How do cinematographers build sustainable careers while developing their craft across different formats, genres, and production models? This all-cinematographer conversation explores the paths that led them to television and film, and how they continue to build their craft and sustain themselves through commercials, smaller productions, shorts, and gig work while making the leap to larger-scale productions.
The discussion will also examine the cinematographer's relationship with the director, including how creative dynamics shift between independent film and television, and how fluidity and trust between the two can shape a safe, efficient, and collaborative production.
Alan Poon
Cinematographer, AMERICAN BORN CHINESE
Alan Poon, CSC is a DP based in Toronto, Canada. He has shot a wide range of projects around the world; including narrative film & tv series, documentaries and commercials.
In 2018, Variety magazine named Poon as one of 10 Cinematographers to Watch, after shooting the film Kodachrome starring Ed Harris, Jason Sudeikis and Elizabeth Olsen. The film was shot on 35mm film and was quickly picked up by Netflix after premiering at TIFF in 2017.
Most recently, Poon has lensed the TV series Accused for Fox/Hulu, How To Die Alone for Hulu/Disney, and American Born Chinese for Disney+.
Gayle Ye
Cinematographer, PAYING FOR IT
Gayle Ye is an Emmy Award-winning Director of Photography whose visually striking work has screened at Cannes Court Métrage and the Tribeca Film Festival. Praised by The New York Times and Roger Ebert for their cinematic artistry, Gayle has received three Canadian Screen Awards for their cinematography. In 2021, Gayle made history as the first queer, gender-fluid person of colour—and the youngest individual—to win a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lighting Design. Beyond the lens, Gayle is a dedicated advocate for their community serving on the board of BIPOC TV & Film, an organization committed to dismantling systemic barriers for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour through advocacy.
Mrinal Desai
Cinematographer, BA'S BOOK
Mrinal initially studied to be an engineer and worked in the oilfields of Egypt, UAE and Kuwait observing the years of reconstruction after the Gulf War. Soon after, he went on to study Motion Picture Photography at the Film & Television Institute of India.
His career as a cinematographer has now spanned over two decades, with documentaries including Nisha Pahuja’s To Kill a Tiger (Oscar nominee, 2024 & Best Canadian Feature Film, TIFF 2022, CSC Award for Best Longform Documentary Cinematography) and The World Before Her (Primetime Emmy nominated, Tribeca Film Festival and HotDocs winner, 2012). He also filmed Terror in Mumbai (BAFTA winner 2010) & The Battle for Haiti (BAFTA winner 2011) both directed by Dan Reed.
18 Nov, 2026 6:00 pm
401 Richmond St. W (Commons Lobby, 4th Floor)IN PERSON ACCESSIBILITY
This presentation will feature improved air quality by our use of a HEPA-filter ambient air purifier. Reel Asian is a mask-friendly festival.
Hear from directors, producers, and creatives working across music and visual media about building worlds around songs, collaborating with artists, and finding new ways to connect music and image while navigating tight budgets and production schedules.
20 Nov. 7:30 pm
Celebrating 20 years of Reel Asian’s pitch competition, five finalist filmmakers will take the stage to pitch their projects to a live jury and audience.
21 Nov. 7:00 pm
Reel Ideas brings storytellers, artists, and industry voices together to share how the work gets made, the risks that push stories forward, and the ideas that challenge what audiences expect. Discover new work, meet the people shaping what comes next, connect with future collaborators, and take home the skills and insight to bring your own vision to life.
12 Nov.
Founded in Toronto in 1997, Reel Asian is Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival and a year-round cultural organization dedicated to championing Asian, Asian diasporic, and Asian Canadian artists and storytellers. What began as a grassroots film festival has grown into a national platform supporting filmmakers and audiences through screenings, education, industry initiatives, artist development, and community programming presented across Toronto, the GTA, and online across Canada.
401 Richmond Street West, The Commons (Suite 448)
Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3A8 Canada
(416) 703 – 9333
info@reelasian.com
Charitable number: 870021383RR0001
