Meet Our Team
The people behind the stories
Primal Films brings together filmmakers who share a deep curiosity about the natural world and the people within it.
Our experience spans natural history documentaries, commercial cinematography, and international production. We have spent years observing wildlife, working in remote environments, and bringing teams together across cultures. Each of us brings a different perspective, united by a commitment to telling stories with care.
The credits below reflect work undertaken by individual team members throughout their careers.
Olivia Chen
Director & ProducerOlivia Chen creates films about wildlife, conservation, and the relationships that connect people with the natural world. Her approach brings ecological subjects into focus through individual lives and stories audiences can connect with emotionally.
Her documentary March of the Elephants follows the remarkable migration of wild Asian elephants through Yunnan. The film was selected for the Wildscreen Film Festival and the 2023 UN World Wildlife Day Film Showcase, curated by Jackson Wild.
For A Song for Love – An Ape with an App, Olivia spent three years filming the endangered Skywalker hoolock gibbon in the forests of southwest China. The film received international recognition, including a Silver Dolphin at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards.
Olivia also brings her documentary approach to branded filmmaking. Her NIO film Wind Talk explores wind energy and landscapes in Denmark and beyond, earning recognition at the Telly Awards in the ESG, CSR & Sustainability category. Her earlier collaboration with NIO and Discovery, Forest Talk, explores the biodiversity of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park.
Selected films
March of the Elephants
A Song for Love – An Ape with an App
Wind Talk
Forest Talk
Rare Survivor-China‘s Iconic Wildlife
Jacky Poon
Director of Photography & Wildlife FilmmakerJacky is an Emmy-nominated wildlife filmmaker and director of photography with more than 18 years of experience. His work explores the beauty and complexity of the natural world, combining an understanding of wildlife with a precise cinematic eye.
His cinematography credits include the BBC’s Planet Earth III, Asia, and Mammals, alongside Earthsounds for Apple TV+, whose photography team won the 2024 Royal Television Society Craft & Design Award for Cinematography – Non-scripted. He was one of the principal directors of photography on The Hidden Kingdoms of China, which received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Cinematography.
As director and director of photography of Panda Goes Wild for PBS Nature, Jacky helped tell an intimate story of a panda’s journey towards life in the wild. The film received a Gold Camera award at the US International Film & Video Festival in 2020 and first prize at the International Nature Film Festival Gödöllő in 2021.
His commercial work includes Fire Nomads for RED Digital Cinema. Across documentary and branded projects, he brings the same patience, technical curiosity, and attention to the moments that give a film its character.
Selected credits
BBC Planet Earth III, Asia, and Mammals
Apple Earthsounds
NatGeo The Hidden Kingdoms of China
Disneynature Born in China
PBS Panda Goes Wild
RED Digital - Fire Nomads
Joshua Cheng
Production Manager & ProducerJoshua Cheng specialises in international documentary production and filming coordination in China. With more than a decade of experience, he brings a detailed understanding of what ambitious productions need, from early planning to the daily decisions that shape a successful shoot.
His credits include the BBC’s Asia and Mammals, alongside China’s Wild Empire for National Geographic. His responsibilities have ranged from field producing to production coordination, working across international teams and demanding filming environments.
Joshua combines practical organisation with cultural understanding. He helps visiting filmmakers and local teams communicate clearly, anticipate challenges, and maintain continuity throughout a production. His approach is calm and attentive, with an understanding that good planning must leave room for the unpredictability of filming wildlife.
As Production Manager and Producer at Primal Films, he brings this experience to the company’s work with international creative and production partners.
Areas of expertise
International documentary production
Field producing and filming coordination
Production planning in China
Cross-cultural communication and team coordination
Li Chen (LC)
Director of Photography & CinematographerLi Chen’s work spans wildlife, human stories, and commercial filmmaking. His cinematography combines close observation with a strong sense of atmosphere, adapting to subjects as varied as remote landscapes, everyday cultural traditions, and carefully constructed brand films.
LC served as director of photography on China: Nature’s Ancient Kingdom. His natural history experience also includes Wild Treasures of China, Wild Guangdong, and the UK–China co-production Panda.
His interest in people and culture has led to work on A Bite of China and NHK’s China Dynasty. These projects draw on his ability to observe human behaviour and find visual detail that makes a place or experience feel immediate.
Alongside documentary work, LC has filmed commercial campaigns for Audi, Land Rover, and Mercedes-Benz, as well as imaging and technology brands. This breadth of experience allows him to move comfortably between patient documentary observation and the visual demands of commercial production.
Selected credits and commercial work
China: Nature’s Ancient Kingdom
Wild Treasures of China
Wild Guangdong
A Bite of China
China Dynasty
Campaigns for Audi, Land Rover, and Mercedes-Benz
Kiki Wang
Documentary Filmmaker & Assistant ProducerKiki Wang is a UK-based documentary filmmaker and specialist factual assistant producer originally from China. Her experience spans television and digital production, with work across wildlife, adventure, and history for National Geographic, CCTV, and BBC Studios.
Before moving into long-form documentaries, Kiki worked as a video producer and journalist, creating short documentaries, news, and branded content for Chinese audiences. Working across the full production process, she developed skills in story development, interviewing, shooting, and editing.
Her background brings an editorial perspective to production, alongside an understanding of storytelling for different audiences and formats. Drawing on her experience in China and the UK, she contributes to both the creative development and practical execution of documentary projects.
Kiki was named a Broadcast Hot Shot in 2025 and selected for the World Congress of Science and Factual Producers’ 2025 Global Career Accelerator programme.
Areas of expertise
Specialist factual development and research
Wildlife, adventure, and history documentaries
Interviewing and contributor engagement
Shooting and editing
Content for Chinese audiences
Working Together
The right team for your story
Some projects begin with a director and an idea. Others need a cinematographer in the field, an experienced local producer, or a team to support an international shoot.
We bring together the experience each project needs, with close collaboration between the people shaping the story and those making the production possible.
Let’s Talk About Your Project
Tell us what you’re developing, where you want to film, or the expertise you’re looking for.
Email: info@primalfilms.tv