Eric Wang Schwager

BIOGRAPHIE

My name is Eric Wang Schwager and I am a filmmaker who finds endless joy in the rigors on and off set and loves collaboration. I am multi-ethnic and this has always seemed to relegate me to “otherness,” or worse, and as a result I have always enjoyed characters who are outsiders, complex and unpredictable but always refusing to accept the status quo. I know that I have but one perspective and therefore love listening to others and helping them explore these stories that widen my mind while being firmly rooted in humanity. After graduating Dartmouth College, I worked at Arri Rentals (then known as Arri CSC) for a couple of years and then became a union Cameraperson, starting on 30 ROCK and most recently running the 2nd Unit for JOKER. During that time, I was writing and directing during any down time I had, shooting branded content, commercials, short films, music videos, anything I could. After JOKER, I decided to take the next step and moved to Los Angeles to focus solely on writing and directing. When Covid shut everything down, I was lucky enough to have applied and gotten into the Directing MFA Program at the AFI Conservatory and quickly enrolled. I knew I had a lot to learn (and still do!) and am so grateful for the experience. I continued working my ass off, being the only Director who was able to shoot two thesis films, all the while still shooting shorts and commercials outside of the program. Now living in Los Angeles, I just completed my MFA at the AFI Conservatory as a Directing Fellow where I directed two thesis films. When not on set, I am an avid photographer and writer, with my work in both of these fields placing in several contests and earning exhibition. My films often grapple with themes of identity, exclusion, and strength of will. By distilling each story to its most visual and powerful core, I hope to connect with viewers on a visceral level and encourage them to see themselves and the world around them differently.

FILMOGRAPHIE