t let the allure of the American dream fool you. Instead, follow your own dreams and let your work speak for itself.

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

My name is Mason Ma, I have been in the film industry for exactly a decade now and hold a Bachelor’s degree in Acting and a Master’s degree in Screenwriting from the legendary New York Film Academy, Los Angeles campus.

Beyond acting and writing, I enjoy taking on various crew roles such as boom operator, grip, script supervisor, and production assistant. These experiences have deepened my understanding of the filmmaking process and enhanced my ability to collaborate effectively on set. While some friends encourage me to focus on just one position, I want to be as versatile as possible, as I believe in doing as much as possible if you have the ability and passion for it.

I’ve directed two short films and written several screenplays. Filmmaking is like a drug, you can’t stop once you start. That said, I did take a brief pause for a few years to become an acting coach for children. Those were some of best days of my life and were incredibly fresh creatively. Then, I relapsed into making movies.

Recently, I formed a team called FILMMAKING VIGILANTE, a group of experienced filmmakers dedicated to helping others bring their projects to life. Our primary focus is on feature films and short films, but we also shoot music videos, theater videos, commercials, and event videos such as weddings or concerts. Additionally, you can invest in creating a foreign short film with my crew in China with a very small budget, allowing you to take on the role of producer for an international project. Feel free to connect with us for more details!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

In China, we have a phrase called “saving face,” which means maintaining a decent public image to avoid being despised. In an educated society, everyone is expected to have self-respect and treat others with humility and honesty. While at the workspace, it’s also about your work attitude.

In the filmmaking industry – or, narrowing it down to my film school life, which is like a smaller version of the industry, things are no different. If someone starts bad-mouthing about you, calling you incompetent, a slacker or a complainer, that reputation can spread quickly. It could cost you work, and you might even be isolated by schoolmates. In the actual industry, it’s the same but with colleagues.

In my case, it’s also about the reputation of the Chinese people in the U.S. as a whole. Many people tend to judge others based on nationality, so I must approach my work with even more determination and integrity. My goal is to earn respect not just for myself, but for everyone who shares my background, at least don’t rub dirt on it.

I lose respect for people who slack off or are incapable because there’s no room for laziness or half-hearted efforts in this industry. Filmmaking is teamwork. I’ve seen people drag others down and end up being excluded. If you work hard, treat others with respect, and complete your tasks in a way that others admire, you’ll get more work, higher pay, and stay in the business for the long run, and that’s what it takes to build your reputation.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

I once worked on a foreign crew filming a historical TV show. There were 100 of us, male background actors only, and we were supposed to follow the crew for one full month, with food and shelter provided. On the very first day when I moved into my dorm, I saw a spider the size of my palm. Some loser tried to poke it with a chopstick and it hid underneath my bed, stayed there the entire time.

Also, we worked an average of 21 hours per day. It was 35℃ by day and -0℃ by night, but the actors cast as HOMELESS were not allowed to even wear shoes, only sandals, even while waiting. We wait on set from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. everyday before the first shot. We ate food on the sidewalk with cars driving by and dust in air. We wore wigs to sleep because there was no time to change. Almost every single one of us ended up getting sick on set – and recovered on set. We had to buy our own medicine, and the crew members were extremely rude to us every single day.

We even had to stand behind live horses as soldiers, watching the animals pee and poop next to our noses. Then we’d lie on the ground playing dead corpses while it rained. And the next day, we had to wear the same costume again.

I lasted for 12 days and made about 300 USD. It was a great experience, I can tell you for sure that I nearly died. That’s how background actors are treated in other places. Therefore, I can not tolerate seeing Hollywood actors complaining about pointless stuff on set. Young actors today don’t understand what this job means, and are spoiled because of all the ‘yes men’ around them, it makes me sick. By the way, the damn show was never released.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/immasonma?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-ma-0abbb1299?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4735694/