Personal Statement - Graduate Program in Film Directing

Put succinctly, I hope to become a better director in order to better express what is already in my heart - I have a few things to say that are simply screaming to come out of me. After I learn to become a commercial director, I will consider the precise nature of my contribution in more detail. I don’t know what they will say about me in the end – will my primary contribution be characterized as filmmaking skill, or artistic prowess? Hopefully the latter; however, there is only one way to determine that – film and ponder, then film and ponder some more. I believe that training in the art of directing can serve as the soil above which a mighty oak will someday tower.

Independent production is fascinating magic. By means of innovative stage lighting, makeup, performances, and stage props, a realistic web of illusion can be weaved for the viewer. I am fascinated by the extent to which a director will become so caught up in his artistic vision that he will virtually ignore many of the formalities of the “process”. Yet during this creative journey, a good director can somehow ensure that all participants clearly grasp the artistic vision, even though the process of bringing it to life can get messy sometimes.

Academic Journey

I spent most of my college years “breaking myself in” (that is, getting to know myself), progressing from a young man who understood nothing of art to a passionate artist-in-bloom. My freshman grades were mediocre - 11th in a small class. This vexed me greatly, of course. I found art to be a strange world indeed, and I sometimes wondered if perhaps I had been admitted to the Shanghai Theatrical Institute by virtue of a clerical error.

In order to teach myself what art is, I performed many jobs including screenwriter, lighting engineer, play director, and stage designer. As I began to work harder and harder my grades shot up, and by the time I was a senior my grades were No. 1 in my class. I also published two theses. One was entitled The Communication Frequency Hypothesis; it dealt with my theory on the effect of surroundings and individual biology on communication responses among groups of people interacting with each other. This is an intellectual interest that I plan to follow up on later in my lifetime. The other thesis was entitled The Relationship between the New Internet Media and the Old Television Media; it explored the implications of the development of new technologies such as P2P and IPTV on the current and future media landscape.

I got a late start academically. Early on I decided to major in Broadcast & Television Hosting, only to find that directing was my greatest interest. Furthermore, I realize that my GPA rise from No. 11 to No. 1 doesn’t add up to the best cumulative GPA in my class. However, I can say with confidence that this number proves that my “GDP”, at lest, is the highest in my class. I like to think of myself as the best stock pick on the market.

Professional Journey

Shortly after entering college I organized and established the “Shanghai Theatrical Institute Space Film Society” and made our first student short film entitled Yangzhi Sells His Sword. To my delighted surprise, this film was one of the few that was selected to represent the Shanghai Theatrical Institute at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

In 2006 I established a studio, and since then most of the films that I direct are independently produced there. Although my studio serves both individuals and companies, in the short time since its establishment I have come to realize that my training in this field is still insufficient – I still lack depth of understanding. Perhaps that is because my film and television skills are all basically self-taught. I filmed a video for a domestic hit song in an MV called “Bund 18” （see http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=QtKGTLqIaFc）, which was broadcast all over China by satellite. After the video became popular, I was interviewed by a TV station and two magazines, and was tagged as “…one of the most promising talents among China’s new generation of directors.” All of this occurred during my junior year at the Shanghai Theatrical Institute.

This year I played “first banana” in an officially sponsored Beijing Olympics CCTV infomercial and walked the CCTV Red Carpet on the day of its premier. But on that proud day, the hearts of actors, directors and commentators alike were filled with mixed emotions because of the tragic earthquake in Sichuan province that occurred during the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and took 80,000 lives. Some of us lost loved ones in that quake, and all of us grieved. I began thinking about how I could make a different kind of contribution. I ended up directing a non-profit MV entitled Hand in Hand – We are Family to express condolences for the victims and to comfort the survivors. I was gratified when it was broadcast for an entire month all over China. This year I also played the leading role in China’s first-ever skateboarding film, for which I served as executive director. Switching between the roles of an impulsive skateboarding youth and a cool-headed executive director was a unique experience for me.

Nevertheless, I don’t like to think in terms of traditional categories such as “career”. After I complete my artistic mission, I intend to retire to the contemplative life to pursue a long-held intellectual interest that could most easily be classified as a form of social psychology. Although I am not sure exactly when that will occur, it will be no earlier than the age of 50.

Why XXX?

I look forward to the opportunity to find a balance between theory and practice at XXX.
Furthermore, XXX has an illustrious history and is constantly reforming and reinventing itself. With a mindset like this, I am fully confident that XXX is capable of training future directors such as me. XX has produced many successful directors, including XXXX. I am a big fan of their works because they are “right up my alley” and in harmony with my thinking. Most importantly, in LA/New York, it is possible to run into just about any kind of person in the general vicinity of the university, including “wierd” directors and interesting moviemakers – the kind of people that can keep me young at heart. It is for all of the foregoing reasons that I decided to apply to XX.