We had the good fortune of connecting with Wenqin(Melody) Ni and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Wenqin(Melody), what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?I didn’t start my career in an artistic way but in economics, a high paid job but boring routine. I grew up as a good Chinese girl but now I’m a bad Chinese girl. I’m a rule breaker and artistic person with all its freedom.

In Middle school I went on a film trip. One teacher saw my talent in filmmaking and told me that I should be a filmmaker. Another teacher said only people who are failures with all other subjects will pursue art. I swallowed my dreams down, under pressure from the culture.

I used to be an obedient daughter who followed whatever my parents thought was best. I spent two years finishing a four-year program as my first bachelor’s degree with the major my parents chose for me, economics. I had a well-paid job that maintained a luxurious life. I was able to travel around the world freely. If you asked me, am I happy? No, I felt like a prisoner. I couldn’t find the meaning of my repetitive life.

The first big decision I made by myself was, I quit the job and went to the mountain region in China to be a volunteer teacher for half a year. I spent most of my savings to help these village people. Everyone thought I was crazy. My mother even told me, if I do it, I’m no longer her daughter. This time, I refused to be obedient and I didn’t feel guilty saying no, anymore.

That was my first step moving toward my dream, my heart, and my soul. Sometimes, I still have the obedient side that I have been raised that way. I’m still working on being a better version of myself every day. I want to be a successful female director in the future and prove to my culture, to my parents, to myself, that people who pursue arts can be successful in every way they want. I want to show whoever has the same struggles, they are not alone, and it is never too late to start whatever you feel passionate about.

I have come a long way through many obstacles, since I decided I want to be a filmmaker. The financial struggles are always the most realistic issue I have to face as an indie filmmaker, but it also pushes me to become a stronger person. My artistic story started when I said no to my parents and my own culture, and I said yes to myself to pursue my own dreams. I hope my story can inspire others to pursue their dreams, never afraid to either speak up or make a decision for your own life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m excited about being both behind and in front of the camera. I’m an actress and model before I’m a filmmaker, and I still enjoy being on both sides of them. Some people tell me that you have to choose one side of the camera in order to be successful. I just want to say, I won’t give up anything that I love. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious. You just have to spend extra time on all your passions while others are partying or resting, which I totally don’t mind about it. So, why not keep the ambitious journey for yourself. We only have one life, and we should be free to choose whatever makes us feel happy and fulfilled. I once lived under the judgement of others and society, but I will never go back to the old path.

The most challenging part of my career is the financial situation. I grew up in a middle-class family. My mom was a housewife after I was born. Things got worse after my dad retired. We don’t have any income anymore. I have to figure out my college tuition fee, renting, and living fee as a full-time student. Even tougher when you are a director and producer for your own project, you basically have to pay everything to make the project happen. The financial pressure is like a heavy stone in my heart. I almost dropped out from school a couple of times because I simply can’t afford the expensive tuition fee. With all the struggles, I got caught up by major depression a year and half ago and I’m still seeing a therapist each week and taking meds. What lifts me up for not giving up with all these hardships is my passion for filmmaking. I’m eager that one day, my version and my voice can be heard by the world. I want to make these films relatable to real life struggles and bring the emotions into the stories. I want to make these films to make my audience feel, no matter if they laugh or cry, feel happy or pain. What I’m seeking is this raw impact on the emotions.

What I have learned along the way is, no matter how hard it is, no matter how many people tell you that it is impossible, no matter what stops you to keep moving forward, be sure to remind yourself, what is the reason to start the whole journey? Do you really want to give up? What will you lose if you stop right now? What will make you truly happy? When you can answer these questions, your heart will lead the way for you to continue the journey. It might be painful either physically or emotionally, but it will eventually be worth every minute of it someday.

Each time, when I’m struggling with almost no budget to make my projects, I push harder on myself. When the project actually happens and is achieved, it’s the best reward to me. Each project is like a newborn baby and each time after I successfully achieve the project, it’s like your baby is smiling at you and says, see? You can do it! I’m glad you didn’t give up on me.

Filmmaking is a tough career, especially before you get famous. You are always on the way trying hard and harder to be known for your vision. They always say networking is everything for filmmaking. I appreciate each single one of you who has helped me and worked on my projects. A successful project can’t do without each single one of you. Thank you, thank you for you.

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?
Well, I’m not a party person and I normally don’t do much about city life. I love extreme sports such as caving, climbing, canyoneering and scuba diving. I’m also a professional trained in cave rescue. If I have a best friend come to visit me for a week, I will train them for SRT vertical rope work and take them to either a caving trip or canyoneering trip to explore the nature world.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to say thank you to my Professor Michael Kang. He is not only a great teacher but also a great mentor to me. It’s hard to find that type of professor, who is caring about their students both in class and out of class. He also inspired me as an Asian storyteller who has won weighted awards for his first feature film. He is my role model, and I would love to achieve the same goals as him!

Instagram: melodytwotwo

Image Credits
Photo credit by: Miguel Tafich, Zachary Lee

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