Meet Keith Leung | Director & Production Sound Mixer

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

Hi Keith, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
The film industry is very well known, but is often very underappreciated and misunderstood. Outsiders rarely understand the amount of work and manpower that goes into even just a single short film – they see big names – actors, directors, producers – but what about the key grip? The first camera assistant?

Filmmaking is an intensive, collaborative process – not just in a physical sense, but a mental one, too.

As a director, I strive to work on set as crew as much as possible – my secondary occupation is a freelance production sound mixer. I believe that working as a crew member often gives you valuable practical skills, but also puts you in a situation in which you understand what people under you have to go through, and the effort and time it takes. Respect for what your crew does not only makes you a better, more well-liked director, but also makes the workflow of your set work better, too.

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.
Like many other Asian filmmakers in their twenty-somethings, I’m reaching a time in my life where I often reflect and analyze my relationship to my identity and culture. And thus, I make movies about them. The thing that sets me apart from other Asian filmmakers in my cohort is that I refuse to forget that filmmaking is an entertainment medium.

I believe the best way to get a message across to an audience is if you make them feel something. Doesn’t matter how well written the story is, how deep the themes are, how witty the dialogue is – if the audience isn’t laughing, crying, or gasping, they’re not going to remember or care about what you have to say. I remember this in every piece of work I do.

Besides being a director, I want to talk about my experience in being a freelance sound mixer.

Doing freelance is not always easy. It’s no steady 9-5, and your income is not always guaranteed. Sometimes I’ll go into a month with no gigs lined up, wondering if I’d be able to make the month. Sometimes, issues in the industry at large will affect work, too – such as the SAG and WGA strikes – but somehow, it always, ALWAYS works out. Someone will give me a call, or I’ll land a gig last minute. That’s the nature of freelance – it’s tough, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Focusing on the sound department, doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. Movies are a very visual medium – but many forget that it’s an audio-visual medium; sound is just as important as the picture. I remember professors in college drilling this fact in: a film can have sub-par visuals and will still be watchable – but bad sound will take the audience out of the experience immediately, which is why I care. Sound mixing also compliments my development as a director. Being attentive and listening in to the performances gives you a deeper understanding of how actors behave, how different directors work, and makes you a better filmmaker overall.

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?
My younger brother has visited New York on two separate occasions – the second time took some convincing on my part, since he hated it so much on the first visit. What did I do wrong? I took him to all the tourist spots.

New York, in my eyes, is an alright place to visit – but a fantastic place to live in. On my brother’s second trip to New York, I took him to all the places that I myself would go; we did the things that I would do, normally. I brought him to local spots in Chinatown and Flushing, where the Chinese food is actually good. I brought him to jam sessions with friends. I took him on a Citibike ride through the streets and across the bridges. I brought him to rooftop parties. And at the end of it, he had a good time.

Visiting a place can be a blast – but you never know what a place is really like until you try to live in it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Generic as it may seem, I’d like to give a shoutout to my parents.

I’m from Hong Kong, and a creative career path isn’t one that is always looked upon with respect. Of course, Hong Kongers love watching movies and listening to music as much as anyone else. We have celebrities, local legends – some of which have become beloved across the globe. That being said, for the most part, if a kid tells their family they want to go to college to make movies, I would be surprised if they got the respect and support that they deserved.

My parents were not like this. They’ve always been supportive, from the beginning. They have dedicated their lives to support my brother and I, and they respect and trust me in all my endeavors. It’s more than I could ever ask for – and as long as I make them proud, I know that I’ll have made it.

Website: https://keithleung.org/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithhkleung/