Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnny K. Wu.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have been making films since 1998. I met a friend, and we started Media Design Imaging and doing some video and event producing for small to Fortune 500 businesses; during our spare time, we then make films to challenge ourselves to become better in our field.
I was born in Cleveland and lived in Central America for some time and got an MBA while back to Cleveland. I’m a multifaceted filmmaker known for his work as a producer, director, and editor. I seem to have made a significant impact in the independent film scene, particularly with my films “Immortal Combat: The Code” (2019) and “Innerself” (2018), as well as the fan film “T.R.A.C.E.: A Doctor Who Fan Film” (2014)
With over 34 years of experience in the industry, Wu is an award-winning veteran in filmmaking and has an MBA with a specialization in marketing from Cleveland State University. He is fluent in Chinese, Spanish, and English, which reflects his diverse background and upbringing in Central America[6][8].
Wu is deeply involved in his local community, having co-founded the Cleveland Asian Festival and serving on various boards and councils, including the St. Clair Superior Development Corp and the International Task Force for Cleveland Museum of Art. His contributions extend beyond filmmaking to cultural and community engagement.
In addition to his film work, Wu is the owner of Media Design Imaging (MDI), a company that provides video and event production services. He is also recognized for his efforts in promoting independent filmmaking in Cleveland, having founded the Cleveland IndieClub in 2003, which is a platform for local visual artists to showcase their work[6].
Johnny K. Wu’s latest science fiction-action feature, “Wu Lin The Society,” has been signed for distribution and continues to win awards, and his documentary “History of Cleveland’s Chinatown” is currently being screened at festivals. His dedication to his craft and community is evident in his extensive involvement in various cultural and artistic endeavors.
Wu just recently completed another feature called Bullets, Brothers and Blood that will be having a private special screening on Saturday, March 2nd at 7:30 pm at Atlas Cinema Lakeshore 7; you can find out more information and trailer at https://bbbpremiere.eventbrite.com.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting back in 1998 wasn’t easy; it was hard to get the clients as there are numerous cliche groups, but persistence and determination finally paid off. Many reach out to us to ask for a video or an event produced, and thanks to our work, we always get referred by many to continue this type of work while honing our skills by doing many films.
The films are winning awards here and there and been fortunate enough to get distributed worldwide. The City of Cleveland knows of my name because of many things I do for the community, such as the Cleveland Asian Festival, The Cultural Gardens’ One World Day, and the Gardens’ World on Stage, to name a few.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Because of my keen eyes in production and having a background in marketing, it is easy to conceptual to make a result that the clients like, and since I do speak 3 languages, it made me unique to the market. I’ve been told to have a keen as a director, a great organizer as a producer, and great eyes for visual editing, so these combination of skills put me where I am today.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Making films, especially feature films, are a huge undertaking risk. You risk spending your money, you risk spending your donors’ money, you risk spending other people’s money invested in you to make a film that hopefully it can see a return of investment. You also have to take risk in scheduling for the production without compromising, and you also need to take risk to do films that are different from others. For me, I do not see it as risk, but more as a challenge and how I can do to make it work, always thinking on the bigger picture and outside the box.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mdifilm.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/mdifilm
- Facebook: facebook.com/mdifilm
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdifilm
- Twitter: twitter.com/mdifilm
- Youtube: youtube.com/mdifilm
- Other: https://www.vimeo.com/mdifilm
Image Credits
Bullets, Brothers and Blood
