We first got to know Yu Jung Hou when she attended some of our events back in 2016, then we started to become really smitten when she brought her short film Fa Fu into our 2020 WMMINTL Film Festival. Since then we're fully head over heels and asked her to join the ranks of our festival judges (and essentially became our golden buzzer judge since it's not easy to impress her!) and have cheered from the sidelines as she became a full time editor working on projects such as The Mandalorian, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, American Born Chinese, Incredibles 2 and recently the feature WILDER THAN HER by Jessica Kozak with Sunita Mani, Kate Easton and Danny Deferrari.

ISomehow, we also convinced her to moderate one of our upcoming post production workshops -- our Rough Cut Lab on 3/29 (more info + sign up to participate via our calendar) so we took the opportunity to get to know her a bit better. 

Where are you from? What do you do?

Yu Jung Hou: ...

One of the countless benefits of being a We Make Movies member is the opportunity to enter into the Rolling Production Fund Challenge in hopes of securing funding for a community-backed project. Our unique system of vetting and testing projects for an audience is made complete by actually allowing our members to vote on their favorite pieces based on staged readings done by professional actors who bring the scripts to life in the semi-final stage of the challenge. Numerous short films have been chosen by a live studio audience of WMM members, and consequently been greenlit through this process. Prolific writer Flip Kobler penned the comedic gem No Reservations, which became one of the four winning RPF Challenge films in 2019. The film went on to be directed by award-winning filmmaker Steven LaMorte, who then additionally documented the magic behind the scenes of making the film, including the resourceful techniques and swoon worthy gear and software...

We Make Movies is the studio system for independent filmmakers. We cater to artists of all levels and serve projects in every stage of the process  from inception to final deliverables. Tech giants from NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) to IBC (International Broadcast Conference) have taken notice of our collective team's proficiency and expertise, and this week WMM is a force to be reckoned with at the FCP Global Summit.

The FREE Final Cut Pro event is being held virtually from November 8 - 13, and is suited for content creators of all levels. Explore elevating your producing skills through "Blueprint For A Micro-Budget Future" with our CEO Sam Mestman, learn to harness the power of your mobile phone by watching "Gimbals, Gear, and GO!" with our President Aubrey Mozino, or perfect your craft  by tuning into "High End iPhone Workflows for the Indie Filmmaker" with Creative Services' Creative Director...

What Level of...

We Make Movies has made a name for itself as a diverse, synergistic, sustainable ecosystem for artists and content creators. We have been paving the way towards democratizing storytelling, and the industry as a whole. Gone are the days when excessive financing, unattainable tools of the trade, and permission from industry gatekeepers unnecessarily limit us from telling stories. We’re dedicated to empowering creatives of all ages by providing free weekly labs, discounted resources and services, educational industry events, showcases, and film challenges.

We had a chance to sit down with the dedicated Chief of Production of We Make Movies, Eric Michael Kochmer. As a longtime member of the collective, he has always made himself available to the community, while broadening his own skillsets as he made his films. His tireless efforts to bolster fellow indie filmmakers led to the development of the production services offered through our production company. He is industrious, kind, and enterprising, but what makes him tick? We asked him!

WMM: Where are you from, what is your background, and how do you think that informs what you do as a filmmaker?  

EMK: I grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania and then I moved to New York City to study experimental theater. I’ve always had an interest in the peculiar which turned into a passion for the avant garde. Work that pushes the traditional boundaries of style and form, as well that pushes the envelope on what is appropriate and comfortable. Now...