I was at my DOP’s wedding a few months back. Reunited with many friends in the industry. They were joking — half serious — that they might have to sell street food in the near future because of AI. That laughter carried the weight of fear. Film director + DOP + Ex-Producer And this morning, while I was doing my routine and checking the daily news, THIS struck me hard. https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/chinese-actor-xu-peng-sells-vegetables-ai-585441 A wel

I keep learning new tech, so I don’t feel like I’m falling too far behind. But every learning cuts deeper. Filmmaking shrinks into feeds of algorithmic content, churned out for speed, not meaning. Directors become operators, not storytellers. Productivity rises, but pay falls. Workloads grow heavier, yet the craft grows hollow. The stories themselves collapse. Built to hook, not to move. To condition, not to inspire. Audiences are trained into passive consumption, while film

A few Instagram posts caught my attention. They spoke of films, of crews, of the unseen weight behind the images. They argued that pay should be equal, since everyone spends their time. Over twenty years, I learned this: PAY SHOULD BE FAIR. Fairness is not about flattening pay into identical sums. Time matters, yes — but responsibility defines weight. A lead actor carries more than an extra. A DOP shoulders more than an AC. The director carries the greatest creative responsib

Learning to be vulnerable is hard. But it is the only way for artists to communicate. Recently, I connected with a few actors and actresses online. They told me they heard good things about me from our common friends. That makes me very happy — it proves my style is working. Today, I want to share something I recently became aware of. I often hear directors ask their actors to "be truthful". But real human beings are not always truthful. We lie. We conceal. We manipulate. We

In a week, I’m off to Cannes, bringing a few projects — each story with its own pulse, its own fire. FEATURE - DRAMA FEATURE - THRILLER FEATURE - THRILLER FEATURE - THRILLER I hate to admit it, but I’m an introvert to my core. Places like @marchedufilm make me nervous. The crowds, the noise, the endless faces — overwhelming. Still, I go not for the spotlight, but for resonance — trusting the universe to meet creators on the same frequency. Will I see you there! Follow My Jour

This morning, I had a healthy conversation with a professional actress on IG. She asked for my advice on one of her roles. I told her I couldn’t tell her what to do, but as a writer‑director, I shared my own thoughts through my experiences after seeing her reels. She reminded me of myself years ago. Her question pulled me back into my own path, the mistakes I made, and the lessons I had to learn the hard way. Before I ever stepped on my first set, I had spent months watching

I was drifting online when my eyes froze. On March 5, Film Threat published a review of Melodies of the Abyss. For full review: https://filmthreat.com/reviews/melodies-of-the-abyss-short-thriller-2026-review/ As director, that moment struck me deeply. Film Threat has long been a pillar of independent cinema, championing works that defy convention. To see my film reflected there — and recognized with an 8.5/10 — is a moment of affirmation. Melodies of the Abyss was never conce

My love has always been Hip Hop, R&B — grunge was never part of my world. Yet Kurt Cobain kept appearing in my life, as if by destiny. For more than three years, he kept surfacing in my YouTube feed until I felt compelled to research his story. From that journey, Melodies of the Abyss was born. This film is not a documentary. It is fiction, blended with fact and imagination. At its core lies the concept of redemption, executed through regret and envy. Kurt’s death was the spa

A few friends have already asked me if I’m going to the Cannes Film Festival. I don’t often admit it, but I’m an introvert. That’s why I didn’t go before — even when my ex‑producer Judy (rest in peace) urged me to. Her voice still lingers, reminding me that sometimes you have to step into the crowd to let your work breathe. For too long, I leaned on others. I was spoiled by their guidance, their presence. This year, I chose to stand alone. I completed my Marché du Film regi

Grateful to Indie Shorts Mag for opening the door — not just to coverage, but to conversation. In conversation, I spoke of leaving the dictatorship of advertising: a gold mine without a soul. Precision without poetry. Rigor without resonance. To walk away was not rebellion, but release. I spoke of learning to surrender. Because only through surrender can vulnerability in cinema be found. To let go of control is to let the abyss speak back — to allow silence, fragility, and un

Today I finally sat down to watch Luc Besson’s Dracula: A Love Tale. I walked in with a lot of curiosity. We’ve seen the Count reimagined a thousand times, but from the opening frames, I found myself pulled in by the texture of it. The cinematography is genuinely stunning—there’s a richness to the 35mm film that makes the whole thing feel like a dark, moving painting. It’s lavish and moody, with a painterly quality that reminded me of the Flemish masters. But the real surpris

As the writer‑director of Melodies of the Abyss, I was honored with the Best Director Award at the Paris International Short Festival and the Vienna Indie Short Film Festival. Awards are not the destination, but they mark a pause — a moment when the journey reflects back at you. Directing is often described as control — the orchestration of light, sound, and performance. Too often, control is mistaken for dictation. In truth, directing is leadership: guiding with a clear visi

A post caught my eye recently: “Making actors cry on set is one of the hardest things I usually face as a director.” Yeah, it’s tough. And honestly—it should be. You’re asking someone to open a wound. Sometimes, they didn’t even know it was there. That’s where acting techniques come in—and why I believe every director should spend time in acting classes, learning to speak in an actor’s language. Like I always mentioned, there’s no single formula. I can only speak from experie

The other day, my friend asked me a deceptively simple question: “How do you find your style?” I paused. Not because I didn’t have an answer, but because the question deserved reflection. Style isn’t something you declare—it’s something you discover, often in hindsight. Then he followed up: “Would you say your style is more David Lynch or Christopher Nolan?” I smiled. I’ve always admired Nolan’s work—his philosophical layering, nonlinear structures, and obsession with time an

I don’t want to discourage AI content creators—it’s simply not my cup of tea. But I’m sharing the following to express my existential alarm toward AI. While many are celebrating AI’s rise, I urge you to pause and consider this: AI absolutely has the potential to do incredible good for society—but only if it’s used responsibly. And as long as the world is driven by greed, humanity is on a dangerous path. Corporations won’t care about you. They care about maximizing profit. And

I was ready to book my ticket to London to attend my x-boss Rankin’s exhibition and celebrate his birthday. But by the time my ETA gets approved, the party will have already passed. Disappointing? Yes. But moments like this remind me why Rankin’s work continues to inspire, even from a distance. For many young creatives, Rankin is more than just a photographer—he’s a cultural force. His lens has captured icons like Queen Elizabeth II, David Bowie, and Kate Moss, revealing char

I once heard someone say, "The older you grow, the wiser you will be." But with time, I’ve come to believe it’s more accurate to say, "The older you grow, the wiser you should be." Wisdom comes through experience, yet it often clashes with the youthful desire to forge their own paths. While it may feel like unwelcome advice, shared thoughtfully, wisdom becomes a powerful guide. In one of our film communities, someone shared this thought: "Jumping at several small opportunitie

I recently watched Writing Doom, a short film by Suzy Shepherd. This award-winning film explores the dangers of artificial superintelligence (ASI) and won the Grand Prize at the Future of Life Institute's Superintelligence Imagined Contest. Writing Doom avoids typical Hollywood AI clichés and focuses on the risks of ASI pursuing its goals. This approach makes the film thought-provoking and unsettling. The film shows how ASI, even without malice, can pose significant dangers

I’m thrilled to share that I received my Australia 408 Entertainment Working Visa yesterday! This milestone marks a turning point: Melodies of the Abyss is officially set in motion. With this visa in hand, I can now work on-site in Australia—immersing myself fully in the creative process and collaborating closely with our talented team. The potential of this project is immense, and I can’t wait to see how it evolves through our collective efforts. I’m ready to bring every oun

I spent my weekend engrossed in the film "Anora." If you were to ask me whether I see it as an Oscar contender for Best Picture, Cinematography, Editing, or Writing, I would say I'm not entirely sure about the Editing or Writing. However, I absolutely loved every second of its visual artistry. As I watched, I couldn't help but think, "This is exactly the vision I had for my upcoming project." It's fascinating how a piece of art can resonate so deeply with your own creative as