Jennifer Phang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennifer Phang
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Jennifer Phang at Sundance 2015 Awards
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| Education | Pomona College (BA) American Film Institute (MFA) |
| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter |
Jennifer Phang (pronounced "Pong") is an American filmmaker. She writes, directs, and produces movies and TV shows. She is famous for her films Advantageous (2015) and Half-Life (2008).
Advantageous was first shown at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. There, it won a special award for its teamwork and vision. It was based on an earlier short film she made. Half-Life also premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. It won "Best Film" awards at several film festivals, like the Gen Art Film Festival. Jennifer Phang also won an "Emerging Director Award" for Half-Life.
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About Jennifer Phang's Early Life
Jennifer Phang grew up in the Bay Area in California. She was born in Berkeley, California. Her family background is mixed, with roots in Chinese Malaysian and Vietnamese cultures.
She studied Media Studies at Pomona College. Later, she earned a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Film Directing from the American Film Institute. She also took part in a special program for women filmmakers at the San Francisco Film Society.
In 2008, Filmmaker Magazine named her one of the "25 new Faces of Independent Film." This means she was seen as one of the most exciting new talents in independent movies. In 2015, she was chosen as one of six Women at Sundance Fellows. This program helps women directors grow their careers. In 2016, she joined the Warner Bros. Television Directors' Workshop. There, she met Michelle MacLaren, a director and producer known for shows like Breaking Bad. Michelle MacLaren became her mentor.
Jennifer Phang's Career in Film and TV
Making Feature Films
Jennifer Phang's first full-length movie was Half-Life (2008). She directed and wrote this film. It was shown at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. It also won awards at other festivals, like "Best Feature" at the Gen Art Film Festival. She won the "Emerging Director Award" at the Asian American International Film Festival for this movie.
After Half-Life, Jennifer Phang worked on other projects like Look For Water and Crazy Beats Strong Every Time. She received grants from important film organizations to help develop these films.
Her next major film was Advantageous (2015). She directed, wrote, and edited this movie. It was based on a short film she made earlier. Advantageous was also shown at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. It won a special award for its "Collaborative Vision." This award recognized the teamwork between Jennifer Phang and the film's star, Jacqueline Kim. The film was released on Netflix in June 2015.
Directing Short Films
Jennifer Phang directed, wrote, and edited a short film called Advantageous (2012). This short film explored ideas about the future. It won "Best Science Fiction Film" at the Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival. It also won the Golden Reel Award for Best Short Film at the 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival.
She also directed other short films, including Midnight Boycow (2007) and Love, Ltd. (2000).
Working in Television
Jennifer Phang has directed episodes for many popular TV series. These include The Boys, Cloak & Dagger, Riverdale, and Resident Alien.
She enjoys working on TV shows because she gets to direct different actors. She also likes working within established stories and characters. She believes that directing for TV helps her become more flexible and skilled for her own film projects.
Other Media Projects
Jennifer Phang also directed and wrote a project called Glass Butterfly. This is a music video with many visual effects.
Writing Screenplays
Jennifer Phang co-wrote a screenplay called Look for Water. For this script, she was invited to the Sundance Screenwriters' Lab. This is a special workshop that helps writers develop their film ideas. The screenplay also received several grants and awards.
Editing and Producing Films
Jennifer Phang has also worked as an editor and producer. She edited and produced the film Target Audience 9.1 (2007). She also produced the short film Sitter (2004). She was an executive producer for the short film Crazy Beats Strong Every Time (2011). She also helped edit her 2015 feature film, Advantageous.
Jennifer Phang's Filmography
Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Terra Mea | Yes | No | No | |
| 2000 | Love, Ltd. | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2003 | The Matrices | Yes | No | No | Also editor |
| 2004 | Sitter | No | No | Yes | |
| 2007 | Midnight Boycow | Yes | Yes | No |
Feature film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Still Life | Yes | No | No | |
| 2008 | Half-Life | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | Advantageous | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also editor end digital effects |
| 2024 | Descendants: The Rise of Red | Yes | No | No |
Television
| Year | Title | Episode(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | The Exorcist | "Chapter Six: Star of the Morning" |
| 2017 | Major Crimes | "Cleared History" |
| 2018 | Riverdale | "Chapter Thirty-Two: Prisoners" |
| The Expanse | "Fallen World" | |
| "Congregation" | ||
| Quantico | "The Art of War" | |
| 2018–2019 | Cloak & Dagger | "Funhouse Mirrors" |
| "Restless Energy" | ||
| 2019 | Proven Innocent | "In Defense of Madeline Scott, Part 1" |
| The Boys | "The Innocents" | |
| Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | "From the Ashes" | |
| 2020–2022 | Stargirl | "Shining Knight" |
| "Frenemies – Chapter Eleven: The Haunting" | ||
| "Frenemies – Chapter Twelve: The Last Will and Testament of Sylvester Pemberton" | ||
| 2021 | Secrets of Sulphur Springs | "Once Upon a Time" |
| Resident Alien | "... Beast" | |
| "The Green Glow" | ||
| Foundation | "Death and the Maiden" | |
| "Mysteries and Martyrs" | ||
| 2022 | The Flight Attendant | "The Reykjavik Ice Sculpture Festival Is Lovely This Time of Year" |
| "Blue Sincerely Reunion" | ||
| 2024 | The Cleaning Lady | "From the Ashes" |
Awards and Recognition
Jennifer Phang has won many awards for her films:
- 2015 Sundance Film Festival
- Winner, Special Jury Award for Dramatic Feature: Advantageous
- Nominee, Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic Feature: Advantageous
- LA Asian Pacific Film Fest
- Winner, Editing, score, and directing awards for Advantageous (feature) - 2015
- Winner, Golden Reel Award for Excellence in Short Film: Advantageous - 2013
- 2012 Rhode Island Horror Film Festival
- Winner, Best Science Fiction Film: Advantageous (Short)
- Asian American International Film Festival
- Winner, Best Narrative: Half Life - 2008
- Winner, Emerging Director Award for Best Feature: Half Life - 2008
- Gen Art Film Festival
- Winner, Best Feature: Half-Life - 2008
- Film Independent Spirit Awards
- Nominee, John Cassavetes Award: (2016) Shared with Jacqueline Kim, Robert M. Chang, Ken Jeong, Moon Molson, Theresa Navarro
