Maegan Houang is a writer/director interested in exploring the crushing absurdity of the human condition. She is currently a story editor on Shōgun (FX) and previously served as a staff writer on Season 2 of Counterpart (Starz/MRC). She also co-wrote the feature film Jamojaya directed by Justin Chon (Blue Bayou, Gook) starring Indonesian rapper Rich Brian. In 2018, she received a VSCO Voices Creator Grant to direct a short film she wrote In Full Bloom starring Kieu Chinh (The Joy Luck Club). The film premiered online on Short of the Week and played at numerous film festivals including Fantastic Fest, Atlanta, Oak Cliff, Indie Memphis, New Orleans, LAAPFF and Sidewalk Film Festival. She recently directed two Season 2 episodes Three Busy Debras (Adult Swim) starring and created by Mitra Jouhari, Sandy Honig and Alyssa Stonoha, which is currently available on HBOMax.
Maegan has also directed music videos for artists such as Mitski, Vagabon, Charly Bliss, Hana Vu, Chastity Belt and Skylar Spence. Her videos have been recognized by SXSW, Noisey, Fact Magazine, UKMVAs, Stereogum, Pitchfork, Raindance Film Festival, Vimeo Staff Picks and Videostatic. Her work primarily focuses on the complexity of the Asian-American experience, intergenerational trauma and her own experience living as a mixed-race American.
Press
Panos Cosmatos teams up with A24, XYZ Films for Sci-Fi Fantasy Nekrokosm / THR
Pretty Horrifying: Director Maegan Houang's Visceral Vision for Mitski's Music / Bitch Media
ALyssa Learns to Drive / Vimeo Staff Pick
"Stay Soft" by Mitski / Vimeo Staff Pick
Best Pop Video for "In a Bind" by Vagabon / 2020 UKMVAs
Young Guns 17 Finalist / One Club for Creativity
In Full Bloom Review / Short of the Week
shots Presents September Monthly: Six Films from Unsigned Directors / shots magazine
Watch: Maegan Houang's Surrealist Fairytale Short In Full Bloom / First Showing
Maegan Houang Weaves an Alluringly Surreal Tale of Memory & Loss in Fantasy Short In Full Bloom / Directors' Notes
Intriguing Female Characters Highlight These 8 New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Shorts / io9
Shoot 2nd Quarter 2019 Top Ten VFX & Animation Chart / Shoot Online
Interview: How Director Maegan Houang is Bringing her Twisted Visions to Your Favorite Indie Music Videos / From the Intercom
Feature: Charly Bliss - Chatroom (dir: Maegan Houang) / Clipped TV
Maegan Houang Calls out the Cult of Rape Culture in Allegorical Charly Bliss Music Video "Chatroom" / Directors' Notes
In Full Bloom - VSCO Voices / VSCO
2018 VSCO Voices Creator Grant Recipient Interview with Access Ventures for VSCO Voices / Access Ventures
The 10 Best Music Videos of 2016 / Fact Magazine
Nominated for Best Pop Video - Newcomer / 2016 UKMVAs
The 50 Best Music Videos of 2016 / Stereogum
Splash and Splat: Interview with Director Maegan Houang / 1.4
Best Music Videos of 2016: Narrative / Promo TV
New Director: Maegan Houang / Shots Magazine
Best Videos of the Month: January 2016 / Videostatic
On 1.4's Long List for Brilliant Filmmaking in 2015
Audience Award at the 2015 Los Angeles Music Video Festival
Maegan Houang Transforms Chastity Belt's Melancholic Sound into a Bloody Fight for Survival in "Black Sail" / Directors' Notes
Music Videos: Doug Klinger at Reprobates doug@reprobates.tv
Commercials: Thelonious Brooks at Afterhrs theo@afterhrs.tv
Film & TV Management: Chris Davey at Media Talent chrisd@mediatalent.com
Contact: maegan@americanpainkillers.com
Twitter: @houangm
Instagram: houangm