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

Hi Anthony, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Since I was in high school, working for someone else never interested me. I was a rebellious kid at home and in school so listening to others never suited me well. I wanted to do work that I care about, and the best way to do that is to work for myself. The success of the business will depend on my passion and drive.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The style of my films/videos is very methodical, introspective, and often slower paced, and deals with themes of identity, family, and love. I want an audience to watch my films and go “Wow, that was beautiful!” or “I haven’t thought it that before.” I want people to relax into my films, feel comfortable to go along with what the film is trying to say, and ultimately enjoy the film! It took some time to establish my own style or voice, I think that’s one of the hardest things when starting a creative career: how do you separate yourself from everyone else? How are you different? I’ve learned now that all I need to do is look internally at my past experiences and memories, because those are specific to me, and that is how I’ve found my style/voice.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
The number 1 thing to do in Los Angeles would be to eat. Who doesn’t like to eat? In LA, all the best restaurants are packed into one city so you can try everything from Korean BBQ to Mexican tacos. The next few things are in no particular order but must-dos: -Disneyland, because we doesn’t want to be happy in the happiest place on earth? -hiking trails: there are so many trails to walk and explore and get your heart rate up -beaches: a week long trip deserves one full day of lazing out on the warm sand -nightclub/bars: LA is a lively city full of game changers and influential people. You’ll never know who you’ll meet, but you have to get out there to find out.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Of course I have to shout out to my parents. I wasn’t the best kid, and so to have a good relationship with them now means a lot to me. They were there for me when I should not have deserved their support. Recently, I’ve had my films screen at Asian American film festivals such as the Asian Pacific American Film Festival, and Austin Asian American Film Festival. The Asian filmmaking community throughout the USA is extremely supportive in fostering a community of people who love films, and I felt right at home with them.

Website: https://www.anthonynewen.com/
Instagram: @anthonynewen
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/anthonythefilmmaker