I was always busy, I was always doing.
I was working, producing, creating, playing.
I was constantly thinking, learning, growing, living.
And in the blink of an eye, four years passed.
Before I knew it, it was all over.
And my life as a student came to an end.
I packed my bags and moved back home, jobless, hopeless.
Even with the comfort of the house I grew up in,
even after the best four years of my life, I had never felt so lost.
I came to China to make a short documentary about film majors
who were also facing graduation.
My final task as a Boston University student.
I flew to the opposite side of the world and landed in Beijing
without knowing any Chinese beyond Ni Hao.
My only learning materials were my camera and an open mind.
Over the course of two weeks, I ventured all around Beijing,
exploring the halls and classrooms of its finest and most prestigious film schools.
I talked to directors, producers, screenwriters, actors, cartoonists, photographers, and more.
All students who, just like me, are nearing the end of their institutional education
and are about to enter the real world, whatever that is.
How are they feeling?
I was afraid or confused, but on the other hand, I wanted to try.
How much can I do?
I think...
I'm a little worried and nervous about my new job.
The first thing I thought about was Tante.
I'm curious.
I don't think I can get a job when I graduate.
I'm a little worried about my employment,
because after all, my performance is still quite intense.
I also want to know if I can stand the pressure given by society.
Because the competition is very intense,
and the pressure is also very high.
I want to have a good attitude to accept this pressure and accept challenges.
I still have to work hard for this.
I hope so.
I think what makes me worried the most is
the fact that my work is not accepted by others
or that it's my point of view.
Others think I'm suspicious and confused.
I think this is my biggest worry.
Because if I make this film,
I first have to show my position and my point of view.
But it's hard to realize the value of this film
when it's not accepted by others or in a bad environment.
My parents are getting older and older.
Sometimes I feel I must hold a burden
to share some work and not share to make money.
My father abused me,
because I want to choose this way.
Many directors are their friends.
Just a little director is for them.
So they just push to be a hard job for girls,
for women, for females.
As a girl,
compared to boys,
there are a lot of things to do at work.
For example, you have to grow up and have children.
You have to take care of your family.
You may spend very little time
or you won't spend so much time at work.
But I don't think this will affect my work
or my career.
As a girl in this field,
I think it's still a good thing.
Because there are some things that boys can't see.
For example, girls are more gentle,
more gentle, more polite,
and less impulsive, more playful.
After all, girls have a lot of inconveniences
for boys.
And now,
there are some things to do at work.
But I don't think everyone is the same.
I think,
if you work hard,
I'm sure you will succeed.
Wandering around campus at one of Beijing's best homeschools,
I met this guy.
Tell you the truth.
Being a director of Beijing Film Academy
is hopeless, I think.
And we will take how to shoot the short film,
but it's not how I can make money.
I think the college life is sometimes unrealistic.
I think the school is more like the Shanghai Tower.
There are a lot of beautiful things in it.
But the reality is still cruel.
After the college, I spent my time
to make the low budget film.
And for me, maybe this is the last chance
in the school for years I can make money, make film.
But when I get stuck in the society,
the movie industry,
maybe I don't have a chance.
So I have no idea.
Maybe I need to face the real reality in the future.
When I was in the Film Academy,
I learned a lot of skills from the teacher,
from the classmates, like writing or drawing,
or do some editing, or even do some special effects.
But I want to examine the ability of mine
in the real industry.
If I can do something that other people
are satisfied with,
and other people will give me feedback,
that's what I think is the most important.
I think I would prefer to look for something
that makes me happy.
Because it's commercialized,
but I won't sacrifice my own opinion
or my own thoughts to make it public.
I still want to express something that belongs to me.
And I can't care about
whether people like it or not.
I think the other important aspect
is like a spiritual,
to think that the life is like a road,
we have to keep on it.
And that's the culture's strength.
The culture, like normal, like music,
like the other things,
will support us in this hard world
to continue, to insist.
Also rock music.
