Professional Daydreamer

A fast-moving portrait of Chinese-American photographer Tyler Chan and his exploration of cultural identity through photography.

Raised in Montclair, New Jersey, and now based in Rotterdam, Tyler’s work has evolved from documenting suburban life to exploring the Chinese diaspora through portraiture, hip-hop, and cultural storytelling, reinterpreting heritage across generations and geographies.

The film was created within a 24-hour window as part of The Art of Documentary’s one-day challenge, which shaped its instinctive energy and structure. I developed the approach and led all aspects of production—from concept to final cut, taking a fast-paced, collage-like approach: Tyler’s vivid photographs are intercut with observational footage, Hi8 images, and voiceover. The nostalgic look of Hi8 evokes memory, echoing the way youth culture documents itself: unpolished, fleeting, and full of presence. Professional Daydreamer reflects on how photography can represent more than just faces and places, suggesting the layered histories and identities behind them. 

CREDITS

DIRECTOR, D.O.P & EDITOR: Margarita Kouvatsou
FEATURING: Tyler Chan
SOUND: Pepijn van Dorst
GRADING: Fernando Barrientos