Director of Photography | Kevin C. W. Wong csc | Canadian Film Awards Winner
Kevin has been a Toronto based cinematographer for over 20 years with the motto: We’ll make it work.
He joined the industry as a storyboard artist for commercials working closely with directors with varying styles and personalities. This not only gave him an early start in visual collaboration with directors, it also solidified the belief that only through meticulous planning that the creative ‘magic’ can manifest itself on a busy set.
Over the years of filming a wide range of projects all over the world on commercials, films, lifestyle programming, documentaries and music videos, he’s come to appreciate the benefits of staying calm while embracing ‘scrappiness’ in solving film problems. To him, a calm and happy crew ends up putting the most creative images on the screen.
His recent Best Photography win at the Canadian Screen Awards for MARY MAKES IT EASY is a good example of his multi-disciplined and flexible approach to cinematography. Kevin brought together camera and lighting techniques used in his past on commercials (beauty, fashion, food ), documentaries and narrative films to make this otherwise conventional cooking show stand out amongst its peers.
As a child, Kevin carried a sketchbook everywhere and he is still in love with all things image-making. He spent the better part of a decade quietly honing skills as a 3D/VFX Artist and have incorporated them into his work as a cinematographer. He is now often both the DP and the 3D/VFX Artist on the projects he shoots. One of which he’s most happy with is the vibrant and imaginative opening sequence of MARY MAKES IT EASY that combines live-action into a CG world.
His most memorable filming experience was on the feature film KHOYA directed by Oscar nominated director Sami Khan. Kevin recalls a physically demanding but utterly rewarding shoot working in such breathtaking locations in rural India, with one of the most dedicated crews he’s ever come across.
After over two decades as a ‘generalist’ so to speak, he is now focusing on long format projects, putting to use the accumulated knowledge honed from all the disciplines he’s encountered, to help tell stories in captivating ways.
Other fun facts:
1. Invented and manufactured a collapsible lighting reflector called Nori SquareBounce that won an industry award at NAB 2012 in Las Vegas. Thousands of these reflectors are being used in the field all over the globe.
2. He draws on napkins for fun from time to time. KevinDrawingOnNapkins.com
3. Languages: English/Chinese
4. Other relevant skills: Steadicam, Licensed Drone Pilot, Boxing/Martial Arts Training (sometimes handy for filming action/fight sequences)
Television / Film Rep:
Meridian Artists - Courtenay Bainbridge - cbainbridge@meridianartists.com - 416.961.2777