FILMMAKER BIOGRAPHY/FILMOGRAPHY

Tom Huang

Tom Huang is the complete filmmaker - he writes, directs, edits and acts in his own films, as well as continuing his TV writing career. His last feature project, freshmen, is an independent feature which he produced, wrote, directed, and had to somewhat sneak by his professors as a 50-minute short to get it made. With the use of the school’s equipment as well as his nine credit cards, Tom was able to stretch his dollar and complete freshmen — his first full length feature (www.freshmenthefilm.com).

The film, which follows the lives of four college freshmen, has already won the Audience Award for Best Feature at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, the Final Draft Original Screenplay Award at the Rhode Island International Film Fest, and earned a nomination for best independent feature at the aMedia “Ammy” Awards. It has also finished a highly successful 16 film festival run and opened in Los Angeles at Leammle’s Music Hall in Beverly Hills, and was released on DVD in 2004. The Los Angeles Times wrote, “freshmen is so authentic, it’s like eavesdropping on life… what is surprising is the impressive depth and detail of Huang’s characterizations, his keen ear for dialogue and his ability to get his actors to seem to be living their roles.” Daily Variety touted the film as “a solid calling card for debuting director Tom Huang and his fresh-faced, very likable young cast.”

Before freshmen, Tom filmed Closed Quarters, a 43-minute drama about the relationship of two roommates whose lives clash. Closed Quarters won a Certificate of Merit from the Chicago International Film Festival.

Since then, Tom has directed numerous works, including a short film, It Wasn’t Supposed to Be Like This, with Sandra Oh (Arli$$, Dancing at the Blue Iguana) and Marie Matiko (Art of War), as well as a music video and concert film for rock band The Presidents of the United States of America (Top Ten hits Lump and Peaches). His last TV writing job was for the ABC sitcom Sons & Daughters, and he has also written for the CBS sitcom Still Standing, and the The Mullets on UPN.

Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area (Fremont, CA), Tom spent his undergraduate years studying creative writing at the University of California at Los Angeles, while dabbling in stand-up comedy and improvisational comedy troupes. After graduating, he worked in development with Michael Phillips Productions (Taxi Driver, The Sting) and Longview Entertainment (The Air Up There, Clockers), headed by Rosalie Swedlin. He later earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Film Production from Loyola Marymount University.

Tom, a graduate of the Warner Brothers’ Sitcom Writer’s Program, has finished a feature drama script, Who is Johnny Wang?, and is currently completing the comedy Mission: Downsize with Family Guy writers Steve Callaghan and Patrick Meighan. He is planning to shoot his next independent feature, Why Am I Doing This?, in early summer 2007.

TOM HUANG FILMOGRAPHY

Library Dreams, 8mm 11-minute B+W short (W/D)

Real People Really Dying 4, 16mm 13 minute B+W short (W/D/A)

Closed Quarters, 16mm 43 minute color film (W/D/A)

winner, Certificate of Merit, 1996 Chicago International Film Festival.

freshmen, 16mm 121 minute color feature film (W/D/A)
winner, Audience Award for Best Feature,
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
winner, Final Draft Original Screenplay Award,
Rhode Island International Film Festival
winner, Silver Award, Low Budget Feature Film,
WorldFest Flagstaff Film Festival
finalist nominee, the Ammy Awards, Best Independent Feature,
aMedia Ammy Awards

the Presidents of the United States of America World Tour, concert film on DVD (D)

Nuthin' But Luv, music video for the Presidents of the United States of America (D)

It Wasn't Supposed to be Like This...,l 24 minute color short (W/D/A)

The Mullets, half-hour sitcom on the UPN network (W), Executive Produced by Bill Oakley & Josh Weinstein

Still Standing, half-hour sitcom on CBS (W), Executive Produced by Joey Gutierrez and Diane Burroughs

Sons & Daughters, half-hour sitcom on ABC (W), Executive Produced by Fred Goss and Nick Holly