Meet Vince Li

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Vince Li. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Vince below.

Vince, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I came to the U.S. from China for college when I was 18. My first stop was Syracuse, a snowy, isolated world in upstate New York. Initially, I didn’t have a clear vision of how my future would unfold. My first year was a pre-college program, and I didn’t do much besides improving my English. I found myself indulging in a lack of direction and confusion.

One day, while driving around aimlessly, my friend Luke, who was in the passenger seat, rolled down the window and filmed random footage with his iPhone. I was confused because there didn’t seem to be anything worth filming. Yet, he continued to do this day after day. One day, back in the dorm, he showed me “the film” he had been making. It was impressive; the seemingly meaningless footage from our daily drives, when put together, was poetic. It gave me a new perspective on my daily life and surroundings. This moving image brought me unique experiences I had never had before. At that moment, an idea sparked in my mind: This is what I want to do.

Through friends’ introductions, I met a girl in the film program named K, and she became my Director of Photography (DP). I took on the roles of screenwriter, director, and somewhat of a producer. Luke became the editor and helped as co-producer. We used natural light, and our shooting locations were just around the campus. I shamelessly asked my classmates and even my teachers to be actors in my film. Many were shy and stressed; sometimes, they would look directly into the camera. However, I eventually finished the film, and in the final hours before the deadline, I submitted my application to the Syracuse University Film program. A week later, I received a confirmation from the chair, and that’s how I began my studies in film.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a filmmaker, and making films is my way of dealing with the world. My current focus is on realistic stories that explore the relationships and connections between people. I examine whether they get along or not, how they hide or repress their real emotions, and how they eventually let their emotions out. What excites me most is the ability to bring my perspective and thoughts to the audience, showing them things they may have never realized. Moving images are an emotional medium, allowing the audience to empathize with my films and experience unique perspectives. This is the best part of filmmaking for me.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Persistence, collaborations. belief.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

Take a deep breathe. Ask yourself: What’s your initial goal and perspective on this project or journey? And comfort yourself that everything gonna be all right. Next, you gonna tell yourself, that we have to forget the negative emotions and solve the problems. We might not be at the best timing or best situations, but we gonna work with what we have and tried the best to solve or at least engage to fix the issues.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vince_li7

Image Credits

These are my personal photos and the stills of my film.