Y Crazy Mind

Emily Feng is a writer, director, and editor based in New York City. She has worked on music videos, narratives, brand campaigns, and documentaries. Most notably, her documentaries shot in Havana, Cuba have been selected at Best Shorts Competition, PopDoc Awards, Asian Film Festival Los Angeles Hollywood, and Seattle Asian American Film Festival. She is currently working on writing her first feature film as well as working as an videographer and video editor for The Chelsea Music Festival in NYC. She aims to make space in the industry for stories of underrepresented voices and to connect people, despite our difference, through our shared humanity and emotions. Why did you choose to be a filmmaker? In high school, when I took my first film class, I fell in love with the endless possibilities of stories that could be told. I loved the process and I loved seeing stories and visuals in my head come to life in a video. After I got to NYU and wrote a few short scripts, I realized that I want...

Every film is essentially about two relationships; the one we have with ourselves and the one we have with others. Perception is reality and filmmakers have the ability to introduce that perception in ways that make us see ourselves and others perhaps more genuinely than we do within our realities. TinNgai Chan’s Mary Mary Quite Contrary has been celebrated for its depiction of uncomfortability in the convergence of family and professional life, specifically for one therapist. This drama stars Chad Morgan as Mary Elson (of Michael Bay’s Oscar Winning Film Pearl Harbor and Primetime Emmy Winning TV Series Robot Chicken), Levi Holiman as Thomas Barette, Mikael Mattsson as John Elson, and Alaya Lee Walton as Elizabeth Elson. The story takes place in a therapist’s home office during a session with a patient which takes a turn for the worse, disintegrating the self-imposed borders constructed. In addition to its Official Selection status at the Silicon Beach Film Festival, Chandler Internat...

Italy’s Lucia Rinaldi has honed a skill that most people avoid, she’s learned to embrace the absence of comfortability. To be more precise, Rinaldi is a cinematographer who recognizes her own area of comfort while constantly seeking out an understanding of the vantage of other cultures and filmmakers. It’s an admirable and enviable approach for any filmmaker as the more your audience recognizes themselves in your art, the louder it resonates. Across Europe, Asia, and America, Lucia has practiced her craft, taking note of the differing creative dialects of her peers and what this says about a culture’s mindset. For her, this constant state of sculpting and reinvention is the most enjoyable part of her work. The appeal of her work across cultural borders is evident in award-winning films like Plastic Love (winner of Best Cinematography at the New York Awards), The Doll (Best Cinematography short at Canadian Cinematography Awards), recognitions for The F Word at the Asian Cinematograph...

Chadaporn Mitinunwong grew up in Bangkok, Thailand. She was deeply interested in 3D design and artistry. Working close to directors and producers she learned the crucial primary goal of both hats. She moved to California to continue her studies of modern Film and Television. We have conducted a short interview with her. What kind of challenges do you face as a female filmmaker? ‘Being a confident leader’; I think that’s a challenge everyone has to face, whether it’s a man or a woman. We all get to that point where we have to face tremendous pressure and somehow overcome it to lead our team to success. Honestly, I wasn’t born with a talent in filmmaking. All I had was a belief. A belief that anybody who works hard, commits themselves and does something with passion, it will always pay off. You’ve got to have that self- esteem that comes from within. I always tell myself that I can do it. Although every time when I’m on set, I always try to be prepared for anything, there ...

Ragini Bhasin is a 25-year old filmmaker from New Delhi currently based in LA. She works as a director for the media company called Jubilee Media. Her short film, Ghazaal is about a 13-year-old Afghan refugee who hustles around in a refugee camp when she experiences her period. It is a slice of life film that has played over 20 festivals worldwide. We have conducted a short interview with Ragini. Who is the main character in your short film 'Ghazaal' and why is that the title of the film? What is the main theme of this film?  The main character in my short film is a 13-year-old Afghan refugee who lives with her father and brother in a small tent in a Turkish refugee camp. She is named Ghazaal, which is the actor’s real name as well. Filmmaking can be an intimidating process for newcomers and since my lead was a non-actor I wanted her to feel like she was not acting but just being herself. I feel subconsciously it helped her because she did not have to pretend...

The Arts are the great equalizer. Talent supersedes all. Additionally, that talent leads to a diversity in life experiences which results in an insightful perspective which can inform others. While diversity within the individuals actually telling these stories has not always been present in filmmaking, present day offers an increasing number of unique voices. Japanese filmmaker Nanako Fukui most often dons the role of producer but for the film Between the Sun and Me she took on the roles of writer and director as well; that’s because this film comes from an experience in her own youth and stepping into this trio of duties was the most accurate and efficient way of relating the story she knew well. Of course, it was also the most taxing; an obstacle that did not deter Fukui in her pursuit of relating this love story within a culture that looks unfavorably on it. While every genre of film has a multitude of productions presenting themes like war, justice, and love, Between the Sun and ...

Careers in the entertainment industry are built one project at a time. Longevity requires taking chances and stretching into areas that are unexpected, perhaps even unintuitive in the minds of others. This is as accurate a description of San Francisco based RockBridge Productions as for any actor, director, or other professional in the industry. Started by Mike Kaney, Chris Miller, and Bryan Fong in 2011, RockBridge Productions is currently led by Roman Medjanov whose consistent pursuit of eclectic projects has continually proven the company to be a leader amongst its peers. From groundbreaking documentaries to award-winning period films to educational productions used in Universities across the country, Medjanov’s talent for communicating via the medium of film is an attribute which is maneuvering RockBridge to potentially become THE production company of the current decade, and likely the subsequent ones. Located at the edge of the Silicon Valley tech hub, RockBridge Productions is w...

Gabriela is a producer at an independent film and television company with film productions on 4 continents; Her creative skills make her a contributor to various written media where she writes about Art, Culture and Innovation. Gabriela is a member of various non-profit organizations related to arts and culture such as Amigos MAP, Amigos del MAM, Patronage Ruta de la Amistad and Home Storytellers. She works sporadically in corporations on issues related to innovation and mindfulness for employees. Countries in which she has lived, worked, and / or studied include Mexico, Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Photo: Guillermo Kahlo What is your academic background? How does it impact you as who you are today? I am knowledge lover. I have a degree in Arts with a mayor in Communication and Advertising and a minor in Film and TV from Bond University, Australia. I have studies in Humanities and Art fields from Harvard, and (currently) ...

Karan Sagoo is an artist who adheres to the rule that diverse roles widen an actor’s emotional palette. Well more than a decade into his professional film and television career, he’s continuing to challenge how audiences see him; whether it’s a modern twist on a classic or the latest horror film. Though he has “hero” looks and has most certainly taken the mantle of leading man in many productions, he’s fond of searching out the parts which allow for more exploration as a leading member of a strong cast. His award-winning role in Pride and Prejudice, Cut and the frightening Followed give evidence to the notion that Sagoo is undertaking the kind of roles which rebuke any sense of categorization by the film community or audiences. The only typecasting being imposed on this actor is his ability to transform himself into vastly disparate characters. Becoming Ms. Benet The writers of Pride and Prejudice , Cut (Elizabeth Snoderly and Erin Murphy West) wanted to incorporate Jane...

Short films are becoming more popular than ever, largely due to the public’s interest in originality rather than marketability. Now is a time when being a filmmaker with unique and creative ideas is more accepted than perhaps ever in modern filmmaking. That being said, the artists who create these brief productions need to maximize the impact of every aspect in the creation of these stories. Though of misunderstood outside the professional community, a colorist is one of the most valuable individuals in this type of filmmaking. Colorist Keyhan Bayegan has credits from well-known productions (Golden Globe nominated HBO’s Insecure and Amazon Prime’s Homecoming, multiple Oscar nominated Star Wars: Episode IX-The Rise of Skywalker ) but is adamant about the importance of working in short films and its rewards. His work as a colorist in a variety of different films within this category confirms how essential the work of a master such as himself is to achieving the tone of the story as well ...

I’m fascinated by the evolution of entertainment whether it’s the relationship of music artists to platforms like Spotify, the direct communication of celebrities to the general public via social media, or the ability of technology to empower artists of numerous mediums to find an audience on the other side of the planet. It feels as if the opportunity to be artistic is higher than in any other era. There is most certainly a paradigm shift happening in terms of creativity. In regards to film, the unrivaled preeminence of Hollywood has given way to vibrant and exceptional film production around the world; this year’s Oscar award-winning film Parasite is simply the most obvious example. If you’re going to pay attention to film, the perspective demands that it be a global one. When I saw a large amount of dialogue about a new Chinese film which was trending high, I decided to investigate the movie Dragon Scale, or 火线行动 as it’s known in China. What I discovered surprised me and deepened m...