Every film set, every music video, and every public activation runs on an invisible engine. That engine hums with phone calls, permits, schedules, and a thousand confirmations that must land in exactly the right order. At the center of that engine, you will often find a production coordinator. In New York, one of the most promising young voices in that role is Cat Zheng. She works across music videos, commercials, brand activations, and independent film, doing it all with a rare mix of calm precision and genuine love for the craft.
Cat grew up between Shanghai and Hong Kong, and then she moved to New York to study at the School of Visual Arts. Because the school did not offer a producing major, she studied directing while quietly building a producing portfolio on the side. Eventually, she convinced her professors and her department head to let her graduate with her production work as her thesis. That persistence tells you almost everything you need to know about her.
Since graduating, she has moved quickly. In 2026 alone, she coordinated the Tyla featuring Zara Larsson music video “She Did it Again”, a national Pampers activation in Orlando, a Hi Tec commercial shot during New York blizzards, and an art installation event for Lexa Gates that involved a livestreamed human-sized hamster wheel. Before that, she coordinated Kelela’s “Idea 1” and managed campaigns for Snipes x New Balance, Adidas Football x Soccer Bible, Kari Alexandra Sponsored by Swarovski, and Zara Shahjahan. Meanwhile, she has also produced independent shorts that earned real recognition, including a NewFest and Netflix grant.
But what makes Cat compelling isn’t just the resume. It is the way she talks about the work. For her, production is a language, and she learned early how to speak many of them. Above all, she believes in community, adaptability, and the quiet joy of watching a director’s vision become real.
New York Art Life Magazine sat down with Cat to talk about her journey from a seven-year-old watching Avatar in a Shanghai theater to a trusted coordinator on some of the city’s most exciting productions. In this conversation, she shares stories from set, lessons from the Mayor’s office, and her hopes for the future.
Beginnings: A Childhood Between Cities
New York Art Life Magazine: Cat, thank you for joining us. Let’s start at the very beginning. What first drew you to film?
Cat Zheng: Thank you for having me. Honestly, it all goes back to one afternoon when I was seven. My mother took me to the movies to see Avatar, and that screening changed everything for me. I remember thinking that whoever made this film had to be a genius and a magician of some kind. James Cameron built a world that felt so realistic, yet so incredibly otherworldly at the same time. For me, the experience felt like what people must have felt when they watched David Copperfield make the Statue of Liberty disappear.
Then the credits started rolling, and I refused to leave. My mother kept nudging me, but I adamantly wanted to stay and read every single name. Because I simply could not believe that real people made this film. Before that screening, I was seven and naive. After the film and its full credits, I was still seven, but now I knew something new. With a room full of people, or maybe many rooms full of people, you can build a world that makes everyone believe in magic….or movie magic if you will
So that day planted a question in my head. How did they pull it all off? That curiosity never left me. Now, years later, I find myself getting closer and closer to the magic, and it still feels just as thrilling.
New York Art Life Magazine: You grew up in Shanghai and Hong Kong before moving to New York. How did that multicultural upbringing shape you?
Cat Zheng: It shaped me more than I realized at the time. Growing up, I was constantly surrounded by different cultures, languages, dialects, and customs. As a child, that felt difficult because I had to transition from one thing to another and adapt constantly. However, looking back now, I feel deeply grateful for it. All of that diversity prepared me for New York, and it also prepared me for the film world itself.
Here is the thing about film. The industry speaks its own universal language. We all share the same care and tenderness for creativity and for the art of expression. Yet within that universal language, every department speaks its own dialect. For example, the grip and electric team has its own vocabulary, and so do the camera team and the art department. Each group has its own rhythm, priorities, and way of communicating.
As someone who lives on the production team, my job has always been to learn those dialects and to move fluidly between them. Because production has to coordinate every moving part, we become the set’s translators. So when I look back at how and where I was raised, I’m grateful things aligned the way they did. My childhood was training for this job before I knew the job existed.
New York Art Life Magazine: You studied at the School of Visual Arts, but your path there was unusual. Can you tell us about that?
Cat Zheng: Of course. I came to New York for college and enrolled at SVA to concentrate in directing. I chose directing not really sure what best suited me. During my first year of film school, I slowly discovered that. I did not actually want to direct. Instead, I wanted to produce. I loved the logistics, the problem-solving, and the feeling of holding a whole project together.
So, starting in my sophomore year, I began making my case to my professors and to the head of the department. I asked them to diversify the options and to let me graduate with my producing and production work as my thesis. That took persistence, because I was essentially asking them to bend the program’s structure for me. Meanwhile, I kept producing projects for my classmates so that I would have a body of work to show.
Finally, at the end of my junior year, they came back to me with an answer. After viewing my past producing work, they told me that graduating with a producing thesis was a possible option for me. That moment meant so much, because it validated the path I had chosen. Additionally, it taught me an early lesson about this industry. Sometimes you have to advocate for the role you want before anyone hands it to you.
The Craft: What a Production Coordinator Actually Does
New York Art Life Magazine: For readers who may not know, what does a production coordinator actually do on a project?
Cat Zheng: That is a great question, because most people outside the industry have never heard of the role. In short, a production coordinator keeps the entire machine running. Before a shoot, I confirm and coordinate what feels like a million things. For example, I handle vendors, locations, permits, travel, schedules, paperwork, and communication between every department. Then, during the shoot itself, I make sure all those plans show up in the same place at the same time.
I often describe the production day as a kind of judgment day, though a nonreligious one. Because on that day, you witness all of the planning, the millions of emails and phone calls, and all the moving parts arrive together to make magic against the clock. Everything you did or did not confirm becomes visible. So the job requires obsessive preparation, and it also requires calm under pressure when something inevitably changes.
Above all, the role requires communication. I spend my days translating between producers, directors, clients, city offices, and crew members. Additionally, I track budgets and schedules using tools like Movie Magic and Hot Budget, and I keep everything organized across platforms like Google Workspace. But the software only supports the real skill: anticipating problems before they happen.
New York Art Life Magazine: You have worked as a coordinator, a production manager, and a producer. How do those roles differ for you?
Cat Zheng: They sit on the same family tree, but each one carries a different weight. As a coordinator, I focus on execution and communication. I confirm the details, chase the paperwork, and keep information flowing between departments. Meanwhile, as a production manager, I take on more responsibility for the budget, the crew, and the shoot’s overall logistics. The manager makes the structural decisions, and the coordinator makes them happen.
Then there is producing, which is the role closest to my heart. As a producer, especially on independent films, you carry the project from the first idea to the final delivery. You protect the director’s vision, you find the money, and you build the team. For example, when I produced “Blue Moon Angels” for my friend Clementine Narcisse, I touched every stage of that film’s life.
Honestly, moving between these roles has made me better at all of them. Because I have coordinated, I know exactly what my coordinators need when I manage. Similarly, because I have produced, I understand the pressure that producers carry when I coordinate for them. As a result, I try to be the teammate I would want on my own projects.
Music Videos: Speed, Pressure, and Pinch Me Moments
New York Art Life Magazine: You coordinated “She Did it Again” for Tyla featuring Zara Larsson. What was that experience like?
Cat Zheng: That project was a genuine highlight for me. Working on a music video for artists at that level felt surreal, and the energy on set matched the song’s scale. Music videos are always fast-paced, especially for production. However, this one moved at a pace that tested everything I had learned. So much had to be confirmed and coordinated before the filming date, and that date was always, without a doubt, fast approaching.
Because the timeline compresses everything, you learn to prioritize ruthlessly. Every hour, I asked myself which confirmation would unblock the most people. Then I would chase that one first. Meanwhile, the creative side kept evolving, which meant that our logistics had to evolve along with it. That constant motion can feel overwhelming, yet it also creates an incredible momentum.
Finally, the shoot day arrived, and everything we had planned showed up in one place. Watching that happen never gets old for me. All of the emails, all of the phone calls, and all of the moving parts came together to make something beautiful against the clock. Afterward, seeing the finished video out in the world made every stressful moment worth it. In fact, those moments remind me exactly why I chose this side of the industry.
New York Art Life Magazine: You also coordinated “Idea 1” for Kelela. What did that project mean to you personally?
Cat Zheng: That one hit differently, because I have admired Kelela’s artistry for a long time. There is truly no better feeling than contributing work to someone whose art you have always admired. It was a pinch-me moment, honestly. You want every detail around them to run smoothly, because you understand what their work means to people. So I approached every confirmation and every schedule with extra care. As a result, the shoot moved well, and the team could focus on the creative work instead of the logistics.
Moreover, that project reinforced my belief that production is a creative act, even though it looks administrative from the outside. Every clean handoff and every solved problem creates space for the artists to do their best work. Therefore, I see my spreadsheets and call sheets as part of the art, in a quiet way. When the video came out, I felt proud in a way that my name was part of that.
Events: Hamster Wheels, City Hall, and the Public
New York Art Life Magazine: The IAM Activation for Lexa Gates sounds unforgettable. Can you walk us through it?
Cat Zheng: Absolutely, because it truly was unforgettable. The IAM Activation was an art installation event at the Jeffrey Deitch gallery on Wooster Street in New York. For the piece, Lexa Gates walked for ten consistent hours on a human-sized hamster wheel, in the cold month of January. The event was also open to the public, and we livestreamed the entire thing on Twitch. So we were running a gallery installation, a public event, and a broadcast all at once.
That project was my first introduction to coordinating an event, and it surprised me. Events are actually quite similar to film-formatted productions, which I did not expect. You still build schedules, manage vendors, and coordinate departments. However, events add a whole new layer, because the audience becomes part of the production itself.
Meanwhile, the endurance element created its own challenges. Ten hours is a long time, and we had to plan for every contingency. Because the stakes were so public, nothing could slip. In the end, the event drew real attention, and press outlets covered it widely. Watching Lexa complete that walk felt like watching an athlete and an artist at the same time. Honestly, I will carry that day with me for a long time.
New York Art Life Magazine: You mentioned working with the city on that event. What was that side of the process like?
Cat Zheng: That side of the process taught me an enormous amount. When you plan a public event, you are not only working with the location and the clients. You also work with the city, and you must report back to them for support and approval. Because our event was open to the public, we had to be very meticulous in our communication about how we planned to operate in the space.
In practice, that meant I was writing back and forth with the Mayor’s office almost every day, and I was often on the phone with them as well. At first, that level of oversight felt intimidating. However, I quickly learned that the city becomes a genuine partner when you communicate clearly and consistently. They want public events to succeed safely, and so do we. Therefore, transparency became our best tool.
Ultimately, when you plan an open event, so many factors remain slightly out of your control. The weather, the crowd, and the street itself all have their own plans. Yet my experience coordinating film productions had already prepared me to anticipate unpredictable outcomes. So instead of fearing the unknown, I built flexibility into every plan. That mindset carried us through, and the event ran beautifully.
New York Art Life Magazine: This year you also coordinated the Pampers Swaddlers activation in Orlando. How did that compare?
Cat Zheng: The Pampers project stretched me in new ways, because it took me outside New York. We produced the Pampers Swaddlers Demotainment and Cheek Test activation at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida, and I coordinated between the New York team and the Florida location. As a result, I learned how to run logistics across state lines, which adds layers of vendors, travel, and local regulations.
Brand activations also carry a different energy than film shoots. Because the audience interacts directly with the experience, every touchpoint has to work perfectly in real time. A film set can call for another take, but a live booth cannot. Therefore, we tested everything repeatedly before the doors opened. Additionally, we had to think about families and children as our audience, which shaped every safety and comfort decision we made.
Meanwhile, working with a global brand like Pampers taught me about client communication at scale. Large brands bring many stakeholders, and each stakeholder needs clarity. So I leaned on all the communication habits I had built on music videos and events. In the end, the activation ran smoothly, and watching families enjoy the experience felt genuinely rewarding. Moreover, it proved to me that my production skills travel well beyond film sets.
Commercials: Two Projects, Two Completely Different Rhythms
New York Art Life Magazine: Let’s talk about “The UnAdventurer” for Hi Tec. What defined that production?
Cat Zheng: “The UnAdventurer” was a very formally paced project to coordinate, and I mean that as a great compliment. We worked with the city again for filming permits, and meanwhile, we were dealing with the blizzards that hit New York earlier this year. So the weather became a character in our planning. Every schedule had a backup, and every backup had a backup.
Still, the tone of the commercial helped. Because the creative needed only two general locations, we could plan everything more controllably. That control allowed us to absorb the weather delays without panic. For example, when snow shifted our timeline, we already knew exactly which pieces could move and which could not. As a result, the shoot stayed calm even when the city outside was buried.
That project also showed me how much a production’s pace reflects its creative vision. A measured, deliberate commercial invites a measured, deliberate production plan. I genuinely enjoy that kind of structured coordination, because it rewards preparation. You can watch the finished commercial here, and I hope the calm of the process shows up in the polish of the final piece.
New York Art Life Magazine: And then “The Onlooker” for Snipes x New Balance was the opposite experience?
Cat Zheng: Exactly, and that contrast is why I love commercials. “The Onlooker” was a run-and-gun style project from the very beginning. The creative direction called for a city crawl, so we built a smaller crew and planned to move through several different locations across the day. Consequently, speed and flexibility mattered more than elaborate infrastructure.
On a project like that, the production plan has to breathe. You still confirm everything you can in advance. However, you also accept that the city will surprise you, and you design your day around quick decisions. For example, we kept our footprint light so that we could load in and out of locations fast. Meanwhile, communication became even more important, because a moving crew can lose alignment quickly without constant updates.
Commercials are interesting precisely because the pace and tone of each project can vary so much. I generally find that the feel of the project correlates strongly with the tone of the creative vision. Therefore, the key to working on the production side is being adaptable and versatile in your approach. Different projects have different needs, and our job is to meet them rather than force one method on everything. That philosophy guides me on every job now.
Independent Film: The Labor of Love
New York Art Life Magazine: Narrative shorts clearly hold a special place for you. Tell us about producing “Blue Moon Angels” and “A Portrait of Two Faces.”
Cat Zheng: Narrative films sit so close to my heart as a filmmaker, because they are the reason I first entered this world. Both shorts came out of my school days at SVA, and both did well on the New York film circuit. I produced “Blue Moon Angels,” an independent slasher short, for my talented friend Clementine Narcisse during my third year of college. Wonderfully, that film went on to win the 2024 New Voices Filmmaker Grant from NewFest and Netflix.
Then, in my thesis year, I produced “A Portrait of Two Faces” for Isabella Pardo, another dear and talented friend. That film screened at the New York Shorts International Film Festival in 2025, which felt like a beautiful way to close my student chapter. Seeing both directors receive recognition meant more to me than any personal credit.
Independent narratives, especially short films, are truly a labor of love. As the producer trying to bring the director’s vision to life, you really see the film community and the whole city come together. People show up, lend gear, share locations, and give their time for a project backed by passion and dedication. Because of that, indie film reminds me why I chose this community and this culture in the first place.
New York Art Life Magazine: How does producing an indie short differ from coordinating a commercial job?
Cat Zheng: The core skills stay the same, but the resources and the stakes feel completely different. On a commercial job, you usually have a real budget, established vendors, and a client with clear expectations. Meanwhile, on an indie short, you often have passion, favors, and creativity in place of money. Therefore, the producer becomes an inventor, constantly finding ways to deliver the vision with whatever exists.
However, that scarcity creates something beautiful. Because everyone joins an indie project out of love, the set carries a special energy. People solve problems together, and generosity flows in every direction. For example, friends will drive equipment across boroughs at midnight simply because they believe in the film. That spirit taught me how to lead with gratitude.
Indie producing also sharpened my professional instincts. When you have managed a shoot with almost nothing, a funded production feels navigable, even under pressure. So I bring my indie resourcefulness to every commercial job, and I bring my commercial discipline back to every indie set. In my experience, the two worlds constantly feed each other. Above all, both worlds run on the same fuel: trust between collaborators.
Looking Ahead
New York Art Life Magazine: What tools, habits, or skills do you consider essential for someone entering production today?
Cat Zheng: First, learn the software, because fluency saves you hours every single day. However, tools only amplify habits, so build the habits first.
Second, become an excellent communicator, because production lives and dies on clarity. Learning each department’s dialect matters even more. Respond quickly, confirm everything in writing, and never assume silence means agreement.
Third, cultivate adaptability, because no plan survives a shoot day untouched. For instance, weather, traffic, and creative changes will test every schedule you build. Therefore, plan meticulously, and then hold those plans loosely. Finally, protect your relationships above everything else. This industry runs on community, and your reputation for kindness and reliability will carry you further than any credit. In short, be the person people want in the room when things go wrong.
New York Art Life Magazine: Where do you hope to go from here, and do you have a personal motto that guides you?
Cat Zheng: I am about one year past graduation, and honestly, I feel lucky and extremely grateful. The community believed in me, and people hired me to onboard their projects when I was still proving myself. Moreover, many of the people I work with today are dear friends and mentors of mine in this industry. That closeness makes the work feel like belonging, not just employment.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue learning and growing across every format, from music videos to features. Eventually, I want to produce larger narrative work, because story is what pulled me into this world as a child. However, I never want to lose the coordinator’s mindset, because the details are where the magic actually gets built. I also want to give back to this community with the same integrity and compassion it has shown me.
As for a motto, I keep one close: “Plan as if everything depends on you, then trust the room as it depends on everyone.” Because in the end, that is the truth of production. One person builds the map, yet a whole community walks the road together. Whenever a shoot day arrives and all the moving parts land in the same place, I remember that seven-year-old watching the Avatar credits. Then I smile, because I am part of the magic now.
