Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Wang.
Hi Jonathan, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised by first-generation Taiwanese immigrant parents in a little city called Walnut, about 30 miles from LA proper. Looking back on it now, I knew I was destined for a career in film; in my teenage years, I made silly home movies with my friends, joined up with the high school television program, and even started a film club. I attended the prestigious Chapman University for college, but even then, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do for quite a while. I found myself caught between screenwriting and cinematography, as I loved to read and write scripts and craft concepts but was also drawn immensely to the technical and creative aspects of onset cinematography. Facing writer deadlines, outside rewrites, and loss of creative control was a harsh reality, and thus, I decided to shift screenwriting to a hobby and pursue cinematography as my true career.
I spent nearly a decade as a First Assistant Camera before hitting the skill plateau and making the transition to Camera Operator. After another four years spent honing my operating ability, I finally felt comfortable in making the jump into being a Cinematographer. Now, I work as a freelance Cinematographer, shooting commercials, documentaries, music videos, and narratives all over the world. I also still love Operating, so I still do that on the side. I always believe I have more to learn in my burgeoning career, so I’m staying consistent in working hard to establish myself and evolve my craft.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has not been without its bumps, but for the most part, I’m grateful to them for having shaped me to be who I am now. The transition from First AC to Operator was probably the biggest speed bump; most people knew of me as a First, so it was difficult turning down so much work, and sometimes I’d even get grief for it. So, in my spare time, I took Operating courses, learned how to operate wheels, and attended seminars, all in pursuit of improving my abilities.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
As a Cinematographer, I’ve found a fairly solid niche shooting commercials and promos for a wide variety of companies such as Volvo, Heineken, Spotify, Riot Games, and the like. That’s not to say I don’t still shoot documentary, narrative, and music video on the side, but commercials are what I’m most known for. That said though, the project I am most proud of was a series of music videos for the artist Bea Miller, where we had to plan out a concert series and 7 distinct music videos for a catalogue of her songs over the course of two shooting days. The amount of prep work I did for that was nearly equivalent to a feature prep, and despite some setbacks and forced pivoting, the subsequent execution was absolutely spot on.
I’d say I’m typically known for my happy-go-lucky demeanor, and I think that reflects on the sets I run. My belief is that being on set should always be fun and engaging, even if the situations can sometimes be difficult. I’m always open to hearing perspectives from others, and I actively encourage peers and subordinates to reach out to me for help or really anything at all.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I’m honestly pretty risk-averse, but I’m not opposed to crossing that bridge if I must. I surround myself with capable people and I do significant amounts of prep work to mitigate risks, but overcoming difficulties also is what keeps things interesting and fun.
My biggest risk taking was the aforementioned jump from AC to Op, but as a whole, I constantly take risks in stepping out of my comfort zone in cinematography choices and situations, such as underwater shooting and VFX heavy production.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kingjwang.com
- Instagram: kingjwang
