Interview: 20 questions. 20 great answers

Many of us have played the game 20 questions at some point in our lives. It is a cultural meme. And many of us have read the version of 20 questions that has appeared for many years in Vanity Fair magazine. I am taking a cue from both. What follows is a 20 question interview with someone who, if not quite a household name yet, will be.

Eris Qian has been one have the most active and successful transfer students I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. In her brief time in the US, she has helped with a documentary “Will Work for Words” that has been profiled in a number of places including Inside Higher Education. In addition, she has also won an award for her own documentary on Chinese  illegal immigration in Greece. And she has just been nominated by her peers for inclusion in the most prestigious honor society at her university. I could continue to list many more of her exceptional accomplishments, but that would take away from her words. She has a great deal to teach anyone: those just starting an educational journey or anyone interested in thinking seriously about important issues in the media or anyone who wants to get some inspiration in the midst of winter doldrums.

For anyone who has a dream to be a creative artist of any kind reading her words will inspire you. For those outside the US and especially in China, her words will inspire you to take a chance to explore a new world and educational system. And for the rest of us her words will inspire us to live life with intellect, a commitment to help others, and a vision for making things better through transforming the way we see and hear things in the media.

‘Wise beyond her years’ is a too often used phrase, but she has earned these words and earned my gratitude for her profound insights on so many things. I should have asked her 40 questions.

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What made you decide to come to the US to pursue your studies?

I came to the US for its unique curriculum structure of liberal arts education. Before I came to the US, I was studying in East China Normal University, one of China’s top universities in the east coastal area. But I was not happy with the Chinese higher education system in which the major was decided by the entrance examination score instead of the student’s own choice. When I was almost numb to the disappointment in the system, I got a chance to participate in a selective exchange program in Melbourne, Australia. The exchange experience convinced me to transfer out of China to pursue my studies. But Australia still wasn’t ideal for me since there was not enough flexibility in the curriculum. So when I looked at the options, the American universities caught my attention due to the structure of a liberal arts education. This is the prologue to the story of my academic journey.

Do you think it is more difficult for a student to transfer (both academically and socially)?

The life of transfer students is definitely harder, especially for an international transfer. Academically, the student jumps into the new pace from the intermediate level; socially, the student needs to build up networks from zero while their peers have already formed their circles. And for those who want to pursue leadership in student organizations, they have less time and opportunity to achieve the top position than the other students who have already spent two years on campus working their up the hierarchy. But overall, I will say the challenges can all be conquered and I’ve seen transfer students achieving great success in their new institutions. However, additional aid in the form of mentorships and advising from the school would be definitely helpful for transfer students to make the transition more effective.

When did you first become interested in so many forms of media?

Modern society is immersed in media. In this sense, I have been interested in media from a very early age. Books and natural history documentaries always attracted my attention me as a little kid (seems like I have an old soul). As I have matured, I became a Buddhist. What I have learned from this great and ancient religion actually inspired me to think about the influence of media in our lives and desires. On the other hand, media permits people’s creativity to be shared and I love creating too.

Could you describe how you managed to capture on film what you did in Greece? Can you share a clip of the film?

Last summer, I did a short documentary on a Chinese couple who were smuggled to Greece who run an underground noodle shop for a living. I learned about their existence by talking to the local people in the China town in Athens. Then I went to their store and simply asked for their permission to film. It was important to gain their trust and commit to protecting their identities.

What makes for an effective documentary?

An effective documentary takes advantage of the right format to convey its message. It has to combine the style and story together organically.

If you had to describe your style could you do it?

I’m still exploring my style. The most common style of documentary is participatory; in other words, it involves interviews, but I’m now trying to discover whether I can tell the story more visually rather than focusing mostly on just words.

What about your work in photography—are you primarily an artist or does some of your work in this medium have a political subtext?

Photography is a good exercise for filmmakers in terms of the visual effect. From my point of view, a picture that tells the story through its caption is not a successful picture. I hope that my photography work can be self-explanatory at first sight. As for the subtext, I’d like to break cultural and gender stereotypes by presenting images of multi-cultural subjects and non-sexualized women.

A generation ago a common phrase was “all art is political”. Do you agree or disagree?

I don’t quite agree with it. But since human beings are political animals, I guess you can say that.

Are artists made or born?

What you create is who you are; in this sense artists are not made nor born, they become artists as they cultivate themselves.

Can creativity be taught?

I wouldn’t use the word “taught”. Creativity can be killed; on the other hand, it can it be guided or stimulated.

What are you proudest of (not a work related question unless you want it to be)?

I’m proud of having made the decision to transfer to the US and having overcome all the difficulties I’ve encountered. I’m proud of my courage to explore the world.

If you could change the way the popular media works in the US what would you do?

The American people believe that their media is objective and liberal, while it is absolutely not true. I hope that American media can be more diverse and fair to other perspectives. I also hope that it could be less profit-driven, less entertainment-oriented, and less sexualized.

How about in China?

I would really like to see some respect in creativity and copyright in the Chinese media. It is certainly easier and cheaper to take the ideas from other successful works, but these actions kill the sustainability and creativity of the media industry while also promoting media imperialism. I also hope that the government can open the media market and loosen the censorship laws so that China’s cultural industry can grow.

Do you feel like a role model for younger people? Would you like to be?

As I grow older and achieve more things, I found that younger peers start to turn to me for advice or take me as a role model. I don’t take myself as a role model, but I do understand that when you’re younger you always want to find someone that seems to be able to answer all of your questions. You would want to look at someone and be like, “I want to be like her and maybe I can.” I myself was like this before and I still am. But what I really want to tell the younger peers is that they don’t have to worry because they will become the one they want to be if they have the passion and willingness to take risks and learn from both the good and the bad things that life brings. It’s just the ladder of life.

Do you have a guilty pleasure when it comes to media like a really bad TV show or movie or something else?

I surely do. Sometimes I just keep watching the cartoons I watched a thousand times before when I was a kid, just because I don’t want to think or take any undue stress sometimes. But the real threats to my time are the infinite options now available on social media, which I use as a RSS feed.

 Do you think it is harder for a Chinese National to succeed in media here in the US?

 

It is hard to break stereotypes in any industry. And for international students, the visa is also a big problem. However, I believe there are still chances for those who work hard enough to stand out.

What advice would you give to parents who are looking to send their children to the US？

Prepare the kids to be independent adults!

What advice would you give to students about pursuing their passion?

Be persistent and stay on track with your passion.

Were you nervous when you asked Stephen Colbert your question? (This question needs a bit of context. Eris participated in a winter short-term course on media in New York this past January. I once delivered a speech in which Mr. Colbert was in the audience; he was tough but later very complimentary.)

The key to approach people is not to be nervous or afraid, no matter they are illegal immigrants or celebrities.

Anything else you want to add?

I'm hosting a talk show this semester. For first episode I interviewed Prof. Robert Swap, the Carnegie Professor of the Year 2012. I will send the link once it comes out.

Eris Qian

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