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

Valerie, 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?

I spent almost half a year on a project about online abuse survivors’ personal experiences. This is a multimedia feature project that aims to empower people who are experiencing online abuse. As the only video producer for this project, I coordinated the multi-camera shootings of four major interviews, traveled with crew, edited a 12-minute feature video, and collaborated with writers and editors. It took that long partly because I spent some time building trust with my sources, these are people who have experienced abuse and were hesitant to speak out on cam about their trauma, which is totally understandable. Adapting to their pace, I remained flexible with my working schedule, since navigating this fast-paced environment as a video journalist reinforced the importance of multitasking. The project was a testament to the solid outcome achieved, leaving me immensely proud of the meaningful impact it had.

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

My journey began in J-school during college, where I developed a passion for visual narratives. Currently a freelance multimedia journalist, I bring stories to life by producing, editing, and shooting diverse content, ranging from short-form documentaries to interactive and animated videos. My goal is to craft narratives that resonate with audiences and ignite conversations on underrepresented topics. My work has been recognized by multiple awards, including ONA, The Telly Awards, The Webby Award, and SOPA.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I used to have an inclination towards meticulous planning, a habit formed during my student years. While this provided a sense of security, unforeseen events often left me feeling unsettled and anxious about potential negative outcomes. Upon reflection, I realized that what I perceived as “bad things” were often not as catastrophic in reality. To address this, I adopted a more adaptive mindset. By envisioning the worst-case scenario and establishing acceptance for potential outcomes, I found myself better equipped to manage uncertainties without focusing on unnecessary worry.
Unlearning the tendency of over-planning allowed me to focus on the present moment, proactively address challenges, and channel my energy into productive actions rather than being overwhelmed by anxiety about hypothetical situations.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think the most rewarding part lies in delving into the diverse stories of individuals with backgrounds or experiences vastly different from mine. It involves immersing myself in their perspectives, absorbing their narratives, and then creatively retelling these stories through my skill set. It’s a process of input, digestion, deconstruction, and reformulation, offering a rich and rewarding journey of storytelling.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/svalchen/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/vcmeco