Jonathan Yi is a freelance director and cinematographer, most often working in the realms of commercial production and documentary. In addition, he teaches 16mm and digital cinematography at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.
As a director/cinematographer, Jonathan's work has been showcased in such magazines as CREATIVITY and VICE, and in 2006, Jonathan was honored at the MOMA at the AICP Awards for his work on "Sushi" for Monster.com. He has shot projects for TWISTED SISTER, POISON, DANIEL JOHNSTON, MATES OF STATE and THE LOCUST.
His client list in the advertising world includes NIKE, SMIRNOFF, VISINE, KLEENEX, JETBLUE, STRIDE, TRIDENT, KOTEX, MICROSOFT, SAP, TD AMERITRADE, SCHICK, PEPCID and many more.
SHIFT, a film that Jonathan shot, directed and produced, has also won many accolades and played in many film festivals. Monsters and Critics called it "a hot film worthy to be nominated for an Academy Award." Film Threat wrote: "Four Stars! Fantastic! Yi has captured what it is to be part of the late shifts of the country."
Jonathan attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Film Program, where he won a "Faculty Commendation For Cinematography" for his work on the film "BRUNO" directed by Sam Goetz. The film went on to gain distribution through Canal+.
In 2010, HBO hired Jonathan to produce, direct and shoot a new PSA/Doc Series from the ground up. The series, "East of Main Street: Asians Aloud," premiered on HBO in May 2010 and was met with critical acclaim and strong viewership numbers.
Following the success of 2010's Asian Heritage Campaign, HBO once again brought Jonathan on board to direct an even more ambitious second installment of "East of Main Street" which premiered on HBO in May 2011. Jonathan is directing his third installment of the series in 2012.
Jonathan began consulting with Canon USA for their upcoming Cinema EOS product line in 2011. His rejected promo video for the EOS C300 went viral, gaining over 270,000 plays and over 4,500 vimeo "likes" in less than one week.
Jonathan Yi is also incorporated, which saves you money!
Read Jonathan's FILMMAKER MAGAZINE interview here
Hear a podcast interview with Jonathan Yi at CROSSING THE 180
| COMMERCIALS | ||
| HBO GO "Magic of Go" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | HBO |
| Nik Software "Snapseed" | Dirs. Yi + Shukovsky | Little Red Robot |
| Unicef "Just One Euro" | Dir. Santa Maria | Hornet NYC |
| SAP "Tommy Hilfiger" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | Eyepatch |
| Nickelodeon "The Book of Mom" | Dir. Negin Farsad | Decoupage Prods |
| SAP "Customer Success Videos" 2011 | Dir. Jonathan Yi | Eyepatch |
| Smith & Nephew "Billie Jean King" | Dir. David Zellerford | Eyepatch |
| SAP "The New SAP.com" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | Eyepatch |
| Phillips "Demos" | Dirs. O'Hara Theisen + Rosen | Lucky VBC |
| SAP "Customer Success Videos" 2010 | Dir. Jonathan Yi | Lucky VBC |
| IBM "Analytics Quotient" | Dir. David Zellerford | Sherpa Pictures |
| TD Ameritrade "Associates" | Dir. David Zellerford | Eyepatch |
| Hewlett-Packard "Man On The Street" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | The Kitchen |
| Ad Council "Please Understand" | Dir. Santa Maria | Hornet NYC |
| Nike "Write The Future" (2nd Unit) | Dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu | Lucky VBC |
| JetBlue "Jet Simulator" | Dir. Brian Carley | Greencard |
| Diageo "Dress For Success" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | JWTwo |
| Schick "Tiger" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | JWTwo |
| Kleenex "Touch Versus Feel" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | Greencard |
| Microsoft "Business Solutions" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | JWTwo |
| Monster.com "Sushi" | Dir. Fatal Farm | Fatal Farm |
| Duvic's "Drink Responsibly" | Dirs. Yi + Um | JWTwo |
| Trident "A Little Piece of Happy" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | JWTwo |
| Jimmie Johnson "Anything With An Engine" | Dir. Jim Garvey | Leftfield |
| Visine "Eyes" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | JWTwo |
| Smirnoff "Originality Is" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | JWTwo |
| FILM & TELEVISION | ||
| "East of Main Street" 2012 | Dir. Jonathan Yi | HBO |
| "East of Main Street" 2011 | Dir. Jonathan Yi | HBO / Eyepatch |
| "East of Main Street: Asians Aloud" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | HBO |
| "Bruno" | Dir. Sam Goetz | Canal+ |
| A&E Biography "Nicholas Cage" | Dir. Terrence Sacchi | Park Slope Prods |
| "Teach For America" Documentary | Dirs. O'Hara Theisen + Rosen | Greencard |
| "Biological Control" Documentary | Dir. RJ Glass | Independent |
| Porsche "Welcome To The Family" (pickups) | Dir. Labour | Greencard / IFC |
| "Parliament of One" Documentary (additional) | Dir. Lisa Russell | Governess Films |
| Daniel Johnston "Live At Mad River" | Dir. Ugly Pictures | Curious / Mad River |
| MUSIC VIDEOS | ||
| Twisted Sister "30" | Dir. Ben Kim | Rhino Records |
| Poison "What I Like About You" | Dir. Ugly Pictures | EMI |
| Mates of State "Goods" | Dirs. Yi + Goetz | Polyvinyl Records |
| The Locust "Moth-Eaten Deer Head" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | GSL Records |
| Zap Mama (feat. G-Love) "Drifting" | Dirs. Yi + Ward | CNR |
| Math The Band "Four to Six" | Dirs. Yi + Goetz | Decoupage Prods |
| Gustavo Galindo "Barco De Papel" | Dir. Victor Lau | Universal |
| Dream Mining "Live It, Laugh It" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | Driver Digital |
| Mike Park "On That Stage" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | SubCity Records |
| Peelander-Z "So Many Mike" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | Eat Rice Records |
| The New Rivals "Mudslinging" | Dir. Ugly Pictures | SoBe Entertainment |
| Metermaids "Turn The Lights Out" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | 27 Sound |
| Peelander-Z "DX Karaoke Videos" | Dirs. Yi + Goetz + Yee + Kim | Chicken Ranch |
| Volumen Cero "El Mar" | Dir. Victor Lau | Tiger One Records |
| Dominant Legs "Make Time For The Boy" | Dir. Jonathan Yi | Lefse Records |
| FASHION | ||
| Diane von Furstenberg "Spring 2011" | Dir. Glen Luchford | Art Partner |
| Serpico "Summer 2010" | Dir. Jonathan Vitagliano | Serpico |
| AWARDS | ||
| Grand Jury Award Winner | Dances With Films | "Shift" |
| Golden Starfish Award Nominee | Hamptons International Film Festival | "Shift" |
| Best of Fest Finalist | Hawaii International Film Festival | "Shift" |
| Adam Balsano Award for Social Significance | NYU First Run Film Festival | "Shift" |
| Best Actor: Al Thompson | NYU First Run Film Festival | "Shift" |
| Grand Prize Winner | Jaman Film Contest | "Shift" |
| Faculty Commendation For Cinematography | NYU First Run Film Festival | "Bruno" |
| Best Spec Commercial 2006 | AICP | Monster.com |
| Best Music Video: Pop: 2005 | Arlene's Grocery Picture Show | Mates of State |
| Best Narrative Video | MVWire/DivX Video Contest | Mates of State |
| Best Music Video: Pop: 2004 | Arlene's Grocery Picture Show | Mike Park |
| Best Music Video: Rock: 2003 | Arlene's Grocery Picture Show | The Locust |