In an exclusive interview, Flickering Myth sat down with Malaysian Director and Producer Syuen Chia to talk about working in Los Angeles, and her role in the movie When I Die that is currently on the international film festival circuit…
FM: Hi Syuen Chia, welcome to Flickering Myth! Tell our readers about yourself.
Hi! I am Syuen (pronounced Sh-wen) a Malaysian producer and writer/director who is drawn to the unique complexities in universal experiences and the inner worlds of everyday people. As someone who loves to explore and is naturally curious, I am inspired by the people and places around me. In my work, I enjoy highlighting the intimacy of connection while shining light on the barriers that keep us apart.
FM: Congrats on your film ‘When I Die’. Can you tell us about the project and the role you played?
The formal logline for the project is: A curious and determined teenager grapples with death for the first time and sets out to write her will, only to discover the beauty of living.
After fixating on a lifeless body at an open-casket funeral, Lianne’s world turns upside down as she grapples with the fragility and unpredictability of life. Convinced that certainty will rid her of her paralyzing fear, she sets out on a journey to figure out her after-life plans, inscribing it into her own version of a will. As her uncertainty surrounding death grows with every additional question, she begins to lose sight of her surroundings as well as push away her loved ones. Ultimately, it is the thought of losing someone she loves dearly that leads her to realize that the beauty of living lies in the relationships we form and our shared experiences.
I wrote and directed When I Die as well as produced alongside Sebastian Reyes and Kellen Hill. When I Die is a deeply personal film that revolves around my experiences of coming to terms with human mortality and accepting the uncertainties that surround it. The opening shot of the film was the first thing that came to me in the process, as I was re-playing my first time seeing a lifeless body at an open casket funeral. The story then slowly came together, resulting in a locked script after a span of around 5 months. After that, I started looking into developing the creative aspects while working on the logistics of making it happen – casting, locations, crew, etc. Sebastian Reyes and Kellen Hill then hopped on to produce this alongside me and I couldn’t have done it without their huge help!
During the set itself, I had the utmost pleasure and honor of working with an incredibly kind and talented cast and crew who made it all happen. They continue to inspire me every day and I learned so much from each and every one of them. It was the coolest experience to watch the story transform from a vision – something that had only lived in my mind – into a collective labor of love that became beyond my wildest dreams. I’m grateful beyond words for all the care and love they poured into When I Die. In addition to my love for storytelling, it was the combination of connection and the magic behind-the-scenes that drew me most to filmmaking. That still rings true to this day because of them.
FM: Can you share any fun facts from the set?
Oh yes – but spoiler alert! The hand of the lifeless body in the coffin is mine! A lot of the hobbies we see around Lianne’s room are based on Brylee’s actual hobbies and interests. Brylee also jumped in to write the names of her family and friends on the red packets.
FM: Where did you choose to film the movie?
For principal live-action photography, we filmed in two locations within Culver City, California. The park, where the funeral takes place, was the Japanese Garden at the Kenneth Hahn State Recreational Park. For the stop-motion sequence, I built a set and filmed it in the bedroom of my apartment in Los Angeles.
FM: The film is currently on its film festival run. What are the plans beyond that?
When I Die is currently in its festival run but stay tuned for the public premiere that is scheduled for late Spring/early Summer next year!
FM: What is your creative process when preparing for a movie?
My process usually starts with homing in on the core message of the film, followed closely by the emotions and relationships driving the story. I’ve found that it is also important to nail down the unique perspective of the story before diving deep into the script, visuals, sounds, and emotional tone to be conveyed. Regardless of whether I’m producing or directing, I really value close collaboration with my team to make sure that everyone’s vision aligns with the story we’re seeking to tell. Thus, I love going back to the whys of all the artistic choices and inviting others to build upon them with their unique perspectives. There’s no better feeling than watching everyone make a project their own, allowing for a story to grow beyond what existed in one’s mind.
FM: Has there been one particular moment in your career that you’re most proud of?
In 2020/2021, I produced and directed a documentary titled In the Shoes of Another for a Malaysian non-profit organization Architect of Diversity and their “Sekolah Semua” movement against discrimination in schools. The film sheds light on the experiences of discrimination faced by students in Malaysian schools,and features remote interviews with Malaysians of different backgrounds (race, age, religion, schooling system, etc). When I was back in LA in 2022, I got a message from the co-founder and my friend, Jason Wee, who let me know that the documentary has since been shared with hundreds of students during the Sekolah Semua tour and its workshops. It empowered and encouraged students to share about their own experiences with discrimination, sparking reflective dialogue on the topic. This moment meant the world to me as I was reminded of filmmaking as a powerful tool for positive change. What started off as an individual conversation between me and the individuals who trusted me with their story eventually grew into a start of a wider, meaningful discourse. This also further solidified to me that my main goal with filmmaking is to create ripples of positive change and resonance where people are able to find their own stories within the frames of my work.
FM: Are you working on anything new at the moment?
I am wrapping up a few projects in post-production, and currently producing the upcoming season of The Montana Sessions and co-writing/producing a narrative short film with director Tapio Tokunaga. I also have a couple of projects of various types in the early stages of development. So a lot is happening, and I’m very excited to share with you all.
FM: Brilliant! How can people find and follow your journey?
My work can be found on my website, Instagram, IMDb, and LinkedIn.
Our thanks to Syuen Chia for taking the time for this interview, and for Liz Rodriguez from EMR Media for helping us with the interview.
