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

Hi Yifan Connor, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk is something I grew up on. I believe fortune favors the unconventional, and taking risks is a part of departing from the mainstream and creating one’s own path. Even if I had a comfortable choice every time opposing a risky one, the weight of “what if” will be something I cannot carry. It was risky to arrive abruptly in the US at 15, knowing no one here. It was risky to choose to pursue an education in cinematography instead of something more “traditional.” It was risky to hang outside of a car holding a camera moving at highway speeds, and it was risky to start a rental company in the middle of a historic strike. Thank goodness I was always fortunate enough to be surrounded by a group of level-headed collaborators with whom I can always seek advice in navigating these risky businesses. It continues to be a driving force behind my creative work and business conduct.

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.
My job as the Cinematographer is to get the story across to the audience in a visual way that’s going to make you feel some sort of way; I can get whatever tools available to me ready to be used on you to achieve what I need. I started and kept on shooting things myself with “gear” anyone could get from their local Target store; those times got me places, but it was not the fondest of my memories. What that period of bare minimum did do was teach me what matters the most in filmmaking is not getting everything perfect and glossy like Hollywood makes it seems, but fulfilling your duty as the Cinematographer and getting the story across visually as much as possible with whatever resources you’re given, even if that means you have to push your resources to the limits sometimes. Knowing there’s always a way to make it work even if it seems there isn’t was the best piece of advice I was given. One thing I have come to realize is innovative art is created when the artist is constrained; constraints force creativity, and they compel you to think outside the box and find unconventional solutions with all the tools at your disposal. My work reflects a commitment to authentic storytelling within constraints and the pursuit of emotional resonance through visual narratives; this belief in the power of constraint to fuel creativity has become a cornerstone of my artistic philosophy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
With LA traffic, you’re lucky if you get to hit one spot a day as a tourist here. Definitely hit up Echo Park for the swan boats, LA County Museum of Art’s lights, and a sunset at Griffith Observatory. Park’s BBQ in Koreatown is nuts, Dollar Hits in Filipinotown is crazy, and Guisados anywhere is the bomb.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to express my gratitude towards everyone I have worked with. Every single one of them taught me something valuable as a person and as a creative in the field. Skills and materialistic things are not the end-all-be-all of this business, and I want to thank everyone I crossed paths with who all contributed to a piece of who I am today.

Website: DFIRentals.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justachinaman?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-hu/

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