Chel White is a multifaceted creative force, operating as a film, television, and music video director, composer, screenwriter, and visual effects supervisor. Alongside co-founders Ray Di Carlo and David Daniels, he co-founded the international production company Bent Image Lab in Portland, Oregon.
In his independent films, White is recognized for his distinctive, often experimental approach to animation and first-person narratives, told from the perspective of the outsider. As a Rockefeller Fellow, he frequently employs allegory and black humor to portray the human experience, exploring themes of love, obsession, alienation, and dreams. White describes his work as "stories and images that reside on the brink of dreams, or linger on the periphery of distorted memories."
Throughout his career, White has created three films inspired by the work of Peabody Award-winning writer and radio personality Joe Frank, including "Dirt," "Soulmate," and "Magda." His early films, produced from the 1980s to the early 1990s, primarily focus on the playful interactions of music and animated imagery.
Chel White has also directed music videos for notable artists, including Radiohead's lead singer Thom Yorke ("Harrowdown Hill," Best Music Video SXSW 2007),Chrysta Bell & David Lynch ("Bird of Flames"),The Melvins, Tom Brosseau, Candlebox, and collaborated with the Oregon Symphony. He has worked extensively with film director Gus Van Sant, creating visual effects on several of Van Sant's projects, including "Milk" and "Paranoid Park."
In addition to his work in film and television, White has directed programs for Hallmark, Will Vinton Studios, and parody shorts for Saturday Night Live.
