REBECCA CHU

When I was a child growing up in the suburbs of Orange County, my immigrant father instilled in me a love of American cinema. I was often his default movie date at our neighborhood theater, which amazingly is still in operation today as an AMC Classic offering a $4.99 matinee. 

Through moving images, I was exposed to rich stories that my young psyche could not fully comprehend, but the emotional resonance within me left an indelible impression. I still remember being swept away by Dances with Wolves, as I bore witness to the plight of the Lakota Sioux tribe tragically losing their way of life to Manifest Destiny, while a lone Union soldier's isolation was underscored by a cinematic landscape of the boundless Western frontier and John Barry’s poignant musical score. 

I was hooked on the art of motion pictures. But back then, with few industry role models who looked like me either behind the camera or in front of it, a career as a filmmaker seemed like an impossible dream. My early creative values and visions eventually shared their space with other commercial interests. Filmmaking became a dream deferred as I leveraged my business acumen for Fortune 100 companies such as Disney and Apple.

Yet the "impossible dream" lingered, along with a deep desire to serve others, to create and build things from scratch, and to resonate with diverse audiences. I was inspired by the cultural shifts taking place at the time, with the critical and commercial success of films with diverse storytellers both in front of and behind the camera--such as Moonlight, Parasite, Black Panther, The Farewell and Crazy Rich Asians. Armed with a growth mindset and a renewed purpose to positively impact the next generation, I took the leap into creating in the unknown.

Underrepresented communities need to be seen, their voices heard, their stories championed beyond the marginal. Today, audiences demand more diverse perspectives from women and people of color, and access that I once perceived to be non-existent has opened up. I reflect on the power of media on my immigrant father who loved Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, as well as on my first-generation American, younger self navigating self-discovery through 90's pop culture. And I consider the endless possibilities to shape fresh narratives that will impact majorities and minorities alike.

As a writer, creative producer, and founder of Shadowlight Media Ventures, I aim to evolve and redefine our shared narrative. And as the tide of representation in media changes, I pledge to be an integral part of the revolution.

Now tell me, what's your narrative?

All my best,

Rebecca