Meet Jialiang Sun | Film sound designer/mixer

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

Hi Jialiang, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Film is a lifelong career for me, and as a sound designer, I need to watch a lot of movies and discuss them with my peers. Life on set and post-production often take up a lot of time. If I keep working continuously, I gradually become exhausted. So, I will give myself a breaks regularly.

In winter, I go snowboarding, I am also a snowboard instructor. In summer, I enjoy hiking with friends; connecting with nature is refreshing for both body and mind. last year, i was tried working continuously for several months, but soon realized that my creativity burn out. I need to watch movies, communicate with people, and engage with nature to restore my creative energy.

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.
I started my career as a production sound mixer. I enjoy the time spent on set; it feels like a nomadic lifestyle, traveling to different places for work every so often. We often see a variety of locations and houses. We meet different people, and after spending a brief period together, we never know when we’ll meet again. But this kind of life is very interesting, constantly surprising me and filling me with anticipation. Working in production sound has allowed me to make many friends and has brought me a lot of happiness. However, I wanted to do something more creative, so I enrolled at Chapman to study post sound design.

Before becoming a film sound designer, I always thought that creativity and technical skills were the most important aspects of this profession. However, after working for a while, I realized that communication skills are also crucial. I have a lot of ideas and I love expressing them, but when collaborating on films, I have to consider how to align with the director’s vision and reduce my own ego. This takes some time to adjust to. Often, less is more. Especially in sound design, which is different from other fields. Good sound design goes unnoticed by the audience; people only notice the sound when something goes wrong. I used to be someone who loved standing in the spotlight and receiving applause. But after becoming involved in sound design, I’ve learned to focus on my specialized field and not seek out vain attention. This has been a form of growth for me. We don’t do things to prove ourselves to others but to achieve personal satisfaction.

Filmmaking is a profession fueled by dreams, often driven by passion. If you focus solely on the income, it’s not a very satisfying job.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them skiing in the mountains to experience nature and the freedom of the outdoors. I would also take them to see a stand-up comedy show, as I enjoy humorous and funny. We could watch a movie together, preferably a re-release of a classic film. Then, we would have Chinese hotpot together, which is the most delicious food.

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?
Of course, I must thank my parents for supporting my move to the United States. They are open-minded and have never questioned my decisions. They have always supported me unconditionally.

Of course, I must thank my parents for supporting my move to the United States. They are open-minded and have never questioned my decisions. They have always supported me unconditionally

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liangliangsun1210?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/6FsdU6e3TiKiL81ZrDhYLc?si=OQzsYoOATjCPJU1VJbyRBg