See what gorgeous actress Elizabeth Chang from Ralf Nieders Film Barcodes connects to His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Interview with Elizabeth Chang
1. How do you describe yourself in one sentence? I’m an artist, actress, and writer.
2. How do you know Ralf Nieder? We met working on Barcodes. Ralf is really nice and great to work with.
3. Which achievement are you especially proud of? I recently played a Chef on Hack My Life. The shoot happened between shoots for a martial arts short I was working on in SF. I shot the scene from Hack My Life here in LA and got back in time to finish up the short film. The crew over at Hack My Life said it was the funniest footage they’ve gotten this season.
4. What moves and encourages you? Tales of love, courage, endurance… I like to see the good in everyone, and enjoy stories that explore the nuances of human nature. Technological innovations are exciting and make me optimistic about the future. I hope we can find ways to live sustainably – there’s no Planet B.
5. Are you upset about critique? Bring it on, Baby!
6. Where does your next trip lead you to? I’m going to visit some friends in France. We’ll spend a few days in Paris then rent a house in the countryside, before heading to London and Oxford.
7. What can your assistant or help do that your smart phone can’t? Laundry
8. Are you a night owl or early bird and why? I’m an early bird who loves to sleep in.
9. Whom would you like to dine with present or past (even a historic person)? Euripides, in my opinion was the greatest of the Greek playwrights… I would love to better understand his plays and how they were performed and also ask him about the lost books of Homer.
10. If you would bestow a decoration, order or honor who would receive it? I’d give an award to children who demonstrate excellence in science. They are our future!
11. What is your favorite restaurant? Chez Panisse or Cesar’s in Berkeley. My parents were foodies, and I basically grew up in these restaurants.
12. The best place after a party night out in town? My Kitchen! I make a killer Challah French Toast.
13. How do you relax? Some vinyasa yoga, followed by meditation always leaves me feeling refreshed.
14. If you could be someone else for a week, who would that be? Siri – she’s everywhere and knows just about everything.
15. Which book did you read last? What Men Live By and Other Tales, by Leo Tolstoy
16. What is a perfect day? Learning something interesting, doing something really well, helping someone and making a difference.
17. Which dream do you want to fulfill yourself? I want to create stories that inspire people.
18. Whats your favorite drink? Dragonwell Tea or Water with Lemon
19. Your biggest success? Not sure, I’m always trying to just be a little kinder, stronger, better than the day before.
20. Your biggest down? When my father passed away three years ago.
21. What can’t you understand? How people can deny climate change.
22.. Which talent would you like to have? A photographic memory.
23. Share a life wisdom with us? “Given the scale of life in the cosmos, one human life is no more than a tiny blip. Each one of us is a just visitor to this planet, a guest, who will only stay for a limited time. What greater folly could there be than to spend this short time alone, unhappy or in conflict with our companions? Far better, surely, to use our short time here in living a meaningful life, enriched by our sense of connection with others and being of service to them.” – Dalai Lama XIV
24. Life is too short to? Life is too short to harbor resentment.
25. What do you always have in your fridge? Organic greens
26. Whats your life motto? Enjoy every moment of every day, there is always something to appreciate.
27. Whats your favorite sport? Skiing
28. Whats so exciting about Barcodes? Sci Fi is a means to explore the future and potentially make a difference. If we can envision possible outcomes, we can make changes in the here and now to make the world a better place tomorrow.
29. What you doing within the production of Barcodes? I’m playing Android # 3.
30. How would YOU describe Barcode in one sentence and why is it cool? Barcodes explores a future in which materialism has gotten the better of us. People are dependent on technology, and the lines between human and machine have become blurred. When the androids disobey, the authorities try to bring them in and reprogram them. In a way, we all are being programed subconsciously by advertising we see on our smartphones today. Everything you see gets taken into your subconscious, and affects your unconscious decisions. When you scroll through your news feed and an ad pops up, you may not realize it a month later when you think about seeing that movie, or buying that item. Barcodes also explores trying to escape our own “programming” in the here and now.
NAME: Elizabeth Chang
PROFESSION: Actress and Writer
