A career can start with a plan or it can start with a hard left turn. Jerry Ying’s story is the second kind: pre med in New York, zero interest in drama, then one decision to step into a more creative life and everything changes. We talk about the unexpected on ramps that actually build an acting career, from waiting tables in Soho to modeling gigs to booking major commercials when there were few Asian faces on TV, and how success can arrive before you even feel ready to claim the identity of “actor.”
From there, we get into the craft and the cost. Jerry shares what drama school forced him to confront about empathy, taste, and what it means to be an artist, then how the work evolves into producing when you stop waiting for permission and start making projects. We unpack the rise of We Are Fathers, the moment the industry hype machine hits your passion project, and why “take it to the max yourself” can protect your voice in film and television.
Then we go full nuts and bolts on producing: building Hero LA, partnering with experienced producers, and pulling off a union feature on an insane timeline with a tactical set mindset and brutally prepared actors. We also revisit the pandemic era with Quarantine, a Zoom based improvised soap that raised donations for SAG Foundation COVID relief, and the reality check every producer hits sooner or later: loving projects isn’t a business model unless you can get paid.
We close with the big question: what is the future of the film industry and media? We talk independent filmmaking, creators building their own audiences, and why understanding business makes creatives more powerful than ever. If you enjoy honest career stories from working pros, subscribe, share this with a filmmaker friend, and leave a review. What part of Jerry’s path sounds most like your own?
