Today we’d like to introduce you to Min Soo Park.
Hi Min Soo, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Min Soo, and I’m a filmmaker based in NYC. I direct and shoot short-form videos crossing boundaries from music videos, short documentaries, and fashion campaigns.
I’ve been freelancing for a couple of years now. My career started when COVID hit; I pulled myself together and built my reel and website. I wanted to stay productive during the lockdown, so I used the time to make something for myself. When COVID got worse, and nothing was happening in New York, I flew back to Korea. Luckily, Korea was doing a great job of containing the virus. I was able to get a good amount of video work there. When I returned to New York, people contacted me for video work which was amazing to me. I was amazed at how Instagram could connect me to so many opportunities and expand my audience.
From there, I started directing and shooting more work and began collaborating with other creatives in New York.
One of my works, Merlin(2022), a portrait documentary about Swiss artist Lukas Krähenbühl won awards at Roma International Short film festival, New York International Film Awards, Berlin Indie Film Festival, and Tokyo International Short Film Festival. I also worked at VICE Asia in 2021.
I recently graduated from the School of Visual Arts, majoring in film.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I’ve had my struggles during my journey, and I look forward to more!
One of my professors at school taught me that filmmaking is problem-solving. He was right. For every project I take on, it has been inevitable to face a problem. No matter how big the problem was, we had to devise a solution to get the shot we wanted. I see solving a problem as a part of the process of filmmaking. The process of making a film has taught me so much about life and how to deal with problems. I learn and grow each time I finish a project.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a director/DP(Director of Photography). It means when a project comes through, I would work with the client to develop a concept and ideas, and sometimes I would shoot as well or work with a DP to focus more on directing. Although I love shooting, I am trying to get my hands more on directing jobs and grow as a director these days.
I’ve also been trying to add a narrative to music videos, so it’s just not a plain performance video. I like incorporating a story into a music video to make the video feel more engaging and memorable.
I also love capturing stories of people portrayed from honest and sincere viewpoints. I try to capture the raw energy of the characters and people around me. I try to capture these things in the most organic way possible such as shooting handheld so that it’s natural and feel intimate.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Being in the moment is the most important thing for me. Filmmaking makes me feel that way, especially during the production.
There have been countless times I felt this way during a shoot: a time when I climbed snowy hills in Switzerland to film with Lukas Krähenbühl, a time when I put together a fight scene in a warehouse, a time when I ran with the talent during the sunset at the beach, a time when I was having trouble directing 30 drunk people so we could shoot a party scene.
All these experiences were valuable to me and have become a part of me.
My works then become markers in time where I can look back and tell myself that I was living in that moment, trying my best to recreate what was only in my head but now shared with people.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.minsoopark.me
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miiing___/
