Emily Ting is an award-winning author, director, and producer. Her first characteristic, “Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong,” starring actual life couple Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg, premiered at Los Angeles Movie Pageant and was distributed theatrically by Gravitas Ventures in 2016. Her second characteristic, “Go Again to China,” starring Anna Akana, Richard Ng, and Kelly Hu, premiered in competitors on the 2019 SXSW Pageant and was launched theatrically in March 2020, per week earlier than lockdown. Her producing credit embrace Lynn Chen’s “I Will Make You Mine” and Ishai Setton’s “The Kitchen.”
W&H: Describe the movie for us in your individual phrases.
ET: After her inspiring speech on the homecoming dance on the finish of the primary “Tall Lady,” Jodi (Ava Michelle) is not simply the “tall woman” — she’s standard, assured, has a boyfriend, and simply booked the lead function on this yr’s faculty musical. However because the strain of her newfound reputation intensifies, so do her insecurities. The bully this time just isn’t the imply woman, however herself, as Jodi grapples with a destructive internal voice that tries to interrupt her down.
“Tall Lady 2” is about how Jodi learns to beat her self-doubt to be able to obtain her desires.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
ET: Regardless that I adored the primary “Tall Lady,” I discovered the sequel to be much more emotionally resonant. Whereas not everybody can relate to being tall, everybody can relate to having self-doubt and insecurity. We’ve got all heard these destructive internal voices that inform us that we’re not adequate. It’s a common challenge that everybody offers with, myself included.
As somebody who was directing her first studio movie, I discovered myself referring to Jodi’s journey within the movie much more. And similar to Jodi, I needed to quiet that destructive internal voice and be taught to belief in my skills and settle for that I’m deserving of this unimaginable alternative.
W&H: What would you like individuals to consider after they watch the movie?
ET: I would like anybody who’s coping with any self-doubt or nervousness to know that they’re not alone and to know that they’re adequate. I would like this movie to be a heat hug for them at any time when they’re feeling insecure or down about themselves.
W&H: What was the largest problem in making the movie?
ET: “Tall Lady 2” was my first studio movie and a sequel to successful movie, so I felt numerous strain getting in. Similar to Jodi, I used to be grappling loads with imposter syndrome — I believed I wasn’t deserving of this job and that I simply obtained fortunate. And having come from the indie world, there have been so many issues in regards to the studio course of that I used to be not used to, like needing to hunt approval on sure inventive selections and having to do notes that I didn’t at all times agree with. However in the long run, it was such an important studying expertise and I really feel extraordinarily lucky to have been given this chance.
W&H: How did you get your movie funded? Share some insights into how you bought the movie made.
ET: For as soon as, I didn’t have to fret about the best way to get my movie funded! This was a studio movie, so the financing all got here from Netflix!
W&H: What impressed you to develop into a filmmaker?
ET: I wished to develop into a filmmaker to inform actually private tales like my first two indies, “Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong” and “Go Again to China.” Each movies have been very cathartic experiences that felt like actually costly remedy periods! However now that I’ve gotten these tales out of my system, I simply wish to inform tales that talk to me or might assist make a distinction in somebody’s life.
W&H: What’s the perfect and worst recommendation you’ve obtained?
ET: Finest recommendation: You possibly can’t anticipate another person to consider in you for those who don’t consider in your self.
Worst recommendation: You must main in accounting since you’ll by no means make it in Hollywood.
W&H: What recommendation do you’ve for different girls administrators?
ET: Don’t anticipate the gatekeepers to allow you to in. Exit and make your individual alternatives. I used to be solely allowed a seat on the desk now as a result of I went out and obtained two tiny indie movies made alone.
W&H: Title your favourite woman-directed movie and why.
ET: Sofia Coppola’s “Misplaced in Translation” stays my favourite female-directed movie of all time. I bear in mind leaving the theater feeling completely elated and excessive on life, the way in which you are feeling after a very good first date. It was simply the kind of movie I wished to make, and a decade later, I directed my very own homage with “Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong.”
Extra just lately, I used to be actually blown away by Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Misplaced Daughter” on Netflix. As a mother to toddler twins, the movie simply actually hit residence arduous for me.
W&H: How are you adjusting to life through the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you holding inventive, and if that’s the case, how?
ET: “Tall Lady 2” was truthfully such an surprising reward through the pandemic. I discovered that I booked the job, my first studio movie no much less, in November 2020. Due to the pandemic, I had develop into a full time stay-at-home mother in 2020. I really thought that my race was run and that I used to be able to be put out to pasture. In what world would a 42-year-old mother of twins get a primary shot in Hollywood? After which I landed this dream job and ended up having essentially the most inventive, fulfilling yr of my life. I really feel extremely lucky.
W&H: The movie business has a protracted historical past of underrepresenting individuals of colour onscreen and behind the scenes and reinforcing — and creating — destructive stereotypes. What actions do you suppose must be taken to make it extra inclusive?
ET: We have to foster an setting the place individuals of colour are given the instruments and alternatives to reach this business. It ought to begin from training and making movie colleges extra accessible and equitable so {that a} new era of movie college students from underrepresented communities may be created by means of correct coaching.
Businesses and managers must take extra possibilities on rising BIPOC expertise and Hollywood wants to begin hiring them for jobs and be extra open-minded about the kind of tales they wish to inform.
Supply: Women And Hollywood
