Today we’d like to introduce you to Zihao Wang.
Hi Zihao, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
You can also call me David. I am originally from Tsingtao, China. In 2018, I came to Atlanta to keep pursuing my filmmaking education at SCAD ATL. I tried to explore myself to see what I am capable of in the filmmaking area, and I found out I am pretty good at cinematography.
I graduated from SCAD last year. I’ve been doing freelance gigs for nearly four years, until this year I found a long-term consistent job in Houston, TX, working as a video specialist.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s a long and struggle way. In the beginning, when I arrived in the US, the language is a huge barrier. I’m a pretty shy person, but I forced myself to read, listen, and speak more English. Even today, language is still a challenge to me, sometimes on set, people told me a joke but I can’t get it, which makes both of us awkward.
And also, it’s hard to let people trust you to be their Cinematographer at the beginning. What I did is take advantage of every practice change. I’ve seen many student afraid of making mistakes, so they beg some other person to be their cinematographers. After I done about three projects, people start to give me the chance to DP their projects.
Don’t afraid making mistakes or being mocked, just take every chance to do your best and then might become the best.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Right now, I’m the Video Specialist, working I Jtech Digital Inc, taking charge of products video, company promotional videos, and video marketing.
I think I am known for my cinematography skill and my working style. I believe “getting it done on time” is much more important than “getting it done perfectly.” When I take on a project, the first thing I always do is to take off those unnecessary fancy stuff and help them control the budget.
What set me apart from others? I think it’s comparing with others, I can do a good job with all kinds of limitations. I nearly never say I need to have this to get my job done, instead, I say what we have now, or what we could have now. After all, filmmaking is not just about cinematography and lighting, there are so many other departments that also need a budget.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I’ll say Stay Humble and be brave, don’t afraid of making mistakes.
Pricing:
- $750/day(12hrs)
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wzhpiero21/
- Other: https://vimeo.com/zihaowang
Image Credits:
Shao Yun
