Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Yulo Ng.
Brian please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a Filipino/Singaporean Artist and Filmmaker based in Los Angeles. I moved here four years ago to pursue a double-degree in Studio Arts & Experimental Animation at the California Institute of the Arts. I create films that speak about the beauty of nature, living creatures or of a shared humanity; such as the animated documentary “24” and the stop motion animated films “Ryori” and “Terrarium”. My films have screened in many film festivals around the world, I have also worked with different studios in Italy, Japan and the United States.
Having been raised between Singapore and the Philippines throughout my childhood and adolescence; I could never truly call either country my home. With each facet of society being in direct opposition to the other, you spend a lot of time contemplating where you exist on the spectrum of personal identity. Growing up between these two distinct cultures informed my understanding of the world and the social divides caused by xenophobia and difference.
When I was 16, I decided to work in the creative field as a direct response to the structures of repression and judgment present in Singapore. I drew portraits of people in suffering and bondage, their mouths sewn shut and eyes conveying rage or deep internal sadness. I spent those early years of my creative exploration trying to make people aware of the hidden suffering that lies beneath the surface of society.
Later on, when I was conscripted into the Singapore Armed Forces, I encountered many individuals who changed my perception of humanity. I realized that everyone is fundamentally trying to survive, that it is the systems of control that make people hard or unfeeling, and that there are more things in the world that connect us together than drive us apart.
Learning from those experiences, I realized that I wanted to connect people together through the idea of a shared human truth. This is the goal that I try to reach in my current films and artwork. I would say that I progressed into animation and filmmaking from my art-making practice because of the potential in storytelling to show people other ways of viewing the world.
Animation has the capacity to speak about any kind of topic because it is a medium that is able to represent ideas in a way that is colored by a person’s point of view. The more nuanced and life experience you gain in the world, the more specific and poignant your representation of it. In my life, I have worked as a chef, an artist, a soldier and now a filmmaker and it is these experiences alongside my multinational background that has created my understanding of the world and language of representation.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My overall journey has been marked with a lot of change, moving between different cultures and professions. The major struggles in my life have often come from an internal conflict of purpose and the disbelief of others. Many people will try and tell you what they believe is the right path to achieve their goals. I would say the largest struggle is making a clear decision on what you want and how you are going to achieve your ambition in spite of the opposition.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Primarily working as an animator/director of animated films, I do a mixture of stop-motion, traditional 2D and 3D Animation. The films I make cover a wide array of subjects but generally fit into a depiction of the natural world, living creatures or human issues.
I am known for directing the animated documentary “24”, which has won multiple awards and has been officially selected for Slamdance, the Athens International Film & Video Festival, the St Louis International Film Festival and Doc NYC. The film tackles issues of culture, memory and trauma through the lens of a person torn between identities. I would say at the moment I am most proud about the film’s capacity to speak about a very specific set of experiences that can still be understood by anyone around the world. It reflects my idea that people are connected through the mutability of a shared humanity.
As a filmmaker, what sets me apart is my scope, moving between different cultural, social and professional spaces informs the ideas behind my work. My next film currently starting its festival run is called “Ryori”, which is a stop motion animated cooking film shot in the Shiro Oni Studio in Fujioka, Japan. The film animates the process of cooking with elements of change in nature so as to highlight the interconnectedness between cuisine and the environment.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Currently, I am in the production phase for a new Animated Documentary called the Absence of Memory. The film is based on the collective memory of men who served in the Singapore Armed Forces during their conscripted service for two years. It utilizes a mixture of 2D, Stop Motion and 3D Animation, based on the artifacts and interviews of multiple ex-soldiers. The film depicts an aspect of a shared humanity by showing what individuals used to survive or maintain their sense of self throughout a period of uniformity. It seeks to weave together the tale of a shared human truth; That in the absence of meaning, we attempt to survive with humanity and dignity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thefourthchromatic.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/acieshominum
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.ng.9693
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11920044/
Image Credit:
Personal Photo Photo Credit: Mark Ches Bulb Studio
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