We were lucky to catch up with ZiCheng Li recently and have shared our conversation below.

ZiCheng, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Yes, I am. There have been times when I wondered what it would be like if I had chosen a different career path, and I tried to think of what other possible jobs I could be doing. But I never could convince myself to do anything else. I’m sure there are plenty of jobs I could do if I have to, but I wouldn’t enjoy them as much as I am right now. Although the effort I put into my work as an artist or creative doesn’t always get paid off soon, and it also doesn’t promise a stable and steady income, I still find the process fascinating and extremely satisfying when a project is finished and gets born into this world. Life is short, and I’d rather spend the time enjoying my life and doing what I love to do.

ZiCheng, 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?

My name is ZiCheng Li. I am a freelance filmmaker and screenwriter. I’ve always loved writing and creating art since my childhood, but I never thought of being a professional creative until I discovered my passion for cinematic arts when I took the only filmmaking class available in my college. Since then, I decided to pursue a career in cinema and dedicated myself to it. I was lucky enough to be admitted into USC to study film production, where I met a lot of friends, with whom I’ve been collaborating even until now.

Since the pandemic, I started focusing more on screenwriting than production. I love writing relationships – relationships with oneself, relationships between people, and relationships with the world. I value the emotions of my characters and stories. I don’t rely on dramatic plot development or twists to tell a good story, and I prefer to put more effort into developing my characters and making them compelling and empathetic.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most satisfying thing for me is to see what I put on paper come alive. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the texts and words I’ve been writing and working on for months being visualized and performed. The whole process is like raising an infant and watching the baby become an adult. Of course, I would also find it rewarding if the work is well-appreciated by others and has good reviews and receptions, but it’s not something you can always ask for. Once a project is done and presented to the world, it becomes independent.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I used to think that it is important to create something that is meaningful to the world, but I gradually grow out of the idea of that. I think “changing the world” is such a paradoxical matter since it is so impossible to do yet everyone is all doing something that causes the world to change. As artists, everyone wants their names to be recognized and remembered after they die. For me, I’ve never given myself the burden to create a masterpiece that is still impactful generation after generation. There is only one thing that’s sort of like a principle to myself, which is to not leave trash behind me. I’d rather die as a nobody than leave the world with things that have negative impacts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zicheng-lithium.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hysteria_li23/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zicheng-li-24159a93/

Image Credits
Tianyi Wang