Ann Anlan Tao
Welcome to my world of cinema.
About Me
Director, Assistant Director, Writer, Editor
Ann Tao is a Chinese immigrant, a filmmaker and storyteller based in Los Angeles, with a passion for creating magical realism stories through her cinematic language. She earned her BFA in Theatre Directing from The Central Academy of Drama in Beijing and recently completed her MFA in Film and Television Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Growing up in a family marked by contrasting beliefs and temperaments, Ann developed a deep curiosity about human emotion and connection. From primary school, she began writing poetry, directing, and voice acting in short radio plays, which eventually inspired her to pursue filmmaking.
Now, she's mostly a writer-director, also an assistant director, editor, and sometimes does VFX herself. Her work spans television, short films, animations, commercials, and virtual production projects. Her directing credits include Little Fierce Loong, Top Voices, Kingdom of Songs, Oak Tree, She & He, Steel Forest, and Ten Thousand Poems, and some of them have entered international festivals such as the Chinese American Film Festival, Beijing International Film Festival, LA Shorts International Film Festival, Vancouver Chinese Film Festival, and Children’s Film Festival Seattle.
As an assistant director, she has contributed to award-winning short films including Europa, Neither Donkey Nor Horse, John, and a Coca-Cola Refreshing commercial. These projects have garnered accolades such as the Student Academy Award, DGA Student Film Award, Telluride selection, and Student Emmy.
Ann has collaborated with leading media companies including Sony, iQiyi, and interned at Huayi Brothers and Phoenix Pictures. Her commercial clients include 5A hotels, Grade 3A hospitals, historical schools, and artists. She also served as an assistant to directors across both independent and studio projects.
Ann loves to tell stories centered around children, animals, and women. She strives to blend technology to convey universal emotions and conflicts using visual and auditory elements, aiming to resonate with audiences and to create complex, emotionally rich, and bittersweet stories.
DIRECTING: Commercials & MV
Kingdom of Songs
Genre: Drama/Comedy/Fantasy
Elements: Trauma/Mental Health/Addiction
Role: Writer/Director/Editor/Sound Designer
Steel Forest
Genre: Road Trip/Drama/Family
Elements: Left-Behind Child/Poems
Role: Writer/Director/Editor
Ten Thousand Poems
Genre: Drama/Comedy/Family
Elements: Left-Behind Child/Poems
Role: Writer/Director/Editor
She & He
Genre: Romance/Comedy/Drama/Musical
Elements: Music/Singing/Theatre
Role: Writer/Director/Editor
Diamond Heist
Genre: Sci-Fi/Adventure/Action
Elements: Post-Apocalypse/Betrayal/Greed
Role: Co-Director/Co-Writer/Editor/VFX
Thorn of Love
Genre: Animation/Comedy/Romance
Elements: Cartoon/Movie/Love
Role: Writer/Director/Animator/Compositor
ann.anlantao@gmail.com
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