Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Chen.
Hi Christine, 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’ve always loved film. I just never knew I could make this a full-time career. I grew up in a very stereotypical Asian American immigrant family. By stereotypical, I mean the whole 9 yards — I was good at math and science, I almost went pro with my piano playing, and most importantly, my career was carefully planned to be on the track of a doctor or engineer. To say I ended up as a full-time filmmaker is short of miraculous.
I fell into film. I started making fun school projects as young as elementary school. It was always meant to be a hobby. When I went to undergrad, I took my first real film documentary class and consequently fell in love with it. It was not until I graduated and took a “real job” as an IT business consultant after undergrad (Rice University) in 2008 that I realized that something felt wrong. I knew I wanted to do something different. I looked into law school and while studying to take my LSAT, my prep teacher was coincidentally a filmmaker. It was like some higher power was showing me the way when I didn’t know it was the way yet. He invited me to PA on my first narrative 48-hour film project. From that point on, I was convinced that filmmaking was what I was destined to do.
Quickly afterwards, I started my production company in 2010, Moth to Flame, while simultaneously attending McCombs School of Business to get my MBA. And since then I have been making films. I fell into assistant directing in 2016 and have been doing that full time while I continue to write and direct my films. My dream is to one day direct films full-time. I just wrapped on my feature film, Erzulie, which will be released in 2021.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Most of my struggles as a filmmaker come from challenging the system — a system that has been catered towards white, male filmmakers or the system dictated by the cultural norms of how I was brought up.
It is a constant battle to help my family understand why I choose to be on this filmmaking path. It is a challenge seeing others seemingly get opportunities easily while I have to work much harder to prove my worth. But I think this has just made me a more resilient and unique filmmaker. For that, I am grateful. It is what it is. I just hope that my story will help to inspire other filmmakers in my shoes to continue their journeys fearlessly as well.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a film entrepreneur. I am most proud of my recent feature film, Erzulie (erzuliefilm.com), which will be coming out next year. I am also the co-author of Get Reelisms, a book and brand that seeks to teach industry and non-industry the ins and outs of a film set. I run Moth to Flame, a production company that tells stories for brands and creatives and am also the co-founder of Over N’. Out, a walkie talkie rental company.
I love filmmaking and business.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk is necessary for growth. I am always taking risks and challenging myself to tell bigger and better stories. Getting into this industry is a huge risk. I can easily take a 9-5 job with a big corporation and make a very steady salary, but I chose to do what I love. I did this because I feel strongly that I can make the most impact through the stories I tell and the businesses I create.
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@mothtoflamefilms.com
- Website: christinewchen.com
- Instagram: cchenmtf / getreelisms / mothtoflamefilms
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mothtoflamefilms, http://www.facebook.com/erzuliefilm, http://www.facebook.com/getreelisms
- Twitter: cchenmtf / mothtoflame
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mothtoflamefilms
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/moth-to-flame-austin-2
- Other: http://www.erzuliefilm.com, http://www.getreelisms.com, https://www.onorentals.com/, http://www.mtffilms.com
Image Credits
Mattias Alero Marasigan Adam Duncan Christine Regusa Ursula Rogers
