We were lucky to catch up with Yijuan “Reggie” Zhao recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Yijuan “Reggie”, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on is a short film called Aves. This project was not only grand in its production scale but more importantly it leveled my horizon and editorial judgments. The film started off as a typical linear structured story where we follow Abel Marks, a professor who is haunted by his memory during World War II, as he finds out the truth about his past. However, after our test screening with audiences who know nothing about the film we received some feedback that clearly needs to be attended. As a result, I made a big decision to restructure the whole film and make it into a non-linear story. I was lucky my director gave me full permission to try it out when our deadline is right on the corner. Restructuring the film was a challenging task. I storyboarded the whole film as it was and moved parts around considering the cause and effect it will create. After some sleepless nights, I re-edited the film and showed it to my director and colleagues. I received numerous positive feedback regarding the new structure of the film. In a more extreme way, Aves taught me what it means when people say editing is the third rewrite of the story. It has also given me the chance to see how I, as an editor, can bring a film to a whole new level through creative problem-solving. Aves is now selected at many festivals such as Leeds International Film Festival, CAA Moebius Showcase, LA Shorts, etc. I can’t wait to see all the higher places this film will go and the hearts it’ll touch.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am from Guangdong, China, where I grew up with Hong Kong movies as a child. As I made my way to the States, I fell in love with storytelling through editing when I took film study classes at the University of California, San Diego. After graduating from UC San Diego, I started working at Lerfilm Studio as an assistant editor. Through my experience at Lerfilm Studio, I obtained basic knowledge of film editing and post-production, which sparked my interest to further hone my skills at the American Film Institute (AFI). I obtained my master’s degree in editing from AFI, and now working on a Netflix series – Untold (Season 2).
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Being an editor is a highly rewarding profession. As an editor, I am given the opportunity to use my creativity and skills to contribute to the art of storytelling. Such as my story earlier about my short film, Aves. With Aves, I was able to see my ideas come to life on the screen and make an impact in creating an emotional resonance with the audience. As an editor, I collaborate with talented professionals who view the world from unique perspectives. This has broadened my horizon and created lasting relationships with people I’ve worked with. With all that’s been said, I find the most rewarding part is watching my work have an impact on people. During screenings, I can witness the audience’s reactions and know that my editing choices played a role in capturing their attention and eliciting a response. It’s always amazing to have people come to me and express how they resonated with the film and that is what makes me love my profession.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Being able to influence people with the stories told in the films I worked on is definitely a big driving force for me to continue doing what I do. As I mentioned in the previous question, I find the most awarding part of being an editor is creating an impact on people through storytelling. Through movies, one can learn about life experiences that would otherwise take years to learn. They can experience emotions through the characters, whether it’s love, sadness, or anger. A good film can help people think about their choices and the actions they take towards others. Not all heroes wear capes and sometimes a movie can heal a hurting soul. I still remember when I watched films created by Kar-wai Wong. They took my breath away and further shaped my artistic sense of imagery, performance, and human emotion. He is a true master in demonstrating what “less is more” means in filmmaking. 
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rgz.yj/