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

Alright, Sophie Changhui thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I came to Los Angeles in the summer of 2016 to attend summer school at UCLA Anderson, I saw how big this industry is and how professional people work in this industry are. I knew that I can find myself a position here. That’s when I first know I want to pursue a creative path professionally.

Sophie Changhui, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

SOPHIE CHANGHUI SHI comes from Harbin, the capital of China’s northernmost province. Born on the first day of winter, Shi is named after sunshine in Chinese. Her English name Sophie comes from one of the signature architectures in Harbin, the Saint Sofia Cathedral. Her names reveal her biggest personality traits: a vivacious and intelligent person who makes people happy.

Shi is the fifth Chinese student accepted to the prestigious UCLA MFA Producers Program since its establishment in 1984 and the first Chinese woman admitted in the 2010s. During her days at UCLA, Shi has produced several short films in collaboration with UCLA, directing graduate students.

Shi earned her BA in English from Hong Kong Polytechnic University with first-class honors. She was also the President of the school’s English Drama Club. She started writing, directing, and producing plays in high school.

To better understand the business world, Shi became a Certified Public Accountant by completing twelve courses in accounting and finance in three months and passing the qualification exams on her first attempt. After working at Deloitte Hong Kong for four years, Shi followed her passion for film and television and arrived in Los Angeles.

Shi graduated from UCLA in June 2021. During her time at UCLA, Shi was one of the recipients of the UCLA Promise Social Impact Producing Scholarship. As an ally of the LGBTQ community, Shi hired a transgender non-binary actor to play the lead role in one of her short films. Her debut feature script that features a Chinese transgender dancer was awarded The Sean Slattery Memorial LGBTQ+ Voices Award 2021.

Shi is now an Acquisition & Production executive at EST N8, international finance, production and sales company. She has acquired over 10 new titles post Cannes 2023, including Tribeca title ASOG, Busan title APRIL TRAGEDY. On the production front, Shi will also develop and produce features for EST N8 and is currently working on an untitled action sci-fi film set in Southeast Asia for the company. Outside of EST N8 she is producing indie feature Outbound, written and directed by Ziyao Liu, which is currently in post-production. Prior to EST N8, Shi worked as a creative executive at current AMPAS President Janet Yang’s production company, where she was involved in the development of the upcoming Bruce Lee biopic, directed by Ang Lee. She also worked at HBO on the projects Staircase and We Own This City and on the second season of Good Girls for NBC Universal.

Shi loves stories that deal with the theme of unconditional love and explore the ever-changing dynamics between people in close relationships.

Shi is a cat enthusiast even though she has never had one. She plays jigsaw puzzles for meditation. She loves hiking but fears slipping downhill. She misses going to theaters as much as riding roller coasters. Cooking, yoga, and ukulele are a few other things she enjoys in life. It is no secret that she is a Gryffindor.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Earlier this year, I organized a reunion for Chinese students and alumni from UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT). I learned that many of the filmmakers never had a chance to screen their finished thesis films on the silver screen in TFT. So I proposed to TFT to organize a night of screenings dedicated to the filmmakers of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) background that graduated from TFT during the API Heritage Month. I recruited two friends who shared my mission and we put together the inaugural API Film Night at TFT on May 22, 2023. Eight short films were screened and over 130 people showed up. When I first proposed the idea to TFT to get their support, I didn’t know if it would be a success. I just knew that I need to create more space for filmmakers like me to show their works. I am very grateful to the support our community partners such as Asian Professional Exchange (APEX), CAPE, Strong Asian Lead, Asian Pacific Alumni of UCLA gave us. We are going to bring it back next year as well and hope to expand to other film schools in town.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Upon comparing of the first job I had after graduating from college and the career I am taking now, I realized that the hardest thing of being a creative is that every project undergoes a 0 to 1 process. A lot of time, when I have a problem to solve, I don’t know who to consult. I need to figure everything out by myself. My first job post college was at Deloitte Hong Kong. There was a lot of dirty work but every question I have, I knew I could ask my managers and partners. There was not a task I was assigned to not be performed by others before. I think for non-creatives who are considering switching their career into creatives, you need to understand that most of the time, there is no guidance and you really have to figure everything out by yourselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.changhuishi.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changhui_shi/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiechanghuishi/