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

Alright, Max thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

I feel extremely grateful for my parents and the way they raised me since I was young. I come from two immigrant Chinese (Shanghainese) parents, but contrary to the traditional “stereotypical” parenting, they never forced me into a career I never showed any interest in. I’d consider myself lucky to have found creative work as my passion from early on in my high school career – but even luckier to have parents who didn’t reject the notion for me to pursue something non-traditional.

I was allowed to fail. I was allowed to jump into something my parents had no concept of. I was allowed to do something that probably horrified them, but they never once inhibited me from doing it.

To this day, my mom and dad both don’t really understand the full scope of what I do, how I’m getting paid to sustain myself, and how I’m able to exist as a functioning young adult working “taking pictures and videos of people.” But I’m glad. No matter how many conversations I’ve had with them trying to explain how net30’s work, how I finish a job first before sending an invoice, or the hundreds of other concerns they have about my work, I rest assured knowing that they’ve never once told me I wasn’t allowed to do this as a career. Their concern comes from a place of love, and they just want to see me succeed and take care of myself.

I don’t think I’d be nearly as far as I am in my career now without the support of my parents. I’m already quite happy with my career trajectory so far; however, I know that I have a long way to go, and plenty more to prove to myself and my parents that their support wasn’t for nothing.

Max, 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?

My name is Max. I’m a director and editor among a number of other things, but the “What I Do for Dummies” version of it is that I create visual art. I direct and edit music videos, fashion films, experimental short form videos and then some, and I shoot photos for artists on tour, and capture portraits of people whenever I feel like it. I find joy in kicking a hackey sack with my friends, playing ping pong, and playing Gamecube in my free time. I’m not exactly sure why I added that in, but I’ll say it helps with my creative workflow.

If you’ve ever needed a reason to work with me on anything, I promise that I’ll make you a film you can’t forget and watch over and over like that one distinct brand of gum you never stop chewing. And you’ll have a blast. And a good hackey sack session. Those are my bare minimum guarantees.

I’m the most proud of the fact that I work in an industry I’ve always wanted to be in since I was younger. I’m extremely proud that I’ve made close friends and collaborators with some people who I’ve looked up to creatively, whose music I’ve never stopped listening to, and whose presence I’ve always admired. I can’t help but feel blessed to be surrounded by a support system that I love so dearly.

I don’t feel the need to overshare and tell people why they should hire me, as I’ve never been the best businessman since I was young (my brother got all the business and charisma points). The one thing I can promise to people who are looking for a director, editor, photographer, or creative director is that I will always deliver. I thrive in collaborative spaces, and my ideas are only as good as my final deliverable. I won’t cut anyone’s corners, and I’m painfully honest with what I do and how I treat people. Let’s work and you’ll find out:)

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

I’m not paying money for a poorly drawn ai-generated monkey picture.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met one in the communal shower of our freshman dorms in college, and I met the other in a dreadful speech communication class since they kept getting hit on by our professor.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.xamnil.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xamnil/

Image Credits
Abel Nieves Patrick Le Andrew Lin