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Oakland Native Living in Los Angeles
Erica is a fifth-generation Chinese American director based in Los Angeles. She wrote and directed "Americanized" inspired by her experiences growing up in Oakland and playing high school basketball. The film earned a Vimeo Staff Pick and garnered 26 awards at festivals, including Bentonville Film Festival, Palm Springs International ShortFest, and Cinequest, where it became Oscar-Qualified after winning "Best Narrative Short."
Her festival run continued with “Off Fairfax," a comedic-thriller that premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and won an Honorable Mention at Slamdance. Erica's latest film “The Ghost” (produced by Disney’s Launchpad alongside Executives from Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm) is a coming-of-age horror that's currently streaming on Disney+.
With a start in music videos that led to a career in commercials, Erica's work has been featured in Shots and Muse by Clio, and recognized as AdAge's "Editor’s Pick" and "Pick of the Week." Selected for SHOOT Magazine's New Directors Showcase and the Commercial Directors Diversity Program (CDDP), Erica has since worked with BBDO, Google, Bank of America, and Meta.
Erica is currently the winner of the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women and is developing her debut narrative feature. Additionally, as a fellow of the Disney Entertainment Television Directing Program, Erica recently directed an episode of a multi-camera drama for ABC.
Erica is a dramatic storyteller who often explores themes of family and personal growth through her character-driven films. She attributes her visual style and rhythmic editing to her background in both cinematography and dance. Inspired by her Oakland roots, Erica’s creates work that reflects the community in which she grew up.
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ACADEMY ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF SIXTH GOLD FELLOWSHIP FOR WOMEN "We are honored to advance the work of Erica and July – two extraordinary filmmakers. The Academy's Gold Fellowship for Women is a crucial part of the Academy’s goals to inspire up-and-coming artists, create engaging film industry opportunities for underrepresented communities, and develop the next generation of diverse and dynamic film talent,” said Academy Senior Vice President, Impact and Global Talent Development Kendra Carter. “We thank CHANEL for supporting this important work.”
Disney Unveils 2024 Television Writing & Directing Program Participants, Inaugural FX Singleton Scholar “This year, the program’s scripted directors will be shadowing and directing episodes on 20th Television, ABC Entertainment and ABC Signature titles. After expanding into daytime television last year, the program is also deepening its collaboration with ABC’s General Hospital. Three program participants will direct episodes of the daytime drama.
The cohort and their directing assignments include Erica Eng, Nina Kramer and Aubrey Smyth (General Hospital); Haley Elizabeth Anderson (The Chi); Letia Solomon (Station 19); and Tracy Taylor (The Good Doctor).”
Disney Plus has announced the films and filmmakers for Disney Studios Content’s second season of “Launchpad,” a collection of live-action short films. Selected out of almost 2,000 applicants, all from underrepresented backgrounds, the lineup of filmmakers features six writers (Jasmine Johnson, Kevin Park, W.A.W. Parker, Xavier Stiles and the married screenwriting team of Joel Perez and Adrian Ferbeyre), five directors (Alexander Bocchieri, Erica Eng, Spencer Glover, Cashmere Jasmine and Gabriela Ortega) and one writer-director (Niki Ang). Their six short films, based on the theme “connection,” will debut on the streaming service in 2023.
“Growing up in Oakland, CA – I was always that kid with a camera. I took hundreds of photos of my friends at school that, to this day, still fills half a closet in my parents’ home. When my high school teacher suggested that I learn filmmaking, I became obsessed with it and knew that this was all I wanted to do for the rest of my life…”
The Gold Fellowship for Women is a one-year program that combines direct support, personalized mentorship and access to once-in-a-lifetime networking opportunities for emerging women filmmakers to further their pursuits in the field. Four-time Oscar nominee and former Academy governor Annette Bening introduced this year's U.S. recipient, Erica Eng.
"My dreams have been so big since I was a kid growing up in Oakland. And my goals have always felt so far away," Eng said onstage. "My journey has been sprinkled with a lot of noes, mixed with enough yeses to keep me going. But if there is one thing my family has taught me, it’s resilience — and a whole lot of stubbornness."
“This feeling of not belonging as a teenager is hardly new, it’s a trope seen in many stories set in high school. The originality of Americanized relies on the fact that it is squared, with its central character stuck between two worlds, in both of which she’s perceived as not enough of one and too much of the other. Eng confesses that it is actually a very personal story, as she based it on her own experience as a fifth-generation Chinese American: “I didn’t feel fully Chinese, or fully American – I just felt lost”, the filmmaker reveals.”
Erica Eng: “As a Director, It’s My Responsibility to Represent People Who Look Like Me” The Great Guns director on her journey through the industry so far and the importance of cultural authenticity. Her work with the fast food giant Panda Express stands as a testament to the power of multiculturalism and acceptance, whilst her short film Americanized tackles the soulful journey of a girl balancing her two national identities: Chinese and American. If there’s a theme of cultural identity and exploration within Erica’s career to date, it’s very much intentional. To reflect on her unique journey through the industry so far, and why she is driven to tell stories which explore culture and belonging through film, Erica spoke to LBB…
“Chanel has been intrinsically linked to the world of film since its inception, and house founder Gabrielle Chanel’s legacy of fostering creativity lives on today through Chanel’s dedication to film and support of programs such as the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, a one-year program that combines direct support, personalized mentorship and access to networking opportunities for emerging women filmmakers. This year’s recipient of the U.S. fellowship, Erica Eng — a fifth-generation Chinese-American director—was introduced by actress Annette Bening who spoke about the importance of women creating more opportunities for representation. “Change can be slow and can take time, but it's a matter of resources,” said actress Greta Lee, whose recent film Past Lives is considered a likely Oscar contender. “I mean, you need resources for things to get made and an infrastructure to support from all sides. I've been really moved by Chanel’s commitment to mentorship. It’s an essential way that we can support other women.”
Panda Express’ Lunar New Year Film Tells A Sweet Tale of Cross-Cultural Connection: Agency The Many worked with director Erica Eng on film celebrating the spread of tradition — Maintaining authenticity throughout was key to the film, he adds. Integral to that was the film’s Asian American director, Erica Eng of Strike Anywhere. “Beyond her gifted nature as a director, she was able to impart texture, details, and easter eggs that would feel authentic as a fifth generation Chinese American herself,” Paialii says. “We knew going into the production process that we wanted to work with a Chinese American director. We wanted the vision and elevation of this film concept to be authentic and real in every detail—in every frame.”
“Rising director Erica Eng has joined the Strike Anywhere roster. With a body of work that spans commercials to music videos to heartfelt character-driven stories, Eng is known for crafting visually dramatic films that feel powerful, rhythmic and emotionally charged. Taking the leap to join forces with Strike Anywhere during the pandemic has paid off for Eng, who has already completed two projects since signing. Her first piece, a social message-driven Procter & Gamble campaign for the Olympics, is part of a series called Lead with Love…”
2022 Oscar Prediction List "Erica Eng’s Americanized has won short film prizes from the Palm Springs Shortfest to the Cinequest Film Festival, so it could be a major player if it is shortlisted at this year’s Academy Awards...Director Eng keeps the film moving briskly and we feel her leading lady’s awkwardness. Americanized is a prime example that not fitting in is a universal story and we will always find these tales to be true. Terry Hu, the film’s lead, carries a weighty but sensitive presence throughout."
To Sign or Not to Sign: Advice to Newbie Commercial Directors: Choosing your best path to getting work by Erica Eng “… No one can build a career for you—you have to do that yourself, whether you're signed or not—but sometimes, if you're like me, a production company can help you along the way.”
Industry Sees Face Of Diversity At CDDP Screening “Eng--who earlier this year gained inclusion into SHOOT’s New Directors Showcase--made via the CDDP a spec spot titled “Second Chances” for Homeboy Industries, which assists high-risk youth, former gang members and those who had been recently incarcerated with a variety of programs, including work-readiness training in such businesses as the Homeboy Bakery and Homeboy Farmers Markets."
SHOOT's 2018 New Directors Showcase Reel Debuts; Work of 32 Individual Helmers, 1 Duo Celebrated At DGA Theatre "Eng earned inclusion for her short film Horace Gold's POISON and has come up the industry ranks with internships at Spyglass Entertainment and HSI Productions, serving as an assistant at PRETTYBIRD and as an executive assistant for filmmaker Michael Mann..."
Erica Eng & Supa Good D Smoke Depict An "Inglewood Fight Knock Out” “In a cross between a short film and a music video, Erica Eng and Supa Good D Smoke ingeniously depict a graphic fight scene that takes place in the heart of South Central…”