Are there many women in the film industry?
At the moment, I’m also teaching at a film school, and from my observations a third [of the graduating class] is women. It was very encouraging to have three very talented women in the cinematography course [out of a class of ten]. Cinematography is considered a bit more difficult for women [because working with cameras is a very physical job]. But in the editing course, it’s about half and half.

But when we started, as a woman applying for jobs in the UK, [I didn’t notice an imbalance of genders]. But when you get to a certain level you realise, “oh, most of the really established and successful editors are male.” Maybe because more directors are male … but we are working through it, and I think that will improve.

As a woman and an Asian person, why is it important to have representation not only in front of the camera, but also behind the camera?
Because you can’t make a film without all those people. We always see the directors, the actors—but they can’t make a film without us. So it’s crucial to highlight the people behind the scene, because every single element of a film is made by the talents of those artists, who don’t always get awarded or seen. 

So many actors say that, ultimately, it’s the editors and directors who get to decide what the film becomes in the editing room. What’s it like from an editor’s perspective to receive all these takes from the performers and how do you turn that into a beat that fits into the bigger story?
Usually there are many takes and the director will say which one is the best, but—not always, but very often—that’s redundant because in the editing room we try to make sure every scene has a focus, and where we make sure everything is perfect. So maybe there is something that’s just not perfect [with the director’s favourite take], so we have to change it. So the whole decision is in the editing room, it’s in the editors’ hands.

Have you ever found yourself having a different opinion to the director, and how do you handle a situation like that?
If we can sit together, then we just need to argue and discuss, and see which one of us is convinced. For me, I’m not one of those editors who will just follow the director, because if we do that, then the director should cut the whole film. 

[Anthony Chen has] everything in his head, but I still have my creativity. He wouldn’t say to me, “you can’t do this”. He’d always let me do the first draft on my own. So I would do a cut and we would watch it. Parts of it would be as he’d planned, but parts of it would not, just because I felt there’s a better way. Sometimes, if he’s pleasantly surprised he’ll happily accept it. But if he doesn’t like it, it’s not a problem. In the editing room he’s very open.

What is it about your working relationship with Anthony Chen that makes it such a good collaboration for the both of you?
We really share the same style. Anthony is a great lover of Taiwanese cinema from the ’80s. So in that way, I feel like we grew up together in that culture.

We met by chance. He’s Singaporean, I’m Taiwanese, and he's 21 years younger than I am. When I first met him, Anthony was already very successful. He’d made short films in Singapore and went to Cannes ... I thought, “maybe this young guy is a little showy.” But when we worked together, I realised, “wow, although he’s young, he has an old soul.” The way he looks at stories is very mature and he’s a very talented genius in filmmaking.

It’s a very stressful industry, and when it’s someone you have faith in, you know they will create magic without you asking. Challenges? It’s the basic things, like even though you know someone so well, you still need to respect them. We need to be aware that we can’t take anything for granted, and you need to open your mind. Because otherwise everything would be the same and there would be no point in making it.

What are you excited for audiences to see in Drift, your latest project with Anthony Chen that stars two-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo?
It’s exciting because while it’s not my first English project, it’s Anthony's first English film. This film is so precious to me because the process of making it—for me, all the crew, and Anthony—was quite a journey. The result is a quiet, beautiful piece that has this really powerful inner strength. It's really rare to have this kind of film, and I hope people will go to cinemas to watch it.

What would you say to anyone who is at a point in their career where they are facing a transition?
Never doubt yourself because of the possibility of difficulties. I went to film school when I was 45 years old. If you have this feeling of wanting to do something, then try your best to do it even if it seems impossible.

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