Nocturnal Collective has announced two major international projects under the direction of filmmaker Jiaxin Wang, highlighting his versatility in contemporary independent cinema and music video art. Wang will lead Riders, a feature documentary scheduled for production from February to August 2027, and Kidnap, a music video collaboration with Chinese rapper Yaka currently in post-production.
Riders follows the lives of e-bike delivery workers in Brooklyn, New York and Chinese mega-cities, presenting parallel stories of resilience, risk, and survival. The documentary pushes audiences to confront the human cost of convenience in the on-demand economy, focusing on essential yet often invisible workers. Yinan Shi of Nocturnal Collective stated, "This is a story about movement, power, and survival on both sides of the globe. Jiaxin Wang is uniquely positioned to tell it with both urgency and beauty."
The creative team includes cinematographer Paul Song, first AD Joy Wu, and producer Eddie Yukun Long. The project targets premiere at international film festivals and global distribution platforms while seeking support from Catapult Film Fund, Sundance Institute Documentary Fund, Ford Foundation's JustFilms, and CNEX Foundation.
Kidnap, directed by Wang from 2025-2026, is a concept-driven, VFX-intensive music video blending noir-inspired surrealism with nonlinear storytelling, choreography, and cutting-edge visual effects. The video explores themes of obsession, memory, and emotional captivity, showcasing Wang's ability to create visually arresting works across mediums. Wang oversaw creative direction, visual worldbuilding, choreography integration, and post-production VFX oversight.
The music video features the same key creative team including cinematographer Paul Song and producer Eddie Yukun Long, along with production designer Olivia Huilin Gao and costume designer Sophie Deleo. Kidnap is slated for submission to top music video and short-form festivals worldwide.
These projects reflect both socially urgent and stylistically innovative dimensions of Wang's directing career, addressing global labor issues in the gig economy while demonstrating advanced visual storytelling techniques. The simultaneous development of a documentary examining real-world social challenges and a music video exploring psychological themes through visual metaphor positions Wang as a director capable of bridging different narrative forms while maintaining artistic integrity.
