KIM
CHAN WOO
An award-winning film director, Kim Chan Woo was born Deaf and had a cochlear implant when he was a baby that allows him to hear well. A creative and artistic person, he has spent the last nine years working as a film director.
Recently, Kim graduated from Columbia College Chicago in Film Directing, BFA. Kim has directed and made more than a hundred films, including working with Warner Brothers and the University of Southern California. Kim was inspired to become a film director at the age of 12 years old upon watching Jurassic Park in the movie theater with his parents. He truly believed that he could express and deliver an inspiring message through films during that time when he was unable to express himself verbally.
Kim was very fortunate to experience an internship as an understudy of various film directors’ at Warner Brothers, assisting with their work. Meanwhile, Kim has collaborated and worked on various film projects together with Camera Ambassador, Frame.io, Artlist.io, and others. He also founded his own film production company in Chicago: Kim, Chan Woo Productions, which produced Behind the Truth: Deaf, and Kim Explained.
Furthermore, Kim has a unique vision and dedication to his craft, continuing to gain momentum beyond the classroom. Kim’s traits, in tandem with a sense of integrity, have the potential of positioning him as a fresh voice in the future of media.
Ultimately, Kim graduated with his BFA, Summa Cum Laude degree in Fall 2021 with the highest honors.
Inspiration Statement
When I lived in the Philippines, my life was torn apart because I was bullied and hated by my classmates. Despite these troubles, I found joy at the movie theater. In particular, I was mesmerized by the movie, Jurassic Park. Steven Spielberg inspired me to create films. He was able to create an unimaginable world, and his directing skills took it to the next level. His films taught me as an aspiring filmmaker how to overcome obstacles. For example, in Jurassic Park, Spielberg’s problem was creating realistic dinosaurs in a different world. Therefore, he directed the crew to step outside conventional boundaries and created new, revolutionary technologies. Spielberg also helped me discover the value of having a voice in both the Asian and Deaf communities. Spielberg’s family is Orthodox Jewish, which inspired him to create a film, Schindler’s List. As a filmmaker who depends on various voices from distinct communities, I want to use diversity as a creative outlet to tell unheard, individual stories through film. My goal is to empower diverse groups without discrimination and to guide the world towards a path of greater acceptance.
I want films to be diverse; every voice needs to be heard. I was awakened to the bitter view some people have towards the Asian and Deaf communities after I moved to the United States. At the time, I believed the United States was a symbol of acceptance, so it was devastating to hear that Americans have some supremacist ideologies. Hate crimes towards Asians have increased due to COVID-19. In the face of these emerging challenges, I see myself as becoming a brave film director with a unique vision and dedication to my craft. I want to be a rising voice that speaks with integrity. Currently, there is a lack of representation of communities with different backgrounds. The film industry is currently trying to create more representation; however, it is easy to revert and block diverse film directors from advancing. There are few film directors who are Asian in Hollywood like Chloé Zhang and Bong Joon-ho, and there are no Deaf directors like me. Many Americans falsely believe that white filmmakers have better storytelling capabilities than the disabled or those with different backgrounds. I would like to change this.
My disability not only affects my hearing, but also negative interactions. Although I have been silenced by others, I seek to tell novel, innovative stories. Numerous films idealize white actors and actresses. This conditions audiences to believe this messaging, which is why I want to amplify underrepresented voices.
My worst childhood memories and COVID-19 initially brought me grief and turmoil. However, these obstacles fostered growth in me as a filmmaker. I will continue to learn, develop, and have the willingness to take different actions in order to create a worthwhile film that allows the audience to see colorful representation on the screen – both Asian and Deaf. That is what I strive for as a filmmaker.
In Hollywood, there are no hearing-impaired directors. I intend to become the first. The film industry doesn’t want to hire disabled filmmakers due to legal issues, but this won't stop me from breaking the barrier. In award-winning films, we see actors played disabled, or with different backgrounds that they are not a part of. Moreover, it’s crucial to capture a story based on the actors’ backgrounds. I want to stimulate their imagination and amaze them as I draw connections from their feelings to storytelling. Also, my goal as an artist is to create a safe film work environment that feels inclusive and diverse, including disabled crew members.
Most films were created for entertainment and are meaningless because they just want to earn money, which is a problem that the film industry faces. However, I would make sure to create movies that will deliver a message that anyone can stand up for what they believe in. I want my films to be a social commentary on making the world a better place and teaching viewers moral lessons. Numerous acquaintances and social media have encouraged me to create films that are relatable and have teachable moments. My directing skills were inspired by Steven Spielberg films which took directing to the next level, and those films taught me to challenge obstacles to create a world that doesn’t exist. Ultimately, I want to be a film director who tells a story and teaches society that people with disabilities can do anything