Meet William Mun: Filmmaker & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with William Mun and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi William, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I grew up fascinated by storytelling. The idea that someone can just craft a completely fantastical world through pictures, words, and performance is mesmerizing to me, and I knew early on that I wanted to be like that as well. I think as I grew older, I also saw the importance of who those storytellers are behind the scenes. I wanted to be there to tell LGBT+ and BIPOC stories so that more people like me could feel comfortable and empowered with sharing their voices.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a filmmaker with an affinity for all things queer and horror. Although I’d love to be a horror film director along the likes of Guillermo del Toro one day, I also love experimenting throughout all genres, from documentaries to musical dramas. At the end of the day, I just want to tell moving stories that focus on very human experiences.

My first step into filmmaking was through an educational fellowship at the Tribeca Film Institute. They provided me with the basic knowledge and platform to cultivate my ideas and skills. Now I am currently wrapping up my Bachelor’s at The Fashion Institute of Technology, where I majored in Film/Media Studies. I’m most proud of working with students from different majors at the school to create a documentary called “For Someone Who Looks Like Me” that showcases four creatives of color and how their identities influence their art.

Outside of school, I’m a freelancer who dabbles in every aspect of filmmaking. I can’t say that I’ve accomplished my dreams or anything like that, but I am so grateful to be able to continue pursuing this passion that I know is not realistic for others. There are many times where I have felt, and still feel, inadequate or lost in my career path, and I don’t expect these feelings to go away anytime soon even with the biggest gig or whatever.

What helps with these roadblocks is the realization that I do not have to be confined to do one thing my entire life– to be one kind of person forever. Nothing is permanent, including loss and failure, and that’s what has really been helping me move forward as a creative. Mistakes are still very terrifying to me, but I always think they’ll be fun stories to tell at parties one day in the future.

I’d want people to know that my brand and stories are not just my own. They’re my friends’, my family’s, my communities’, and so much more that I want to give back to. They are the unheard and overlooked voices and ideas that gave our current cultural landscape its foundations. I want to bring people like me into the forefront and tell our own unique, twisted, heart-wrenching, and absurdly funny stories.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d take her to the best eateries throughout Flushing, Queens. We’d try our own little tour of East Asia through the many restaurants that line up along Northern Boulevard and Main Street. We’d go on a car ride, listening to our favorite songs, including their parodies, and pretend to have our own little “movie moment.” To be honest, I mainly just prefer the eating and chatting, and so I’d like us to stop by a park by the end of the day to watch the sunset and chat about whatever is going on in our heads. It’d be nice to just end the day peacefully and warm. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout my best friends from high school. We’re all pursuing such different tracks, but they have always been supportive of me and my goals. I’m constantly inspired by their humor, stories, and everyday mannerisms, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have this lovely network.

Website: https://wcmun.myportfolio.com/home

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greyelation/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-mun-06385817b/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chungmun_exe

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmcUP9LqsKizbvRyS6qgTTQ

Image Credits
For the Tribeca Film Festival picture – Jeff Rogers