DALLAS --
Republic has elevated Brian Hwang to an equity partner in its production division, Republic Productions. Hwang will continue in his role as executive producer, and utilize his new position as partner to streamline decision-making as he leads the growth of the studio’s directorial roster, technical offerings and client base.
“Four years ago, we brought Brian on with the precise directive of building a production department from the ground up. That is exactly what he has done and we couldn’t be more impressed by his success in such a short period of time,” said Chris Gipson, founding partner of Republic Productions (launched in 2019), and its parent company, Republic (established in 2013), alongside founding partners Carrie Callaway and Keith James.”
A seasoned veteran, Hwang brings over two decades of production, postproduction and agency experience to his new ownership role, having spent 10 of those years at McCann New York. After moving to Texas in 2016 and growing roots in the Dallas ad community, Hwang was added to the team in early 2019, to help Republic launch its production arm, initially under the name Threaded Pictures. The division was later rebranded under the Republic banner in January of last year as Republic Productions.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the production shop that the Republic partners and I have developed in just four short years,” said Hwang. “I credit their support and leadership for allowing me to execute our shared vision of a diverse and talented roster of directors capable of working on projects of all shapes and sizes, both in the U.S. and internationally.”
Republic Productions’ roster consists of directors Josh Blaylock, TG Herrington, April Kirby, Amos David McKay, Chad Ostrom, Ben Tedesco and Taylor Washington. Of his new elevated role, Hwang added, “I’m driven now more than ever to work on our next phase to take Republic Productions to another level.”
Hwang also serves as president of AICP Southwest and as the Southwest regional director for the AICP National Board, titles which he has held since late 2018 and which keeps him current with industry issues and challenges. During the pandemic lockdown and subsequent easing of restrictions, Hwang’s coordination with state and local governments helped the area’s commercial production move forward and rebound quickly. Recently, he chaired the first in-person AICP Awards National Tour Dallas Show in three years, held at the Perot Museum last November, and continues to use his leadership position to strengthen the production industry in the Southwest region.
Tags:AICP SouthwestBrian HwangChris GipsonRepublic Productions
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Within the span of five days in January, Sean Wang's life changed about as dramatically as is possible for a young filmmaker.
On Jan. 19, Wang's "Nai Nai & Wài Pó," a documentary short about his two grandmothers, was nominated for an Academy Award. On Jan. 23rd, his feature film debut, "Dìdi," a coming-of-age tale drawn from Wang's life growing up as the son of Taiwanese immigrants in Fremont, California, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
"Dìdi" was immediately hailed as the exciting debut of a new filmmaking voice. The film, a comic and sensitive tale about awkwardly finding yourself in the early digital days of MySpace and AOL-messenger, went on to win an audience award and a prize for its ensemble cast at Sundance. In "Dìdi," a portrait of an artist as a young skater kid, Chris Wang (Izaac Wang) hesitantly becomes a "filmer" of his friends' skating tricks, a path that mirrors Wang's own first steps behind the camera.
In one scene, someone jokes that Chris, nicknamed "Wang Wang," will later thank them in his Oscar speech — a prophecy that very nearly came true before "Dìdi" even opened in theaters. "Nai Nai & Wài Pó" ultimately didn't win at the Oscars, though Wang's grandmothers did earn "best dressed" from GQ.
"I'm sure people who saw the movie pre-Oscars and after Sundance were like 'Oh my god,'" Wang says. "Now they're like, 'Well, it didn't happen. Better luck next time, Wang Wang.'"
For the 30-year-old Wang, though, luck has had little to do with his swift rise, nor is he any kind of overnight sensation. "Dìdi," which Focus Features releases Friday, is what Wang has been steadily building toward, in skateboarding videos, YouTube uploads and short films since he first started filming himself... Read More
