Today we’d like to introduce you to Tsechi Hsu
Hi Tsechi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started by making these fake film trailers using the IMovie templates with my cousins as many did. In middle school I had a short fiction project where the limit was 5-8 pages. I wrote 25. My teacher told me she would only read and grade up to page 8. She ended up reading the whole thing. I had classmates requesting I make more, and it really motivated me and revealed my passion of storytelling. I’m currently working on a short film, a collection of 50 essays, a book series, and screenplays. I do photography for fun on my IPhone. It’s so incredible what you can shoot with them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth? No. Straight? Yes. The moment I toured SCAD Atlanta and began seeing people enjoy my works was the moment I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I struggled with schoolwork more than anything while applying for college and working on personal projects. My hometown was much smaller than Atlanta, much less creatively stimulating. For all the ideas in my mind, there was nothing I saw myself that inspired me. I love seeing tall buildings around me. It makes me feel like there’s important things happening, and I want to be a part of that.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work on films, writing screenplays, essays, and books. I specialize in narrative, creating enjoyable stories that MEAN something.
I’m currently most proud of a project I did for my Film Production 101 class. It was written by a classmate of mine, Carlos Aviles. The film has no dialogue, only a song matching the visual storytelling of a prisoner finally released from prison. We had not had the privilege of viewing the location in full until the shoot, so I didn’t know what I was working with until we got there. As director and camera operator, this was less than optimal. However, my team was fast, efficient, and passionate. With them, I got this film finished in around two hours. Anyone in film can tell you that a two hour shoot is extremely short.
In terms of what sets me apart, it would have to be the manner in which I write. It is extremely important to me that every story, while different, still feels like it’s mine. I always inject pieces of myself, people I know, or my life into the things I create. The more real one can make the tender moments feel, the more grounded the radiant fictional moments can feel.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Storytelling has made living a lot easier for me on the giving and receiving end. I urge everyone to utilize the privilege of our voice, something that should never be taken away. Speak now or forever hold your peace!
““Le vent se lève! . . . il faut tenter de vivre!” – Paul Valéry
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tsechi_the_writer/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tsechi-hsu-541bb631b
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tsechithewriter
Image Credits
Tsechi Hsu
Carlos Aviles
