Despite the famously fickle nature of the film industry, Joshua Linder, a Floridian cinematographer and lighting technician, has managed to position himself as a specialist in the field. Even more impressively, he has been doing so as a foreigner in Beijing, where he has been living for the past 12 years.
Linder (or ProfessaJ, as he has named his production house) has worn many hats in the business – working for TV stations and on documentaries and films. He is also the Marketing Director for China for the lighting company Creamsource, which has sourced lights for blockbuster hits such as Mission Impossible, Batman, and Dune, which were filmed overseas. As part of his role, Linder promotes these lights to filmmakers around China.
Surprisingly, he has never had a formal education in film – he simply followed his passion, often making videos with friends and even asking his teachers if he could submit his work in video format. After working as a writer and producer for a news station, he realized he wanted to create his own work. When he first started out, he didn’t really have the budget — he taught himself to work a camera by asking others for tips, just for the price of a cup of coffee.
Now, in his free time, he continues to produce and shoot short films, as well as organizing screenings of these creations (and others) via his Beijing Indie Short Film screenings, which he has run once or twice a year for the past eight years.
The mission of his festival is to give short films the attention they deserve. He began with smaller screenings, and slowly, through WeChat channels, friends of the filmmakers, and word of mouth, they became more visible in the community. Now, once or twice a year, his screenings promote films made by people from all walks of life, be they university students, high schoolers, expats, or locals.
His only requirements: the films must be related to Beijing, and must include both Chinese and English subtitles.
Linder says that his favorite part of these events is the opportunity to meet and learn from other filmmakers. Guess what, you can too! The festival is free!
To make it in the film industry, Linder says you must be passionate and multifaceted, and be able to find a way to make money in your own way. He also says that, despite popular belief, you don’t have to be a director – there are many ways to contribute!
A big question everyone always has when it comes to independent filmmaking is whether expensive equipment is important.
Linder says: yes – but don’t sweat it if you can’t afford equipment now – just use your phone and make cool things with friends.
Although you can tell a story with virtually anything, he admits that equipment makes a massive difference. He sees that often, high production value is more appreciated than even a quality story. As a consequence, production value is often what determines whether something is considered big-screen worthy. To improve film quality on a budget, he recommends renting higher-end equipment instead of buying it.
When asked if he had any advice for aspiring filmmakers, Linder had this to say:
- Tell a story you’re passionate about.
- Work with people you trust and enjoy working with, as you will spend long hours with them.
- Learn to take constructive criticism.
- Don’t worry if your first films aren’t critically acclaimed.
- Find your voice.
- Collaborate, you don’t need to do everything yourself.
- Build connections, reach out to students, friends, anyone who has access to things that can help enhance your story.
- Effective ways to build connections are to show up to festivals and events, have a good attitude, and know yourself and your skills.
- If you can’t afford equipment, use your phone and make cool things with friends.
- Practice using key software.
- If you aren’t proficient in storyboarding, use tools like AI to help.
He even suggests just making ‘cool edits’ using stock photos.
Filmmaking is a tough industry, and much of it is about making connections and honing your skills. Linder has managed to achieve this, and has created a space where others with a passion for film can do so too.
Do you have something to submit? Follow along and keep in touch with the next short film fest occurring this fall below:
Instagram: Film Fest – @bjisff
Websites: Film Fest – https://beijingtrends.com/
You can view Linder’s work on his Instagram accounts:
Production Company – @professajproductions
Photo Studio – @professajstudio
Images: Joshua Linder
