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Q: What inspired you to tell the story of %u2018corpse fishermen%u2019 in China?A: This is a real-life profession that I encountered! I used to work in China as a documentary producer and came across corpse fishers during my research. Originally, I wanted to shoot a documentary about them, but given the very sensitive nature of their work and the difficulties of getting access to the subjects, I realized it was probably better suited as a narrative story.Q: How did you approach the delicate themes of grief and longing in Yan%u2019s journey, and what were the key emotional beats you wanted to convey?A: I feel that grief and longing are often expected to be experienced in private. There is an expectation that they should be overcome, like a problem, and that only once they have been addressed can we reach the final destination of closure. When writing the script, I wanted to challenge that notion by contrasting a character who is content to have his whole life steeped in grief, both his own and other people%u2019s, with someone who is consumed with fighting against her mourning. For Old Bo, grief is a continual state, whereas Yan views it as an ordeal to be endured for a finite amount of time (3 days). As we move through the story, we see both characters come around to parts of the other%u2019s viewpoint.Q: The film takes place in a marginalized community in central China. How did the setting shape the narrative, and what was important for you to capture about the region%u2019s unique culture?A: I was very inspired by Nadav Kander%u2019s photo series Yangtze: The Long River. The vast expanses of muddy river and smoggy sky, punctuated by pops of color and signs of life%u2014an umbrella or a bright orange life jacket%u2014felt very visually truthful to the region. The Yangtze is such a big, overwhelming, and, honestly, quite ugly river. Unwieldy water stretches for miles and miles, and occasionally, you%u2019ll be surprised by someone flying a kite or doing karaoke on the riverbank. People enjoying themselves in the most desolate environments.Q: How did your background in immersive storytelling influence the visual and narrative choices in Corpse Fishing?A: An important lesson I learned from working in immersive theatre is how to use sound and light to guide an audience%u2019s attention to where you want them to look. I utilized some of those principles in Corpse Fishing. Most of the film is shot outdoors, so for the night scenes, we created contrast with pools of light to draw attention%u2014both the audience%u2019s and Yan%u2019s%u2014to Old Bo%u2019s boat. Conversely, in the daytime scenes, we found light-colored rocks to create a contrasting background so the dark corpses would draw the eye.Q: Can you share how you worked with the actors to develop the complex relationship between Yan and the boatman? What kind of dynamic were you aiming for?A: The actors%u2019 part of the production came together very quickly. Jamie, the actor playing the corpse fisher, was cast maybe 4 days before we were due to shoot. We didn%u2019t really have any rehearsal time together, so instead, I had Harmonie (Yan) and Jamie talk to me about their lives%u2014what made them angry, what made them sad, Jamie%u2019s experience as a parent, and Harmonie%u2019s as a child. In this way, we created a shared shorthand to access complex emotions on set. For Jamie, we also discussed his sense of humor and what he found funny as a kid. That might sound weird, but it was important to me that the corpse fisher didn%u2019t come across as creepy. In response to the bleak nature of his work, the corpse fisher is very matter-of-fact about his job and applies blunt gallows humor to all aspects of his life. I think that candidness is what draws Yan in. It%u2019s refreshing for her to be given the unvarnished version of reality. It makes her feel like she%u2019s being treated as an adult and peer, something she desperately wants.ative process.60 MOST MAGAZINE - ISSUE 60