The Work That Made Me: Yuann

Yuann is a Japanese Chinese film director and photographer. He started his career as a graphic designer and art director in the fashion industry. In 2019 Yuann founded his film production house kidzfrmnowhere and has been constantly striving to push boundaries and break conventions through his works.

Fluent in Japanese, Chinese, and English, Yuann is able to transcend between languages and cultures, breaking industry standards. He has garnered attention from many of the world's most recognisable brands, such as Apple, BMW, Nike, Burberry, and many more. Yuann aims to stay genuine and to emphasise original storytelling through all his pieces.

The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…

Yuann> I was born in Shanghai in the ‘80s, so I grew up with a lot of influences from R&B and Hip Hop videos; some artists I used to listen to include Boyz II Men, Michael Jackson, Spice Girls, Whitney Houston, Madonna, and many more. The visuals that most stuck with me are those of Madonna’s Vogue. It opened my eyes to a whole new universe and opened the doors to fashion for me. I was so impressed by the styling, which was beyond my imagination at that time. Also, the song created a universe that gives a new vision to a new culture/style.

The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…

Yuann> Michael Jackson’s "Dangerous" album made me want to get into the industry. All the visuals have a unique style, and this caught my eye. At that time, no one had a solid concept and put logical visual elements into the production. He created a story for each song and brought the audience on a different, visual journey.

The creative work (film/album/game/ad/album/book/poem etc) that I keep revisiting…

Yuann> As mentioned in my last answer, I keep revisiting Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous.” This work had a great, unique style. It inspires me every time I watch it. If it is an ad, then it would be the Pepsi Generation commercial with Michael Jackson as well. It is not like a traditional commercial. It has its roots in real street culture, with real kids doing the real dance. The vibe is super authentic.

My first professional project…

Yuann> My first professional project was a commercial for a big department store in Japan called ISETAN.

The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*…

Yuann> Behind each project is a story. It’s difficult for me to judge whether it’s good or not. I believe this decision is based on your own taste. Personally, I will not make anything that does not align with my DNA. 

The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that still makes me jealous…

Yuann> The piece of work that still makes me jealous is the platform NOWNESS. The work they produce is great, and I aspire to make work like them. NOWNESS always gives freedom to the content creator, even if it is commercial-related. There is no limitation on the format or restriction on the content. Taking into consideration the whole industry environment in China, it makes me feel jealous to have complete freedom to create.

The creative project that changed my career…

Yuann> Four years ago, we did a documentary for ID Magazine on the show “DIOR x SORAYAMA.” On the set, I met someone with the same goals and mindset. From here, we started building up a team called “kidzfrmnowhere”. The people I met on that project became regular members of my film crew. All of their hard work made “kidzfrmnowhere” into what it is today, and for that, I have much love and appreciation.

The work that I’m proudest of…

Yuann> I’m proudest of the teaser I made for the 1st Louis Vuitton show in Seoul. 

We filmed for five days and travelled all around the city. We shot beautiful clips, and it was a very quick turnaround - only three days. It was an amazing project to be part of. 

I was involved in this and it makes me cringe…

Yuann> The situation that makes me cringe is when communication between the client, agency, and production fails. Communication is the key to success in filmmaking. Without it, nothing can be delivered. Working with a good team, a good CD, and a good producer is everything for me.

The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…

Yuann> Most recently, the UGG JP campaign. As of now, it is still under post-production, but soon it will be available for you to watch.