Nocturnal Collective Announces Two Major Projects by Director Jiaxin Wang Exploring Global Labor and Artistic Innovation

Nocturnal Collective has announced two significant international projects under the direction of filmmaker Jiaxin Wang, showcasing his versatility across documentary and music video formats. The projects include Riders, a feature documentary following e-bike delivery workers in Brooklyn and Chinese mega-cities, and Kidnap, a visually intensive music video collaboration with Chinese rapper Yaka.

Riders, scheduled for production from February to August 2027, examines the lives of delivery workers who form the backbone of the on-demand economy. The documentary aims to reveal the human cost of convenience by documenting their resilience, risks, and survival strategies. According to Yinan Shi of Nocturnal Collective, Wang is uniquely positioned to tell this global story with both urgency and artistic beauty. The creative team includes cinematographer Paul Song, first assistant director Joy Wu, and producer Eddie Yukun Long, with composer Oscar Pan handling the score.

The project targets international film festivals and global distribution platforms while seeking support from major documentary funds including Catapult Film Fund, Sundance Institute Documentary Fund, Ford Foundation's JustFilms, and CNEX Foundation. This funding pursuit underscores the documentary's potential to influence public discourse on labor rights and economic inequality in the gig economy.

Simultaneously, Kidnap represents Wang's venture into music video artistry, blending noir-inspired surrealism with nonlinear storytelling and advanced visual effects. Currently in post-production, the video explores themes of obsession, memory, and emotional captivity through choreography and VFX-driven narrative techniques. Wang oversaw creative direction, visual worldbuilding, and post-production effects to ensure conceptual cohesion.

The music video features the same key collaborators as Riders, including cinematographer Paul Song and producer Eddie Yukun Long, alongside production designer Olivia Huilin Gao and costume designer Sophie Deleo. Kidnap is slated for submission to top music video and short-form festivals worldwide, highlighting Wang's ability to create visually arresting works across different mediums.

These projects matter because they address critical social issues while pushing artistic boundaries. Riders sheds light on the often-invisible labor force enabling urban convenience, potentially influencing policy discussions about worker protections in the gig economy. Kidnap demonstrates how music videos can evolve as an art form, incorporating complex narratives and visual effects typically reserved for cinema. Together, they reinforce the importance of cross-cultural storytelling and innovative filmmaking in addressing global themes.