Yu Jung Hou’s journey into film editing began like a scene out of a movie. As a child growing up in Taiwan, she found joy and expression through acting in church plays. By age 6, she was convinced her destiny was the stage. As she grew older, Yu Jung's love for anime, manga, and Japanese TV shows further deepened her fascination with acting and creativity. Her cherished VHS tapes, worn out from countless viewings, were mostly filled with Studio Ghibli movies. Despite her parents' restrictions, Yu Jung's passion for the silver screen remained unwavering. With stealth and cunning, she would sneak into her parents' room to watch her favorite shows on mute, reveling in the captivating visuals subtitled in Taiwanese. These covert viewings only made the world of performance art even more alluring and magical in her eyes.

Once she had grown up, Yu Jung realized that while acting was no longer her goal, she wanted to be part of bringing stories to life. She embarked on a life-changing journey when she came to the United States in 2012. Little did she know that this path would lead her from being a self-proclaimed "scrappy little nobody" to working on a Marvel movie!

Yu Jung secured a coveted internship at Pixar Animation Studios, a pinnacle for aspiring filmmakers. This chapter in her professional career was her first taste of the stringent standards that define the movie industry. Shortly after, she began working with James Gunn, one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood.

Despite her rapid success, Yu Jung is humble about the road she’s traveled. “I have been really lucky,” she says. “Compared to many pursuing similar paths, I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and meet the right people.” Of course, she is quick to add that she worked tirelessly to earn opportunities through determination and dedication. 

Yu Jung’s upbeat attitude served her well on productions like The Mandalorian and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. On Shang-Chi, she checked one of her biggest dreams off her list by working on a Marvel film. Ever since seeing Iron Man, she aspired to contribute to the superhero universe she loved. “It was a dream come true. The first franchise I ever fell in love with was X-Men, so buttoning up the first chapter of my film career with a superhero movie was a full circle in and of itself. I couldn’t have asked for a better Marvel project than the first Asian superhero movie to work on. I’ve learned to love and be proud of my heritage and everything I’m carrying, so being part of something that felt like I was speaking up for my community, but also much bigger than me at the same time, was just massively fantastic,” she excitedly shares. After years of honing the precise skills these effects-heavy films demand, Yu Jung had manifested this goal through hard work and persistence.

In the cutting room, Yu Jung is known for her speed, proactive solutions, and creative choices. She works quickly to give directors options, easing the intense pressures of production. “I think I’ve cut enough projects to say that every movie is different, but every director I ever worked with had their anxieties and worries. I pride myself in loving what I decide to work on, so much so that I’m actively, and maybe annoying, creatively involved.  For directors who liked that about me, it really helped them when they felt someone cared as much as they did and that the movie was constantly improving. Honestly, if I’m not helping with the director’s concerns by trying everything and making the movie better little by little, I’d be doing something wrong,” she states.

Yu Jung’s can-do spirit means filmmakers know they can rely on her. Yu Jung thrives on fast-paced problem-solving, getting an adrenaline rush through finding clever edits and fixes. She also infuses her sensibilities into every cut. Having been moved and inspired by so many films, she hopes to pay that feeling forward.

This passion now extends into her lead editing roles on indie features like Over/Under and Wilder Than Her. Despite budget limitations, Yu Jung delivers polished cuts on tight deadlines. “I’ve been really lucky that I’ve been able to work on projects, despite having lower budgets, had some of the best stories and people. When that’s the case, money really becomes secondary. You just sort of forget about it when you’re working with talented artists you admire. I love getting into the filmmakers’ brains and making the versions of the movies best for them. Inevitably, that would mean they were forced to be my friend, so, sorry, not sorry, because I love all of them,” Yu Jung muses.  

She adds, “I remember when I first read the script of Over/Under. I was shocked by how much I identified with the story. Mind you, I was someone from the other side of the globe, spoke a completely different language, and saw completely different geographies, reading something that’s heavily inspired by the writers’ real lives, and they could not be more opposite of me. I was amazed by the story’s ability to transcend cultural and language barriers. So I already had that ‘this is my story too’ attitude going into the cutting room, which made me 200% more curious about the people who wrote and made it. Sophia, my director on Over/Under, was pregnant during post-production. She had to run to the bathroom a lot and was very hot all the time. Because of these very natural reactions the body has when generating a brand new human being, the ice broke quickly between us. The situation forced us to share a bit too much too fast about each other, and that really helped with the tight schedule and the fact that it was our first collaboration. A similar thing happened again on Wilder Than Her, except Jess wasn’t pregnant, but we were also put into a situation where we had to familiarize ourselves with each other fast. These experiences taught me that if I’m willing to be open, the team and I can do anything, even with the limitation of time and money.”  

Yu Jung’s collaboration with the close-knit crews of these films showcases her flexibility, stamina, and commitment to the work. Juggling these indie projects while taking on shows like Disney+’s American-Born Chinese displays her broad range.

When asked about her aspirations, Yu Jung Hou focuses less on accolades and more on the impact films have. She shares, “It’s been the reason I entered this business and will forever be my dream.” Her goal is for her editing to move audiences and potentially change lives, even for just the runtime of a movie. “I’ve been saved by movies so many times. I’m not a naturally optimistic person, and often, if I don’t catch myself in time, I walk into a place that’s really dark without me even realizing it. I remember when Boyhood came out, I was really not doing well. I watched the movie and somehow felt lighter and purified. Like, my problems are so universal, and because of that, it’s kind of trivial. In the last scene, where they hike to the top of the mountain, I, too, felt so small but so liberated in nature. It would be an honor and privilege if my movies can do that to another person too,” Yu Jung concludes. If she can inspire people through the power of film, then she’s achieved true success. It’s clear Yu Jung has the grit, vision, and heart to realize her dreams.