Award-Winning Film Producer Yuqin Hong Gets Ready for his Close-Up
“We producers are storytellers, too. Because we are often the first to identify a good story, we need a keen insight to discover the potential of a story. Then, we producers are responsible for securing funding, which will definitely influence the scale and scope of the storytelling. Furthermore, producers need to work closely with the director, writer, cast and key crews. And, our choice, feedback and knowing how to secure unique voices and creative visions can also significantly impact the storytelling style and the aesthetic quality of a film.” — award-winning producer Yuqin Hong
When asked why producers are often the ones to accept the Best Picture awards at prominent film festivals and awards ceremonies, impassioned filmmaker Yuqin Hong acknowledges the responsibility a producer has to shoulder. Already the producer of Red Man, which won the LA Shorts International Film Festival Best Experimental short film award in 2023, Yuqin says, “The producer is the driving force behind a film’s creation and completion, and has final responsibility for all business and creative aspects of the production of a film.”
Formerly based in Beijing but now set up in Los Angeles, Yuqin has an MFA producing degree from the American Film Institute and also a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film & TV Cultural Industry Management from the Beijing Film Academy. Since then, and along the way, Yuqin’s producing efforts have earned various honors and awards, including: his comedy-horror Aro’s World earning a Chicago Horror Film Festival Award in 2024; his dark comedy Red Man, also earning Best Experimental Short at the Independent Shorts Awards in 2023; and, the miniseries he’s produced have already earned millions of views online — My Hockey Alpha has 1.5m plus views on app/platform DramaBox and GoodShort, and Mating of The Twilight Goddess has 218k plus views on DomiReels.
“I think I’m not so much a fan of science fiction as I am a huge fan of ‘cinema’ that creates worlds, that creates an entire alternate universe that you could escape into for a couple of hours.” — Oscar-winning director/producer of Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan
Admitting to being an enthusiastic fan of both films and director/producer Christopher Nolan, Yuqin talks about his own strengths as a producer: “Like Nolan, I love movies and alternate universes. I think my biggest strength as a creative producer is I still see myself as a big film fan first, which makes me always put 100 percent purest passion into the projects I’m working on. In turn, this is what helps attract other talented people to work together. Besides, I have a strong desire to explore story/content in various genres, themes and formats, as long as the story and intent of the narrative is valuable. Every challenge is a rich experience. This passion drives me to delve into diverse storytelling, always striving to uncover unique perspectives and convey meaningful messages.”
Indeed, Yuqin is inspired by diverse subject matter, just like Nolan, who has produced various genres, including biopic, sci-fi, drama, war movies, and cop thrillers to big budget superhero movies. Yuqin further explains his strength as a producer, as being tied into his fandom: “Nolan’s sci-fi thriller Inception is the one ignited my cinematic dream. It was brutal and mind-blowing. It showed me how infinite the space of cinema can be. I was a very traditional Chinese high school student the year Inception came out. Our school life was dull, I knew it, everyone knew it, but we all had to study hard for a better future. But Nolan’s films showed me another path that could be more colorful and meaningful.”
In fact, Yuqin is evolving his understanding of the role of the modern-day producer, suggesting, “Today, producers must be creative, versatile and adapt to constant changes. It’s a hands-on, immersive role that’s responsible for realizing a media project from concept to completion.”
As an example, is his involvement in the award-winning short movie, Red Man, which ranged from script development to actually performing a minor role in the film. He explains his dedication to the craft of producing: “Red Man is an experimental comedy, aiming to capture the absurdity of real life and the awkward barriers encountered by Chinese traditional culture when landing abroad. I was involved in every aspect through development to principal photography. The biggest challenge we met was we didn’t have much time to rehearse with the cast and the film is done in one long-shot. So, we had key production meetings with the team, especially with our cinematographer, who suggested to make the camera function as a mirror. This simplified the blocking, so we decided to cut out some crazy movements and add more ‘quiet’ interaction plots between cast and the ‘mirror-camera,’ which did enhance the delivery of emotion.”
Yuqin admits that his “multi-tasking abilities have significantly improved through the projects” he’s worked on, including earning his first IMDb actor credit for playing the theatre boss in Red Man.
That growing multi-tasking ability was put to the test on Aro’s World, a psychological horror story about Adi, a grieving preteen boy who befriends sock puppet Aro, who magically works from his hand, while his elder brother Marcus takes on the role of caregiver when Adi loses his father. Yuqin tells the story: “It was a 5-day shoot in LA. I joined the project from the beginning, and we spent over 8 weeks, with 10 drafts until we locked the shooting script. Then I oversaw every single step, from casting, fundraising, finding locations, finalizing the budget and shooting schedule, and principal photography, all the way throughout post production until the film was delivered. We used every approach to raise funds, including grants, crowdfunding, reaching out to children’s mental health labs and psychologists.
An additional challenge, that was overcome, actually turned into something very positive — it dealt with casting and using child talent as actors. He recalls, “Our leading child actor, Kaya, was only 9. And according to the ‘entertainment’ law for minors, he could only work 5 hours on school days — even though it was a 12-hour a day shoot. I even suggested to cast twins before we met Kaya so we could double the minor working hours. But our director insisted on locking with Kaya, and we were all glad we made this decision, because the kid was incredible — and, as a first-time actor, he won the Best Young Performer at the Chicago Horror Film Festival 2024. And, as a result of the hard work, we got into AFI Fest, LA Shorts International Festival, Richmond international film festival and it’s still on the film festival run.”
Another film, Pap Smear, a 35-mm comedy that Yuqin produced, pushed the boundaries of gender politics, and he says, “The film incorporated discussions on gender expression and queer identity in the modern era. The eerie but funny uterus monster externalized the protagonist’s deep anxiousness and fear as a butch. From hostility to reconciliation, the film reflects the creator’s journey of self-identity. This is why I say I love taking challenges on different genres and contents. They are all the process of me getting to know this world better and enriching my thinking and cognition.”
While producing in the genres of horror and comedy, Yuqin offers a list of “do’s and don’ts,” suggesting, “In the horror genre, do dive into characters, finding the authentic fear deep inside of them — the more real a character’s fear is, the closer the audience can identify with; do identify a trope within the horror genre and search a way to subvert expectations; and, don’t pile up scary elements too much, finding the right pace/rhythm. Then, in the comedy genre, do find that serious emotional core to the story; do manage to be weird and crazy, while still being smart and relevant; and, don’t make scenes only there to set up a slapstick joke.
As for what’s upcoming, producer Yuqin Hong has a number of projects in the pipeline, including: a psychological thriller short film, focusing on a toxic (love) relationship, and which is currently in the final stage of post-production; the completion of principal photography of a poetic sci-fi mockumentary short film, shot on “Super 8” camera, and which is about the last moments of a man who’s been stuck in his past time; and, Yuqin has another two TV miniseries in pre-production.
The new advent of “vertical dramas” are of interest to him, as he concludes: “This rising ultrashort drama, unlike traditional TV shows, offers vertical, smartphone-optimized episodes lasting only 1 to 1.5 minutes each, with a production cycle way shorter than a show or feature. I work closely with the in-house producer, and my main objective as a co-producer is to ensure that the film is completed on time, within budget, and meets the creative vision of the clients. I’m responsible for creating and managing the production schedule, coordinating logistics, and ensuring that all departments are working together smoothly.”
So, here’s to the producers who expertly handle all the behind-the-scenes tasks that make us eager to go to see movies and TV shows.
Check out producer Yuqin Hong’s film clips on Vimeo, and drop in on his pages on IMDb and Instagram.
