Hello World,

Today was the 13th day I’ve been staying home (I think) to avoid catching the novel coronavirus pneumonia. The stores are closed. The gym is closed. Everything is closed, so I have no excuse not to work on my film projects at home.

I woke up at 10am and felt great all day. My work requires a lot of creative energy, so I need a ton of caffeine to get anything done. Since Starbucks closed, I’ve been making my own green tea. It’s probably too strong - it’s stronger than anything I’ve ever drunk before and sometimes it keeps me up ’til 4am.

The strong tea made by Charlie

I’m making a 抖音 show where I review movies in order to help audiences distinguish strong movies from weak ones. It’s all presented from a film director’s perspective. The show will also promote Hainanese 清补凉，so today I worked on the 清补凉 animation (in my show, strong movies receive a bowl of 清补凉 and weak movies don’t get anything).

Charlie’s Tik Tok show

Later, I finalized the latest cut of an American movie I’m editing called “Divine Comedy” (based on the popular story of the same name). It feels great to finalize this movie, which I’ve been working on since last September.

The editing work

After that, I had a phone meeting with a line producer in Los Angeles about my next film “Space Families”, which I plan to film in Hainan. Prior to the novel coronavirus pneumonia, we were planning meetings with potential investors, but everything is delayed now. I’m glad my line producer is in LA, so he can keep working during this crisis.

The script of  “Space Families”

I had my breakfast around 4pm. 5 eggs, a ton of nuts, and some raisins. The only thing that could beat this breakfast for me would be chicken and waffles, but, like I said, everything is closed.

After that, I brainstormed some ideas for some video essays I’m planning to put on 抖音 about creativity. I want to teach young people about linear and non-linear thinking and give them a glimpse of how regular creative thought can benefit our lifestyles and health. Today’s topic is “The Subjectivity of Creativity”. I’m going to try to explain this stuff in Chinese in the show, so there’s a good chance no one will understand anything I’m saying.

Brainstorming of Tik Tok show

I soon got tired of looking up Chinese words on Plecco app, so I took my new 口罩 and went for an outdoor workout. It’s not the same as going to the gym, but if I don’t get fresh air soon, I’m going to get a migraine (this usually happens around 5pm).

Finally, I came home, washed my hands for about 20 minutes. After that, I ate some chicken and worked on some sound design for my last movie “宝贝”, which we filmed in Hainan last year.

Movie Poster of 宝贝

Around 9pm, I started feeling exhausted. Now I’m going to watch a movie I want to review on my 抖音 show. This movie is called 巨鳄岛. So far, it’s a terrible movie, but the overdubs are hilarious, so I’m enjoying it very much. I’m going to have fun reviewing it tomorrow.