Taige Shi: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker
An Interview With Susan Johnston
Networking Is Just as Important as Talent When I first started, I thought that if I just focused on making great work, opportunities would naturally come. But the truth is, relationships open doors. I once attended a festival where I met a producer just by striking up a conversation. A year later, that casual chat led to a collaboration on a project. Had I not made the effort to connect, that opportunity might never have come my way.
As a part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Taige Shi.
Taige Shi is an award-winning LA-based director who graduated from the UCLA with an MFA degree in directing.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better.Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?
I am a mixture of cultures, an embodiment of constant conflicts, and a fusion of Oriental and Western traditions. As a lone traveler, I have journeyed to different places including Guangzhou, Berlin, Boston, Locarno, and California, endlessly exploring my identity and the world. Born in Guangzhou, a city in southern China, my life has taken a different path from most of my peers. My parents come from two different backgrounds: my father’s family immigrated to Boston in the early 1990s, and my mother hails from a small city near Shanghai. This exposure to different perspectives from a young age has made the arts a perfect fit for me, allowing me to see the world through others’ eyes. I’ve always been at the crossroads of different traditions and viewpoints. This unique upbringing instilled in me a profound appreciation for the arts as a medium through which to understand and connect with diverse perspectives.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
My creative drive began early in life when I worked as a child actor in films. At the age of seven, one of my mother’s friends invited me to act in a movie. For the first time, I witnessed the process of bringing moving images to life on screen, and I was fascinated. Working alongside adults on set and observing their passion for their craft inspired me to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to my own work. I want to connect with my audience and have my voice heard. This experience taught me that creating excellent work requires strong communication on both sides of the camera.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your content creator career?
I have many fun stories from my filmmaking career, but one particularly amusing moment stands out. I was acting in a friend’s project, and during its screening on the big screen, the person sitting next to me didn’t realize I was the actor. They commented on how cool the actor was and how well he had done, which left me both amused and pleasantly surprised.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
Well, one of the key aspects of this business is that you always meet great and interesting people. I attended a screening where I saw Sean Baker. He mentioned that he was going to Cannes the following week, so I congratulated him and wished him luck. To my surprise, he actually won the Palme d’Or the next week. His success is a huge testament to all independent filmmakers out there.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My wife. I met my wife while working on one of my projects, and neither of us knew that we would eventually tie the knot. She has been by my side since day one and continues to support me every step of the way, especially in a mostly freelance career like ours
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Do what you love and never give up. Everyone moves at their own pace, and you shouldn’t rush the process. I used to have strong anxiety because I’m always comparing myself with others, but now I understand you don’t really need to.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I’m working on a body horror project that I hope can develop into a feature.
Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?
The human collaboration aspect. You have the chances to work and collaborate with different talented people.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why.
- Networking Is Just as Important as Talent When I first started, I thought that if I just focused on making great work, opportunities would naturally come. But the truth is, relationships open doors. I once attended a festival where I met a producer just by striking up a conversation. A year later, that casual chat led to a collaboration on a project. Had I not made the effort to connect, that opportunity might never have come my way.
- Rejection Isn’t Personal — It’s Part of the Process Early on, every rejection felt like a direct reflection of my worth as a filmmaker. I submitted a short to a top-tier festival and was crushed when it didn’t get in. Later, I found out that even well-established directors face rejections all the time. That same film ended up in another festival where it got great exposure. Rejection doesn’t mean failure — it just means the right opportunity is still ahead.
- Be Ready to Wear Many Hats Especially in independent filmmaking, you’re not just a director or a producer — you’re also a marketer, fundraiser, and sometimes even a social media manager. When working on 鲤 (Koi), I had to step into the role of producer, handling logistics, outreach, and festival submissions. At the time, I wished I had been more prepared for these responsibilities, but they ultimately made me a more well-rounded filmmaker.
- Your First Project Won’t Be Perfect — And That’s Okay I spent way too much time trying to make my first project flawless. The truth is, every filmmaker looks back at their early work and cringes a little. But the key is to finish and learn. My first short had technical flaws, but it also got me my next opportunity. Progress is more important than perfection.
- Financial Sustainability in Filmmaking Is a Long Game Nobody told me how tough it would be to balance creative passion with financial stability. Filmmaking, especially indie filmmaking, often means juggling freelance gigs or side jobs. At one point, I was working multiple jobs while developing my projects. Over time, I learned that building a career in film is a marathon, not a sprint, and having financial strategies (grants, side hustles, etc.) is crucial.
When you create a film, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example about what you mean?
I think you need to find the right balance. It’s important to stay true to your vision, but you also have to consider the audience’s experience. In my previous film, Reconnect, I focused too much on my own vision rather than the story itself, which ended up slowing down the pacing. As a result, the final product felt a bit disappointing.
You are a person of great influence. If you could spread an idea that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can prompt. :-)
Have empathy to others.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? They might see this. :-)
Honestly, I don’t know. There are so many inspiring people in film, business, and beyond that it’s hard to pick just one. I think the best conversations often happen unexpectedly, so I’d be open to sitting down with anyone who’s passionate about storytelling and creating meaningful work.
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@0826tiger
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About The Interviewer: Susan Johnston is a Media Futurist, Columnist as well as Founder and Director at New Media Film Festival®. The New Media Film Festival® — honoring stories worth telling since 2009, is an Award-winning, inclusive, and boundary-pushing catalyst for storytelling and technology. Susan was knighted in Rome in 2017 for her work in Arts & Humanity.
