Art & Life with Victor Tan,

Today we’d like to introduce you to Victor Tan.

Victor, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Going into college with the mindset of creating CGI characters, like the Transformer, did not last long after I fell in love with collaborating on student films. Since then, I focused more on being behind the camera and being part of the creative thought process.

After graduating in 2015, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with so many talented individuals in the film industry. They’ve come from all walks of life, have so many different personalities, and experiences that contribute to the creative force behind these projects.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
As a cinematographer, I assist in bringing the director’s vision to life through the art of video. During the creative process with the director, we discuss what ideas help build and move the story forward. We also work on the best way to achieve telling the story visually.

My take on visual storytelling is that anything can be viewed from a different perspective. I use the tools of my trade such as different angles, lenses, and lighting to convey new information from many different perspectives.

In your view, what is the biggest issue artists have to deal with?
I think one of the biggest challenge artists face today is when clients don’t pay on time or at all. Some of us has to wait for months. And sometimes, because of lack of contract, we don’t ever see the paycheck.

Another challenge artists face is imposed by other fellow artists. It is understandable when beginners, or students, offer free services or small stipend in exchange for experience and materials for their portfolio. However, when an established individual undercut another artist, it creates a false standard for clients to base their budget on. And when they undercut, it will be more difficult for them to ask for more from the same client the next time around.

Don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth. As a dear colleague of mine once said, “There’s always enough money. The more they save on not paying you, the more goes into their own pocket.”

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can see samples of my work via my website at www.victorztan.com. The best way to support and stay up to date with what I do on a regular basis is to follow my Instagram @7ictortan.

Contact Info:

• Address: Chicago, IL.
• Website: http://victorztan.com
• Phone: 773-816-9190
• Email: victorzjtan@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/7ictortan
• Facebook: facebook.com/victan14

Image Credit:
“Black and Blue” – Carlos Hiciano
“Block His Number” – Carly and Martina
“Coming Out Roses” – John O’Nieal
Fire Garden – Zee Baig
“The Pride” – Eagle Mehana Productions
“L’artiste” – Victor Tan

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