Star Power Vol.37

[NYOTA

MAGAZINE]

STAR POWER

Vi Luong Vol ume 37

from the editor HELLO THERE, READER! In this Star Power issue, we got to chat with content creator Vi Luong, who is carving a unique path in the content space.

We also have a quick chat with actor Grant Feely, who can be seen as young Luke in the Disney+ show Obi-Wan Kenobi.

As usual, I hope you enjoy reading the issue and that it inspires you to go after your dreams.

YOURS TRULY, Carol Wright EDITOR IN CHIEF @_CAROL_WRIGHT

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contents 1. Editor's Letter

4. Vi's Playlist

5. Star Power: Vi Luong

9. Vi's Top Picks

11. Quick Chat: Grant Feely

Follow us @nyotamagazine

#StarPower

Get to Know Vi Been playing music since I was 6 - piano, flute, percussion, you name it. Still play the piano today leisurely.

Really into personal development books and might want to write my own one day.

Can read and write pretty fluently in Vietnamese, and Vietnamese was actually my first language.

Graduated college at 20 with a Bachelors of Science in Business.

#NyotaMusic

Vi's Playlist RYYZN // Souls HEADLINK // Hashira RUDE // Eternal Youth Hoang Thuy Lin // Gieo Que Claude-Michel Schonberg, performed by Lea Salonga and Simon Bowman // Sun and Moon Yu-Peng Chen // Rex Incognito Stromae // Alors On Danse Divine // You That I Want Billie Eilish and Khalid // Lovely Yu-Peng Chen // Rapid Wildfires

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Vi Luong Interview by Carol Wright | Photography by Ben Cope

Vi Luong, a content creator from Silicon Valley, worked as a Marketing and PR Assistant and then as a Social Media Marketing Specialist before deciding to become her own boss. Luong talked to NYOTA about being consistent, taking social media breaks, and her advice for aspiring content creators.

Prior to creating content you worked as a Marketing and PR Assistant and then as a Social Media Marketing Specialist. What motivated you to make the switch to working on content full time?

Definitely the freedom, both financial and personal. From a young age, I also always felt that I wasn't built for any "traditional" path; while working in marketing is definitely a more creative endeavor, it still limited me to the confines of a 9-5. It was stifling to my creativity and the way I wanted to live life. But then again, I feel that there are benefits to both paths - however, for my brain specifically, working for other people didn't cut it.

Do you feel that in recent years there has been a change when it comes to AAPI representation in the content creation space?

Oh, for sure! I think YouTube really jumpstarted AAPI representation back in the day, and then apps like TikTok grew it even further. For me, TikTok feels like such a safe space because I can log onto the app and instantly see creators and people just like me. I think that as monetization features continue to grow and develop, we will see an even larger influx of AAPI creators since they will less and less feel the need to pursue traditional careers like medicine, engineering, etc.

In content creation the saying ‘consistency is key’ rings true. What tools do you use to keep yourself on schedule and make sure that you’re always getting something new out to your audience?

I am a huge user of the Reminders app on iPhone, Google Calendar, and Notion. But mainly Reminders and Google Calendar since they sync up with all my devices and send me daily notifications.

When it comes to creating your content, where do you often look for inspiration and ideas?

I love looking at my YouTube Shorts and TikTok for you pages. I also think a lot about my own interests. Whenever I travel, I also get a ton of ideas and inspiration.

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#StarPower At times it can seem that the content that’s shared online can be very similar. How do you go about differentiating your content from other creators while still following trends?

I don't like to spend very much time scrolling on the FYP - maybe 15 to 30 minutes max daily. I find this keeps my style (editing, personality, etc.) pretty authentic to me. I also don't participate very much in TikTok trends and prefer making original concept videos. As for the trends I do follow, I will always keep an eye on the overall "umbrella" trends like Asian/Korean Beauty (just for example) but will break things like that down into my own concepts.

On TikTok and Instagram you often share beauty tips and products you like. What are some of your favorite summer beauty trends?

Lip oils and tints, and that only blush "just a little sunburnt" look!

Has there been one moment that has been particularly rewarding in your content creation journey?

Buying my car in January 2021! It was the first big purchase I had ever made for myself using my own money made from being a creator. That was such a huge moment for me.

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Each weekend, you go completely dark on social media. Is it sometimes hard to go offline or does it only help you feel even more energized to create?

I'd say it's 50/50. Sometimes I get my best ideas over the weekend but then can't execute because of my offline weekend rule and then the ideas fizzle out come Monday. I'm learning to not be so strict with offline weekends and be mindful of when I need it VS benefit from not being completely offline. But for the most part, it keeps my energy up.

Social media platforms have evolved a lot over the years and are now more equipped to support creators. Have resources like TikTok’s Creator Fund been helpful to you?

I always appreciate the efforts of social platforms to help creators monetize, but think that as platforms become more and more saturated, things like the Creator Fund lose their value since the pay-out is very small - even for big creators. I think the most helpful kind of monetization that I have yet to see on platforms other than YouTube is ad revenue share and placements, especially on platforms like Snapchat, where ads are placed in the middle of creators' Snaps/Stories.

What advice do you have for others who want to become content creators?

Stop relying on the FYP for inspiration and instead channel that energy towards optimizing/improving your own videos. Original, unique perspectives will always hold more value.

Don't give up if you feel your videos aren't performing - you just have to continue playing with delivery and formatting.

#StarPower

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Vi's Top Picks

TV Show: Friends

Movie: The Grand Budapest Hotel or the Harry Potter Series

Book: Atomic Habits or 48 Laws of Power

Fashion Trend: Minimalist and clean lines

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#QuickChat

Grant Feely Interview by Carol Wright | Photo Courtesy of Anna Grace

#QuickChat

Grant Feely is an up-and-coming actor who can currently be seen in the Disney+ Series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Feely talked to NYOTA about auditioning for the role, preparing for episode 6, and his advice for aspiring actors.

Was there a particular show or movie that sparked your interest in acting?

Three years ago, I watched behind-the-scenes videos of Stranger Things and thought it would be fun to do that.

What was the audition process like for young Luke?

In April, I filmed an audition for “Boy - Untitled Disney+ Series.” I had no idea at that point that the role was for Obi-Wan Kenobi. A week later, I had an hour-long zoom callback with the casting director, Carmen Cuba, and the very next day, I had another zoom meeting with her.

She then asked for every audition I had ever submitted. It was at this point that I realized this must be a pretty important role. I had a director’s callback with Deborah Chow in early June, and at the end of June, they flew me to LA for an in-person audition with her. I knew the role had to be Luke Skywalker when I walked past Darth Vader in the hallway! The role wasn’t confirmed until Deb called to offer it to me in early July. So, in total, the process lasted around three months.

There is a lot of material to pull from when it comes to learning about Luke Skywalker.

What did you do to prepare for the role of young Luke?

Deborah Chow asked me not to watch any of the movies before filming. She didn’t want me to do any homework at all. She told me when she offered me the part that I had everything she wanted in young Luke and didn’t want me imitating the older Luke in any way.

For episode 6 of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, were there a lot of rehearsals for those scenes where Reva was hunting down Luke?

Before the actual shooting began, they had me practice running along the rocks in a harness.

Other than that, there really were no additional rehearsals for the scene. I will admit that scene was one of my favorites, though. Working with the stunt team was very exciting.

Obi-Wan Kenobi had an incredible cast. Did you learn a lot from being on set with actors like Joel Edgerton and Ewan McGregor?

This entire experience taught me a lot about how things work on set and what goes on before, during, and after the scenes are filmed.

There are so many different camera angles and takes for even the shortest scenes. It’s quite the process. All the actors were so friendly and helpful; watching how they prepared for their scenes was educational for me. It really was an amazing experience to work with everyone involved with this show.

What advice do you have for aspiring young actors?

My biggest advice is to find an acting school near you or online and take classes. Also, make your character as real as possible so that you are the character you are trying to portray.

When you memorize lines and “act,” the audience can tell and it feels forced. Just try to be natural.

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NYOTA Magazine STAR POWER TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF GRAPHIC DESIGNER

CAROL WRIGHT

WWW.ISSUU.COM/NYOTAMAGAZINE

CAROL WRIGHT

HTTP://NYOTAMAGAZINE.COM

COVER CONTENT CREATOR

Vi Luong

CONTRIBUTORS PHOTOGRAPHER

PUBLISHING

Ben Cope

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