Meet Richard Bai | Film Editor

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

Hi Richard, what is the most important factor behind your success?
For me, it is all about passion and dedication. I am lucky to find editing, something I love. Since I was a child, my parents have been encouraging me to find my passion and pursue it. I found I was passionate about strategic games at a young age. I played Go game ( a Chinese version of chess) and I went professional at the age of 12. Go game makes me become a thinker. I like to think and observe before making moves.

Another thing I’m passionate about is watching movies. My parents are movie lovers and they like taking me to movie theaters. There is an art cinema in Beijing, which becomes my go-to place every weekend. I always think movies are something big and sincere. That’s what draws me to become a filmmaker.

Becoming an editor is like combing two things together. Editing is a long and enduring process in most people’s minds but it never feels the same to me. I love seeing the movie coming together in the editing room. I can easily spend the whole day in the editing room and I never get bored.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a film editor and I believe my job is to help directors to achieve their visions. I went to Beijing Film Academy during my undergraduate and had an exchange student experience at Columbia College Chicago. I learned all the aspects of filmmaking and worked on short films in different roles. Because of this experience, I got to know about directing, camera, editing, sound… It helps me understand what the director is trying to achieve and how can I help the director.

For me, story and emotion are on my top list when I am editing. That’s why I feel I am not limited to working on a certain types of projects. I have edited narrative films, documentaries, and commercials. I have enjoyed working on all of them. Constructing stories and conveying emotions to the audience are things I am proud to be able to do as an editor.

Other than that, I believe movies can make an impact on society. I would love to work on films that focus on different communities. For example, I worked with director Nicholas Finegan, and producer Tuli Litvak on a short film Bingo Queens. The story is about a transgender ex-ballet dancer who meets a server in a bingo hall, they share their courage. I am more than satisfied to see this movie go to film festivals around the world and give people courage.

I love spending time in the “dark” room. Whenever the movie is making progress, even a small one, it makes my day. It is a challenging but satisfying process for me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It’s funny because my girlfriend from London is going to stay here for a week. I would like to take her to Loz Feliz for a day. I like skylight bookstore, Loz Feliz 3 theater, and Boba Me! They have the best matcha latte.

I like trees and water. So I would recommend Big Bear Lake. It feels so good to be surrounded by nature.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am extremely lucky to meet many amazing teachers and mentors. I would like to shout out to Sharon Zurek and Leslie Simmer at Columbia College Chicago. Sharon was teaching Advanced Editing Seminar and Leslie was teaching Editing the Doc. Sharon and Leslie not only gave wonderful lectures but they cared about every student. I was a little shy when I was studying there. There were many cultural differences between Chicago and Beijing. They encouraged me to reach out to the projects I wanted to work on. I gained so much confidence from them. They also showed me what is a good editor. They set a bar I want to reach in my life.

Image Credits
Praboo Ariva, Luisa Dalé, Tuli Litvak