Meet Wuliang Zhang | Film and Television Producer

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

Hi Wuliang, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Hello, my name is Wuliang Zhang, a Los Angeles/Beijing based on film and television producer, a Producing Alumni in American Film Institute Conservatory.

“Master Wuliang” is what my college mates call me. One reason is that my name, Wuliang, is one of a Chinese Buddha master. Another is that I am known for being a perfectionist in my schoolwork and film production. I instantly felt an aura of honor being called that way and started acting like a master: serious, theoretic, and prudent. Honestly, I am an actor playing the role of master, because it has since won me many new friends and the chance to become a popular teammate. Once they get to know me better, my mates figure out I’m a funny guy who’s doing his best, like all of them.

I was born in Wenzhou, a southern city in China. My first encounter with film was being a minor performer on a feature film produced by my mom at my hometown. I was so excited and ate up all the noodles in my bowl. Then, I realized it was just a rehearsal. Then we went back to one, I ate up another bowl of noodles again. Finally, 5 bowls of noodles were in. I couldn’t bear to have one more bowl and gave out a loud burp in the action take which let all the crews burst into laughter.

Even though it was just one afternoon, the magic of film impressed my childhood, which makes me keep engaging stage performance as well as short video shooting in middle school. Finally, the irresistible temptation guides me towards Beijing Film Academy, where I received my first professional training as a film maker.

Thanks to BFA, I got rich film production experience the direct opportunities to talk and learn from the frontline filmmakers in China. I gradually got training about each position on set and learned about what makes a good story.

When I thought I could take charge of a department alone in my sophomore year–producing a low-budget feature film, which, however, becomes a nightmare memory of my college. On the day before the shooting, our director renamed the scene numbers herself, but every department still followed the previous schedule. Endless confirmations decreased our efficiency and increased our mistakes, which led to a vicious cycle and a low-quality picture in the end. In contrast with this nightmarish experience, my junior year took me to Columbia College Chicago as an exchange student. I was surprised to see passionate and energized senior students doing their projects with the operation system used in Hollywood: from a standard script format, regulated working hours and professional filming auxiliary software to detailed daily reports. The well-prepared preproduction kept everything on track.

I realized the lack of a standard producing system is one of the most essential negative problems in the Chinese film industry. After doing research for my graduate essay, I became more certain that the Chinese film market is in great demand of talented producers with international industrial production experience. Therefore, my desire to use successful practices in Hollywood to improve China’s filmmaking system became the motivation for furthering my studies in the U.S.

Luckily, I got admission to one of the top film schools in U.S.— American Film Institute Conservatory, where all the productions run in a strict Hollywood Industry standard. So far, I have produced 10 narrative short films, line produced/upm 10 short narratives and 20 short commercials here. I am proud of what I have achieved and look forward to continuing to produce interesting stories further my way down with films and television both in U.S. and China.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
There are a lot of struggles of course. Luckily, I am the type willing to embrace challenge.

Firstly, it is the language and culture barrier, which limit me to deliver clear creative notes and communicate with my team when I just came to the U.S. Luckily, my fellow friends here are nice and friendly and willing to hear my voice.

I also found it difficult to balance the physical production and creative development at the same time. AFI has such an intensive program that keeps everyone running, especially for producers, who is the key position to coordinate with all the discipline and make sure all the plans will happen in time. I did learn to manage my time and schedule well, so I can still absorb fresh knowledge and develop creative materials.

From my three cycle projects in first year of AFI, I feel there is a clear arc for myself from figuring out the logistic production toward having more and more creative input as I got more used to the environment and the pace here. A good outcome of my arc is my cycle 3 project, BELOVED, which is my original idea based on a true story of a Chinese pregnant woman under the pressure of patriarchal society and son-preference tradition. My biggest challenge for that is basically I have to build a China in LA! Eventually, we were able to build an authentic Chinese room at soundstage and find another standing set to decorate it like Chinese hospital. I am proud that after the film is screening at AFI with fellows, some non-Chinese friends came and told me how they were moved and touched by the character and story. I felt so happy that effort gets paid back and good story can touch audience no matter what culture background they are coming from.

Another project I am proud of is the thesis film I produced, THE BULLFIGHTER. It is ambitious project about a previous honorable bullfighter, now a parking lot attendant, stands out for a pregnant woman who is bullied by a bull-like man to complete the last bullfight in his life. It contains three time periods and locations, cop gunshot at LA downtown, giving birth while bullets flying by, action stunt, also a BULLFIGHT as it states in the title. It is a project that faculty doubt it could be made and other fellows were hesitated to work on. I felt it challenging, too, however, the pursuit for a good story finally overcame my fear and I took the project.

For me, producing a project is not a dating, is like a marriage. If I make the decision, I will try every effort to make it happen. I did a lot of research to understand the bullfighting as an event, also traveled to Mexico to get a sense of their culture context. I sent written notes and communicated with our director frequently to understand her vision the core of our story better. As we moved forward to physical production, I was able to be on top of everything with my producing partner and make sure we accomplish the steps steadily and effectively. Luckily, all my teammates are real “bullfighters” and are as ready as me to make contribution. We broke down every complex scene and shoot video storyboard every week to make sure the whole team on the same page. Also, we were able to find creative ways to make the scenes doable but impressive. As the producer, I am proud that we were able to raise $60,000 budget and made all the scenes happened with multi-camera in a 10-day production window with a 70 crew’s scale. Every crew and faculty are surprised and pleased with our efficient cooperation and methodical organization during this process.

Gladly, we got an outstanding score while previewing at AFI. After this project, I am more confident that nothing is impossible if I am really passionate to get it made.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite place is Griffin Park Observatory. It was a place I marked for dream. I remember in 2017, I visited Los Angeles as a tourist. I stood at the platform and looked at the “Hollywood” sign and yell that one day I will come back as a filmmaker. In 2021, I realized my dream, coming back as an honorable AFI fellow.

Later, Griffin Park became the place I went for meditation. Every time when I was burying under stress, I’d love to go there at night to feel the cold air, shining stars, beautiful city. It is such a dream-like place as if the world slows down when you stand there with your eyes closed. Sky there can hold all your secret and share all your feelings. I would never feel bored to just enjoy the greeting from the sunset and moon rise at Griffin Park.

It was also a place for me to make phone calls with my girlfriend when we were in long distance relationship. When I stood there, I knew we still shared the same moon, stars even though we were watching different city light. And gladly, when she came to Los Angeles this August for my graduation ceremony, I brought her there. It is now a place for romance.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First of all, I would love to send my sincere thanks to my mother Hongyan Guan, father Fumin Zhang, grandpa Rencai Guan/Chuansheng Zhang, grandma Hefang Chen/Linxian Gan, and all other family members. They always encourage me to chase my dream with both psychological and financial support. I am a “naughty” boy who always wants to conquer ambitious mountains. They are North Star who are always there on my map when I need for guidance and advice.

Secondly, I want to send my special thanks to my dearest friends all the way. Filmmaking is a teamwork. I couldn’t have achieved anything without all my friends around me. I am so blessed to be surrounded by a group of friends who let me believe the power of sincerity and honesty.

Most importantly, my super super thanks to my girlfriend Yining Gu. We have been through 2 years long distance relationship during intensive AFI period. I haven’t been able to go back to visit her due to the covid last two years. It was her come to the State to visit me this August and break the curse of our long distance relationship. She is always so supportive and considerate when I come across any difficulties. It is 100% my luck to have her in my life. She helps me meet a better version of myself.

Instagram: steven_zhang_wuliang

Other: https://thebullfighter.net/wuliang

Image Credits
Yining Gu, Eva Zheng, Miley Luo, Annie Zhang.