Markle Ning, Masters in Film

Hello. I'm Markle, I'm from China, and I'm currently in Film MFA program on the Creative Producing concentration. Welcome to #ISSOstories.

Okay so I am in the Film MFA program, and I just finished my 3-5 minute short film.So the story talks about how two people not from the U.S., one from China, one from Mexico, like completely different culture, coming to New York for the first time, both of them trying to, like, improve their English. And they met each other in an English class. But then there's, like, some misunderstanding happening. So they're having a little battle of English conversations and the guy miserably fails. And later they find out they connect with each other and they kind of fall in love. So this is like a little typical enemy-to-lover kind of a story. It’s also inspired by my parents, how they met each other. They met each other in an English class as well. Writing the script was the most interesting thing, like, the Spanish part, because I don't know how to speak Spanish, but I have a lot of, like, Spanish speaking friends and I asked them to help me with it. The theme I want to talk about is how people from different cultural backgrounds come to the U.S., come to North America, wanting to be better at English and “fitting in,” but end up connecting and binding from their own culture. And I think that is like the essence of New York here, which I love. Yeah. Okay, so the Film Graduate Program is in the School of Arts and in Film, we have like three concentrations. One is Creative Producing, where I'm at, and Screenwriting/Directing and also Writing for TV and Film. So it's pretty like producers, directors and writers vibe. And we're all there in Dodge.

When I just moved here, I felt it was really hard to adapt. I feel like, “Oh my God, take me back to Toronto” - because I was in Toronto for undergrad. But then, like, I was, I feel like this semester, I get to realize, like, how many possibilities can happen in New York where people are just so crazy and so obsessed about being themselves, which I really love and I feel is really important. And I see everybody carrying their dreams and their goals and try to pursue something. But you just gotta focus on yourself as well.

I really love life in Columbia, here. I would say it's a very challenging program. It definitely pushes me to be better at filmmaking and storytelling and then also dig into myself in an introspective way. And other than that, I have, like, a strong connection with the dance community here already. And I just go social dancing like every week. And it's really, really fun to have those crazy friends have your back as well.

I wish I knew how much more I need to open up myself to be fit in here. I was in Toronto and the vibe and pace generally there are really soothing and comfortable. And then coming to New York is, like, obviously breaks everything up. And I feel like my shell is getting broken up by this world. So I would say if I knew better about how things would change around, I may be easier to adapt into things. And now I definitely am adapting to New York.

Opinions and preferences. “What is something popular that you don't like and why?” I don't think it’s like a popular opinion that everybody has but it is, like, a general mindset a lot of people have. It's like people tend to be a little bit protective of themselves when it comes to, like, socializing occasions or talking about their work in general. And I just like to say I like being open up. I like being vulnerable. I like deep talks. Why not to be that if you can, right? And, I'm saying being genuine, open is the most important thing. I still like to share the genuine side of myself. Yeah, I would say that's kind of something I'm thinking about a lot lately.