Creative production company HELO has signed Christine Ng to its talent roster. She will be repped as both a director and DP. This marks her first foray into directing Ng’s portfolio as a cinematographer spans commercials, music videos, documentaries, and narrative content, with recent work including Showtime’s Ziwe, HBO’s Between the World and Me, and spots for Honda, Chanel, Dior, HP, and Bud Light. She also served as a second unit DP on Netflix’s When They See Us.
“Whether offering mentorship to emerging young filmmakers, or using her craft to elevate stories of marginalized communities, Christine is an inspiring artist who is dedicated to lifting others up, fostering excitement in the work she creates, and building a positive space on set for crews to join forces and produce stand-out visual storytelling,” shared Brendan Kiernan, HELO co-founder and managing director. “We are excited to welcome her to our roster and champion the next chapter of her career, as she delves into directing and further immerses herself into the creative process.”
Hong Kong born and New York raised, Ng, an NYU film school graduate, is a versatile talent who leverages creative intuition and cinematography know-how to capture emotionally driven and visually compelling stories, ranging from naturalistic verité to highly stylized and abstract. She is an experienced visual storyteller who focuses on raising the profile of underrepresented BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities and individuals, with her work screened at global festivals, including SXSW, Outfest, L.A. Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, NY Film Festival, and IFF Boston. Her DP career was fast-tracked while working as a B camera operator on When They See Us, as cinematographer Bradford Young and director Ava DuVernay recognized her talent and provided her with the opportunity to contribute to the look and tone of the Emmy-winning limited series.
“I’m ready to take the next step towards becoming a more integral creative leader on set and contributing my vision beyond what happens behind the camera,” shared Ng. “I draw inspiration from the energy of the crew and people that I work with, and joining HELO’s roster of incredible talent is a welcomed opportunity to take on the challenges of the next phase of my career.”
Music Biopics Get Creative At Toronto Film Festival
Many of the expected conventions of music biopics are present in "Piece by Piece," about the producer-turned-pop star Pharrell Williams, and "Better Man," about the British singer Robbie Williams. There's the young artist's urge to break through, fallow creative periods and regrettable chapters of fame-addled excess. But there are a few, little differences. In "Piece by Piece," Pharrell is a Lego. And in "Better Man," Williams is played by a CGI monkey. If the music biopic can sometimes feel a little stale in format, these two movies, both premiering this week at the Toronto International Film Festival, attempt novel remixes. In each film, each Williams recounts his life story as a narrator. But their on-screen selves aren't movie stars who studied to get a part just right, but computer-generated animations living out real superstar fantasies. While neither Williams has much in common as a musician, neither has had a very traditional career. Their films became reflections of their individuality, and, maybe, a way to distinguish themselves in the crowded field of music biopics like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Rocketman." "This is about being who you are, even if it's not something that can be put in a box," Pharrell said in an interview Tuesday alongside director Morgan Neville. Also next to Pharrell: A two-foot-tall Lego sculpture of himself, which was later in the day brought to the film's premiere and given its own seat in the crowd. The experience watching the crowd-pleasing "Piece by Piece," which Focus Features will release Oct. 11, can be pleasantly discombobulating. A wide spectrum of things you never expected to see in Lego form are animated. Virginia Beach (where Pharrell grew up). An album of Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life."... Read More