Cheng's works are created by applying basic cinematic techniques like simple cutting, rearranging, montage, full length shot and so on.
Usually, his videos do not have complete and coherent storylines, and sentiment is the main part to show.
In 2012, Cheng Ran participated in artist Michael Lin's exhibition "Model Home" at Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai.
In 2011 he won the "Best Video Artist" in Dead Rabbit Awards held by online art magazine Randian.
The winning piece "Chewing Gum Papers” is a simultaneously hypnotic and sinister combined with Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech as the background sound; and it is also a piece of commissioned work for LEO XU PROJECTS's inaugural show "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)".