Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mel Sangyi Zhao. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Mel Sangyi , thank you so much for joining us today. There are so many topics we could discuss, but perhaps one of the most relevant is empathy because it’s at the core of great leadership and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your empathy?
One of the reasons I really love being a filmmaker is that it makes me the best version of human being that I can be.
First of all, to be a better writer, I have to learn to truly observe people. I have to learn to see them as they are, not as what I want to or don’t want to see them to be. In other words, learning to keep my own projections and filters aside to truly see others was something really necessary to become a better writer. And slowly I realize that also makes me a more empathetic person.
Moreover, when I was a student or right out of school, I did a lot of different kinds of un-glorious jobs on sets. Mostly small productions with not much money. Those experiences truly let me understand the team-work nature of filmmaking. I was a PA that nobody cared about, that did really hard job and still get yelled at for no fault of my own. So when I direct my projects, I truly try to create a better human experience for everyone involved. It is not only the result that matters. We have to make sure the process is also worthwhile. I do think, having being through different work in film made me a better leader on set: I am better at picking the right people to work with. And once I have chosen them, I want to make sure it is a lovely journey for us. Honestly, it also help me to stay grounded and not worry about the distracting anxiety about so called success: who knows what the film will really end up being like, but as long as it is a beautiful and meaning experience for all involved then it is already a success.
At last but not least, being a college professor also changed perspective for me quite a bit. I am still a very young professor and was a student until not too long ago. And I went to a famous art school in California. Where I work the student body is a very different demographic. And seeing how hard some of my students work, and how hungry they are for opportunities really made me look at my own journey in a different light.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I love filmmaking because of its possibility of expansiveness. Some of it I already talked about in the previous parts.
In this AI age, I especially love how filmmaking can keep me grounded and connected to the texture of my life. I acknowledge that AI will shift parts of the industry quicker than people can be prepared for it, so in the process, a lot of people will deal with difficult transitions. The chase of efficiency has gotten us really far, but it has also alienated a lot of us. However, the type of cinema I really love and admire, are filled with textures and digressions that are not necessary to the plot, they are not efficient, nor are they goal-oriented.
I guess that is also the cinema that I strive to make. An experience that will wash over the viewer that is hard to be summarized in a flattening “take-away”. I suppose some of it come from my mom. She always has a lot of digressions when she tells a story. And I suppose it already starts to show in my last short film, shot with my mom, was my first film that got out into the world and screened in quite a few different countries (it took me to Africa for the first time in my life!), people have said that the film feel like a slice of life, or that it feels like it ends where the story is supposed to begin. And yes, some of them told me this as a critic. While leaning into the perceived “flaws” which I believes are just styles in formation, I am also learning to understand how does a story work, how does an audience expectation work and where do I meet them. And this year, with the Arts KC grant and my previous film’s award money, I was able to make my first project, not as a student. And I am in the process of editing it. The frustration and reward of this process is all part of me trying to grow and find my path.
In the meantime, I started to write my feature film with a non-screen play format just to see where my ideas take me. The film is about Argentinian Tango. Yes, other than being a filmmaker and professor, I am a Tango devotee.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Intuitive – These days I feel I am more in tune with my intuition. I can hear it better. When I was younger, if I go against my intuition it would feel bad, if I followed my intuition and make a seemingly wrong choice in the eyes of others, it also felt bad. But then slowly, as I learned about myself, I understood that the first kind of feeling bad feels like regret and betray, where as the second kind of feeling bad is just the fear about the unknown. So, like I told a student one day, learn why you are saying yes or no to projects and things, the reasoning behind them are the wring of who you are as a person.
Persistence – But not at the cost of your health. I am talking about more of a softer persistence. Knowing that today you can rest because tomorrow you will continue.
Expansiveness – I am still trying to cultivate this. When I got into college, all my life is about film and self-expression. Slowly I realize that this is secular and honestly boring. Because we exist in relation to others, to our culture and to history. I am trying to read more and watch more different type of films. I am trying…
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
Trust. They weren’t perfect parents. But they supported me in what I want to do with no strings or judgement attached.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Zach Frazier for the poster
Tayler Gilbert for my headshot (https://www.taylergilbert.com)
The BTS photos are from Rachel Baker (RW Photography: https://www.rwphotography.online)
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
