Jiayang Liu shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Jiayang, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Would YOU hire you? Why or why not?
Yes, absolutely. I joke about wanting to clone myself all the time, but it’s true. I’d hire me in a heartbeat. I’d want someone on my team who is constantly pushing themselves, learning, and building. Someone who doesn’t wait for permission, who creates opportunities instead of waiting for them. Someone who approaches every project, whether it’s a film, a business idea, or a community initiative, with a full heart and commitment. I’d hire me because I care deeply about the people I collaborate with. I want to uplift others. If I had a version of myself on my own team, I know we’d move fast and build something meaningful together.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a film producer and director who is currently building LUMIEREY. Lumierey is not just a media company, but a belief that everything in this world carries a story worth telling. We are building a creative sanctuary, part production studio, part film academy, part shaping the future of storytelling.
Lumierey believes the future of stories belong to the voices bold enough to be real. Those stories will be the light that guides us, revealing who we are, who we could become, and what connects us as human beings. We believe the future of advertising isn’t about selling, it’s about storytelling. We believe the future of storytellers is built in community. Within in a creative, open, permission-less sanctuary where we can grow together.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a filmmaker, long before I even had the language or the tools for it. Before the world offered their opinions, I was already creating stories in my mind, turning moments into scenes and emotions into characters. That instinct came naturally, like a compass pointing toward the place I belonged.
As I grew up, the world had plenty to say about what was practical or realistic, but even when I listened, that inner storyteller never went away. Over the last ten years, my craft has evolved, new styles, new mediums, new ambitions, but the core has never changed. At the center of everything I do is the same impulse I had as a kid: to make meaning out of life through stories.
I was a filmmaker before the world shaped me, and I’m a filmmaker after. The difference now is that I understand it not just as a passion, but as the truest expression of who I am.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Everything will work out, truly. Trust yourself more than you trust the noise around you. Stop worrying about what other people think or say; most of the time, they’re just as unsure as you are. Lean into the things that make you feel alive. Push to make the most of this life, even when it feels uncertain. Be bold, be wild, and fill your days with memories you’ll be grateful for decades from now.
And please, go to sleep earlier. You don’t need to stress your way into the person you’re becoming. You’re already on the right path. Just keep going, keep dreaming, and keep choosing the experiences that make your heart beat a little faster.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
I believe there is far more to existence than what we’re currently capable of experiencing. Beyond our daily routines, beyond what our senses can register, there’s an entire universe of meaning, emotion, and possibility we haven’t even begun to comprehend. I don’t just mean galaxies and planets, I mean the unseen forces that shape us: intuition, memory, connection, imagination.
That belief fuels my work as a filmmaker. Every story I tell is an attempt to explore that hidden space between reality and wonder. I’m drawn to the emotional and the intangible, the things you can’t quite explain but feel deeply. I think storytelling gives us a glimpse into those invisible realms, helping us understand our inner worlds and each other just a little better.
So even though I can’t prove it, I’m certain that life is bigger, stranger, and more beautiful than we realize. And through my films, I’m constantly trying to reveal just a fragment of that unseen universe.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Yes, 100%. I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I was constantly inventing worlds, drawing characters, and turning everyday moments into little movies in my head. 21 years later, nothing has changed, except the tools. Whether it’s through documentaries, commercials, or narrative films, I’m still doing the same thing I’ve always done: telling stories that move people.
For me, filmmaking isn’t a career I stumbled into; it’s the thing that’s been pulling me forward my entire life. Every project I make is rooted in emotion, humanity, and the belief that stories can change people. That passion is what drives my work today as a director, bringing intimate, honest, and visually poetic narratives to life. I’m not here because someone told me to choose this path. I’m here because I wouldn’t know how to live without it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jiayangliu.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jiayangliu_/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/m/in/jiayang-liu/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jiayangliu
Image Credits
Nansen Wang, Ian Chen
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
