Dora(SIYI) Wu's Story
When I was just a kid, a seed of being a storyteller was planted and cultivated deep down in my heart. I still remember that the most exciting activity in my childhood was to watch biography documentaries with my parents. Although I did not understand how the vivid pictures were produced, I knew clearly that I wanted to capture the delicate feelings among people into a film to share it with others. As I grew up, I found out that being a documentarian was what I always wanted. I realized that, to pursue this dream, I need to take on the initiative to continuously develop both my practical filming skills as well as myself as a person.
In 2012, I finished my first documentary in Cambodia. When I arrived in Siem Reap, I was shocked to find out how most children there were born to sell souvenirs rather than to go to school. A vicious cycle was formed where the less education the children have, the poorer they become. I felt the urge to help them. “Khmer Khmer” is the documentary about Cambodia’s education system. We launched a marketing campaign together with the documentary back in China and donated the funds raised to the kids casted in the film. What made me happier was that my documentary caught the attention of a Chinese NGO who ended up inviting tenders to build schools for the Cambodian kids in the film. This experience triggered my interests in filmmaking and reassured my determination to make a difference as a documentarian.
My undergraduate academic studies equipped me with practical filmmaking skills as well as familiarized me with softwares used in post-production. Since storytelling requires a wide range of knowledge, I studied related Arts, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology. In 2013, as one of the top students in the School of Art, I was chosen to participate in an prestigious exchange program with Universitat Autonoma De Barcelona in Spain for one year. During my time in Europe, I traveled to 22 countries and completed several film projects, developed more understanding for the European culture . I soon felt diverse culture’s charm and realized how essetial it is for a storyteller to have that expanded knowledge and experience if she wants her stories to reach an international crowd. Thus, I decided to come to the U.S. to further pursue my film education.
Currently, I work as an experienced creative producer and editor in the field of commercial, TV and documentary with production experience under high pressure environments (Worked internationally - in Europe, Cambodia, Panama and now in the U.S.). I currently oversee daily operations and content production at China TV Corporation, an L.A. based bilingual production company. I also co-edited Wuhan! Wuhan!(anticipated release in 2021), a feature documentary that follows the daily life of citizens of Wuhan during the COVID-19 lockdown. I used both sides of my brain to stay on top of editorial choises while problem solving complex logistical and budgetary challenges. Whether it be a biotech company in Silicon Valley, the wine country in California, the acupuncturist in American hospitals, or gangsters in Panama, I am committed to telling unique heartfelt stories that inform, inspire and propel social change and culture awakening.