David Chai has worked on a variety of projects ranging from educational software, animation for television and video, commercial advertising, to independent films. Commercials directed for Thunderbean Animation received the Gold Award for best animated television commercials at the Kalamazoo Animation Festival International 2005. To date, his independent films have screened in over two hundred film festivals internationally, including Sundance, Cinequest, Ann Arbor, and Annecy; been broadcast on Atom Films, MTV-2, G4TV, PBS, and ZeD in Canada; and nominated twice for "Best Short Subject" at the Annie Awards. His filmography includes 25 Ways to Die (2003), Flames of Passion (2004), Neighborhood Roots (2005), Stoopid Movie (2005), Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot (2005), Cole Needs Women (2006), Aletta Out of Water (2007), Life on a Limb (2008), Ninjas vs. Guilt (2009), Enrique Wrecks the World (2010), Why Do We Put Up With Them? (2011), and A Knock on My Door (2012).

Awards

Winner, Slamdance Anarchy Online Competition August (2003); Best Animated Short, Michigan Independent (2003), Best Comedic Short, Ohio Independent (2003); Best Animated TV Commercial, KAFI (2005), First Place Animation category, Radio Alice 3-Minute Film Festival (2005); Audience Choice Award: Best Short Film, Cinequest (2006); Prix DeVarti Funniest Film Award, Ann Arbor (2006); Best Short Film – Animated, Silver Lake (2006); Special Recognition Award, Arizona International (2006); Best of Show and 3rd Place Independent Films, ASIFA EAST (2006); Best Director, New Haven Underground (2006); Best Short, Jacksonville Film Festival (2006); Best Animated Film, Cinema K: Children's Film Festival (2007); "Cartoon of the Year" and "Best Traditional Film", 2nd Annual Channel Frederator Awards (2008); 1st Place Independent Films Category, 40th ASIFA East Animation Festival (2009); 3rd Place Animation Category, BeFilm Underground Film Festival (2009); the LeBlanc Audience Award Winner, Arizona State University Art Museum Short Film and Video Festival (2009); 2nd Place Independent Films, ASIFA-East (2011); 1st Place Animation Category, USA Film Festival (2011); Honourable Mention - Short Animation for Children, Ottawa Animation Festival International (2012); Honorable Mention - Best Short Animation, Asians on Film Festival (2012); and Gold Medal Moving Image Category, Society of Illustrators 55 (2013).

Professional Work

Film Stills