Iris Ng is meticulous, collaborative, creative and makes the process of making a film an absolute joy. Her ability to to be a rigorous perfectionist in her work at the same time as maintaining a calm, organized atmosphere on set is awe inspiring. She consistently thinks outside the box, finding creative solutions to practical problems that never feel like compromises. She spends a lot of energy grasping the particular vision of the filmmakers she works with, but I found, in the process of making the film, Stories We Tell, that I chose to lean on her more and more as her creative voice was often much more articulate than my own. We had a happy crew and ended up with a  film we were all proud of because of her.

I’ll have to think more about it, but the first thing that comes to mind is that Iris listens very carefully to the initial idea and understands it exceptionally fast, often better than I understand it myself yet. She gets the singular aesthetic quality of the film to be realized, or its potential, and then all her suggestions for technical solutions are close to that specific idea, the core of the film. And she pushes the process to get even closer to it. She doesn’t rely too much on examples and references to other films / classic images / etc. Instead, she comes up with the visual style for the project from the given situation, through tests and discussions. It shows her unique aesthetic intelligence and vast technical knowledge. And she never holds back – if the right technical solution means that she’ll be attached to the camera moving 3/4 inches for six hours (for the stop motion animation Moth Maze), she’ll just do it.

Iris Ng is recognized as a versatile cinematographer, who lends her patience, creativity, intuition, and skill to being a director’s vision to the screen. For over a decade, Iris has collaborated with award-winning directors on a variety of documentaries that have garnered acclaim and resonated with audiences internationally. Her body of work is complemented by broadcast scripted series, shorts, and films made with artists.

Iris was inspired at an early age by the photos and Super 8 movies taken by the image-makers in her family, namely her Grandfather, Uncle, and parents. Capturing the essence of a moment has become a lifelong influence in her creative work.

Iris has earned a BFA in Film Production from York University but also brings her visual arts background to the projects she works on which allows her to approach the work abstractly and conceptually before tapping into the technical skills required to being a director’s vision to screen.

She is comfortable working in the latest digital formats as well as 35mm, 16mm, and Super 8 which still make up a significant portion of the material she shoots. While her work has been screened at festivals and installations around the world, Iris’ goal continues to be to better capture the essence of the moment in the medium, to listen intently, and to channel stories of marginalized communities that unfold before her. Cinematography as an agent of allyship.

Since 2020, Iris has been involved with organisations in the film industry, joining IATSE’s C.O.R.E - the Committee On Racial Equity, being a founding member of the Documentary Cinematographer’s Alliance, and holding the position of Co-Chair of the Field Of View Mentorship Committee at the Canadian Society of Cinematographers.