We were lucky to catch up with Ziva Shi recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ziva, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
Hello, my name is Ziva Shi. I’m a recent graduate from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and currently a stage manager at WLAB, a virtual production studio based in New York. My journey began far from the theater, as a professional equestrian rider in China. The discipline required in equestrianism taught me early on about adapting swiftly to challenging situations—something my coach emphasized would be a cornerstone of handling professional pressures. In athletics, as in life, stress and setbacks are inevitable; they test our resilience both physically and mentally. Initially, my response to failure was fear of repetition, which impeded my progress. However, I learned to channel that fear into preparation, ensuring I approached each challenge over-prepared rather than underprepared. This transformation in mindset wasn’t instantaneous—it evolved from persistent practice and a growing familiarity with both failure and success.
Understanding resilience means recognizing it’s not an innate trait but a learned skill, honed through experiences that teach us to balance our reactions to triumphs and defeats. Today, my athletic training underpins my professional preparedness, equipping me to face any workplace stress with a steady mind. However, I’ve realized that mental readiness is only half the battle; physical wellness is equally crucial.
In our pursuit of success, it’s easy to neglect our physical health. Yet, without adequate rest and nutrition, our problem-solving abilities diminish. This recent revelation has reinforced my commitment to self-care. To manage stress and maintain my well-being, I exercise regularly, hitting the gym thrice a week, and whenever possible, I reconnect with my equestrian roots over the weekend.
In essence, personal recharge is unique to each individual. For me, it’s about honoring the needs of both body and mind, and I believe everyone must find their own equilibrium to thrive in both personal and professional spheres.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As the founder of WLAB in New York, a Virtual Production studio, my colleagues and I are driven by a mission to democratize the filmmaking process. We didn’t start this venture merely to reduce costs for emerging artists—though that’s a crucial element of our work. Our deeper aim is to expand the horizons of virtual production and to offer comprehensive educational opportunities to those who aspire to innovate in filmmaking. Virtual production revolutionizes filmmaking by integrating green-screen technology, visual effects, and motion capture with extended-reality environments. This fusion allows for creating immersive settings in real-time, eliminating the extensive need for post-production work. The experiences we craft are powered by Epic Games’s Unreal Engine and come to life on our expansive LED wall, offering filmmakers a canvas for boundless creativity.
Our collaboration with NYU Tandon at The Yard is a testament to our commitment. It’s there that students and professionals alike can access state-of-the-art virtual production technology, including our motion capture studio. A highlight of our facility is the 30ft x 11ft curved LED wall, boasting a pixel pitch of 2.3mm, which represents the cutting edge of our industry.
We pride ourselves on being more than a service provider; we are educators and pioneers, nurturing the future of virtual production. From small projects to large-scale productions, we make these advanced resources available to a diverse array of creators across New York City.
At WLAB, our goal is to transcend the status quo of commercial production. We are not content with following trends; we aim to set them. By pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and championing innovation, we’re not just anticipating the future of filmmaking—we’re actively shaping it.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
In my professional journey, I have come to hold three core values in the highest regard: belief, trust, and work ethic. These are the principles that I believe truly distinguish a professional in any field.
Belief is the starting point. It’s about having confidence in your choices, your path, your dreams, and your envisioned future. This conviction is what propels us forward, fueling our passion and dedication to our goals. Without belief, our actions lack purpose and direction.
Trust is the cornerstone of any successful partnership or team. It’s about relying on those you work with and also being someone others can depend on. When trust is reciprocal, it creates a powerful synergy that can elevate a project to new heights. It’s not just about trusting others; it’s also about being trustworthy, which leads to my third value.
Work ethic is the tangible expression of belief and trust. It’s about consistently delivering on your promises and upholding a standard of excellence that earns you the respect and reliance of your colleagues and clients. A solid work ethic ensures that you are a pillar of strength within your team, someone who can be counted on to persevere through challenges and maintain the quality of work.
While technical skills and other soft skills are undeniably important and can be learned over time, it’s the capacity to believe in your endeavors, to build trust among your peers, and to be trusted in return, all underpinned by a strong work ethic, that sets one apart. These are the qualities that I not only value and strive to embody but also seek in those I choose to work with.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
During my high school years, I encountered a pivotal experience that profoundly shaped my professional ethos. My mother, entrusting me with considerable responsibility, gave me the chance to manage her equestrian club for a season. Those four months were transformative, not only teaching me about business management but also about life.
Starting with no prior knowledge of managing a business, I embarked on a steep learning curve, culminating in the successful orchestration of a New Year Show for our club members. The skepticism was palpable; few believed a high school student could handle accounting, engage in HR discussions with employees, or craft marketing materials and capture photographs that represented our business effectively. Yet, through determination and adaptability, I embraced each role.
That period was rife with challenges and learning opportunities. I made mistakes—inevitable stepping stones on the path to growth. Each error taught me valuable lessons that I would not have learned in a classroom. The trust my mother placed in me was the catalyst for my development, and I emerged from that season with a foundational understanding of business management.
I am deeply grateful for that experience. It was my first foray into the world of business, one that taught me resilience, resourcefulness, and the importance of hands-on experience. The lessons I learned during those four months have become cornerstones of my approach to any professional challenge I face today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wlab.tech/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wlab.xr?igsh=bGZ4M2phOW1ubnBv&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianyang-shi-b9aa40232?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
