Pamela Tom

Pamela Tom, or Pam Tom, is a 5th generation Chinese American producer, director, and screenwriter. Her films often use the theme of Orientalism and feminism.

Personal life

Born in Los Angeles, California, she received her BA from Brown University and MFA from UCLA Film School. After graduation she worked in feature productions and television documentaries as a Walt Disney/ ABC Entertainment Writing Fellow. After she left Disney she became the Director of Diversity and directed the diversity talent program, Project: Involve at Film Independent. Tom is currently working at Brushstrokes Film with a documentary on Tyrus Wong.

"I think it is harder for a woman-of-color filmmaker to get a directing job than a white woman... (Studios and production companies) just don't think of women of color for these jobs."

School and Career

School

Brown University

• BA, Development Studies, 1978 – 1981

University of Ile-Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, visiting student, 1980-1981

University of California, Los Angeles

• MFA, Dept. of Theater, Film and Television, 1985 – 1990

Career

New Moon Pictures

• Director/Producer, August 1998 – present. Tom made a documentary feature film about the pioneering Chinese American painter and Hollywood sketch artist, Tyrus Wong.

KCET

• Post Production Producer, January 2009 – March 2009. Tom directed the narration and supervised the sound editing and mix on the BBC/KCET three-part series "World War II Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, the Nazis and the West."

American Primitive

• Executive Producer, 2008 – 2009. Tom made a feature film about two teenage girls trying to fit into their new high school when they discover their dad is gay. Starring Danielle Savre, Adam Pasqual, Tate Donovan, and Josh Peck.

KCET/Los Angeles

• Producer, August 2007 – December 2007. Freelance producer and Development Executive. Served as station producer on the national prime-time series WIRED Science. Helped develop several local, national, and international projects.

Film Independent

• Director of Diversity August 1998 – July 2007. Oversaw Project: Involve, the diversity film mentoring, educational, screening, and job placement program. Oversaw organization's diversity initiatives and goals and served as a spokesperson.

Los Angeles Film Festival & Independent Spirit Awards

• Director of Diversity, 1998 – 2007

Filmography

Documentary

• TYRUS (2015)

(producer) (writer) (director)

• American Primitive (2009)

(executive producer)

• The Story of Mothers & Daughters (1997)

(associate producer)

Television

• World War Two: Behind Closed Doors (2008)

(post-production producer - 1 episode)

- Unlikely Friends

• WIRED Science (2007)

(producer: 1 episode)

- Face Reader

• Becoming the Buddha in L.A. (1993)

(field producer)

Short Films

• Two Lies (1990)

(writer) (producer) (director)

External links

"Pamela Tom". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved April 29, 2013. 

References

Zahed, Ramin (November 18, 2012). "Tyrus Wong Documentary Launches on Kickstarter". Animation Magazine. Jean Thoren. Retrieved April 29, 2013. 

McArthur, Meher (January 8, 2013). "Chinese Brushstrokes in Hollywood: The Works of Tyrus Wong". KCET. Retrieved April 29, 2013. 

"Pam Tom". Women Make Movies. Retrieved 29 April 2013.