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

Yu, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with a fun one – what’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

In the film industry, there are usually two types of people. One is idealist, and the other is profit-oriented. The former has a romantic dream, and they can stay in poverty just in order to make a movie of their own one day; the latter, of course, follows the market and makes something whatever they can earn the money.

Many people are trying to find a balance between the two, but they often lose themselves in the way to find it. Idealists are more likely to be carried away by the market because money can easily change people. When the determination to make movies or make money is too strong, they tend to become aggressive, and this eagerness gradually swallows people up at the end.

For example, my friends are always on set all year round. This kind of repetitive work makes people lose their ability and time to think. People may be able to obtain some good resources in this way, but the question is whether these resources are what those idealists want at the very beginning because profit-oriented people will not think about this issue.

In my opinion, the most important thing is to slow down. We need to find a suitable comfort zone so that we can remain competitive in this industry while having time to think. This kind of thinking may be related to life. Because the movie is something narrative. We need to present a story in a cinematic way, where the story comes from life. If a person’s life is all about work, that’s not life. If a person has a life but never thinks, then they can’t make good movies.

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

I was a film student, and I graduated from the Art Center College of Design. Now I am a video editor working for a big production company and I also do some freelancing work. My projects are always doing the editing for some Youtubers or YouTube channels that own millions of followers. I need to switch my editing styles to fit their own personalities.

Also, I used to be a director, production designer, and photographer. So the experience always brings me some different perspectives even though I do the editing job. Now I am working on a feature script in my spare time.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

For me, using different ways to communicate with your audience is the most important thing. Take editing as an example. When I first get a project, I need to have a clear understanding of what type of video it is and what target the video is trying to approach. If it is a short film, what’s the style the director wants it to be? Is it fast-paced like superhero action movies? Or very indi-style, like Jim Jarmusch. If it is a commercial or YouTube video, is it lifestyle so that I might make it more peaceful? Or am I supposed to make it much much more fun? So research is the key. There are so many videos of similar types on the internet. I need to know them very well and know how they become popular very well so that maybe I can learn something from them technically, then use it, and make it better when I am doing this stuff. Importantly also, I have to be good at switching back and forth between different styles. In this case, you are more likely to satisfy your clients so the next time they will come back to you, and get more clients from different fields.

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

For me, feeling the audience’s reaction when they see your work is the most rewarding thing. Because the reaction will tell you if your communication works and if your original concept successfully delivers to your viewers. As an artist or filmmaker, expressing something means a lot. No matter using videos, ceramics, sounds, or other media, communication is always there. So the reaction from the audience is the most effective way for us to see our work from different perspectives and allow us to reflect on our progress. And definitely, I am glad to see the audience is touched by your work to some extent.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maoyustudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yummmmmao/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yu-mao-129a56204/

Image Credits
Yidan Zhang Kangwei Wang Yifan Wang