Meet Shile Yang | Cinematographer

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

Hi Shile, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve always been a part of the art world. I started off in music as a piano player, which was heavily influenced by my brother, who is a clarinet player in an orchestra.

My drive at first came from a desire to be just like my brother. He’s much older than I am, which is why I looked up to him and was proud of what he was doing. So naturally, I realized that I wanted my path to go down a similar direction. However, that type of drive doesn’t fuel longevity, and I found myself in a position where I was playing at a very high level, but unfortunately, I wasn’t very fond of the grind and process.

That’s how I got into the arts, but I would say the shift to film really came from a very distinct movie experience in my life. At age nine, I had the pleasure of seeing the IMAX 70mm screening of Interstellar. I’ve always seen movies, always wanted to, and always been a fan, but the experience often felt the same. However, when I saw Interstellar, I think my whole perspective on visual art changed forever. A funny story that I tell some friends is how it made me question my vision. There’s always this belief in Eastern culture that if you bury yourself in books, it’ll give you knowledge at the cost of your eyesight. This was super daunting to me because both my dad and my brother wore glasses, and it was something that was a big no-no in the family for whatever reason. When I saw this movie, it was the first time I’d seen anything shot on film and projected on film. I vividly remember my experience looking at certain shots and seeing this weird texture on screen that I’d never seen before. I remember asking my mom if the blurriness in the image was because my eyes were broken. I couldn’t articulate what I was seeing, so my mom never really understood me and just shrugged it off and forgot about it. That realization didn’t hit me until one day I was introduced to the characteristics of film years later, and I just couldn’t help but recall this hilarious moment. Outside of this anecdote, the experience stuck with me and really gave me an experience of how visuals can impact the subconscious.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I believe what sets me and every other creative apart is our unique voice. We are all shaped by different things, different cultures, different experiences. Everyone has their own Interstellar moment that I had, and that changes a lot in how they envision and go about doing their work. I believe everyone has something special to offer, and that is the beauty of this line of work.

I’ve come to see the challenges in my career as invaluable lessons. I am grateful for those experiences, as you grow, adapt, and realign moving forward.

I think a key lesson I’ve learned along the way is to do work that interests us. The projects that I’m most proud of are the ones where I find myself believing in the vision of what we’re going for. Oftentimes, you’re told to do as much as possible, but I feel like if you’re doing work that you enjoy, it’ll feel like a dream job, and it’ll inspire you to create some of the best work you’ve ever done. I stress this because I didn’t believe it until I saw it in my own work, and that has been the game-changer since. Also, try to always have fun, it’s the best.

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.
I think the classic answer here would be the beach, depending on whether my friend lives on the coast, this would be the first place I would bring them. It’s just a naturally relaxing experience, and I think we all need to set aside that time for ourselves, and hanging out with a friend at the beach sounds like the best time. If they are up for a little more than the typical, I would take them to Venice Beach. I think it’s one of the most interesting places in the world where, honestly, anything could happen.

Foodwise, I love BBQ, so I would definitely take them to my favorite spots, and Disneyland fireworks never disappoint.

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 want to shout out to all my friends and mentors. I think they are some of the most important people in your life, and I am extremely lucky to have some incredible people in my life who not only inspire, but also change your life in a very fundamental way and elevate who you aspire to be as a person.

I also want to shout out to my crew. I think the key to a good project is a crew that can move mountains, and I am grateful to be working with some of the most talented people in the industry. The honest truth about my job is that I am mostly talking. I suggest silly ideas and try my best to shape a vision, but nothing is possible without the crew that’s putting in the work to make it happen. I respect each and every one of them, and they have been key to the quality of my work.

Website: https://www.shile.me/

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

Image Credits
Cris Mascarella