Zhe Song Channels Classic Hong Kong Kung Fu Aesthetics in Shaolin Avengers

Award-winning editor and colorist Zhe Song has quietly become a go-to post-production artist for filmmakers seeking a distinctive visual style. A Chapman University MFA graduate, Song combines technical prowess with a storyteller’s eye. His resume already includes festival-winning shorts and commercial projects for major brands. Now, Martial Club’s latest passion project, Shaolin Avengers (2025), has given Zhe a canvas to showcase his talents.

Tasked with color grading the film, Zhe recreated the look and feel of 1980s–90s Hong Kong action cinema. His deliberate use of vintage-inspired palettes, film texture, and deep shadows helped transport Martial Club’s “love letter to kung fu films” into an authentic period atmosphere.

“Color is part of storytelling,” Zhe said. He believes a good color profile can set the time, space, mood, and tone of a film, which enhances the story and character visually. This philosophy guided his work on Shaolin Avengers, where he applied cinematic color grading to enhance classic genre motifs (such as stylized kicks and Chinatown backdrops) while supporting the film’s modern energy.

Vintage action unleashed

Zhe then applied color grading to mimic the analog era: warm golds and saturated primaries (reds, greens, and blues) sit against inky blacks and textured grain, evoking the look of celluloid film. By adjusting contrast and shadow detail to the director’s vision, he gave the short the visual authenticity of a Shaw Brothers production. (Indeed, one reviewer praised Shaolin Avengers as “a great homage to classic Hong Kong action cinema,” citing influences from classic Shaw Brothers to Dragons Forever”.)

Shaolin Avengers was crafted by YouTube stunt stars Andy Le, Brian Le, and Daniel Mah – the Martial Club team behind fight-heavy shorts and cameos in Shang-Chi and Everything Everywhere. The 26-minute film pits their traditional kung fu school against a ruthless MMA gym, recalling tropes from Fist of Fury and Five Superfighters.

Zhe’s role as colorist was crucial in realizing the director’s retro vision. He says he collaborated closely with cinematographer Khoi Nguyen and the Le Brothers, matching the grading choices to the story beats. For example, scenes set in the old-school kwoon were warmed to golden tones, while Wolf Fang Gym interiors employed cooler, desaturated hues and grain to signal the brutal modern era.

Mystery in motion

As one cinematography magazine notes of Shaw Brothers classics, “shadow detail… contributes to the film’s authentic atmosphere”. Zhe pushed similar contrasts: deep shadows and textured highlights that cloak much of the action in moody chiaroscuro, just like 35mm prints of 80s Hong Kong movies. These deliberate palette and lighting shifts immerse the audience in the period style without sacrificing clarity.

By aligning the color design with the director’s intent, Zhe’s work elevated the film’s authenticity. The final short looks and feels like an undiscovered relic from kung fu’s golden age – a feat noted by fans and critics alike. (Martial Club even thanked “the amazing work of… truly capturing the Shaolin essence” in their soundtrack notes.)

His grade accentuated every flying kick and eye gouge with an old-school punch. This deft touch won praise within the martial-arts community and likely cemented Zhe’s place as a trusted collaborator. In fact, after Shaolin Avengers, Zhe continued to work with members of the Martial Club team on new projects, thanks to the confidence his retro vision inspired.

Independent Shorts Awards – 2024 Annual Awards, Regal LA Live, September 14th

Crafting cinematic magic

Beyond Shaolin Avengers, Zhe’s broader career is studded with achievements. His short films have swept festival awards. Notably, his editing of the music-driven short Mix It Proper earned Best Editing (Platinum) at the LA Shorts Awards and Best Editing at the Global Film Festival Awards. His work on the experimental short Victoria won a Critics’ Choice honor at the Los Angeles Film Awards.

As editor and colorist on the documentary Born in America, he won a Spotlight Documentary Award, and his thriller Qafas took a Student Jury Prize at the Austin Film Festival. In short, Zhe’s post-production storytelling skills have been recognized repeatedly (a recent writer notes “post-production storytelling is one of Zhe Song’s strengths”). These accolades reflect his mastery of cinematic timing and mood – the same qualities he applied to Shaolin Avengers.

Zhe’s credits also include high-profile collaborations. On one hand, he has cut commercials and content for major brands (clients range from athletic wear to tech). On the other hand, he’s color graded music-related projects for industry luminaries. For example, he served as colorist on the 2024 Gin & Juice short film featuring Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. He has similarly worked with elite directors and artists (from Grammy winners to Oscar actors), experiences that bring Hollywood-caliber production values to indie projects like Shaolin Avengers.

Innovate engage capture

In every case, Zhe’s engineering mindset plays a role. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from China’s Zhejiang University (one of the nation’s top five universities). He credits that rigorous training with honing his problem-solving skills in post-production: “I’ve been through the OS crash, hard drive crash, software issues so many times… Having the ability to… solve unexpected issues could save time and money on a film.”

This technical fluency lets him operate systems like Avid Media Composer and DaVinci Resolve (where he is an Avid-certified editor) with both speed and creativity. Ultimately, Zhe treats tools as servants of the story, whether that story is cutting-edge or lovingly retro.

Indeed, Zhe has long valued editing and color as pure storytelling crafts. He explains that editing taught him “how to structure a film, arrange a scene, and do mise-en-scène” – essential skills for any filmmaker. As a former engineering student, he initially considered a tech career working on digital imaging at Dolby or Pixar.

Create inspire connect

But he realized his true passion was creative: “I prefer creating stuff like being an artist… I made up my mind to become a filmmaker instead of an engineer.” That duality – a mind for logic and a heart for art – informs his work. “Enjoy telling stories visually to make people get involved,” his personal bio reads. It’s a concise philosophy: every cut, color grade, and visual flourish should serve the audience’s engagement.

Today, Zhe also nurtures other filmmakers through his own venture. He founded Mars Light Studio, his production and post-production company, to better support creative teams with an end-to-end workflow.

Through Mars Light and freelance projects, Zhe mentors newer editors and colorists while expanding his own portfolio. His goal remains to work on high-ambition projects “with originality, creativity, unique ideas and style”. Already, that list could include features or shorts with the martial-arts community, innovative commercials, or narrative films steeped in genre traditions.

Unlock hidden worlds

In short, Zhe Song’s career marries technical excellence with a deep appreciation for cinematic history. His work on Shaolin Avengers demonstrates this blend: he applied modern digital tools to resurrect the analog soul of classic kung fu films. The result is a visually rich, authentic short that resonates with genre fans and earned Zhe’s admiration from both the Martial Club directors and action aficionados worldwide.