Meet Shea William Vanderpoort | Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shea William Vanderpoort and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shea William, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Hindsight is 20/20 so you better come 100! My whole life I did everything I was told I was supposed to do: worked hard, followed the rules, went to school, had a job, treated everyone with respect…but after college I thought, why can’t I shake this feeling of being unrewarded, robbed even, of some sort of prize I was supposed to receive at the end of it? The American Dream was pursued, but not achieved. I knew I had to do something big…

I would go on to risk everything to become a director: accrue (lawyer-level) student loan debt, max out credit cards, lose a house, forgo a family, coast with no health coverage, and freelance instead of taking a corporate gig. I hardheadedly bet on myself with an unwavering (mostly) faith that if I just applied enough effort, I could forge a fold in the fabric of the universe, bending it ever so slightly in my favor.

Everything is a risk, nothing in life (nor life itself) is guaranteed. When I was 7 years old, my best friend at school, died over summer break. Billy and I used to walk home together, and then…we didn’t. He was so young he didn’t even have a dream, an ambition or chance to try because his life was cut short after 2nd grade. From that day, I learned the value of life and how delicate it is. It’s an honor to live, essential to dream, and a privilege to pursue it, which is why I always do my best.

Bruce Lee said, be like water, so like water I am. I wasn’t born into a normal family (it’s complicated), my parents are immigrants, resources were scattered, and in general, I had a hard time growing up. Like most, I had no control over those aspects of my life and at some point, I realized the only thing I had any command over was myself and my personal flow. I could only move with the current, shift while in motion, and hope that I could adapt fast enough to land in a place that provided the opportunity I hoped for.

This all came to a head 10 years ago when I met Tracy Oliver and Issa Rae. My girlfriend and I had just lost our house and day jobs, I owed a mountain of student debt, and nothing tangible was on the horizon. In what felt like the most dire of situations, I still believed that the skills I honed would some day meet the perfect opportunity. In 2011, Tracy called me and asked if I’d join the creative endeavor that was, “Awkward Black Girl.” We were working out of pure passion, dedicating our lives to a singular goal: expanding the narrative of the Black Female Experience in America. It changed me forever. It took every skill, lesson, and experience I had but now, 10 years later, I’m directing a television show created by Tracy and am literally, in the most surreal fashion, living my dreams.

This was all a long way to say that since nothing was certain, I decided to bet on myself. And since the ONLY certainty was that I could trust myself to dedicate everything to this goal, it no longer felt like such a risk. The Directors Guild of America released a breakdown of TV hiring and Asian American men totaled only 4.3%. That’s rough. Now ya’ll go please bet on yourselves so we can get some parity with these percentages!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve always been drawn to people that couldn’t help but express themselves effortlessly and honestly: Jimi Hendrix, Nina Simone, Bruce Lee, David Lynch, Naruto, and countless others. I think what sets me apart is this aspiration to do the same. Every time I join an endeavor, my goal is to enrich the environment, project, or goal. There is something special about foregoing ego, honing in on humanity, and pouring out your truth. The audience can feel that subconsciously and hopefully experience the same emotions you worked tirelessly to express.

From a young age I was always engaged in some sort of art – drawing a lot with my Dad and older brother Jeremy, transitioning into music in high school and eventually in college, getting bitten by the film bug. I was already going to graduate but took an elective thanks to my friend Margot…World Cinema with Prof. Gloria Monti at Cal State Fullerton. We watched German Expressionism, Italian Neorealism, French New Wave…my mind was blown. I was brought up on (and still love) Jean Claude Van Damme, The Mighty Ducks, and Wayne’s World so I wasn’t aware that cinema like this existed. I found my new love. It was a combination of all the things I had previously dedicated my life to. This, along with Steven A. Soria creating a music video for my band, changed my trajectory forever.

Becoming a director was definitely not easy. It is a lifestyle and not one that I would recommend unless you are completely dedicated and self-aware. You have to know you are good and beyond that, you have to get lucky enough that your preparation meet your opportunity. I was fortunate to meet Issa and Tracy and that our friendship guided us through making a successful web series. This launched our careers in different directions.

Before all that though I do have to give major credit to my lifelong best friend and inspiration Isaac Matthew White. He gifted me my first camera and his belief in me kept me going no matter what! Along with Duran Castro and Amber B. Malo, I started a very boutique production company called, New Vizion Films. We worked on everything from commercials to conventions to documentaries. Along the way I met insanely talented and generous people that helped me become a better filmmaker. I DP’d two documentaries, one for John Paul Horstmann and one for Anne Goursaud. They both taught me about directing and editing. Matt Westmore helped me understand producing and navigating the business. All the while Tracy was there collaborating and providing opportunities that I could never get on my own. It takes experience and someone to give you a shot, you just have to be ready.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Ah man, I’m a workaholic! The best time ever would be taking my friend to the Fashion District downtown and making a romantic Wong Kar-wai-esque film about someone falling in love with a vendor and learning about the city and its many cultures. While discovering the beauty of places all over NELA, they could bike along the LA River from Frogtown to Chinatown and have an amazing sit down dinner of modern Filipino dishes and natural wine at Lasita. In-between filming we’d smash Huaraches for lunch in Highland Park and get iced oat mochas at Mugshot in Echo Park! haha

Honestly, I love doing normal stuff. I’m practicing being old. I love going to Marukai and Costco with my neighbor Tim. I’d probably just make my friend do that. Maybe don’t visit me. You’d hate it!

Los Angeles is so diverse, so spread out, you really can’t blanket it with a single statement. The trick is to really identify what you’re into and that will dictate what part of the city you should check out. It’s nice to chill at El Matador Beach in Malibu but I also love finding Asian food in the cut in San Gabriel or Monterey Park. My daily/weekly would be Wax Paper sandwiches, Dune plates in Atwater, Indo food like Borneo Kalimantan, Woon in Historic Filipinotown…there are too many places to name! Just make sure to indulge in some ice cream. Carmela in Pasadena and Saffron and Rose in Westwood. Let’s. Go.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to me muy kawaii love sister from another mister, TRACY. YVONNE. OLIVER! There are so many amazing people that have played integral roles in my life, but there is only one that has consistently stepped up, taken real chances, and provided life-changing opportunities for an entire decade! From the day we met I felt an undeniable synergy, a spirit-to-spirit kinship that’s once in a lifetime. There is just such an intellectual respect for craftsmanship, care, and camaraderie we share that puts the project first. The art first. My favorite part is that the relationship all started with strangers working on a web series for free, when web series weren’t really a thing. As the show blossomed so did our friendship and to this day, though we don’t go out for tom kah, dim sum, sushi, or xiaolongbao as often as we used to, we always pick up right where we left off. Above all, I’ve always cared most for her well being and happiness. It’s an honor to be there for her in any way, and I can tell you, she’s out there shining brightest! I can’t wait for the next 10 years!

Website: newvizionfilms.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newvizionfilms/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/newvizionfilms

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newvizionfilms

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/new-vizion-films-los-angeles

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/newvizionfilms

Image Credits
Tracy Oliver Issa Rae Michelle Buteau Jill Scott Michelle Mitchenor Sydney Mitchell Tara Pacheco Alex Benjamin Duran Castro Amber B. Malo Isaac Matthew White Madison Shockley III Travis Brown Andrea Savo Cedric Sanders Steve Vasquez Anne Goursaud Sujata Day