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

Queenie, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry.

One of the biggest, and frankly, most troubling shifts I’ve been seeing is how much post-production scoring work is leaving Los Angeles. It’s not just a matter of jobs relocating, it the deep dissolution of the infrastructure that has been built over decades to support screen music.

Having overseen music production on over on 100 film, TV, and video game projects, I had to fight against the scoring schedules of dozens of other productions for time at all the major stages: Fox, Warner, Sony, and the many independents, just to find time for a single orchestra session. Whereas now those same facilities are often sitting empty. The contractors and musicians I’ve worked with for years, top-tier talent, are being pushed to pick up unrelated gig work just to stay afloat.

California’s film tax credit, while well intentioned, hasn’t kept pace with the evolving realities of production. Despite Governor Newsom’s efforts to extend the program, many productions still find it cheaper to score abroad, where tax breaks are deeper and union requirements more flexible. Without a more concise, strategic support plan for post-production and music scoring specifically, California risks losing the infrastructure based on its most defining creative assets: its people.

The core question we’re facing now is: how do we create lasting space for our local music community to be able to stay in the production process?
It starts with incentive structures that don’t just reward above-the-line spend, but also prioritize all creative post – music, sound, VFX. It means enabling early collaboration between directors, composers, and music teams. And most importantly, it requires a shift in mindset: music isn’t an afterthought or an add-on, it’s a core part of how stories are told, felt, and remembered.

Queenie, 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?

I’ve spent the last decade as a music production executive working across multiple media — film, television, and video games at the A-list level of my employers, overseeing original music and soundtracks for more than 100 projects. My background sits squarely at the intersection of creative development and production execution, which means I’m often the bridge between directors, composers, artists, and studios. Whether I’m helping secure an original song from a Grammy-winning artist, working through the nuance of a score session, or managing music budgets and timelines in a high-pressure environment, I have had to do whatever is necessary to bring the creative vision to life exactly as my team intended.

My entry into the industry began with an appointment to run the office of composer Lorne Balfe, which became a generous mentorship by allowing me full authority to source and schedule whatever was necessary to complete his many projects. I learned firsthand what it means to lead with creativity, generosity, and a deep respect for the collaborative nature of this work.
I supported multiple music teams behind the scenes, learning how scores are built, how sessions are run, and how creative ideas are translated into finished soundtracks. Coming from an educational background in composition and business administration, I became the connective tissue between musical ideas and execution.
I learned to be calm and focused in absurdly high pressure environments, became the trusted administrator who connected the creative with the practical, translating ideas into action. And in various forms that’s where I’ve stayed ever since.

What sets my work apart is a combination of sensibility and fluency. I am comfortable with both the creative and the executive languages, understanding instinctively how to provide input to a composer on a character theme in the morning and turn around a studio budget reconciliation in the afternoon. The blend of creative and production experience enables to me support the entire music production process in a real, measurable way, because I understand both what it takes to fit music to story, and what it takes to practically bring that music to life.

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

I am humbled at how many colleagues have commented on my reputation. I have been told that my rep is a combination of consistency, curiosity, and care. In an industry that moves fast and often feels transactional, I’ve always tried to be someone who listens deeply, stays calm under pressure, and makes space for creativity to thrive, whether that’s in the recording studio, on a budget call, or in a last-minute scoring session. I’ve spent years building trust across teams: directors, artists, composers, musicians, studios, simply because I know that when people feel respected and supported, the work is better. And I am deeply gratified to have learned how my colleagues regard me.

As an AAPI woman in a space that’s still pretty male and Western-dominated at the executive level, I’ve always tried to lead with a balance of strength and empathy. I do care deeply about opening doors for musicians and composers from all kinds of backgrounds, not for any ethical reason, but simply because a variety of contributing voices makes the music fresh and innovative, brings more to the table, and thus the more layered our stories become.

At the end of the day, I think what’s helped me build trust is that I really care, not just about the final product, but about the people who help make it happen. Which steers us back to the industry wide imperative to retain an economic structure that enables our superior production talent to thrive. Music production isn’t just boxes to check or deadlines to hit, it’s about creating space for meaningful storytelling that engages and enraptures its audience. Because ultimately the service of that market is what enables our entire industry to thrive.

The artists, clients, and collaborators I have been privileged to work with understand this, and this is what keeps our production work, no matter how big or small the project, engage with its audience.

Any advice for managing a team?

For me the first step is always, simply, listening. In a high-pressure, fast-moving environment like the film and TV industry, where timelines are tight and emotions run high, it’s easy to default to task lists and deadlines. But what I’ve learned over the years is that people do their best work when they feel seen, heard, and valued.

I’ve led teams through impossible post-production turnarounds to massive scale scoring deliveries, and I’ve found that clarity, empathy, and consistency are essential to enabling creative throughput. Artists and craftspeople appreciate structure and consistent expectations, but they also need space to contribute creatively and feel ownership over the process. It is critical to delegate with trust, advocate for my team behind the scenes, and keep a sense of humor even when the pressure’s on.

Ultimately, I believe that leadership is less about controlling every detail – it’s about creating the conditions for people to thrive. When you build that kind of culture, the work becomes more purposeful and truly collaborative. And everyone grows in the process, and becomes capable of delivering at an even higher level the next time.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: queniii
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/queenieli27

Image Credits

Denise Santos, Impact24