Meet Anlan Tao | Director/Writer/Editor
We had the good fortune of connecting with Anlan Tao and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Anlan, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Personally, I believe the key for a writer-director to create unique and engaging stories, both visually and acoustically, is to embrace a childlike mindset. I allow my imagination to soar, picturing myself as the characters in the story, and even as the audience, pondering how each moment would resonate emotionally. Would it intrigue? Surprise? Delight? Immersing myself in various scenarios breathes life into my work and ensures it emotionally impacts the audience.
Logically, it’s crucial to approach my work with a sense of responsibility, treating it as though it were a cherished pet or my own child. Striving for perfection in every step and collaborating with those who genuinely care for my ‘child’ is vital. My life is intertwined with my projects, filled with logistical challenges and deadlines. Despite this, I ensure seriousness in my work while fostering an enjoyable environment for those who contribute to my ‘child’s’ growth.
At times, I venture beyond traditional directorial duties, engaging in sound design, VFX, animation, and camera previews, among other tasks. This hands-on approach not only aids in my preparation but also allows me to effectively address any departmental queries.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am drawn to weaving narratives around children, animals, and the elderly. I believe they live in worlds so different from ours, filled not with the mundane tasks and dramas that occupy our adult lives, but with wonder and simplicity. Sharing the whispers of their hearts with my audience, revealing the emotions we often overlook, is what I cherish most. My stories are woven with threads of imagination, blending the latest in VFX, virtual production, and AI to sketch realities that are familiar yet fantastically different. This idea – that imagination is a balm for the soul, the reason we dream and create films – has become my signature, a gentle reminder of the magic we’ve lost in the rush of everyday life. Children, animals, and the elderly, with their unique perspectives and the luxury of time, remind us to pause and dream, to let our minds wander to places we’ve forgotten.
Crafting these short films is anything but simple. Creatively, it’s a quest for the untouched, the untold – stories that will captivate and move hearts. I dive deep into each narrative, living within it, exploring every corner of its universe through research and imagination. The process of sifting through countless ideas to find ‘the one’ is both exhausting and exhilarating. Beyond the creative challenges, my path was strewn with logistical hurdles. Coming from a family unfamiliar with the world of filmmaking, I fought to carve out my space, to turn my dreams into a tangible reality. Convincing my dad to support my aspirations felt like a monumental feat. Crossing oceans to immerse myself in the art of filmmaking in the US was a leap of faith, filled with obstacles – not least, mastering a language that once felt foreign to my tongue. My English was far from perfect, and the skepticism around my ability to pass the TOEFL and get into USC was a shadow that loomed large. But with determination, nights spent in endless study, and a heart full of stories waiting to be told, I taught myself everything I needed to know. I overcame, driven by a love for storytelling that refused to be silenced.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Haha, honestly? I’d whisk them away to my film set in a heartbeat! Why, you ask? Well, imagine the diversity of worlds they’d get to explore. One day we might be tucked inside a sound stage, the next, wandering through an abandoned factory. Then, before they know it, we’re out breathing the fresh air in a park, feeling the sand between our toes on a beach, or scaling the heights of a mountain. And that’s just the beginning. They’d have the chance to time-travel with me—stepping into the future or wandering back into the past, all thanks to the magic of fantasy, Sci-Fi, and period films!
But there’s more. They’d meet an array of characters from different eras, different worlds, each with stories you wouldn’t believe. And of course, they’d get to hang out with all my friends, the incredible collaborators who help bring these visions to life. Sounds exciting, right? (smirk~)
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My response might seem a bit weird.
The individual deserving a shoutout is none other than my imaginary friend from childhood. I was fully aware he wasn’t real and understood that adults and other children might find our friendship peculiar. Hence, I made it a point to converse with him only when I was alone. Whether I was walking home by myself, preparing to sleep at night, or completing chores in solitude, I’d engage him in conversation, imagining various scenarios or sharing the stories brewing in my mind.
He was a nebulous figure, capable of changing age or even gender, despite my referring to him as ‘he’. This friend became the main source of inspiration for most of my work. I’ve come to realize that imagination is a cornerstone in all my stories, whether it’s about a girl envisioning herself in a forest chasing her own face after an accident, a little boy who believes he can speak to his father on the phone, or children convinced they can communicate with a wooden dragon.
As a child, I planted a seed hoping to one day see my imaginary friend grow into a towering tree. Now, I believe that it was actually the seeds of imagination planted in young Anlan’s mind that have flourished into the ‘tree’ they are today.
Website: https://annanlantaocinema.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taoanlan/?img_index=1
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anlan-tao-897512187/
Other: https://littlefierceloongfilm.com/
Image Credits
Kingdom of Songs Film Poster She & He Film Poster Steel Forest Film Poster Ten Thousand Poems Film Poster Little Fierce Loong Film Poster
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.
