Daeyoung Kim - filmmaking

CONFESSION_003: FATHER (2023)

“For the past week, I've been going back and forth on whether to release this third and final chapter in the state that it is in. My parents have already seen it, so the intended audience is out of the way, and I’ve already screened a cut of it twice to a reasonably sizable audience. But I keep going back to my editing timeline and tweaking things—I keep thinking I could make it better, I could dig deeper. After all, this is the culmination of everything I’ve done thus far in this mini personal-project side quest of mine. But I’ve decided the best thing I can do is release it now and just be done with it. Free myself up to new projects and new possibilities. Making these films was a psychological journey more than a creative one, and this film, arguably more than the first two, is one I felt, rather than thought, while making it. And for that, it is a product of its time, and I have to respect my past self and his creative integrity. Going back and ironing out flaws might become an act of erasure—an act of present-me sweeping my past flaws under the rug. So I release this now as a reminder of where I was creatively and mentally a month or two ago—and hope that I can use it as evidence of how much I’ve grown and how much I still have left to grow. A special thanks to my parents.” Made at NYU Tisch (Sophomore Year).

CONFESSIONS: INTERLUDE (ft. CHICAGO)

CONFESSION_002: SELF (2023)

“The second one. Me according to you. Or at least a few of you. This isn’t about what I have to say so I’ll leave it at that. Thank you to all the interviewees (Mom & Dad, Sister, Lexi Kim, Junghun Kim, Cal Galicia, Lucas Sun, Bruno Tovar, Evan Clausen, Holly Fong) for participating, as well as for being a part of my life.“ Made at NYU Tisch (Sophomore Year).

CONFESSION_001: MY VOICE (2023)

"The first of three short documentaries about myself. This one is about me talking to myself about myself. But now, for the first time in the twenty years I’ve lived, those of you who are interested can listen in. For anyone who ever questioned why I’m so shy, so quiet, so held back, this is for you. It won’t hold all the answers—hell, it’ll probably answer none. But here it is anyway. My first confession." Made at NYU Tisch (Sophomore Year).

MANKIND'S POCKET MEDUSA (2023)

Voyeurism is a concept that always fascinates me because of its moral implications and the stigma surrounding it. Cinema itself is an art form that is inherently tied to voyeurism, with questions like “Is the filmmaker indulging in violence if they display it gratuitously” plaguing much of the conversation when it comes to cinema that deals with provocative subject matters. In documentaries, there is an added layer of metatextual morality in the literal act of recording reality (oftentimes without “consent” or “permission”). New York City, for example, legally permits filming people without "consent" as long as it is in a public setting—but is the law even ethical? When did anyone who stepped foot in NYC agree to this? Voyeurism gets further complicated with the introduction of cameras. Cameras have the ability to freeze time and permanently capture a vulnerable/candid moment; if one’s privacy is violated, a camera allows it to be perpetually violated through the remainder of the photograph/video’s existence. And now with the internet, everything is essentially immortalized.

Directed, Shot, and Edited by Dae Kim. Made at NYU Tisch (Sophomore Year).

MOTHERTONGUE (2022)

A narrative short film reflecting on cultural identity and what it means to belong to (or reject) your 'birth' culture. Written, directed, and edited by Dae Kim. Made at NYU Tisch (Sophomore Year).

WHO WATCHES THE WATCHMEN? (2022)

When art distracts us as the world burns, is the only right response to destroy art? What do voyeurs see when their subject gets taken away?

A Short Archival Film by Dae Kim (writer/director/editor), made at NYU Tisch (Sophomore Year).

TILL DEATH DO US PART (2022)

What can transcend mortality? A one-shot concept film directed, shot, and edited by Dae Kim, made at NYU Tisch (Sophomore Year), starring Lucas Sun and Holly Fong.

SWAN LAKE (2022)

A metamorphic tale about a Swan Hunter and his prey. A concept animation by Dae Kim, made at NYU Tisch (Freshman Year).

Accepted for Animation Block Party 2022 (NYC animation festival).

FRIENDSHIP (2022)

A short stop-motion piece animated by Dae Kim, made at NYU Tisch (Freshman Year).

ALL ABOARD (2022)

A video journal documenting the boat journey from Seoul to Jeju.