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

Hi Chi, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
As a director and producer, I started Plus Seven Productions to tell Asian-fronted stories that can resonate both online and in theatres. Regardless of genre, whether it be horror, comedy, romance or drama, Asians have been underrepresented in mainstream films for way too long. Now, with the added bonus of your own platform and being able to self-publish movies, shorts, stories, etc. there is never a better time to tell our stories in our mother tongue.

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Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
As the director behind Plus Seven Productions, I have been able to create short films, ads, music videos and features alike under the banner. My focus is on Asian-fronted stories, but I am open to anything as long as there is a story to be told. We have recently concluded the incredible release of our film “VISA” which I wrote, produced and directed, resulting in an Oscar-qualifying festival run at Palm Springs ShortFest and a fantastic online rollout courtesy of NextShark and Benny Luo who served as our executive producers, reaching nearly 5M views across all social channels. We also just wrapped production on the horror-drama “INHUMA”, about a deadly funeral tradition usually found across rural areas in Vietnam, and our romance-drama “I’LL MISS YOU”, which serves as a spiritual sequel to VISA in co-production with Migrate Mate.

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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.
Great question! Obviously the Griffiths Observatory is the number one answer, however I have a huge soft spot for Franklin Canyon Park for a great hike. You can’t really go wrong with food in LA, take your pick and find yourself in Koreatown at Sun Nong or go on a sidewalk taco hunt across Pasadena and Alhambra. The Getty is my favorite museum ever especially because of the fantastic views – however the Academy Museum is a close second and I would absolutely take my friend there if they’re into films.

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Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to thank the TPD Centre for Youth Filmmaking in Vietnam for paving my path: they give kids and adults alike a chance to find like-minded individuals in the filmmaking community, and I could not have made it here had I not made my first few kids short films under their programs. I’d also like to thank my mom, who’s been an unwavering source of support for me throughout my filmmaking journey. My frequent collaborator, Benjamin Ting, is also the incredible leading man for all of my short films and projects so far, a star actor in the making.

Website: https://www.dchitran.com/

Instagram: chitran_53

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

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Image Credits
David Rzegocki
Andrew Cabral

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