We had the good fortune of connecting with Rebecca Chu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebecca, what do you want people to remember about you?

For me, legacy is about having a positive and lasting impact on community and society. This has tremendous professional and personal significance to me, as both a filmmaker producing artistic works and a mother to three young children. I want to be remembered for doing my part to amplify underrepresented voices through telling inspiring stories that meaningfully shape culture, particularly for the next generation as they navigate their place in this increasingly complex world. For this reason, I write and champion diverse coming-of-age, intergenerational family and children’s narratives. In doing so, my hope is to make the world more empathetic and equitable not only for my own kids, but for generations to come. Imagine the ripple effects of a world where children grow up feeling seen, like they belong, like they matter—because everyone’s story and experience is valid.
Moreover, being a mother has had a significant impact on how I think about serving as a role model to my children, my community and future generations. Once upon a time, I showed up to work and made decisions in a manner that was not aligned with the values I desired to impart to my children. My actions had always come from a place of fear, whether it was fear of failure, judgment or rejection. It took some serious soul searching to realize I am not serving anyone—not myself, my kids, or my community—by playing small and risk-free. I want to be remembered for being brave, for choosing growth over comfort, for being the one in the arena daring greatly. I hope through exhibiting resilience and savoring the journey over the outcome, that others will learn the value of stepping outside of their comfort zone to truly live a rich life. For it is in letting go of fear that I believe we each can find our magic!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

This chapter of my professional life has really been a renaissance of sorts. While I originally built my career at Disney and Apple on the business side of things, I chose to move on to pursue more alignment with my creative purpose. I wanted to build things from scratch, and also bring my perspective as a first-generation daughter of immigrants to uplift communities that have historically been marginalized, stereotyped, or are simply invisible. This led me to founding Shadowlight Media Ventures, through which I write, produce and invest in diverse media.

Of course, career transition comes with inevitable challenges, especially when entering the volatile entertainment industry. At the time that I started my creative pursuits under Shadowlight, I was living overseas in Singapore, thousands of miles away from the entertainment capital of the world that is LA. But I am a huge fan of lifelong learning, so going back to school in California to facilitate the transition was in the cards. With the support of my husband, our three kids and Welsh Corgi in tow, I packed up our life in Asia in the middle of the pandemic and moved back to LA to earn my MFA in Film & TV Producing from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. It was two fulfilling years of pushing myself creatively through mock writers’ rooms, developing TV show ideas and pitching to studio executives with my talented classmates. Collectively post-graduation, my cohort and I are doing our part to shape the future of storytelling for audiences around the world.

But most of all, by going back to school for a second master’s degree, I was happy to have been able to set an example for my kids and show them that anything is possible when we choose growth. Truly, we can define our own narratives, chart our own paths as we see fit, and evolve our purpose over time.

For me, the path I have charted has been very much about honing my craft as a writer. Even identifying my genre as coming-of-age has been integral to finding my voice in the creative sphere. I just love the framework of self-discovery that underpins the universal experience of growing up, which can be spun and subverted in so many ways. The first feature film I wrote is a fun coming-of-age story set in suburban Orange County at the turn of the millennium. It follows an Asian-American nerd and overachiever who makes it her mission to cross off the last thing on her long list of high school accomplishments—winning the Prom Queen crown, a feat that requires rallying the various misfit cliques of her school behind her, and against the “cool kids” of The OC. I also recently wrote a kids’ media pilot about a neuro-diverse young girl with an unstoppable imagination, and am proud that the script landed me as a Finalist for the Sesame Workshop Writers’ Room Fellowship.

I want to shed light on two of my recently produced works which are both currently in the film festival circuit, THE SEED OF TRUTH and SITTING THE MONTH (the latter of which I wrote loosely based on my experiences as a new mother). These films were BIPOC, female-led projects from inception to execution, very much in line with my goal to empower other emerging, underrepresented artists. While THE SEED OF TRUTH is a period piece examining misinformation and the pursuit of scientific truth in the Soviet era, SITTING THE MONTH is a meditation on Chinese postpartum traditions in modern-day American motherhood. Despite being two very different films, both narratives center around family bonds, asking us to consider intergenerational legacies with timely relevance to pressing social issues of today. What has been inspiring about shepherding these projects to fruition is how they have emotionally resonated with their intended audiences while also encouraging dialogue on the social issues at hand.

This is also a great opportunity to share about an exciting venture I am building with an esteemed children’s book creator and literary agent, Jesse Byrd. I am so thrilled that together we are forming a new diverse children’s literary and media company that will source, package and develop literary-based children’s and young adult IP from underrepresented talents for publishing, film, television and new media. The mission of this company is wholly aligned with my brand as a writer, creative producer and mother focused on empowering the next generation. I can’t wait to reveal more about this venture when the time is right!

What I love most about this chapter is that I have a much more holistic approach to work and family than I ever have before, creating an integrated life for myself where my kids inspire my work and the stories I champion, and in turn the content of my work inspires my kids. I am energized every day as I remember why I do what I do—to positively impact the next generation.

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.

Our itinerary begins in the amazing city of Santa Monica! After grabbing coffee from Primo Passo on Montana, we head to the beach and hang out on the iconic pier where Pacific Park sits, the end of Route 66. We ride the Ferris wheel and the “West Coaster” for the expansive views, and then rent bikes and ride south along the strand to Venice, where we check out the eclectic stands at the boardwalk and shop along Abbott Kinney Boulevard. We catch the sunset from the bluffs of Palisades Park back in Santa Monica before heading to dinner at the incomparable Elephante for elevated Italian cuisine with a view. Dessert is specialty donuts from Sidecar Doughnuts (I love the Huckleberry and Maple Bacon flavors!).

There are amazing hikes nearby, so the next day we check out Temescal Canyon or Will Rogers State Park for our daily dose of sunshine and sweat. Which obviously means we deserve a nice meal to reward ourselves afterwards, so we would head over to Heavy Handed on Main St. back in Santa Monica for its ground short rib burger options with crunchy pickles and special sauce. Don’t forget the beef tallow fries and soft-serve!

Also found on Main St. is Holey Grail Donuts, a new spot with a secret menu and unique flavors such as Taro and Strawberry Matcha. (Is it obvious yet that I like donuts?) Back on Montana, we head to the Aero Theatre to catch an evening screening hosted by the American Cinematheque, complete with a Q&A by the esteemed filmmakers afterwards.

The next day, we grab coffee at the historic Dogtown Coffee before paying a visit to the architectural marvel that is the Getty Center and museum, nestled above Brentwood in the Santa Monica mountains. There is so much to see here given the breadth of historic and iconic paintings, lush gardens and spectacular views, we could literally spend the entire day here. We’d then cap off the day with a delightful, proper Mexican dinner with margaritas and mariachi music at Lares back in Santa Monica.

To cap off the Westside itinerary, we spend our final day checking out the Culver City Arts District, exploring all the various art galleries and creative energy. We take a guided tour of the Sony Pictures Studios for a behind-the-scenes look at the entertainment industry, before heading to Westwood Village to catch a fun flick at the historic Fox Village Theatre.

Side note: Additional Santa Monica donut shops to consider during this visit are Randy’s Donuts & DK Donuts!


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?

I would not be where I am today without the boundless love and support from my husband, Kevin Teng, who remains my biggest cheerleader and selfless partner doing his part to co-parent our kids so that we can each find fulfillment in both career and family. My parents have also been a tremendous pillar to lean on when we need to call in the “village” to support our busy lives.
Making films is certainly a team effort, so I am grateful to my talented producing partners, Felicity LuHill for SITTING THE MONTH and Anne Geng for THE SEED OF TRUTH, as well as our amazing crews on these collaborative productions. With their keen eye for art and story sense, our films truly stood out.
I have had a number of mentors since first embarking on this journey, but a few in particular need special mention. Ellery Ngiam who encouraged me from the very first screenplay I wrote in Singapore after first leaving my corporate job. Phil Schwartz who first taught me the art of cinematography and encouraged me to apply to the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC. And Sofia Garcia Ladera, my transformational coach who has helped me transcend limiting beliefs, old stories and patterns and help me fully own the unique gifts and perspective I bring to the table as a screenwriter and producer.
Finally, I want to share a few books that have kept me on this path even in the face of inevitable obstacles:
1. The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
2. How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen
3. The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks

Image Credits
Headshots: Diana Lee Studio Film Stills: Emil Chang, Ken Shinozaki, Tara Jenkins

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.