The rising stars

If you’re a young creative, it’s no secret that the entertainment industry is a competitive one. All the people we know and look up to have been through a series of hardships: project rejections, underpaid entry-level jobs, uncontrollable events like union strikes or a global pandemic. The feeling of being taken for granted in Hollywood when all we want to do is genuinely create authentic stories for the screen. We’ve all been there. However, across four incredible issues, my teammates and I have interviewed 16 rising stars. The dreamers. The leaders of the next generation. Those who refused to give up, no matter the obstacles. In each interview, each person spoke candidly about their struggles, past experiences, and current challenges. How it felt to be an international student running out of time on their visa. How it felt to have worked on a feature film for years and not receive distribution. How it felt to study for bar exams, not knowing if you’d be able to practice law one day. Yes, all of these things might seem bleak. However, the beautiful side is seeing how these 16 artists rose above, fought past all odds, and continue to generously help their communities while they reach for the stars. As Editor-in-Chief of Allusion Magazine, I am most proud of highlighting the young artists who will change the world someday. I urge you to connect with their work, support them as creatives, and have hope as you read through their journeys.

1. Vahan Bedelian

Vahan Bedelian is a filmmaker best known for his short film, The K-Town Killer, which screened at the Tribeca Film Festival and the UTA Next Gen Showcase. He has directed and edited a number of shorts, which have broken records across the board. His film, Fire House, was made in collaboration with Creatives 4 Democracy to promote voter turnout in the 2020 election. Jacob + Malika, a short film about a Muslim girl who moves to the U.S. and falls in love with an American boy next door, was completed in July 2017 by members of the Scary Cow Productions film cooperative on location in Redwood Shores, Sandpiper Lagoon, and San Carlos, CA. With almost a decade of industry experience, Vahan has edited commercial content for clients such as the UFC, Top Rank Boxing, and PFL.

Up next: The K-Town Killer feature film, various short films

2. Fiori Carmen

Fiori Carmen is a Netherlands-born filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and content creator known for her work in narrative film, music videos, and visual storytelling that blends reality with fantasy. A former Division 1 field hockey player, she holds an MFA from Loyola Marymount University and creates content focused on fashion, sports, and photography. Her directing work on her short film, Transpassing, earned her a nomination at the Television Academy Drama College Awards.

Up next: Social media content, various short films

3. Lu Cheng

Lu Cheng is a highly skilled composer based in Los Angeles, California. With a deep passion for music, he has dedicated himself to the craft and achieved a remarkable milestone by completing a master’s degree at the renowned University of California (USC). His work has been featured on CW’s The Flash, Arrow, Prodigal Son, and more. He currently writes and composes music for international short films, video games, and other media.

Up next: Project Vesperi, various music scores

4. Yiran Chen

Yiran Chen is a rising cinematographer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Combined with her passion for Chinese cinema and keen eye for beautiful shots, Yiran creates unique, intentional films. Some of her credits include To Kill a Chicken, The Toad Song, Spring, Ornamental Oriental, and more. All of which have screened at various film festivals, including Iris Prize, the Scottish Queer Film Festival, LA Shorts, QFest St. Louis, and more. She earned her bachelor's degree in Journalism from Sichuan University and received her MFA in Cinematography from Loyola Marymount University.

Up next: Kon short film for LMU x Sony Electronics Social Impact Lab, various short films

5. Lailanie Gadia

Lailanie Gadia was born in Long Beach, California but spent her early years on the island of Guam. She is a financial professional turned multifaceted film producer. As the founder of her production company, Mango Stories, she is dedicated to producing diverse AAPI stories. Her impressive credits include Third Act, Bridging Our Stories, The Stirring Place, and more. Her most recent project, Milk & Honey, directed by Rachel Leyco, was a winner of the 2025 Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge, presented by CAPE and Janet Yang Productions. Lailanie was also named a 2023 DOC NYC Documentary New Leader for bringing equity and change to the documentary industry. She continues to speak on panels and lead workshops about her experience in fundraising and filmmaker sustainability at various conferences.

Up next: Milk & Honey feature film, Bridging Our Stories screening tour, Light on a Hill documentary

6. Sujin Jung

Sujin Jung is an LA-based writer-director originally from Gyeonggi-do province, Korea. Sujin began making films at 18 and later moved to Los Angeles to expand her creative horizons. Recently, she has completed her MFA in Directing at Loyola Marymount University. Sujin's work often focuses on stories about marginalized communities, particularly highlighting women. Her short film, Cocoon, was deeply inspired by observing her mother’s struggles and societal pressures placed on women. The film won the Focus Features & JetBlue Student Short Film Showcase and was recognized at the 2024 Gotham Awards. Cocoon also premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.

Up next: Keeper short film for LMU x Sony Electronics Social Impact Lab, various short films

7. Sara Lowe

Sara is a recent graduate of UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television with a B.A. in Theater, Scenic/Production Design and a minor in Film, Television, and Digital Media. She is an alumna of Issa Rae’s ColorCreative Find Your People as a Production Design Fellow with the 2024-2025 Year 2 Cohort. She is continuing her studies at UCLA, pursuing an MFA in Entertainment Design. With a background in graphic design and theater, Sara is deeply inspired by blending storytelling with bold visual choices. She is dedicated to using design to build meaningful connections with communities and integrating sustainable practices in production design. Originally from the Bay Area, she centers her work around underrepresented voices and explores themes of identity, nostalgia, and community through a contemporary lens.

Up Next: Mad Forest theater show, music video premiere, various short films

8. Libby Morehouse

Libby Morehouse is a second-year associate at Greenberg Traurig, working in Labor and Employment litigation. While in law school at Loyola Marymount University, she served as a Senior Production Editor for the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review, where she also wrote and published an article on the need for federal legislation to protect minors on social media. Prior to law school, she worked in theatre, entertainment, marketing, and live events.

9. Dustin Muenchow

Dustin Muenchow wears many hats as a director and local 700 editor. An expert at crafting comedy and witty punchlines, he won the Special Jury Award at SXSW for his editing work on the television pilot, Halfrican American. His directing work has been featured on MTV Asia, MTV India, Billboard, VICE, Videostatic, The FADER, iheartcomix, LA Weekly, Performer Magazine, Knocksteady, Beats Per Minute, Impose, and Stan Lee's World of Heroes. Editorially, he has worked with a wide variety of clients with projects in broadcast, digital, branded/commercial, feature, and promotions.

Up next: various comedy shows, brand spots, and short films

10. Makayla Rabago

Makayla Rabago currently holds a position at DLA Piper where she reviews deals, cases, and related matters. In college, she double majored in criminology and philosophy at UC Irvine. During her time as a Loyola Law School student, she served as Research Editor for the school’s Entertainment Law Review. By extension, she was a member of the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic, Immigration Law Society, and served as Entertainment and Business Chair for two years. In her career, she plans to continue combining her passion for film, media, and law.

11. Jon-Thomas “J.T.” Royston

Jon-Thomas “J.T.” Royston, the visionary behind Never Whisper Justice—a creative studio at the forefront of fusing impactful storytelling with real-world change. As the Co-Founder & CEO, he leads a team of educators, artists, activists, and filmmakers dedicated to delivering long-form feature documentaries and purpose-driven campaigns. After their first film, Black Boys (2020), which premiered on NBC Peacock, won many independent awards and built a fiscal model with an impressive list of collaborators, Never Whisper Justice completed their production of Black Girls (2024). This eagerly anticipated companion film, which has been acquired by Comcast NBCUniversal, is now available exclusively on Comcast’s Black Experience on Xfinity channel, X1, Xumo, Flex, and Peacock.

Up next: Third film of Black Boys + Black Girls trilogy, various documentaries with Never Whisper Justice

12. Mehrin Saleem

Mehrin Saleem is an attorney based in Los Angeles. A graduate of Loyola Law School, she has proven to be productive and prestigious. She served as the Entertainment Law Review’s Chief of Alumni Relations & Symposia Editor. She was also an assistant for The Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy & Innovation, as well as Student Services and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. To top it all off, she interned in the legal affairs department at top companies such as Sony Pictures Television, Marvel Studios, Fremantle, and was a lawyer in training at Disney.

13. Jacob Staudenmaier

Jacob Staudenmaier is a Phoenix-born filmmaker. In 2017, he got his first taste of the entertainment industry when his Junior Year “Promposal” to Emma Stone went viral. The video accumulated nearly 1.5 million views on YouTube, 4 million impressions on Twitter, and landed him on shows like Good Morning America and Jimmy Kimmel Live! His films have played at festivals like NFFTY and the Beverly Hills Film Festival. His debut feature, Chasing Sundance was distributed by FreeStyle Digital Media and is currently available on platforms like Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Most recently, he produced and starred in a Late-Night style talk show called The Jack Harris Show, which aired in front of a live audience.

Up next: various short films, feature film, just wrapped The Jack Harris Show

12. SK Tsang

Spencer Kingman Tsang, or “SK,” as he prefers, is a community builder, filmmaker, and art director. SK founded Dream State, a collective of third-culture artists who create Asian surrealist campaigns, immersive experiences, and development programs that encourage people to dream. His ambitious film credits include Fight Night, which premiered in high schools across the country and sparked conversations about toxic masculinity and mental health. Partnering with the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, his film Bridge to Everywhere was screened to the public. Later, he & the Dream State collective held exhibitions at the Asian Art Museum and hosted retreats called How to Walk on Clouds that empowered creatives from all over the world. Today, he continues to redefine how the greater community views, interacts with, and creates art.

Up next: projects with Dream State: The World is Yours, various short films, various documentaries

13. Griffin Voth

Griffin Voth is an internationally employed cinematographer from Seattle, Washington, who believes in capturing emotion within a beautiful frame. For his camera work on the short film Places We Won’t Walk, Griffin was nominated for the American Society of Cinematographer’s Heritage Award. In 2025, he was accepted into the ASC’s Vision Mentorship Program. Griffin has shot two feature films with star-filled casts. Maybelline Prince (2023), starring Greyson Chance, is now streaming on Amazon Prime & Tubi. The First Circle (2026), starring Michael Madsen, Natasha Henstridge, James Duval & Chris Browning, is set for release next year. He has also shot music videos for award-winning artists such as Hozier, Saint Levant, Nezza, Xandra, and more.

Up next: The First Circle feature film, various short films, various music videos

14. Nathan Xia

Nathan Xia is a Chinese American actor, filmmaker, and alternative artist from San Diego, California. He finds inspiration in the misunderstood and uses his art to explore themes of mental health, coming-of-age, and the Asian American experience through an emotionally vibrant, comedic personal lens. His short film, Adam’s Song, screened at a multitude of festivals and won awards at the Nashville Film Festival and the Ouray International Film Festival before being acquired for online distribution by Wong Fu Productions, NextShark, and FilmShortage, and broadcast television distribution by PBS. Ayo, Check Up!, a basketball-themed mental health dramedy, followed. The film premiered at Lebron James’ Uninterrupted Film Festival and was distributed online by Omeleto, NextShark, and NBA legend Jeremy Lin. His latest film, Flavor of the Month, is currently on its festival run. Xia is now developing the Adam’s Song feature film with Benjamin Wiessner of Vanishing Angle and is an alumnus of the Black List Project Lab.

Up next: Adam’s Song feature film, new music, various short films