Despite the famously fickle nature of the film industry, Joshua Linder, a Floridian cinematographer and lighting technician, has managed to position himself as a specialist in the field. Even more impressively, he has been doing so as a foreigner in Beijing, where he has been living for the past 12 years.

Linder (or ProfessaJ, as he has named his production house) has worn many hats in the business – working for TV stations and on documentaries and films. He is also the Marketing Director for China for the lighting company Creamsource, which has sourced lights for blockbuster hits such as Mission Impossible, Batman, and Dune, which were filmed overseas. As part of his role, Linder promotes these lights to filmmakers around China.

Surprisingly, he has never had a formal education in film – he simply followed his passion, often making videos with friends and even asking his teachers if he could submit his work in video format. After working as a writer and producer for a news station, he realized he wanted to create his own work. When he first started out, he didn’t really have the budget — he taught himself to work a camera by asking others for tips, just for the price of a cup of coffee.

Now, in his free time, he continues to produce and shoot short films, as well as organizing screenings of these creations (and others) via his Beijing Indie Short Film screenings, which he has run once or twice a year for the past eight years.

The mission of his festival is to give short films the attention they deserve. He began with smaller screenings, and slowly, through WeChat channels, friends of the filmmakers, and word of mouth, they became more visible in the community. Now, once or twice a year, his screenings promote films made by people from all walks of life, be they university students, high schoolers, expats, or locals.

His only requirements: the films must be related to Beijing, and must include both Chinese and English subtitles.

Linder says that his favorite part of these events is the opportunity to meet and learn from other filmmakers. Guess what, you can too! The festival is free!

To make it in the film industry, Linder says you must be passionate and multifaceted, and be able to find a way to make money in your own way. He also says that, despite popular belief, you don’t have to be a director – there are many ways to contribute!

A big question everyone always has when it comes to independent filmmaking is whether expensive equipment is important.

Linder says: yes – but don’t sweat it if you can’t afford equipment now – just use your phone and make cool things with friends.

Although you can tell a story with virtually anything, he admits that equipment makes a massive difference. He sees that often, high production value is more appreciated than even a quality story. As a consequence, production value is often what determines whether something is considered big-screen worthy. To improve film quality on a budget, he recommends renting higher-end equipment instead of buying it.

When asked if he had any advice for aspiring filmmakers, Linder had this to say:

• Tell a story you’re passionate about.
• Work with people you trust and enjoy working with, as you will spend long hours with them.
• Learn to take constructive criticism.
• Don’t worry if your first films aren’t critically acclaimed.
• Find your voice.
• Collaborate, you don’t need to do everything yourself.
• Build connections, reach out to students, friends, anyone who has access to things that can help enhance your story.
  • Effective ways to build connections are to show up to festivals and events, have a good attitude, and know yourself and your skills.
• If you can’t afford equipment, use your phone and make cool things with friends.
• Practice using key software.
• If you aren’t proficient in storyboarding, use tools like AI to help.

He even suggests just making ‘cool edits’ using stock photos.

Filmmaking is a tough industry, and much of it is about making connections and honing your skills. Linder has managed to achieve this, and has created a space where others with a passion for film can do so too.

Do you have something to submit? Follow along and keep in touch with the next short film fest occurring this fall below:

Instagram: Film Fest – @bjisff
Websites: Film Fest – https://beijingtrends.com/

You can view Linder’s work on his Instagram accounts:
Production Company – @professajproductions
Photo Studio – @professajstudio

Images: Joshua Linder

Welcome back to Roundabout! Everyone’s favorite charity store is as busy as ever, with book fairs and jewelry sales happening this month. A recent visit to their store has found their shelves fully loaded with books, clothing and childrens’ sporting goods, so if you’re in the market for great quality gently used goods, now’s the time to pick up a bargain.

Roundabout events this June:

Jewelry Sale: Tuesday, Jun 13 to Sunday, Jun 18

Book Fair at Keystone Academy: Saturday 24^th, 10 AM to 3 PM.

If you’re looking for affordable English books, just pop by or place an order on Roundabout’s handy WeChat mini-program. The selection in the store and on the mini-program is vast — the mini-app alone has over 1,000 children’s books listed. The inventory is cross-checked regularly, so the titles listed are always available.

To access the mini program, can scan this QR code:

Roundabout’s books are high quality and there is a great range of genres. You can find children’s books (organized by age), cookbooks, travel books, educational books, and of course, fiction novels. Larger hard-cover books range from around ¥60 to ¥70, while smaller and soft-cover books are generally around ¥30, with some going as low as ¥15. As the end of the school year nears, be watchful for a new wave of books that people choose to leave behind.

New and expecting parents might also be interested to know that Roundabout has a large range of English-language parenting books!

Beyond the books, there are high-quality clothes that can be the key ingredient to brightening up your wardrobe. There’s even a rack filled with clothes that are priced at a rock-bottom ¥10 each.

If your child has started to pick up hobbies such as skating or biking, there are a ton of gently used knee pads and helmets, all at great prices.

If you haven’t been to Roundabout, it’s time to visit again — their collection changes every day, and there’s almost nothing they don’t have. With their friendly staff and passionate volunteers, you are destined to find something you’ll love.

Have anything to donate? Feel free to drop it in the containers in front of the store. Or, if you’ve got a lot, and you live nearby (Shunyi, northeastern Chaoyang), you can message them via WeChat and organize a driver to come pick up your donations.

Roundabout 
Address: Cathay View Plaza, No. 2 Xiangjiang Beilu, Chaoyang District
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 9am to 5pm
To inquire about pick-ups: 137 1805 3814 or WeChatID: roundabout_donation
To inquire about volunteering: 185 1044 9951(WeChat)

Images: Kristina K, Roundabout

Nowadays it’s difficult to come up with a facet of our lives that isn’t being scrutinized, and in turn revealing hard-to-swallow truths about the environmental impacts of everyday choices we’ve historically taken for granted. From food production to vehicle emissions and single-use plastics to water waste, we’re finally beginning to open our eyes to the true cost of seemingly insignificant activities and ways of being.

Front and center in this debate is the world of fast fashion, an industry that’s predicated on pumping out new consumer trends by producing clothes that are both cheap to make and inexpensive to buy. In fact, according to Koty Neelis, a writer with greenmatters.com, “Fast fashion items are often worn less than five times, kept for roughly 35 days, and produce over 400 percent more carbon emissions per item per year than garments worn 50 times and kept for a full year.”

Luckily, here in Beijing, expats come and go at a dizzying speed, which means there’s a revolving door of people hoping to unload stuff before they leave, or stock up when they arrive. I myself am part of so many great WeChat groups full of folks selling or giving away second-hand items that I could probably fill five hutong houses if needed.

Incidentally, one of the most common items changing hands in these groups is clothing, and that’s great news for the environment. Citing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Neelis points out that, “in terms of carbon emissions, the amount of clothing already recycled [in the U.S.]each year is equivalent to taking one million cars off the road.” While this number reflects statistics in America specifically, it’s still a welcome indicator of the public’s conscience turning towards more sustainable fashion practices.

Joining the efforts to limit waste and encourage the recycling of possessions is Beijing-based architecture and design studio, Crossboundaries, who frequently organize Live With Less events in which the public can come and swap their unwanted clothing, accessories, bags, shoes, household stuff, books, and children’s things. The next one will be held on Nov. 2 from 1.30pm – 4.30 pm at the Cultural and Creative Center of National Art Museum of China (NAMOC).

The event is free and open to everyone, though they do request that attendees bring an ID card for entry. A few more rules they want everyone to be aware of: giving and taking need not happen in equal measure, absolutely nothing can be sold as the event is meant to promote a cycle of exchanges, items on offer must be clean and in a condition that you would like to receive them, and anything left over will go to charities such as Tongxinhuhui and Roundabout.

NAMOC is located at 3rd Floor, Art Innovation Center of NAMOC, 1 Wusi Dajie, East District

For more information about the event, click here. For more information about Crossboundaries, scan the QR code above.

Photos: Crossboundaries, Newsweek, Gatornews.org

Around this time last year a big group of Beijing’s fashionistas gathered together at East Beijing Hotel for an annual night of drinks, food, and fashion – and best of all, it was all for charity.

Now let’s be honest, Beijing can get a bit dreary in the winter so we love an excuse for a for a good party. The annual clothing drive started by Rebecca Archer is almost here. Inspired by a clothing auction her cousin held in New Zealand, Archer decided to hold clothing auctions as a fun way of clearing out her closet, hosting a fabulous party, and doing some good all at the same time.

Archer shared a great tip about her evolving fashion; “Sometimes I love an item of clothing that doesn’t appear to be my style, or seems a bit out of my comfort zone. I realized that if I made myself wear it three times, it would either turn from a strange piece of clothing to a wardrobe staple, or I would realize I was still very uncomfortable in it. Then I would return it to the next clothes auction.”

This year’s event will be held at East Beijing Hotel on November 23 starting at 7pm. Last year the group raised over RMB 120,000 at various auctions held in people’s homes throughout the year, and this year the group aims to beat their previous record.

The Clothing Auction Network Is Built on Three Key Concepts:

Community – Strong friendships have formed between the women as they have bonded regularly over clothes, wine and food. New people are always welcome to join in the community, with many women saying they only had to attend one event to become an “addict”. Shopping is way more fun with friends, especially over wine, where you can get honest feedback about how things look and what suits you. The auctioneers running the event are able to get the laughs going, making for super enjoyable evenings.

Charity – All clothing is donated by participants, and then auctioned off with 100 percent of proceeds being donated to charity, with the leftover clothing either being upcycled or donated to charity.

Sustainable Fashion – Buying secondhand clothing is a sustainable solution to the environmental problem caused by the fashion industry. Many women suffer from having wardrobes full of clothes they have purchased that don’t fit, don’t look right, or that they just don’t want anymore. Bringing these clothes along to an Auction gives the clothes a second chance to go to a new home. Many of the items at the events have been circulating through the Network for four years, and have had several homes as people wear them for a season, then pass them on.

Tickets to this year’s auction will go on sale soon. For more information on Clothing Auctions, or if you would like to become a part of this incredible community, add Rebecca on WeChat (becstarnz).

Photos: Rebecca Archer

I have always bought secondhand clothes. As a student it was a necessity — I wanted to look nice, but I also wanted to have enough money to eat. I have a beautiful circa-1980 gold-and-black prom dress I bought in the early 2000s that cost me less than GBP 5 (RMB 44.24) which I still wear to this day.

As the years go by, and my financial situation has improved, I still buy secondhand. I can’t go back to the UK without doing “the rounds” of the local charity shops or exploring a car boot sale. I love secondhand sales so much, in fact, that I set up Beijing’s (maybe even China’s) biggest and best jumble sale, called Rumble in the Jumble.

Due to work, however, I have handed over the running of Rumble in the Jumble to my wonderful friend Charlotte White who has taken it from strength to strength. I may no longer oversee Rumble, but something that I instigated remains: the drop-off stall for donations to the Beijing-based charity Roundabout.

Roundabout was established back in 2008 by Leslie Simpson. Simpson had been volunteering with a foster home in Beijing which accepted donations of clothes and home items. She saw firsthand that the effort involved in sorting donations was an enormous drain on the already over-stretched staff and volunteers. And so, the secondhand fashion lover saw an opportunity, and the Roundabout retail store was founded.

What goes around, comes around, and even a cursory glance at Roundabout’s logo can tell you that it is committed to exactly that. Revenue generated by Roundabout helps people across society — from the elderly to orphaned or poor children to people with mental or physical disabilities, and also women from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Roundabout Store and Community Centre is a thrifters’ treasure trove. The relatively recent addition of the consignment section, which boasts new, off-the-rack items, is a real draw for many people as it offers a way to buy unusual, often branded, clothes at a fraction of the price.

Regardless of who I have spoken to — individuals concerned about the global trend of consumerist fashion, people who want to look good but not break the bank, or those who want their purchases to make a difference — all were united in their love for the store and the charity.

Anna Nocon wearing her favorite Roundabout buy – a silk top from Lanvin.

“I am always on the lookout for pieces that may no longer be available. It makes it more fun when you don’t know what to expect. It’s like a treasure hunt!” said Anna Nocon, a self-confessed “fashion freak” who previously worked in the fashion industry.

Nocon said she first caught the secondhand bug after stumbling across a British charity shop. She has since shopped secondhand across the world and tries to buy used clothes as much as possible.

“I have seen how many unnecessary things that the fashion industry makes. I don’t think we should be changing or buying new things every season. This is my way of supporting sustainability and reasonable shopping – after all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

What I love about Roundabout, and charity shops in general, is that it’s not just about what you buy, but also about what that purchase means. When I spoke to Lilly Li, Roundabout charity sale department director, she told me that supporting Roundabout can, and has, saved lives.

Take the story of Nini. When Nini was just six years old she was diagnosed with leukemia. Her mom took her all the way from Jiangxi province to Beijing People’s Hospital for treatment but didn’t know what to do when she was told that bone marrow transplant surgery would cost RMB 300,000. Hospital fees can bankrupt families, and parents will go to extreme lengths to help their children.

“They were found on the sidewalk trying desperately to raise money,” Li explained. “So, Roundabout helped to pay for the surgery. Nini, now 10 years old, came back for her last checkup in August and was told she had completely recovered. She is a happy elementary school girl living with her parents in her hometown.”

Volunteers Nocon and Nancy model items at Roundabout Boutique

I have had the pleasure of speaking to a few of the wonderful people who volunteer or support Roundabout. It’s funny, for many of us living in Beijing, a city of over 21 million people, sometimes it can be really lonely. Nocon agreed.

“Beijing is such a big place. Sometimes it’s hard to be part of a community and meet new people. Roundabout has created a cool community of volunteers with shared interests, so it has this social aspect, which is beneficial to expats.”

Another active member of the community is Hannah Northcott, a drama teacher at the International School of Beijing. She posts pictures of her Roundabout-sourced outfits regularly in the Roundabout Vintage & Designer WeChat group. But this is no humblebrag, Northcott has a mission.

“I support Roundabout through social media. I post style tips and outfit ideas for the everyday woman. This helps create awareness in our community and the world about sustainable style,” Northcott explained.

Northcott is even having her birthday at Roundabout.

“We’re excited to have a girls’ day out at the Roundabout for my 40th! Last June, we did a surprise farewell party for Kristina, one of our friends at the Vintage and Consignment Section. It was so much fun we needed another reason to do it again!”

Another of Roundabout’s fashion champions is Nancy Jenkinson Brown. You might have caught her singing at one of Beijing’s many music venues. A bubbly, funny Brit, Brown is the epitome of a fashionable performer, comfortable in her own skin and wildly enthusiastic.

Brown runs the Boutique’s WeChat group, and can be credited for many of the shop’s purchases – whether through posting pictures of the items she has “live modeled” or through her own buys. In her own words: “I volunteer here. Therefore, I shop here. Sometimes I think it’s the other way round!”

Her “live modeling” work began when she started to support the vintage and consignment section as a stylist and consultant. She realized that some people maybe needed a push to venture into the world of secondhand shopping.

“The problem is that sometimes people associate secondhand with hokey sweaters and smelly shoes instead of amazing pieces,” she explained. “So I suggested maybe we hang it on me as a visuals and social media marketing bod — but it is all honest work — I would only ever support and promote people and places I strongly believe in.”

The tireless work of the charity, its volunteers, and those that shop here goes to show that you really can spend less but gain so much more by shopping secondhand. What goes around, really does come around, and with a community like Roundabout’s, I am confident it will be around for many more years to come.

For those who wish to donate to Roundabout, call or go to www.roundaboutchina.com to register a donation and drop-off point or to arrange a collection.

Roundabout Boutique & Community Centre
Daily 9am-6pm, Cathay View Plaza, No.2 Xiangjiang Bei Lu, Chaoyang District, 137 1827 4154

Photos: Anna Nocon, Hannah Northcott, Nancy Jenkinson Brown, Roundabout

Finding cute kids’ clothes in Beijing is daunting. There are the usual shops, but for some reason they’re not enough, and we always think back to the Target and Primark stores we miss. I love to shop, but Beijing has made it a bit harder to find the fun clothing I miss from home. I have lined up some of my favorite shops and online retailers I have found.

Old Navy

One of the best all round kids’ clothing shops I have found in the city is Old Navy, from the basic frocks to cute dresses. Even for mothers this is a great shopping place, as prices are good and sales are frequent. Find the stores here and find the online store here.

Urban Revivo

I found this cute store online with pretty skirts and cool outfits. The prices are cheap and the clothes are fashionable for the youngsters. They also sell clothing for adults, and have several stores around Beijing. Find more information here, and the official store here.

Gap

Yes, GAP is everywhere, but they do have cute kids’ fashion, and when the sales hit it’s a really great shop. The sales always have stuff from the season before, so calculate your kid’s size for that season and put it away till it fits! Plenty of stores all over Beijing, also find the official Taobao store (in English) here.

Taobao

This website is the cause of many ill-fitting clothes in my adult wardrobe. However for kids the damage is not so bad, and when you do make a mistake its a cheap mistake. Many cute outfits for small and big kids here.

Baopals

The English version of taobao.com and Tmall put together. My choice of shopping. Many cute outfits for sweet prices. And adorable pictures to learn how to style your baby. Find this cute outfit here.

Photos: Baopals, Taobao, Old Navy, Gap, Urban Revivo, Pixabay

About a month ago now, my good friend from the US came over to my house with her son for a playdate. She flew through the door in a flash of colour and style, wearing an off-the-shoulder shirt I instantly admired and commented on. “I know,” she said, “Don’t you love it?” Then she started talking about Meijile.

Bamboo Shirt Collection

Meijile has been around in Beijing as a small clothing brand for the past three years but I hadn’t really explored their work. I’d heard of them and seen their displays at a few craft sales, but I admittedly haven’t taken enough time with my wardrobe in the past four years thanks to kids and/or the convenience of a favourite pair of jeans and a hoodie. But when my friend breezed through my door with those wide eyes of self-love, I thought: “I need some of that!”

The Founders: Dani & Kicki

美极了－ “meijile” — So Beautiful! or How Beautiful! — is a great name for a clothing shop. Maybe it seems rather confident, but if you’ve actually seen these clothes and judged them for yourself, you can tell that they’re made with great care and quality control. The fabrics are beautiful, the stitching is solid, their styles are fun and unique.

When I looked into it further, I discovered that the owners, Kicki and Dani, have been exploring the environmental impacts of the fashion industry and have committed to using leftover fabrics for things like interesting jewelry, covering buttons, creating unique linings on children’s pants, etc. They also don’t use plastic packaging, which in itself is a miracle here in China where even the smallest of products suffer in their individually wrapped, smothering plastic.

Last Lined Pants Collection for Kids

I asked my friend for the designer’s WeChat contact and she passed it on. Then I texted and asked them about the style of shirt I had set my eye on. I got a response right away. Then she even sent me a garment by courier and I sent her the money through WeChat wallet. What a treat to put on this gorgeous shirt today. I feel fancy and pampered: by me!

For more information about Meijile and their wide array of kids and adult clothes, please visit their website (needs VPN!).

Photos Courtesy of Kicki of Meijile and Ember Swift

Being back in the UK for Christmas, I am reminded just how many charity shops there are.  In fact recent estimates suggest there are over 10,200 charity shops to be found on high streets throughout the country. Charity shops are largely a British institution. They are retail outlets selling mainly second-hand donated goods to raise funds for different charities. Every year charity shops across the UK raise around £290 million (RMB 2,810 million) for a range of causes.

In the 19th century the Salvation Army ran second hand clothing shops to provide the urban poor with cheap clothing. At the outbreak of World War II, other charities such as British Red Cross started to also operate shops, as a way to raise money for the war effort. Modern charity shops, as we understand them today, did not appear until after World War II. The first of these was opened by Oxfam in 1947 and is still in operation today. The Roundabout store is Beijing’s charity shop equivalent.

Today, a growing number of people use charity shops because of the environmental and ethical benefits of the reuse of goods. Whilst many people donate home ware and furniture items to charity shops, one of the main items to be donated are clothing. Despite this, every year huge amounts of clothing still ends up in the landfill, and as much as 95% of these textiles and clothes could be used again. As a major player in the fast fashion industry, Swedish brand H&M has received increased public pressure to be more environmentally aware. So, in 2013 they launched a global clothing take-back program, in 49 stores worldwide to “save natural resources and reduce textile waste.”

The program was launched in all China H&M stores, yet it was only this week that I became aware of it. Beside the H&M store check-outs, at Indigo Mall and Solana, are piles of leaflets describing the scheme. As their leaflet explains “…if you’ve got something worn, torn or hopelessly out of style – don’t throw it away or let it pile up in the back of your wardrobe or in your loft. Bring it to us and help decrease the amount of fashion and textiles being wasted.” Clothes can be of any brand and in any condition, and for every bag you hand over you’ll receive a voucher with a discount for your next purchase. H&M also will donate money to UNICEF, for every kilo of clothes they collect.

Since the scheme started, over 11,000 kilograms of textiles have been collected. The scheme works in a number of ways. Rewear – clothing and textiles that can be worn or used again are marketed worldwide as second-hand goods. Recycle – textiles that can’t be reused get a new chance as textile fibers, or are used to manufacture products such as damping and insulating materials for the auto industry. Reuse – textiles that are no longer suitable to wear are converted into other products, such as cleaning cloths. Energy – when rewear, reuse and recycle are not options, textiles are used to produce energy.

Critics of the scheme feel that because those donating clothing receive a discount voucher, this encourages consumers to buy even more clothing, which in turn causes more waste. I spent 13 years working in the waste and recycling industry, and we used to break down people’s recycling behavior into three categories – non-recyclers (admit to not recycling at all); non-committed recyclers (will recycle some things if it’s easy to do so); and committed recyclers (recycle a lot or everything they can). An incentive, especially a financial one, appeals to all of these groups, and encourages them to recycle more. For the non-recyclers, an incentive can be enough to encourage them to become recyclers. Surely that can only be a good thing.

For more information visit:
hm.com/longlivefashion
hm.charitystar.com
ico-spirit.com

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: Eve Jones, Di Farah, jen collins (Flickr)