Chicago, IL — Shuling Yong, a Singapore-born, Chicago-based award-winning documentary filmmaker, director of photography, and location production sound mixer, brings a unique passion for social change to every project she undertakes. Her work with participants as diverse as Michelle Obama, Marlee Matlin, and The Joffrey Ballet, is defined by a commitment to capturing authentic human stories. Often in unpredictable and challenging environments, she consistently achieves this objective with the unwavering reliability of a wide array of Lectrosonics wireless products including SMDWB and SMWB miniature wideband transmitters, and DSR4, DSDQ, SRc, and LR receivers.Yong’s journey into the world of film sound began with an early fascination for audio storytelling, with a pivotal moment occurring during her studies at Northwestern University when filmmaker Maria Finitzo screened her social issue documentary. “It just clicked in my mind that you can make films and do good at the same time, and maybe I could marry my love for audio with documentary films,” Yong recounts. This ambition led her to be invited by the filmmaker to apply for the internship at Kartemquin, a renowned Chicago media collective known for films like Hoop Dreams.

It was during these early years that Yong discovered her knack for sound. “My first paid job was as a production assistant. Everyone had their hands full. I offered to hold the boom pole and I learned I was good at it,” she explains. However, her full commitment to documentary sound came in 2015 during the production of director Steve James’ 10-episode, America to Me series. “I was renting gear, but because we were filming every day, I decided that it was time to invest in my own,” Yong says. “That’s when I jumped in the deep end, and I’m so glad I did. I’m living the dream now,” she reflects.

“When I was building my bag, everybody who was years ahead of me—real pros in the Chicago market—were using Lectrosonics,” she states. “Even when renting or borrowing gear, Lectrosonics wireless units were always present. I noticed a difference in reliability and range once I made the upgrade. I haven’t looked back since.”

Today, her comprehensive Lectrosonics kit includes SMDWB, SMWB, and LT transmitters, a DSR4 receiver, a DSQD receiver, SRc receivers, an LR receiver, and SNA600a antennas. She integrates her wireless systems with her Sound Devices mixer and an SL2 wireless module, often utilizing SRc or DSR4 receivers in the super slot.

Lectrosonics products are integral to Yong’s workflow, especially given the unpredictable nature of documentary filmmaking. “In documentary films, scenarios are really unpredictable, so I always need to be ready to pivot,” she explains.

“Becoming, the Michelle Obama documentary for Netflix, directed by Nadia Hallgren, will always be remembered as one of my most memorable but challenging projects,” says Yong. “I was in a situation, with especially high-profile people where there wasn’t any room for error. The gear I used had to be smooth and rock solid. I rely on Lectrosonics for moments like these because I know that I can trust them.”
 
Marlee Matlin, Not Alone Anymore, posed the unique challenge of a mixed crew of hearing and non-hearing individuals and a deaf director, Shoshanna Stern. Yong devised a system using Lectrosonics transmitters, custom headset mics, and IFBs for sign language interpreters. “Even though Marlee and her friends mainly communicated through sign, I still had them lav’d. I also lav’d up the sign language interpreters,” she details. “This setup allowed DPs and producers to hear interpreters in real-time, while the director could send instructions via her own interpreter speaking into a headset mic.“

Her reasons for continuing to rely on Lectrosonics are clear: “It’s mainly for the reliability, the durability and great range I get from Lectrosonics.” she affirms. For the      upcoming documentary about The Joffrey Ballet’s Winning Works choreographic competition directed by Cam Be, Yong needed gear that could withstand movement and sweat, and provide the range needed for transitions that followed different participants through the multiple stories of the Joffrey building. “I was using my SMDWBs and my SMWBs on the choreographer and the dancers themselves and never had an issue with the signal coming through to my receivers.”

The range of Lectrosonics products also proved crucial on the upcoming documentary film based on the groundbreaking podcast The Telepathy Tapes, directed by Ky Dickens, where scientists conducted tests across three rooms spread 200 feet across. Yong deployed her mixer at one end and a second bag with her DSQD receiver in the distant room. “As people walked from one end to the other, I was able to pick up their lavs seamlessly. It worked out nicely,” she shares.

Yong also values the long-lasting nature of Lectrosonics products. “I love the SMDWBs for documentaries because we can go all day thanks to their two batteries and I don’t have to worry about making adjustments on the participants,” she explains. “Having a system that just works enables us as documentary filmmakers to really capture what’s authentic. I can just mic up participants and let them focus on the story.”

Yong finds immense satisfaction in her work, reflecting on her philosophy of life. “It’s a real privilege. I found my Ikigai in documentary filmmaking—that intersection of what I love, what I’m good at, what I can be paid for, and what the world needs,” she shares. “Lectrosonics allows me to capture those meaningful, exciting projects without ever having to fuss with the tech.”

About Lectrosonics

Well-respected within the film, broadcast, and theatre technical communities since 1971, Lectrosonics wireless microphone systems and audio processing products are used daily in mission-critical applications by audio engineers familiar with the company’s dedication to quality, customer service, and innovation. Lectrosonics received an Academy Scientific and Technical Award for its Digital Hybrid Wireless® technology and is a US manufacturer based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.