Today we’d like to introduce you to Keith Leung.
Keith, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in Hong Kong in 2001 – as far away from LA as you can (almost) possibly get. My dad was a big photography and movie head and raised me on 80s American action movies and Stephen Chow comedies, which is actually a big reason of why I’m currently fluent in English.
However, another perhaps more impactful reason of why I got started in the film industry is because of YouTube – and a man named Freddie Wong. Freddie Wong, if you don’t already know him, was an internet legend back in the early 2010s – he made viral action-comedy shorts on YouTube and is the reason half my NYU cohort even got into film in the first place. To me, Freddie was one of the only Chinese dudes on the platform at the time – and he made stuff that I loved to watch with my dad – action and comedy. That guy was my childhood hero, and I’ve wanted to do what he does from day one.
A little over a decade later, I went to NYU Tisch for film school. I’ve directed award-winning music videos and narrative shorts, and as of a couple days ago, I even got to meet Freddie Wong himself at SXSW 2024. We compared our facial hair growth, and he gave me a pity hug. Life’s crazy, man.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Finding my voice as a director has been tough, not only through my four years of college but also post-grad. It’s tough to find your path when you’re in an industry as volatile as film and television. There’s no set path; there’s no rulebook. There’s no specific career path or hierarchy you can climb like at a white-collar office job.
Going into the American film industry as a foreigner without prior familial connections or extraordinary financial backing is an uphill battle. It’s so easy to lose faith in your dreams, or to get stuck doing something you don’t want. Whenever I feel stuck, I always remember something one of my professors told me: the difference between people who make it and people who don’t is that the people who do never gave up.
We’ve been impressed with Kairon Pictures LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m a freelance director and sound mixer at Kairon Pictures LLC.
KAIRON PICTURES is an award-winning production company specializing in music videos, narrative films, and digital content. We’ve worked alongside Emmy©-winning producers, directed music videos for Grammy©-nominated artists, and screened our work at Academy Award©-qualifying film festivals.
Unlike many other production companies that only focus on creating a specific genre or type of content, we have multi-faceted department heads that specialize in different mediums, making us an all-round production company. We have people that specialize in music videos, people that specialize in commercials, people that specialize in narrative film and television. Basically, we do it all.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I actually started off going to NYU for politics and history – a horrendous decision. I was always too afraid to commit to film and wasn’t going to do it until a writing professor saw my work and told me I had to do it for my own sake. And so, I transferred – and I haven’t regretted it since.
So, yeah. I was a politics guy. If I start arguing or debating with you, it’s just muscle memory from a worse time.
Contact Info:
- Website: keithleung.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/condiment_keith/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt6Gw7b6JnEf9ri30Yo4haA
