Pamela Tom

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 feature length documentary on Tyrus Wong, Tyrus (2015) - which won Audience Awards at the 2016 Boston Asian American Film Festival, the 2015 Hawaii International Film Festival and the 2015 San Diego Asian Film Festival.

Quotations

"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

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 2015 – 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."

Wild About Harry (aka American Primitive)

Executive Producer, 2008 – 2009. Tom executive produced Gwen Wynne's debut 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 Pascal, Tate Donovan, Josh Peck, Anne Ramsey, James Sikking, Susan Anspach.

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

Documentary

Tyrus (2015)

Audience Award, 2016 Boston Asian American Film Festival

Audience Award, 2015 Hawaii International Film Festival

Audience Award, 2015 San Diego Asian Film Festival

(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)

WIRED Science (2007)

(producer: 1 episode)

Becoming the Buddha in L.A. (1993)

(field producer)

Short Films

Two Lies (1990)

(writer) (producer) (director)