In the ever-evolving world of visual storytelling, few emerging filmmakers have demonstrated the same level of versatility and artistic precision as Hao Yan. A director and cinematographer trained at SCAD, Hao Yan’s work has consistently stood out for its emotional depth, bold visual language, and keen sensitivity to identity and memory.
Now a three-time Telly Awards winner, Hao Yan is building a reputation as a creator whose images do more than dazzle—they speak.
Three Awards, Three Visions
Hao Yan’s journey to the Telly Awards began with a music video titled No Opponent, where he served as Director of Photography. Awarded Silver at the 2024 Telly Awards, the video is a kinetic, tightly composed piece that blends aggressive movement with moody lighting to reflect the inner conflict of its subject. Hao’s camera doesn’t just capture — it pushes and pulls the viewer through tension and release, echoing the emotional beat of the music.
“I’ve always believed that cinematography is about emotional rhythm,” Hao says. “It’s not just about lighting something well — it’s about making the audience feel the weight of what they see.”
Later that same year, Hao stepped behind the camera again — this time as director — for the award-winning music video Galón. A visually rich Western-style piece, Galón won him Best Directing at the 2024 Telly Awards. Infused with Western-style iconography and a highly stylized color palette, the video showcases Hao’s growing command of tone and world-building. “Galón was a chance for me to experiment,” he explains. “I wanted to build a universe where costume, location, and performance moved together like choreography. It was about rhythm, myth, and presence.”
But it was Winter Psalm, his most personal project to date, that marked a turning point in Hao’s directorial journey. Released in 2025, the short film was awarded Bronze in the Social Impact category at the 2025 Telly Awards. The story follows a Chinese adoptee returning to her foster home in the U.S., only to confront a deep sense of alienation, loss, and cultural dislocation. Drawing from real-life interviews with Chinese adoptees, Winter Psalm is as intimate as it is haunting.
“The photo the main character holds at the end of the film is based on a real childhood photo shared with me by an adoptee during my research,” Hao shares. “Their generosity and openness deeply shaped the emotional core of the film.”
Looking Ahead: The Road to His First Feature
With three Telly Awards across two different disciplines — cinematography and directing — Hao Yan stands at the intersection of visual precision and narrative compassion. And while his short-form work has garnered international attention, Hao is already preparing for the next phase of his career: his first feature-length screenplay.
Currently in development, the feature will continue Hao’s exploration of identity, belonging, and memory, expanding on many of the themes he touched on in Winter Psalm. “I want this to be a story that lingers — not because of how it ends, but because of what it quietly reveals along the way,” he says.
Though still early in its writing phase, Hao hints that the film will blend poetic realism with grounded social context. “As a filmmaker, I’m not chasing spectacle — I’m interested in what’s fragile, unspoken, unresolved. That’s where the human heart lives.”
