Hello, David Xiao: Budding Horror Filmmaker And Violinist
"You have many years ahead of you to create the dreams that we can't even imagine dreaming. You have done more for the collective unconscious of this planet than you will ever know." - Steven Spielberg.
For those who don’t know David Xiao, editor Caitlin Andrews would highly recommend checking out his Youtube Channels, DXW CAGIN and DX Violin, to see all of his talents in action. Xiao, 15, is a highly acclaimed young creative who specialises in the unique combination of violin and film-making, with an predominant emphasis on his ambitions to become a film director. Over the course of his career, he has amassed a wealth of achievements, including an acceptance into the Florida Youth Orchestra Chamber Strings, a Fine Arts Scholarship from the American Heritage School, and a prestigious role as the co-concertmaster within the Principal Orchestra of the Florida’s Youth Orchestra. His collaborative Youtube Channel, 4th Wall Films, was also developed in earlier in 2021 by the former members of the 2021 New York Film Academy Online Summer Program. Caitlin Andrews was fortunate enough to be able to conduct an email interview with Xiao surrounding his victories, his goals and his favourite films as a budding director.
CA: Welcome to Periphery, David! How are you doing?
DX: “I am doing well!”
CA: Your passion for the violin developed at the age of three, and by the age of six you were studying violin, thus resulting in an acceptance into the Florida Youth Orchestra Chamber Strings three years later. What was it about the violin specifically that made you so enthused to seek prestigious recognition?
DX: “I think the power of the sound that came with it. Whenever I put the bow to the strings of my instrument and started playing the piece, I felt the emotion coursing through my veins. I had control of wherever I was going in life. Because of that feeling, it gave me room to express myself, which then encouraged me to participate in certain competitions like the ones hosted by the Florida Federation of Music Clubs where I can further display my emotions.”
CA: In what way has your musical success affected your character development? Do you think it has changed you as a person, or impacted your general life’s trajectory?
DX: “Playing the violin has helped me improve my leadership skills, my status in school, and my ability to express my feelings and thoughts towards other people. It’s even taught me what it's like to commit myself to certain tasks; one good example of that is that when I was auditioning for the American Heritage Fine Arts Scholarship, I really wanted to be accepted, so I started practicing about 7 months before the audition, focusing on my audition pieces for two hours or more. In the winter break before the audition, I was practicing five to six hours a day (which was kind of overkill for me), but I had to commit myself to practicing for the audition instead of hanging out with my friends and going on vacation…”
“...The most important development was focusing in school. Before I started violin, I was one of the most distracted kids ever. In fact, when I was in daycare, I remember playing with the toy trains while everyone else was sitting in front of the teacher for Story Time, and the teacher took me away from the trains and placed me on her lap instead of letting me think I was the new ‘King David’ of the daycare center. Whatever caught my interest, I just stuck to it and I didn’t bother focusing on anything else; ironically, that’s how I got interested in violin. Once I started playing when I was six, I had to focus on every single instruction that my teacher gave me. Then, I started applying that to other situations like school. If it weren’t for the violin, I would be on a totally different island.”
CA: What would you say is your favourite piece of music to play on the violin?
DX: “My favorite pieces are Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Kabalevsky’s Violin Concerto in C Major, Jules Massenet’s Thais Meditation, and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Summer: 3rd Movement.”
CA: Not only have you achieved success within the realm of music, you have also continuously pursued another creative interest: film-making. What first drew you to the art of film-making?
DX: “James Cameron once said in the Masterclass commercial that, “Every filmmaker starts as a fan.” Aside from my violin and time spent at school, I was watching tons of movies, which made me wonder if I could make my own films and portray certain emotions and elements that occur in real life on-screen. That idea was like a ghost possessing me to start the journey of filmmaking, after which I enrolled into my first film course when I was in seventh grade.”
CA: If you had to list your top five favourite films, what would they be, and why?
DX: “My top five favorite films and franchises are Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom, Interstellar, John Wick Parabellum, Duel, and Citizen Kane. I liked these films because they were all filled with their unique characteristics of suspense, character development, choreography and blocking, and methods of providing a thrilling experience.
Specifically, I liked Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom because it showed a thrilling ride from the Island of Isla Nublar all the way to the horror monster in the house atmosphere at Lockwood Manor. Not only do I like thriller films, I also like films where there is character development; for that, the film Interstellar was the best film in doing that, in my opinion. The main character started somewhere, and ended up unable to return to his regular life. Then, there is John Wick Parabellum, which shines in the blocking and choreography of the action scenes. Chad Stehelski, the film director, took every effort to make this film look as authentic and realistic as possible - he puts us in John Wick’s shoes, letting us see what he sees and feel what he feels. I believe that many action films fail to do this, which is why John Wick Parabellum makes my list.
Next, there is Duel, which is directed by none other than Steven Spielberg. Fun fact: it was his first feature film. I liked the action and the thrill, but what stood out the most was the tension and suspense out of the narrow scope of the story. It's basically a ‘cat and mouse’ game with the truck driver/murderer trying to kill David Mann, the main character, who is driving a compact car. The fact that David Mann’s situation seemed hopeless put me on the edge of my seat and made me empathise with the protagonist. Finally, there was Citizen Kane; I never knew that all Charles Foster Kane, the main character, wanted was to return to his happy childhood. Unfortunately, that was impossible and, as shown in the first scene of the movie, it breaks my heart knowing that he eventually dies.”
CA: Which element of creating short films, as depicted on one of your Youtube Channels, DXW Cagin, is the most interesting to you? Do you have a particular affinity for script writing, directing, cinematography etc?
DX:“I think the most interesting part of creating the film is the directing. It's like you are the captain of the boat and you direct all the crew members to do certain tasks, so that we can all reach our final destination. In most of my short films, I direct and act, and I have my mom or my sister on the camera, giving them directions on how to place and move the camera according to my vision. I have an affinity for directing, since I can apply the leadership and art skills gained from my experience as a violinist.”
CA: What are your favourite genres of short film to create, and are they the same as the genres you prefer to watch as a consumer?
DX: “I usually like to film comedies and horror films because the comedies bring joy and laughter to the audience, but the horror films take you out of the world we all live in and put you into the shoes of the main characters. As a consumer, I usually also watch the comedy and horror genre, but I like to watch the action and thriller genres too. The only reason why I don’t really create action and thriller films is because I don’t have the resources and crew to do so yet.”
CA: Overall, what would you consider your biggest achievement?
DX: “My biggest achievement in film is making my first music video. Although the quality of the piece isn’t the best, I learned what it was like to direct an actual film crew, which enhanced my motivation to pursue the film industry. For violin, my greatest achievement was receiving the American Heritage School’s Fine Arts Scholarship, because I learned what it was like to commit myself towards a cause and that helped me grow by practicing for the audition.”
CA: Do you intend to pursue a career in film-making and / or violin? What are your plans for the next ten years?
DX: “I’m hoping to pursue filmmaking for my career. Although my heart is glued to music, I want to express my feelings and emotions by giving the audience “the big picture.” For the next ten years, I will continue to make films while going to schools with good film programs, like the University of Southern California and New York University, but I will never stop playing the violin.”
CA: Who would you consider your biggest inspiration, in any of the creative fields you participate in?
DX: “I have many inspirations, including Itzhak Perlman, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Isabella Sermon, Chris Pratt, Keanu Reeves, and Chris Hemsworth.”
CA: Finally, where can our readers at Periphery access your short films and other achievements?
DX: “All of my short films are on my Youtube channels: DXW CAGIN, DX Violin, and 4th Wall Films.”
Periphery Magazine thanks David Xiao for his contribution, and wishes him luck on his journey into filmmaking! View a curated selection of his films under Periphery's "Media" section. You can also find his short films and violin content here:
