Meet YONGCHEN WU | Filmmaker & Cinematographer

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

Hi YONGCHEN, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I come from Taiyuan, a city in Shanxi province, China. Ever since I moved to the U.S. for my studies at sixteen, I’ve always felt a bit nervous when people ask me where I’m from. As we all know, China is a vast country, and my hometown is in a relatively obscure province. Sometimes, even fellow Chinese people might not know where it is!

My experiences in middle school profoundly impacted me, shaping not only my personality but also my choice of major. In middle school, my grade had nine classes with over 600 students, and I was in one of the two experimental classes. These classes were for the top 100 students in the grade, those who had excelled in math or physics competitions before entering. When I first got into this class, I was incredibly proud, thinking I must be one of the best students to be placed in an “experimental class.”

But that pride soon became my biggest source of pressure and rebellion. My school had very strict rules, such as girls not being allowed to have long hair and boys not having bangs. As students, our sole focus was studying. After every standardized test, our teacher would post our scores and rankings on the blackboard and publicly call and criticize the bottom ten students in front of the entire class. This happened during my first month in middle school. I was shocked and highly was not able to understand it. When it happened again the next month, seeing my familiar classmates humiliated in front of me, I realized it was a form of bullying. I felt angry and stood up to walk out of the classroom directly.

After that, I became the only “rebellious” student in a sea of good students in the experimental class. I had no friends, so I found ways to keep myself busy. I started watching movies and American TV shows. I would go to internet cafes to download movies, TV series, and novels onto my MP5 player and watch them under the covers at night. I found an emotional outlet and a pillar of support from these films and TV shows.

My parents and I realized that perhaps I needed a different environment, so for high school, I moved to the U.S. to study. Here, I found a new world where I could explore my interests freely, and this change has been pivotal in shaping who I am today.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
In these past few years of exploration and learning, I’ve realized that I have a knack for capturing realistic, naturalistic stories and using visual storytelling to depict delicate emotions. I firmly believe that films record and describe human emotions. As viewers, we remember a film because we empathize with the characters; we see ourselves through the movie. Additionally, I’ve found that the films I love and remember are those that evoke strong emotions in me, whether it’s joy, anger, or sadness. These details are hidden in our everyday lives, so as a filmmaker, I believe we need to have sensitive antennas to perceive these emotions. As a cinematographer, I must learn to present and capture these delicate, tender feelings through the camera and lens.

However, I later realized that this pursuit of “capturing the moment” can sometimes lead me to overlook the overall coherence and logic of the film’s story. This is something I’ve worked hard to avoid, ensuring that I focus on the complete story. The “moment” cannot exist independently of the whole narrative.

Regarding professional achievements, I don’t consider myself to have outstanding accomplishments yet—I’m still in the learning phase. But I can proudly say that everything I’ve achieved today results from my hard work and dedication. The journey hasn’t been easy, but when I have a goal to pursue and accomplish, those challenges won’t become obstacles—I always find a way to overcome and face them.

My advice is simply this: don’t limit yourself. It’s essential to understand and recognize yourself. I don’t have a grand ambition to tell my own story, at least not right now. I’m more interested in observing and telling others’ stories at this stage. But this might change in the future—who knows?

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First of all, I’d be thrilled to show them around my school, Chapman University, and AFI. I want to share some snippets of my life with the people I love. There’s an old town right next to Chapman University. We called it Orange Circle (I don’t know if that’s its official name.) It’s a beautiful spot with a free and relaxing vibe. There are some amazing restaurants where I can treat my family and friends to a delightful brunch. And let’s not forget the vintage stores—there are so many that I could easily spend an entire day browsing through them.

I’d also take them to the beaches near Santa Ana or Long Beach. The sand there is soft and warm, and I love lying on the beach, soaking in every sunset. I have to admit, the sunsets in Los Angeles are truly breathtaking. There’s something magical about watching the sky turn into a canvas of colors, and I’d love for them to experience that with me.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When I see this question, so many names come to mind, and I think that’s wonderful. At every stage of my life, I’ve encountered someone who helped me or encouraged me to make the choices I wanted. But first and foremost, I want to thank my parents. They agreed to my idea of studying abroad when I was young and selflessly provided me with financial support. They are relatively traditional and conservative parents, but because of me, they’ve been “forced” to accept many “new ideas.”

Another name also came to mind: Johnny Jensen, the professor from my university’s (Chapman University. Dodge College of Film and Media Arts) cinematography department. During my time studying film at Chapman, I felt like I was still in an exploratory phase. I often fell into deep self-doubt: Do I have the talent and ability to become a cinematographer? And because of my middle school experiences, I didn’t know how to interact with teachers and communicate with them. I had an unconscious avoidance of it.

However, during this time, Professor Johnny’s approachable attitude towards international students encouraged me to take the first step. I began to actively seek help and ask questions from my professors. After finishing my undergraduate studies, it was also with Johnny’s encouragement that I pursued further studies in cinematography and applied to AFI.

So, here’s a big shoutout to my parents and Professor Johnny Jensen. Without their support and encouragement, I wouldn’t be where I am today. And if you ever hear my name in the credits of a film, you’ll know that behind it are these incredible people who helped make it all possible.

Website: Sorry I don’t have a website yet.

Instagram: wu_ychen

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yongchen-wu-671938237/

Facebook: Yongchen Wu

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kriswu7501

Other: Yongchen (Kris) Wu Cinematography Reel (2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvFpgr_aWmo

Image Credits
Director: Ruolin Han/ Tej Master/ Chen Lee
Producer: Jessie Li/ Michael Ochoa
Cinematographer: Yongchen Wu