Meet Linwei Hu | Film maker& Director of photography

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

Hi Linwei, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
My goal is to build a distinctly personal visual language — something you can recognize as mine the moment you see the frame. On top of that, I want to balance artistic ambition with commercial value, so I can shoot what I truly care about while still speaking to the market. Most importantly, I hope the work can give something back to society — sometimes by provoking thought, sometimes simply by making people smile. In the end, I want to leave behind a few films that people remember and keep talking about—as a Director of photography

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’ve always felt that cinema is the closest thing we have to memory.
It doesn’t just record reality—it preserves emotion. My creative goal has always been to make the audience feel the temperature of a moment, not just see the story unfold.
What sets my work apart is my sensitivity to the relationship between light and emotion.
I use cinematography to give shape to feelings—to make each frame both poetic and powerful. Whether I’m shooting a documentary or narrative piece, I’m always searching for that delicate balance between reality and illusion—where light itself becomes part of the storytelling, not just something that illuminates it.
What I’m most proud of is the journey that shaped me—growing and creating across cultures.
From a small town in Anhui, to the Documentary Film Academy in Shanghai, and later to Chapman University in Los Angeles—each stage taught me how to merge the subtlety of Eastern storytelling with the rhythm and energy of Western visual language. That fusion has become the foundation of my cinematographic voice.
Of course, the path wasn’t easy.
When I first came to the U.S., I had to start almost from zero—new language, new system, new way of working. But over time, I learned how to find freedom within limitations—how to use light to fill the gaps of limited resources, and creativity to fight against the weight of reality.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that the heart of creation isn’t perfection—it’s honesty.
When the emotion in front of the camera is genuine, it will reach people naturally. I’d rather create an imperfect world that’s uniquely mine, than a flawless one that feels hollow.
Through my work and my brand, I hope people can feel a visual warmth that’s truly mine.
It’s not about showing off or pleasing anyone—it’s about continuity, about documenting how I understand people and the world through light and shadow.
If one day, someone sees a frame or a tone and says, “That looks like Linwei Hu’s style,” — that, to me, would mean I’ve arrived.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend came to visit me in Los Angeles, I’d plan a week that blends film, food, art, and a bit of adventure — the essence of what I love about this city.
Day 1 – Arrival & Sunset
Pick them up from LAX, grab tacos from Leo’s Tacos Truck on La Brea, then head straight to Griffith Observatory for a panoramic sunset view over LA.
Day 2 – Hollywood & Cinema Vibes
We’d visit Warner Bros. Studio Tour, walk along Hollywood Blvd, and catch a film at TCL Chinese Theatre — because movies are my life. Dinner at Musso & Frank Grill, old-school Hollywood charm.
Day 3 – Beach & Chill
Morning drive along Pacific Coast Highway, brunch at Malibu Farm Pier Cafe, then hang out at El Matador Beach. Sunset beers at Venice Beach Boardwalk.
Day 4 – Art & Downtown
Explore The Broad Museum and MOCA, lunch at Grand Central Market. At night, rooftop drinks at Perch or Broken Shaker with downtown lights.
Day 5 – Filmmaker’s LA
Take them to ASC Clubhouse if possible, or a small indie screening in Los Feliz. Visit Filmtools or Burbank camera houses to let them feel the industry vibe.
Day 6 – Nature & Reflection
Hike Runyon Canyon early morning, then visit Descanso Gardens in Pasadena. Dinner at Din Tai Fung in Arcadia (I always say this city’s Asian food is unbeatable).
Day 7 – Personal Chill Day
Sleep in, grab coffee at Intelligentsia Silver Lake, stroll through vintage stores, and close the week with Korean BBQ in Koreatown — maybe karaoke after.
For me, LA’s charm isn’t just about the tourist spots — it’s the energy of people who chase dreams, the mix of cultures, and how art and light always find a way to meet here.

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?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to two directors who have profoundly influenced me in two different ways — one through artistic creation, and the other through commercial filmmaking.
First, I want to express my deep gratitude to director Nan Li. I collaborated with her as the cinematographer on an independent short film titled So You Remember to Miss Me. It was a project we both self-funded, and as young filmmakers, we encountered countless challenges and obstacles we had never faced before. But through mutual trust and our shared passion for storytelling, we persevered.
The film tells the story of Sienna, a woman scarred by domestic violence and cultural dislocation, who hires Edith, an inexperienced assassin, to kill her abusive ex. When the plan unravels, the two women are forced into an uneasy alliance, embarking on a tense, cross-country journey that becomes a deeper exploration of memory, identity, and survival.
After completing post-production in 2025, the film began its festival run and was officially selected by several international festivals, including the New York Shorts International Film Festival, New York Indie Shorts Awards, New York Lift-Off Film Festival, Rome Prisma Film Awards (where it won Best Actress), and Venezia Shorts Italy. It also received the Best Cinematography Award at the Pingyuan Youth Film Week in China — a recognition that holds special meaning for me.
I’m also deeply thankful to director Xiuyuan Chen, a highly successful vertical-series director based in the U.S., known for creating numerous viral hits. We’ve collaborated on multiple projects, among which Getting Birth and Getting Divorce performed exceptionally well on Good Short TV, reaching over 2.5 million views and 360,000 user saves and subscriptions. This project helped me better understand the storytelling rhythm, audience psychology, and production efficiency that define today’s short-form content.
I feel truly grateful to have worked with both of them — one taught me how to express the emotional depth of art, while the other helped me understand the rhythm and precision of commercial storytelling. Together, these experiences have shaped the cinematographer I am today.

Website: https://www.alanwithhu.work

Instagram: alanwithhu

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