We recently connected with Syuen Chia and have shared our conversation below.

Syuen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My most recent narrative short film “When I Die” has been a gift that keeps on giving, and thus, the most meaningful project I’ve worked on so far.

Growing up within an Asian family in Malaysia, death felt like a very taboo yet nonchalant topic. When I Die is a deeply personal film that revolves around my experiences of coming to terms with human mortality and accepting the uncertainties that surround it. Similarly to Lianne, I set out to figure out my after-life plans only to realize that to understand death, I first had to be enamored with the beauty of life – making the most out of it with our loved ones. Thus, this story unfolds as a young adolescent’s first time truly grappling with the concept of death during their formative years.

I remember writing my “will ” in the Notes app on my iPod Touch and discovering Punk Rock at the time – I made sure to request My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade album to be played at my funeral. Thus, I found it really special to witness my lived experience unfold in a story of its own, especially through the incredible performance of Brylee Hsu as Lianne. Getting to work with Brylee was not only extremely fun but also taught me so much about her character of Lianne. Brylee was truly the perfect Lianne, infusing energy and complexity into her character with amazing passion and skill.

In addition, Lianne’s Mom and Dad as well as their relationships with one another are deeply inspired by my own family. Living halfway across the world from them, it feels very special to be able to honor them through characters in my stories, especially when they’re the very reason why I’m able to pursue my dreams here in Los Angeles. Miju Kim Pascual and Alexandre Chen breathed so much life into the characters of Mom and Dad as well, truly and wholly embodying them with the utmost care and love. Workshopping their characters and learning about their life experiences allowed me to connect deeper with them both and their characters, opening my eyes to more perspectives and expanded my understanding about people, places, and life as a whole. Overall, working with the principal cast was an incredibly valuable and rewarding experience – it was a huge honor to workshop their characters with them, get to know their own stories and experiences, and watch them perform their amazing craft.

In addition, I had the utmost pleasure and honor of working with an incredibly kind and talented crew who continue to inspire me everyday. I’m so lucky to be able to call some of them my closest friends while also getting to connect and collaborate with new folks, who I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know in the process. Everyone was so kind to one another throughout the whole project and supportive in all ways possible. Furthermore, they also truly made the project their own by giving it their all and I cannot be more grateful for all the care and love they poured into When I Die. It was the magic behind-the-scenes that drew me most to filmmaking, and that still rings true to this day because of them.

Last but not least, the film employs a stylistic approach that combines various mediums that I love to vividly portray the inner world of a young adolescent figuring out their place in the world. In my filmmaking journey so far, I’ve gotten the opportunity to explore 2D animation, stop-motion, and live-action. I initially turned to 2D animation and graphics during the peak of COVID when I sought out alternative creative visual techniques to enhance branded content during remote-productions and collaborations with local and global companies like Architects of Diversity, Tribeless | #SeeTheHumanFirst, and Critical Engagement. Later in 2022, I had the honor and privilege of working at LAIKA as a Camera Intern during their current feature film production “Wildwood”. During my time there, I had the opportunity to learn the intricacies of stop-motion filmmaking. This was pivotal in bringing the haunting nightmare to life but also was a chance for me to pay homage to my time at LAIKA, but most of all, the esteemed professionals who offered unwavering support to generously teach me the ropes.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a Malaysian Writer/Director based in Los Angeles who enjoys exploring different mediums of filmmaking to portray the unique complexities in the worlds of everyday people from all over the world. In my work, I highlight the intimacy of human connection while shining light on the barriers that keep us apart.

In my narrative work, I draw inspiration from my own lived experiences, my loved ones, as well as people and places all over the globe. With experience creating documentative and promotional videos for local and international organizations like Architects of Diversity and Critical Engagement CIC, I am passionate about the power of filmmaking in fostering global understanding and interconnectedness, regardless of the type of project.

As I continue my lifelong journey with storytelling, I hope to amplify underrepresented voices by bringing light to their stories, cause ripples of positive change, and have fun in the process of making art with her loved ones. When I’m not directing, I also enjoy working as a Camera Assistant to support Cinematographers in bringing the Director’s vision to life.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

In my opinion, showing up matters. There are multiple ways in which different members of society can support artists, creatives, and a thriving creative ecosystem to best align with their own values and capacities. Whether it be showing up to events, purchasing artworks, investing in creative projects and/or sharing their work, it all helps and means the world to creatives. In addition, advocating and making efforts towards increased accessibility to the arts is also a crucial way to support. This includes increased public and private funding for the arts, more affordable creative spaces, and more. Furthermore, representation truly matters. Support creatives from various backgrounds and cultures so that we are hearing from voices from all walks of life.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the connections made. What initially drew me to filmmaking and the arts was the storytelling aspect as I often had conversations with folks, newly acquainted and familiar, where I would think “Wow, I wish the whole world could hear their story too.” What ended up pushing me towards pursuing it was the behind-the-scenes collaborative magic that shows the culmination of care, love, and hardwork that people put into it. Since pursuing filmmaking, these two initial push factors continue to grow stronger. The only difference is that now I get the privilege of sharing stories with the world while working with people from all walks of life who share the same love for the art. Being able to do so has opened up even more rewarding aspects, which still revolve around connection. Having people connect with your work to feel seen, heard, and better yet, a voice to speak on their own experiences is a feeling like no other. What makes it even better is getting to do so with a group of people you have nothing but love, respect, and admiration for.

Contact Info:

• Website: syuenchia.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/syuen.artchives
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syuenchia/
• Other: IMDb https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11387718/

Image Credits
Willa Cutolo Salam