Ross Ching

How did you get into directing?
I was initially interested in producing, but I started making time lapse and stop motion videos in college.  Some of those videos won awards and were well received, so I slowly transitioned into the creative side and haven’t looked back since.

What is your most recent project?
Most recent project was a commercial for Shaw Flooring called “Squares of Softness” where we removed squares of carpet from some of the softest things imaginable as if it was the inspiration for Shaw’s new carpet line.

What is the best part of being a director?
Best part is that it’s my hobby also.  So when I’m not doing my job, I like to do my job.  I like to help other people on their projects, and simply make something cool.

What is the worst part of being a director?
Worst part is the fact that you can come up with some awesome ideas that will never see the light of day because of budgetary contraints or the agency simply not liking your treatment.

What is your current career focus: commercials & branded content, TV, movies?
Do you plan to specialize in a particular genre—comedy, drama, visual effects, etc.?
Currently, I’m trying to focus on commercials.  I think my genre ranges between drama and experimental.

Have you a mentor and if so, who is that person (or persons)
and what has been the lesson learned from that mentoring which resonates most with you?
I don’t really have a mentor.  But that’s not to say nobody has helped me out along my way.  There are a lot of people I admire in the industry, but for the most part, 90% of everything I’ve learned is from the Internet.

Who is your favorite director and why?
Christopher Nolan.  He’s one of the few original directors left who can keep me on the edge of my seat on any movie he creates.

What is your favorite movie? Your favorite commercial or branded content?
Inception. Favorite commercial is a bit more difficult because it changes frequently.  But one of my favorite is for Sony Bravia where they dropped hundreds of thousands of bouncy balls down the San Francisco streets.

Tell use about your background (i.e. Where did you grow up? Past jobs?)
I grew up in San Jose, went to college in San Diego, then moved up to LA about 4 years ago.  In San Diego I worked at the local NPR affiliate and managed all their online content.

Contact

jpm@acommonthread.tv
www.acommonthread.tv