UCI DigiFilm | Guest Filmmaker Week

Quyen Tran

Friday, May 29, 2020

1:00 - 2:15 p.m.

Via Zoom

Join us for a Zoom conversation with cinematographer Quyen Tran. Quyen will talk about her approaches to visual storytelling, preproduction, working with directors and actors. After the conversation, we will have 15 minutes of Q&A. This talk is part of our Guest Filmmaker Week and is made possible with the generous support of UCI Illuminations, and produced in partnership with DigiFilm Society at UC Irvine..

About the Guest Speaker

Quyen Tran is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer who prioritizes story above all else. Tran recently wrapped the feature film PALM SPRINGS, starring Andy Samberg and J.K. Simmons, which will premier in competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Prior to that she shot the pilot for Award-winning Netflix drama UNBELIEVABLE with director Lisa Cholodenko and starring Kaitlyn Dever, Toni Collette and Merritt Wever. She splits her time between features and television, having shot multiple pilots and series for HBO, Netflix and FX. She also lensed two features that premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival: Netflix’s DEIDRA AND LANEY ROB A TRAIN, a teen heist comedy; and THE LITTLE HOURS, a comedy set in the 14th century about a servant at a chaotic convent, starring Alison Brie, Molly Shannon, Nick Offerman and John C. Reilly. She also wrapped the pilot and all episodes of A TEACHER, an upcoming FX/Hulu limited series starring Kate Mara and Nick Robinson, produced by Michael Costigan and Aggregate Films.

Among her other narrative credits are director Justin Lerner’s THE AUTOMATIC HATE and GIRLFRIEND, winners of the SXSW Audience Award and Gotham Award respectively. Tran is a frequent collaborator of director Grace Lee, whose documentary, AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS, won the

distinguished Peabody Award. Tran also traveled to a refugee camp in Kenya to document a story about girls’ education for the nonprofit organization GIRL RISING. She also is a mentor for HBO, having attended the Sundance 2019 Mentoring Workshop on their behalf. She is passionate about mentoring, frequently appearing a guest speaker for universities and high schools between projects.

Beginning her career as a still photographer, Tran gained acclaim for her stunning images of the heartbreaking destruction of 9/11. Her emotive cinematography captures the humanity and truth of each moment, regardless of the subject matter. She has shot films throughout the United States and in New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa, Canada, Thailand, Japan, China, Russia, Italy and Vietnam.

Tran was featured in American Cinematographer as an ASC Rising Star in 2017, and was recently named in Variety’s 10 DPs to Watch 2019 this past April. She also was awarded the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater UCLA earlier this June.

The event is free and open to the public. Space is limited.

RSVP for a free ticket SOLD OUT.

View the entire series here.

DIGIFILM.ARTS.UCI.EDU

UCI DigiFilm | Guest Filmmaker Week

May 26 - 29, 2020

UCI Digifilm presents five guest filmmakers and industry professionals for conversations with students and the public. All events are free and open to the public. Space is limited. RSVP for a free ticket at digifilm.arts.uci.edu.

May 26: Jason Bauer, Local 600, digital imaging technician
May 27: Grace Lee, independent producer & director and writer working in both narrative and non-fiction film.
May 27: Maisie Hoy, ACE, Emmy-nominated feature film editor.
May 28: Rachel Mason, artist, musician and filmmaker from Los Angeles.
May 29: Quyen Tran, Los Angeles-based cinematographer