Christopher Lew, ‘Closing Dynasty’ cinematographer, on the value of intimate collaboration

Ad Age is marking Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2024 with our Honoring Creative Excellence package, for which we asked members of the AANHPI creative community to write about pivotal projects or turning points in their careers. (Read the introduction here.) Today, guest editor Goh Iromoto turns the spotlight to cinematographer Christopher Lew, who writes about connecting with a passionate team on Lloyd Lee Choi’s short film “Closing Dynasty.” “Closing Dynasty,” the short film I had the privilege of shooting, represents so many things, it’s challenging to summarize it here. In 2021, Lloyd Lee Choi called me about a short film he wanted to make that tells the story of a young girl named Queenie. She spends her days roaming the streets of New York City hustling for money. It was inspired by an encounter he had around that time and a series of events. The encounter was a scene that was recreated exactly in the film—a boy, younger than 10, came up to him through a crowded subway car and pitched to him a need for school donations. It stayed with him because of how undeniable the boy was. He carried himself with a confidence and maturity that was at odds with his age. Ad Age Creativity Bookmark our section covering the best in brand creativity every day Read more here The series of events related to the fragile state of the Asian community during this time of the pandemic. Restaurant owners in particular were suffering badly. Tying these parts together, he created a poignant story that leads the audience one way—only to suddenly shift their perception of the main character. In casting, he discovered Milinka Winata, an absolute force of a young actress. She commands the screen in a way that completely makes the film what it is. I was so grateful to have heard from Lloyd about this film. He and I had done a lot of commercial work together, but this would be the first time doing a purely narrative film. It was exciting for me because we had developed a shorthand through commercials, and I was eager to see how we could apply that to a story. I’ve found what makes some of the best collaborations is being able to connect intimately. It’s rare, because it can only happen through time, but the result is worth it 10 times over. It’s here when people become the most open and honest, which is crucial for the creative process to be truly fulfilling. Every person involved in the film shared this with one another. Working with Lloyd, our producer Jonathan Hsu, Milinka and the entire cast and crew was one of the most memorable and proudest things I’ve done as a cinematographer. Not just for the work itself—I’m incredibly proud of the images we made—but beyond that, it was the feeling of being part of something bigger than oneself. It was using the medium to share a story that spoke to an entire community in one of the greatest cities in the world. See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Creativity Award winners here

Christopher Lew, ‘Closing Dynasty’ cinematographer, on the value of intimate collaboration

Featured Stories