Meet Pengyifan Lou | Producer, Casting Director & Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Pengyifan Lou and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Pengyifan, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born and raised in Shanghai, China. As people who moved to Shanghai to start their businesses, my parents were always busy, so they encouraged me to explore the city and find what I like. Shanghai is an artistic city full of events, and I found my interests in books, movies, musicals, and traveling. During my adventures, I grew up as an independent person who loved storytelling. With the support of my parents, I chose filmmaking as my major when I went to college. I went to England for an exchange program and then came to the United States to explore more about films. Filmmaking has become my career; now, I work as a producer and casting director in film, TV, and commercials.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My journey as a filmmaker has been a captivating experience. After studying in China, England, and Los Angeles, I’ve learned a lot from diverse cultures and people, which have been instrumental in shaping me into the filmmaker I am now. I take pride in being an international filmmaker, presenting different cultures and stories to a global audience. During this journey, I’ve realized I really do love being a producer and casting director.

As a producer, I provide service not only as a line producer but also as a creative producer based on the needs. I love working on films or television series based on true stories and real people. Film is such a strong tool to deliver the voice to the world, and it helps people get seen and heard. For the past few years, I’ve been working on multiple projects across various genres, from generation gaps to culture differences, gangsters to cowboys, love between living and dead ones, to love between humans and AI. The joy of seeing these stories from development to the screen is unmatched, and it’s the essence of what makes me proud of my job as a producer.

My role as a casting director brings a unique dimension to my work. Discovering the perfect fit for characters allows me to build connections with a lot of talented people who love and dedicate themselves to our stories. They’re so amazing to watch and to work with. This experience in casting has added valuable perspectives to my role as a producer, enhancing my understanding of the director’s vision of the story.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my friends visit Los Angeles, I will bring them to one of my favorite coffee shops in the morning, like Tilt Coffee Bar and Maru Coffee.

Hollywood sign, Griffith Observatory, and Hollywood Walk of Fame are definitely some places they should not miss. They should also go to the amazing museums in LA. My favorites are the Getty, LACMA, and Grammy Museum.

At night, I will bring them to Hollywood Pantages Theatre to watch a great musical or drive to Universal City Overlook to enjoy the night view of LA.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d love to thank my parents for supporting me in going to different countries to continue my filmmaking adventure and encouraging me to make filmmaking my career. I also want to thank my fiancé Geter, who always supported and encouraged me throughout my journey in the U.S. He believes me as a partner, good friend, and producer. He helps me balance work and life and is always on my side. Last but not least, I would love to shoutout all the amazing filmmakers and talented actors I’ve worked with. Thank you all for working with me, believing in me, and making good stories together.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinlouuu_/

Image Credits
Tiancong Zheng, Israa Al-Kamali, Yuchan Deng, Zicen Zhou