I like to keep my ear to the ground when it comes to up and coming filmmakers. Here are 5 filmmakers you should be following. It is my favourite thing to watch a person’s career start small and gain the traction it deserves. These are some of my favourite visual storytellers and content creators that are changing the landscape of the film & TV industry.
Cinematographer Rina Yang @the_ringyang
Rina Yang is part of a new wave of cinematographers, whose work so far is predominantly focused on shooting short form content. Rina’s ability to use a medium that has been around for a while now, but consistently bring fresh artistic offers is admirable. Check out this link to watch her work.
Director/Cinematographer Morgan Cooper @cooperfilms
Morgan Cooper has been making his way up in the indie world for some time now. First making music videos with friends, then to a decent Youtube career, he shook things up when he created a fan-made trailer and reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Through this bold piece of work, Will Smith and his production company have picked it up, now in the pipeline for production. Watch the Bel Air trailer here.
Director/Writer/Actor Michaela Coel
If you have been streaming content over the past couple of years, then you have probably seen Michaela in some of the best TV/Online work to date. On 7 June 2020, Coel released I May Destroy You, a British com-dram where a young woman seeks to rebuild her life after a sexual assault. Easily one of the best shows I have ever had the pleasure of watching, she challenges the audience from the first frame. If you want to see what the future holds for the Film and TV industry, I would look towards Coel and her ability to weave provocative and human stories that are extremely current with humor and heartbreak. Watch the I May Destroy You trailer here.
Actor/Writer/Producer Luciane Buchanan @lucianebuchanan
Luciane Buchanan is proud of her Tongan whakapapa (ancestry) and rightly so. Her latest project “Lea Tupu’anga/Mother Tongue” explores contemporary issues related to cultural identity through the concept of language. What is it that makes someone Tongan? Or any culture for that matter? It speaks to that universal struggle as humans to find out who we are, what our place in the world is and more importantly, where we belong. Lea Tupu’anga is also Luciane’s first screenplay, and the creative team behind this project are some of NZ’s best up and coming screen talent. Find out more about Luciane here.
Cinematographer/Director/Editor Conor Lui @conorlui
Conor Lui, currently based in London and with deep roots from the Pacific Island of Niue, Conor is an up and coming DP that I would put on the list as someone to watch out for in the next few years. “The Bradford Young of the South Pacific” creates slick visuals that take a project from good to great. With a Major in Film from Victoria University (Wellington), his career, I am sure will take off. Check out his website to see more work!
This post was written by Jack Barry, co-founder of 2113 Creatives. Keep up with him on Instagram – @jackbaz.