Intentionally Increasing Representation: Madison Lin
As a winner of the SHIFT Creative Fund and a new graduate of USC’s Film and Television Production program, Madison Lin’s dent in the industry is only just starting. Having directed Emmy-winning actor Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond) through her virtual senior thesis project and having interned in the Development Lab at Film Independent, Madison has a wealth of knowledge on both the creative and business sides of the industry. Now, she’s going to use that knowledge and expertise to make Red, a short film casting with HC&F later this month.
Red follows young MAY striving to reconnect with her Asian heritage and traditions while attempting to redefine her relationship with her Caucasian father as they navigate her mother’s unexpected death. Although Madison conceived this project during quarantine, the meaning of the story runs much deeper for her, a second-generation Chinese American.
“I’m second generation American on my dad’s side. My grandfather is from Fuzhou, China. His school in China was destroyed during World War II but he was always deeply committed to education. He actually decided to pursue an education in the United States, where he was able to attend college at the University of Oklahoma. My grandparents on my mom’s side are both from Wyoming, where they maintain a ranch that’s been in our family for over a century. Over quarantine, I wanted to write a piece that reflected my experience growing up in a mixed raced household, as well as a short about gender roles”
That fuels her passion for Red, as she knows that doing a project about different cultures and traditions will bring her closer to that heritage.
“I spoke mandarin when I was younger. I went to a Mandarin immersion preschool and spoke it on and off at home. My dad also got me some Mandarin movies. My favorite of all time were these Hello Kitty DVD’s that I used to watch on loop. Around first-grade, I left the Mandarin pre-school and stopped speaking it. My parents tried to reintroduce it a couple times, but I was pretty resistant to it, mostly because none of my friends spoke it — it felt irrelevant to my “American” childhood. As I got older, I decided to come back to it, mostly so that I could speak Mandarin with my family — extended and nuclear. While learning, I went right back to those Hello Kitty DVD’s, since a kindergarten level was about where I’d left off.”
Now, as she continues to expand her own awareness and excitedly ramps up for production in June, authenticity is at the forefront of Madison’s efforts, especially as she and her casting director Aurelia search for the perfect actors for the film.
“Aurellia and I have had a lot of talks about casting and we’ve come to the conclusion, it’s really important that we don’t contribute to the stereotype of the Asian monolith. In media, it’s very common to see AAPI representation treated as a check box more than an attempt to give recognition to a continental diaspora. In our project, we hope not only to reflect AAPI representation, but to emphasize a unique culture and tradition within the AAPI community. In order to do this, we have to be very intentional with our casting. Unfortunately, representation isn’t something that just happens by chance in the casting process. Decades of cultural, fiscal, and societal discriminations often make the default in casting white. We’ve aimed to be intentional in creating AAPI roles for actors with this script. I know that it becomes a sound bite because we hear it so often, but representation truly does matter. When you give people of different backgrounds time on screen to tell their story, you’re telling the world ‘Being seen and heard belongs to everyone. Being important belongs to everyone. Worth belongs to everyone.’”
In fact, the overall auditioning and casting experience is one of the most important aspects of filmmaking to Madison.
“Actors are some of the most direct conduits to the audience. The audience is going to be seated in the actor’s perspective for the duration of the film, so it’s critical we take time to find the best actor to guide them. Something I’ve personally enjoyed about this project is that I’ve gotten to have so many conversations about mindful casting — which extends to thinking actively about diversity as much as thinking about character.”
Moving forward, Madison can’t wait to see the electricity that naturally occurs on set as her growing, talented crew and cast comes together to film Red. After post-production, she wants to take it through the film festival circuit, particularly at Palm Springs International Film Festival, Sundance, and TIFF.
However, in the immediate future, Madison will celebrate her graduation by traveling to Wyoming to see family (and take part in a celebratory barn dance!) before going to Florida with friends. HC&F can’t wait to see what accomplishments await as she dives into the next phase of her career.
If you want to connect with Madison and follow her journey, as well as submit to Red, feel free to check out the links below:
Projects (hollywoodcastingandfilm.com)
