Leader
Navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chil Kong produced four different short films in 2020, two in pre-production and two in post-production. His diverse experience in directing, producing, and acting allows him to successfully work on a variety of film projects, from short films, to narrative features, to music videos.
Chil’s robust career has led him to continuously take on leadership roles along with his producer and director positions. He spent a year serving as the Chief Creative Officer at Lucky Mark Pictures in Los Angeles, California. There Chil founded a $20 million micro-budget film fund that focuses on diverse stories led by a team of passionate early and mid-career storytellers and filmmakers. He raised the first round of funds in less than 6 months with a bold, new vision of scalable production costs that combined independent film production with a streamlined television production process.
Chil also managed a team of in-house writers for a 5-year slate of films with at least a third of the stories developed as a multi-platform franchise, including story concepts that could transfer to long-form TV series and live theatre productions.
After his time at Lucky Mark Productions, Chil Kong took on the Chief Creative Officer role at HSHP Film Fund in Burbank, California, and Taipei, Taiwan. There he led the global acquisition of international titles for the Pacific Rim market with a strategic focus on English-based stories with a diversity twist.
Chil curated stories that represented worldwide, diverse experiences and provided crucial creative feedback on all projects in collaboration with creative teams from around the world. He collaborated with cutting-edge technology development companies to enhance storytelling through the interaction of augmented and virtual reality with traditional film and TV. Chil was also able to negotiate partnerships with Real Pictures Entertainment, HSHP Media Group, and other large-scale production companies for multi-picture deals in China, Taiwan, Korea, and the United States.
Chil also spent two years producing for The Disney Channel in Burbank, California. He assembled the creative team, which included Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde the Musical, Mean Girls the Musical) and Laurence O’Keefe (Legally Blonde the Musical, Heathers the Musical) to develop and pitch a TV movie. Chil Kong also led the creative team through dramaturgical and creative feedback from the original pitch to the final script approval. This production is currently in development at The Disney Channel.
It is evident in his work that no matter the position he is working in, Chil always stands by his objective of telling stories that celebrate the rich diversity of the human experience. He is passionate about bringing diverse experiences and social issues to the forefront, as is evident in the work he has done over his lengthy career.
Educator
Throughout his time as a director and producer, Chil emphasizes teaching what he knows to aspiring artists in the industry. Teaching masterclasses, workshops, and serving as an adjunct professor at multiple institutions, Chil aims to inspire and enlighten those entering the professional arts world.
As Chil’s career has grown, so have the types of classes he has taught. When performing was the focus of his life, Chil taught a “Dancing with Power” workshop at the Boston Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts. There he led a class of students from the ballet dance program through a Martial Arts-based workshop on how to to use their CHI as a way to increase power and lift during performances. He also taught a “Musical Theater Master Class” and “Acting for Beginners” at Northwest Asian American Theatre in Seattle, Washington. His work helped aspiring performers prepare their audition pieces and vocal technique as well as cultivated and encouraged artistic development within the Asian American community in Seattle.
As Chil began to work more in film and take on larger leadership roles, his teachings began to include film and digital expertise. He taught a weekend workshop titled “Acting for the Camera” at MU Performing Arts in Minneapolis, MN. This workshop prepared trained actors for the transition from theatre to film and television, using exercises to understand the differences between acting for the camera versus the stage. Chil also taught multiple courses at Cal Poly Pomona in Pomona, CA, including “Digital Media Production.” This course was vital to performers in the 21st century, as it taught how to find your voice and tell your stories in the Digital Age. Through this class, students learned different styles of storytelling, applying both artistic analysis and practical knowledge to create a short film. The objective of the course was to engage the student’s unique voice, help find a story they must tell, and then tell it.
Above all, not only is Chil passionate and driven about his work, but he is also always willing to learn and gain new knowledge, and then spread that knowledge to others. He has worked hard to find his own voice and carve a path for himself in the professional arts world, and he hopes to inspire others to do the same.
