On My Radar: Zhenzhen Yan

What the most creative advertising idea you’ve seen recently?

This Apple Watch 911 commercial is the most creative ad idea I’ve seen recently. The video is the recording of making an emergency call through the Apple Watch. It used audio to narrate the story, and also introduced the functions of the product as a product demo.

What website(s) do you use most regularly?

I often browse beatstars.com. Although the quality of tracks is not always consistent, it still offers a glimpse of what kinds of music people are listening to and keen to produce themselves. And, also, it’s a good place to hunt for some good composers/musicians!

What’s the most recent piece of tech that you’ve bought?

I don't know if it's a piece of tech, but I recently bought a customised pair of IEM (In Ear Monitors) as an early birthday present. The design on it is my name in Chinese characters. IEM can provide a different reference monitoring environment, so that I can listen to my work more comprehensively and objectively. 

What product could you not live without?

A mobile phone connected to the internet.

What’s the best film you’ve seen over the last year?

Persian Lessons. It's a war drama directed by Vadim Perelman that was partially inspired by the short story Erfindung einer Sprache and debuted at the Berlin Film Festival. It was beautifully told. 

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

I won't force others to watch any movies. There won't be one movie for everyone!

What’s your preferred social media platform?

I use Weibo most. But, in fact, I don't like the current internet environment very much. Whether it's Weibo, Twitter or instagram, the phenomenon of cyber violence is very serious.

What’s your favourite TV show?

Street Dance of China, a dance reality show first launched in 2018 by the Chinese video platform Youku. It uses the format of a celebrity mentor and professional dancers for the show, and allows dancers to strut their stuff directly on the street, upending the traditional model for such programs, at least in China. I am eager to know how music and dance work together. This program gives me a lot of inspiration.

What’s your favourite podcast?

I'm not used to listening to podcasts. This year, The Weeknd's new album, Dawn FM, gave me a feeling of 'psychedelic radio'. I don't know whether this album counts or not, but it reminded me of a podcast or radio show in some ways. 

What show/exhibition has most inspired you recently?

Because of Covid-19, I haven't gone to any shows or exhibitions for a long time. But, last year, I went to a play called A Dream Like A Dream - a landmark seven-and-a-half hour play by the preeminent playwright-director of Chinese language theatre, Stan Lai. This epic work changes the paradigm of theatre experience, not only in the richness, depth and multilayers of its story, but in the actual experience of the performance itself, which places the audience in the centre of the action, with scenes unfolding all around. It is like watching four stages surrounding you at the same time.

If you could only listen to one music artist from now on, who would it be?

That's impossible. I can't choose. Every music style and musician I know brings me different experiences and cannot be replaced by each other. Having a wide appreciation in music is the most basic requirement for me in my work, I think! 

If there was one thing you could change about the advertising industry, what would it be?

I hope that the audio and video have equal status. I don’t want to dance in chains any more. Sound is a foil to the picture. People sometimes compromise the timeline and integrity of music, and the time left for sound production is often insufficient. As for the budget, it is only a fraction of the video side. The production of audio needs more creative space, longer time and more adequate budget.