KAYLA TONG
info@kaylatong.com | Los Angeles, Hong Kong & London
Fluent in English, Cantonese & Mandarin; Beginner in German & Korean
Skilled Traveler

EDUCATION

2020 - C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles, Certificate in Analytical Psychology (Los Angeles, California)
2016 - Universidade Lusófona, Kinoeyes Master Courses in Cinematography (Lisbon, Portugal)
2013-2015 - B.A. USC School of Cinematic Arts, Cinema Studies (Los Angeles, California)
2012 - University of Hong Kong, Summer Institute in Asian Studies, Social Science & Politics (HK, Seoul, Beijing)

FELLOWSHIPS & AWARDS

2022 - Docs by the Sea International Documentary Lab and Forum (Indonesia)
2021 - Eye Catcher Incubation Film Development Fellowship | Renaissance Foundation (Hong Kong)
2017 - Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Studies in Cinematography | European Union
2017 - Best Director Award (Narrative) for “Home is where the Sunsets” | Sacramento Asian Pacific Film Festival
2016 - Directing Fellow, Armed With a Camera Fellowship | LA Asian Pacific Film Festival (Los Angeles, California)
2014 - Cinematography Fellow, Asian Film Academy | Busan International Film Festival (Busan, South Korea)

CINEMATOGRAPHER CREDITS

*also as director

SCRIPTED
2022 - “Queerfully Departed” comedy short, dir. Trent Nakamura
2022 - “Hei, I’m Home” narrative short, dir. Lam Lo | Microfilm Scheme / Grand Manner
2021 - “Ateh” narrative short, dir. Kristie Ko | ViuTV Hong Kong Broadcast / Hong Kong Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival / Taiwan Golden Harvest Awards Film Festival / New York Asian Film Festival
2019 - “The Invisible Ones” narrative short, dir. Eliza Brownlie, Checkmate Films
2019 - “World as we Know it” narrative short, dir. Jameson Bryant | Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2019
2019 - “Tiny Fingers” VR short, dir. Lakpathy Wijesekara | Nominated - Best VR Film Award at FICMA-Mexico
2018 - “Wordless” experimental short, dir. Zhichun Huang | Jim Cummings's The Short to Feature Lab
2018 - “Lady Parts” digital series pilot, dir. Alle Hsu & Rachel Leyco, Empowerhouse Media
*2016 - “Home is Where the Sunsets” narrative short, dir. Kayla Tong, Visual Communications | Los Angeles Asian Pacific FilmFestival / Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival / Best Directing in Narrative Award at Sacramento Asian Pacific FilmFestival / Sarasota Film Festival / Best Ensemble Cast Award at Asians on Film Festival of Shorts / Vancouver Asian FilmFestival / Kerry Film Festival (Ireland) / Asian Film Festival of Dallas, Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival / DC AsianAmerican Film Festival / Seattle Asian American Film Festival / Ithaca Pan Asian American Film Festival / Houston AsianAmerican Pacific Islander Film Festival / Austin Asian American Film Festival, Post Alley Film Festival / VisualCommunications Series “Uprooted from the Scenes” / Starry Nite Festival (Houston) / Pitzer College Asian American Studies
2016 - “Wash” narrative short, dir. Zhichun Huang | LA Shorts / BLOW-UP International Arthouse FILM FEST Chicago
2016 - “War Cry” narrative short, dir. Merja Maijanen, Kinoeyes | Marano Ragazzi Spot Festival
2016 - “Stayin' Alive” narrative short, dir. Doris Tääker, Kino-eyes
2016 - “Reflections of a Circle” experimental short, dir. Andrijana Krcmar, Kinoeyes
*2015 - “White Stain” experimental short, dir. Kayla Tong | The Women's Voices Now Film Festival
2014 - “The Return” narrative short, dir. Jingliang Tan, Asian Film Academy | Busan International Film Festival

NON-SCRIPTED / DOCUMENTARY / HYBRID
2021 - “Things I Never Said” documentary feature in production, dir. Wendy Wang
2021 - “Twin Cities” — Interactive Film | British Council / Hong Kong Ballet / Wind & Foster / Unsensible
2020 - “Herselves” doc hybrid short, dir. Kristy Choi, Visual Communications | The New Yorker Documentary Series / Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival / Seattle Asian American Film Festival
*2020 - “I Am Herbert Chow” political campaign documentary, dir. Kayla Tong
2019 - “The Paradise We Are Looking For: Morning Passing on El Cajón Boulevard” segment of 4-part documentaryfeature, dir. Quyên Nguyen-Le, Pacific Arts Movement | New Orleans Film Festival / Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival /Opening Night Film of San Diego Asian Film Festival / Seattle Asian American Film Festival
*2015 - “Moky” documentary short, dir. Kayla Tong
*2014 - “1200 Sandwiches” documentary short, dir. Kayla Tong | The Missionaries of Charity Brothers

COMMERCIAL / BRANDED
*2021 - “Chickeeduck Artist Spotlights” artist-political campaign series, dir. Kayla Tong
2021 - “Pathfinders Working Mothers” migrant worker NGO campaign, dir. Kristie Ko

2020 - “LuvMe Hair” hair product ad, dir. Aaliya Amrin, Unsensible
*2018 - “Story of: Cabinet of Curiosity” fine jewelry brand documentary, dir. Kayla Tong

2018 - “True & Co” women’s lingerie ad, Made Thought UK

2016 - “Savva - Phenomenon", music video, dir. Ace (Hasinth Pathirana)

CAMERA OPERATOR CREDITS

2022 - "Xbox Games Showcase" web video, cam op | Microsoft
2021 - "The Look of Memory” documentary short, cam op, dir. Natalie Chao | Adobe MAX
2020 - "Baldwin Beauty” narrative short, B cam op, dir. Thembi Banks, Powderkeg Media | Sundance Film Festival
2019 - “The Real King Lear” tv short, B cam op, dir. Brad Barnes, Pretty Orphans & One Fell Swoop Productions
2019 - “The Shabbos Goy” narrative short, B cam op, dir. Talia Osteen, Powderkeg Media | Austin Film Festival
2018 - “Home Entertainment” narrative short, cam op, dir. Sonia Gumuchian & Katherine Eaton | Austin Film Festival
2018 - “Noah” music video, B cam op, dp. Natalie Chao, dir. Adrian Vega Albela Osorio
2018 - “Tea for Two” digital series, cam op, dp. Joseph Yao, Jubilee Media

FOCUS PULLER / CAMERA ASSISTANT CREDITS

2020 - “Knives Out 荒野行動” video game commercial, 1st AC
2020 - “Science Fiction: A Conversation Between Artist and Scientist” documentary feature, 1st AC
2020 - “Shit You Knot” narrative short, 1st AC, 307 East
2019 - “Ms. Purple” narrative feature, 1st AC, dp. Ante Cheng | Theatrical Release / Sundance Film Festival / Busan IFF
2019 - “Samir” narrative feature, 1st AC, dp. Ante Cheng, Warner Bros. | Heartland International Film Festival
2019 - “Generational Gravity 我們的浪潮" docu-series, 2nd AC, Tencent & 別的* (previously VICE China)
2019 - “Ananya Birla - Day Goes By ft. Sean Kingston” music video, 2nd AC
2019 - “Rachel from New York” narrative short, 1st AC, Powderkeg
2019 - “Lauren Conrad at Kohl’s” commercial, 1st AC,
2019 - “Morenita” experimental feature, 1st AC, dir. Gabriela Ortega & Diana Valencia
2018 - “East of La Brea” digital series, 2nd AC, Powderkeg Media | SXSW Film Festival 2019
2018 - “Elderly Aldermen ft. Chance the Rapper” 1st AC, Chicagoist TV
2018 - “Good Gas feat. 2 Chainz, A$AP Ferg & FKi 1st - How I Feel” music video, 2nd AC, Psycho Films
2018 - “Bhad Bhabie - Both of Em” music video, Psycho Films
2018 - “Escape from Stonerland” reality tv, 2nd AC, College Humor
2018 - “Where Dreams Rest” narrative short, 2nd AC, USC School of Cinematic Arts
2018 - “R, Don't let me down” commercial, 1st AC, dp. Ante Cheng, Sony
2018 - “Filch” narrative short, 1st AC, dp. Ante Cheng, dir. Kiran Deol
2018 - “GETVOKL: Earthers” commercial, 1st AC, dp. Sebastian Schrils
2018 - “Lily & Maya” commercial, 1st AC, dp. Martin Baird, USC Media Institute for Social Change
2018 - “SHINN - My Own” music video, 1st AC, dp. James Wilson, HiFREQ Films
2017-2018 - “Netflix Marketing Videos” commercial, 2nd AC, dp. Casey Bohrnell, Netflix
2017 - “Li Shan” narrative short, 2nd AC, dp. Martin Baird | Sloan Foundation & USC School of Cinematic Arts
2017 - “Marie” narrative short, 1st AC, dp. Natalie Chao
2017 - “My Ex-Girlfriend is a Shovel” narrative short, 1st AC, dp. Natalie Chao
2017 - “Pre-Production: The Webseries” digital series, 1st AC, dp. Brian Tang, The Dirty Laundry Collective
2016 - “SHINN - Tell a Lie” music video, 1st AC, dp. Octavio Estrada, HiFREQ Films
2016 - "Beverly Hills Ghost” digital series, 1st AC, dp. Sergio Crego, Mens Rea Productions
2016 - “Red Hot Frog” narrative short, 1st AC, dp. Joseph Yao, USC School of Cinematic Arts
2016 - “The Parallel Project” narrative short, 1st AC, dp. Matt Brodie

WORKED WITH Davinci Resolve / Arri / Red / Sony / Canon / Panasonic / Blackmagic / VR Camera Systems (Insta 360 Pro, Gear 360) / Cookie / Zeiss / Todd-Ao / Cineovision / Canon K35 / Angenieux / Lomo / Atlas Anamorphic & Spherical Lenses / WCU-4 /Preston / Nucleus-M / Bartech Wireless follow focus / Teradek / Paralink Wireless / Sachtler / OConnor / Manfrotto / SmallHD/ Atomos / Flanders Scientific / JL Fisher / Chapman / Dana Dolly / Easyrig / Assembly, operation, maintenance, and safelycaring for cameras, lenses, filters, and accessories / Training 2nd ACs and Camera Interns

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Since 2020 - Brown Girls Doc Mafia

Since 2019 - Asian American Documentary Network (A-Doc)