Jonathan Ng

Animator and illustrator Jonathan Ng, has been interested in drawing since a very young age. He drew his first picture at age 4 after being admitted to Sick Kids' Hospital for asthma. His drawings, inspired by Saturday morning cartoons and comics, helped him get through frequent hospital stays. He attended Wexford CI, a high school for the arts in Scarborough, where he discovered classical animation. Jonathan went on to study Classical Animation at Sheridan College and won Most Promising Student Award in 2003. His student film Sherry, like the Drink caught the attention of NFB producer Michael Fukushima. Jonathan began working part-time at the NFB Mediatheque in Toronto. He also studied 3D Maya at Seneca College. After having studied at Sheridan and Seneca College, he furthered his studies with a Bachelor in Fine Arts and in Film Animation at Concordia U. Jonathan is currently a freelance animator and illustrator.

In 2004 in Montreal, he undertook his first professional film, Asthma Tech working in NFB's animation studios. In this semi-autobiographical whimsy, young Winston is burdened by the hardships of chronic asthma and isn't able to participate in the everyday activities of his peers and classmates. Winston copes with the predicament through his vivid imagination and with paper and crayons, and on one particularly rainy afternoon his talents and skills save the day. Winston discovers that the magic of imagination has the power to bridge, transform and empower. Borrowing from fantasy, Asthma Tech is a tale that explores the problems that are based on being different and carries a beautiful message of hope to those who do not feel like « the others ».

Inspirations for the stories in my films come mostly from personal experiences. I view my films as extensions of myself and the hope is that the audience will be able to connect with them on this basis. I enjoy using animation to exaggerate the simplicity of the look of my characters while expressing the subtle details of real life in their movements.

Jonathan Ng

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