Contact
416 704 3631s@stephenchungimages.com
414 Lauder AvenueToronto, Ontario M6E 3J2
Stephen Chung is an award-winning cinematographer with well over twenty years of experience in moving images. He is highly regarded for both his artistry and versatility.
Stephen's career began as a stills photographer, working in the commercial, fashion and music industries in Canada and Europe for over a decade. In the 90s, his photography evolved into cinematography, and his earliest credits were music videos for artists such as Feist, Broken Social Scene, Do Make Say Think, Buck 65 and Blue Rodeo, forming relationships with the musicians that have sustained to this day.
`Stephen's approach to cinematography is project-specific, centred on close collaboration and storytelling. He achieves a distinctive cinematic style, often working with available or natural light. His wide range of experience has taken him around the globe, working in virtually every format from film, documentaries, television, commercials, music videos and VR. Some of Stephen’s notable recent credits include the VICELAND television series “Mister Tachyon” winner of Canadian Society of Cinematographers award, feature documentary “The Defector” (Winner CSA - Best Documentary Film) and the short film “Odessa” (Official selection Cannes Short Film Corner). As well as HBO, Discovery, Nat Geo, History Chanel, 20th Century Fox, and The CBC. His work has garnered several awards and nominations including best cinematography “COPA” Mockfest Film festival, , “The Defector” CSC nomination for Documentary Cinematography, Juno Award for (best album artwork) Tom Cochrane “Songs of a Circling Spirit”
Stephen was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He currently resides in Toronto with his family, where he’s significantly colder, but even happier.
Timeline
1967- born Kingston, Jamaica
1973- moved to Toronto, Canada
1983- first camera
1986-88- freelance assistant to several Toronto based photographers
1989-96- freelance photographer for numerous record labels, Canadian and European editorials- award of merit for photography Studio Magazine Annual Awards 1996
1997- nominated for Juno Award (best album artwork) David Wilcox “Greatest Hits Too”- Juno Award for (best album art work) Tom Cochrane “Songs of a Circling Spirit”
1998 - solo exhibition Contact 98 the Rivoli “Still Moving Images”- award of merit The Advertising & Design Club of Canada (Single Magazine-Page/Spread) “Living in Oblivion” Shift Magazine
1999- DOP - indie feature “Wolf Song”- group show - photography Contact 99 , Sixty4 Steps Contemporary Art “One”- DOP - for numerous music videos- gold award The Advertising & Design Club of Canada (Single Magazine-Article) “Antigua” Shift Magazine
2000 - producer / director / DOP - “Subway” film for “Do Make Say Think”- DOP - for numerous music videos
2001 - DOP - feature documentary “QSW the Wild Zone” Rhombus Media- director / DOP - Chris Brown and Kate Fenner music video “Walk the Lake”- DOP - King Cobb Stele - “Below the Stars” and Buck 65 “Pants on Fire” both nominated for “best independent music video” Much Music Video Awards
2002 - director / DOP - Classified music video " Yuh Ded Now"- DOP - documentary film "Always moving forward"- award for best cinematography Leo Burnett independent film festival “Oh My Dog”
2003 - DOP - tv series “made to order” season 1 Food Network / Alliance Atlantis- DOP - music video - Broken Social Scene “Cause=Time”, Arts and Crafts- director/ DOP - commercial Denzal Sinclaire . Verve/ Universal Music Canada
2004 - became a father, Quinton Bradley Chung- DOP - music video Broken Social Scene “Almost Crimes” Arts and Crafts- DOP - music video Feist “Mushaboom” Interscope / Universal Music- director / DOP - music video The Weekend “Me vs. the World”- director / DOP - music video The Trews “Tired of waiting”
2005 - DOP - Live DVD “Skinny Puppy” “The Greater Wrong of the Right”- director - documentary film Broken Social Scene “It’s all Gonna Break”- DOP - tv series “The Wilkinson’s” season 1 Henry Less Productions
2006 - DOP - tv series “Ed’s Up” season 1 OLN/ Peace Point Entertainment- DOP - tv series “Crash Addicts” season 1 OLN / Summerhill Productions- DOP/ operator - tv series “Punched Up” Comedy Network/ Indivisual Productions- 2nd unit DOP - commercial “Ontario Tourism” Spy Entertainment / Young & Rubican
2007 - became a father again, Miles Bradley Chung- DOP - tv pilot “sell” Twentieth Century Fox Television- DOP - tv series “Invention Nation” Discovery Network US / Peace Point Entertainment- DOP - feature “Confessions of a Porn Addict” Breakthrough Films / TMN / Movie Central- 2nd unit DOP - commercial “Ontario Tourism” Spy Entertainment / Young & Rubicam
2008- DOP – tv series “Food Jammers” (season 3) Food Network / Peace Point Entertainment- 2nd unit DOP - commercial “Ontario Tourism” Spy Entertainment / Young & Rubicam- Award best cinematography “COPA” at Mockfest Film Festival in Los Angeles, Ca.- DOP - tv series “The Week The Women Went” (season 2) CBC / Paperny Films- DOP - tv series “I Prophesy” Vision TV / Henry Less Productions
2009- DOP - short film “Record” (official selection of TIFF) / Bravo / Equation of Design- DOP - tv pilot “The Gringo” Twentieth Century Fox television- DOP - short film “Living History” (official selection of TIFF) Bravo / Tortoise Films- DOP 2nd unit- commercial “Ontario Tourism” Radke Films / Young and Rubicam- DOP - tv special “Keith Urban Live @ the Orange Lounge” CMT/ Corus Entertainment2012
2010- DOP - feature doc “The Last Gladiators” (official selection of TIFF) Locomotion Pictures- DOP - short film “Good Boy” (official selection of TIFF) Bravo / Tortoise Films- DOP - short film “No Contract ” Bravo / Absitomen Media- DOP - tv series “The National Parks Project” Discovery Channel / Primitive Entertainment- producer dir/ DOP - documentary “The Happiness Project” AUX television / Glass Box Media- DOP - tv series “William Shatners Weird or What” (season 2) History Television / Cineflix
2011- DOP - tv series “Canadian Made” History Television / Primitive Entertainment- DOP - tv series “William Shatners Weird or What” (season 3) History Television / Cineflix- DOP - feature documentary “Northwords” FilmCAN / Parks Canada- DOP - short film “Reach” Ring Out Media- DOP - tv series “Grand Benders” Northern Outlaw Productions / BPM
2012- DOP - feature film “Solo” TMN- DOP - tv series “Murder in Paradise” Cinefilx Discovery ID- DOP - tv series “Golden Gays” Cream Productions Inc. Slice- DOP - short film “The Model” (official 2012 Tiff selection) Bravo / Flatline Pictures- DOP - tv series “Breakout” Raw T /Cream Productions Discovery Chanel / National Geo intl.
2013- DOP - feature Doc “The Defector” nominated Cinematography 56th CSC awards,- DOP - feature film “Solo” winner Silver Audience Choice Awards, Best feature film Toronto After Dark Film Festival- DOP - short film “Silent Garden” Elgin Winter Garden Theatre / Bravo- DOP - tv series “Murder in Paradise” Cinefilx, Discovery ID- DOP - tv series “Motives & Murders II” Cinefilx, Discovery ID
2014- DOP - short film “Odessa” Ethos pictures- DOP - tv series “Murder in Paradise II” Cinefilx, Discovery ID- DOP - tv series “Motives & Murders III” Cinefilx, Discovery ID- “The Defector” Winner CSA - Best Documentary Film / Best Direction- “Solo” Selected "Best of Canada Program” 17th Shanghai International Film Festival
2015- “Odessa” short Winner 2015 Grand Jury Award for Best Short (Gasparilla International Film Festival / Official selection (Cannes Short Film Corner)- DOP “HMS Erebus Franklin Expedition shoot” FilmCan NPP Films Inc. Parks Canada- DOP - ‘Sin City ER” tv series Cineflix, Discovery Life- DOP - “Holt Renfrew tv” multiple Commercials, branded content Nomad Republic
2016- DOP 2cd unit - “Horizon” 360° VR film celebrating Canada 150th anniversary- DOP - “Looking for MIke” tv documentary, First Love Films, CBC- DOP - “Shroom Boom” Vice tv documentary, Chosen Best of Vice Canada- DOP - “Sugar Sisters” tv documentary, Fathom Films, CBC- DOP - “Style Factory” tv series, Cineflix, Slice Network- DOP - “Tougher than it Looks” tv series Proper Television, Discovery Canada
2017- “Looking for MIke” tv documentary Nominated CSA Best Documentary Program- DOP - “My Enemy My Brother” feature documentary official selection Hot Docs- DOP - “Come from Away” feature documentary, MDF Productions, Bell Media- DOP - “Mister Tachyon” Television series Viceland- DOP - “Joyce Mitchell Story” Cinefilx, Discovery ID- DOP - “Over Time” short doc, Bravo, Winner DGC-Wift-T Award Reel Asian FF
2018 - DOP “Bon Appetite” Branded content Edmonton, Niagara Nomad Republic - DOP “Smart Drugs” feature documentary, Fathom Films, CBC - DOP “Mayday” television Series Season 19 Cineflix, Discovery - DOP “See no Evil” Docudrama Saloon Media, - DOP “The Impossible Swim” Engraved on a Nation TSN, Circle Blue Media
2019 - Winner Canadian Society of Cinematographers Award for “Mister Tachyon” TV series - DOP “Mothers of Istanbul” Corporate for Shopify - DOP “See No Evil” docudrama, Saloon Media, Arrow Media, Discovery - DOP “Killer Affairs” docudrama, Our House Media, Oxygen Media, - DOP “Witches of Salem” docudrama, Saloon Media, Talos Films, History Channel
2020 - DOP - “C.A.S.I.E.F” (Dr’s without borders for anesthesiologists) Ethiopia, Rwanda - DOP - “Hotel Paranormal” docudrama, Our House Media, Travel Channel - DOP - “AI Gods” Documentary HOTDOCS opening night Fathom Films, CraveTV. - DOP - “Writing the Land’ 4 part Doc series Primitive Media, Arte/ZDF, CBC - DOP - “Astrid” short film Febbraro FIlms, Independent - 2cd unit DOP feature film “La Switch” Carte Blanche Films, Telefilm
Credits
Films |
|
Production co. / Director |
|
Horizon - 2cd unit DOP 360° VR (short) |
Sesqui / Dir Drew Lightfoot |
|
|
Over Time DOP (shot doc) |
Jaya Media / Dir. Mariam Zaidy |
|
|
My Enemy My Brother - DOP (feature doc) |
Fathom Films / Dir. Ann Shin |
|
|
Sugar Sisters - DOP (TV doc) |
Fathom Films / Dir. Hannah Donegan |
|
|
Looking for Mike - DOP (TV doc) |
First Love Films / Dir. Dylan Reibling |
|
|
Shroom Boom - DOP (TV doc) |
Vice / Shawney Dir. Choen | |
|
Odessa - DOP (short) |
Ethos Pictures/ Dir. Sean Turrell | |
| Silent Garden - DOP (short) | Elgin Winter Garden Films / Dir. Dylan Reibling | |
| Solo - DOP (feature) | Camp Solo films / Dir. Isaac Cravit | |
| The Defector DOP (feature DOC) | Zarathustra Films / DIr. Ann Shin | |
| The Model - DOP (short) | Equation of Design / Dir. Dylan Reibling | |
| Reach - DOP (short) | Ring Out Media / Dir. Tricia Collins | |
| The Happiness Project - DOP (live concert film) | Glass Box / Dir. Stephen Chung | |
| No Contract – DOP (short) | Absitomen Media / Dir. Randall Okita | |
| Good Boy - DOP (short) | Tortoise Films / Dir. Isaac Cravit | |
| The Last Gladiators - DOP (doc) | Jigsaw Productions / Dir. Alex Gibney | |
| Yuna Kim - DOP (doc) | Discovery Asia / Bang Productions | |
|
Living History - DOP (short) |
Tortoise Films / Dir. Isaac Cravit |
|
| City Sonic - DOP (short series) |
Kensington / White Pine / Dir. George Vale |
|
| Record - DOP (short) | Equation of Design / Dir. Dylan Reibling | |
| Epilogue / Prologue - DOP (short) | Zoomline Entertainment / Dir. Joe Frankle | |
| Confessions of a Porn Addict - DOP (feature) | Breakthrough Films / Dir. Duncan Christie | |
| Samuel Bak - DOP (doc)Rebel Zone - DOP (feature doc) | Little Dog Productions / Dir. Christa Singer | |
| Rebel Zone - DOP (feature doc) | QSW: The Rhombus Media / Dir. Lorraine Segato | |
| DMST Subway - Producer / DOP (live concert film) | Still Moving Images / Dir. Stephen Chung | |
| Stuff – Cam Op. 2cd Unit DOP (feature) | Bullseye Productions DIr. James Dunnison |
Television |
|
Production co. / Director |
|
Mister Tachyon - DOP season 1 |
Viceland / HBO |
|
|
Tougher Than It Looks - DOP |
Proper Television, Discovery Canada |
|
|
Style Factory - DOP |
Cineflix, Slice Network |
|
|
Sin City ER - DOP |
Cineflix, Discovery Life |
|
|
Unusually Thicke - DOP |
Peacock Alley / Global Television/ Slice |
|
|
Murder in Paradise season 1 & 2 - DOP |
Discovery ID / Cinefilx |
|
|
Breakout - DOP |
Discovery Chanel / Nat Geo Raw Tv / Cream Prod |
|
|
Motives and Murders season 2 & 3 - DOP |
Discovery ID / Cinefilx |
|
|
Organic Panic - DOP |
Vision TV/ Richie Mehta |
|
|
The National Parks Project - DOP |
Discovery Channel / Primitive |
|
|
William Shatner’s “Weird or What” seasons 1-3 - DOP |
History Television / Discovery US / Cineflix |
|
|
One on One - Taylor Swift - DOP |
CMT/ Corus Entertainment |
|
|
AUX Live - Concert series Producer/Director/DOP |
AUX TV / Still moving Images |
|
|
The Week The Women Went, season 2 - lead DOP |
CBC / Paperny Films |
|
|
The Gringo - DOP |
Twentieth Century Fox Television |
|
|
I Prophesy - DOP |
Vision TV / Henry Less Productions |
|
|
Sell (Pilot) - DOP |
Twentieth Century Fox Television |
|
|
Food Jammers III - DOP |
Food Network / Peace Point Productions |
|
|
Invention Nation - DOP |
Discovery Channel (US) / Peace Point Productions |
|
|
Ed’s Up season 1 - DOP |
OLN / Peace Point Productions |
|
|
Crash Addicts season 1 - DOP |
OLN / Summerhill Productions |
|
|
The Wilkinsons season 1 - DOP |
CMT Frances Films Inc. |
|
|
Made To Order season 1 & 2 - DOP |
Food Network / Mercer Street Films |
|
|
David Suzuki’s Sacred Balance - Camera Op. |
CBC / Kensington Comm. |
|
|
Canada for Asia – Tsunami Relief Concert - Camera Op. |
CBC / Revolver Films |
Commercials |
|
Production co. / Director |
|
Heinz - Big League Surprise (Theatrical) |
Nomad Republic |
|
|
Holt Renfrew - All Together - DOP |
Nomad Republic |
|
|
Ontario Tourism - X 6 - 2nd unit DOP |
Young & Rubicam / Radke Films / Spy Films |
|
|
Kohl’s Department Stores - Camera Op. |
Partners Film Co. |
|
|
ING Direct - DOP |
Dans Pet Shop |
|
|
Smuckers Jam - Camera Op. |
Leo Burnett/ Sons & Daughters |
|
|
Home Depot - Camera Op. |
Partners Film Company |
|
|
Roy Thomson Hall - DOP |
Massey Hall & RTH Productions |
|
|
Mereadesso - DOP |
Dan’s Pet Shop |
|
|
Kraft - Camera Op. |
J Walter Thompson / Henry Less Productions |
|
|
Sobeys - DOP |
Leo Burnett /TracePictures |
|
|
Philadelphia Cream Cheese - DOP |
J Walter Thompson / Don Dixon Films |
|
|
Denzel Sinclaire - Director / DOP |
Universal Music / YYZ Pictures |
|
|
ING Direct x 2 - DOP |
Partners Film Co. |
|
|
Mastermind Toys - DOP |
Partners Film Co. |
|
|
NBA Authentic Gear - Camera Op. |
Zoo TV |
|
|
Movie Pix /The Movie Network - DOP |
Konservative Veesual |
Music Videos director / director of photography |
|
Production co. / Director |
|
The Weekend “Me vs. the World” |
YYZ Pictures |
|
|
The Trews “Tired of Waiting” |
YYZ Pictures |
|
|
Spookey Rueben- “Shauna” |
Still Moving Images |
|
|
Classified featuring Dan-e-o & D-sisive “Yuh Ded Now” |
Sundog films |
|
|
Chris Brown and Kate Fenner “Walk the lake” |
Players Film Co. |
|
|
Do Make Say Think “Disco+Haze” |
Still Moving Images |
|
Music Videos / director of photography |
|
|
|
Lullabye Arkestra “Icy Hands” |
Scion AV / Vice Records |
|
|
The Mark Inside “Sweet Little Sister” |
Nuclear Blubber Productions Inc. |
|
|
Feist “Mushaboom” |
Shalabi Effect Productions | |
|
Broken Social Scene “Almost Crimes” |
Shalabi Effect Productions | |
|
Broken Social Scene “Cause=Time” |
Play Film | |
|
Tom Cochrane “Ali” |
Revolver Films | |
|
Buck 65 “Pants on Fire”
|
Sundog Films | |
| The Dears “End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story” | Still Moving Images | |
| Molly Johnson “Diamonds in my Hands” | Revolver Film Co. | |
| King Cobb Steelie “Below the Stars” | Revolver Film Co. | |
| Blue Rodeo “The Day’s in Between” | Revolver Film Co. | |
| Sciencespheric “Static” | Revolver Film Co. | |
Live Performance |
||
| Do Make Say Think - Producer / Director / DOP | Still Moving Images | |
| Keith Urban - DOP | CMT/ Corus Entertainment | |
| Happiness Project - Producer / Director / DOP | AUX TV / Still Moving Images | |
| Thunderheist - Producer / Director / DOP | AUX TV / Still Moving Images | |
| K’naan - Producer / Director / DOP | AUX TV / Still Moving Images | |
| Arts and Crafts NXNE - Producer / Co. Director | AUX TV / Still Moving Images | |
| Avril Lavigne – Camera Op. | EMI / Vison Entertainment | |
| Feist – Camera Op. | Polydor- Universal | |
| Skinny Puppy – DOP | YYZ Pictures | |
| Tegan & Sara - DOP | Sanctuary Records Group / MTV | |
| Tragically Hip - Camera Op. | Revolver Film Co. | |
| Broken Social Scene – DOP | Still Moving Images | |
| The Music - Camera Op. | Revolver Film Co. |