CREATIVE
PORTFOLIO
st@stephanietangkilisan.com
Hi, I’m Stepanie, a documentary filmmaker, producer, and storyteller based between New York and Jakarta. I started out as a journalist chasing subcultures and unexpected corners of the world.
Now, my work moves between documentary, commercial, and editorial — telling real stories with style and a sense of humanity. Over the past decade I’ve directed, produced, and collaborated on everything from intimate character-driven docs to bold brand campaigns.
STEPHANIE TANGKILISAN
Creative Producer and Journalist
From Dreams to Dust - EST Media
Black Market with Michael K. Williams - ViceTV
Generational Drive - Volvo USA
Trouble Finds you - The InterceptEST Media
As Head of Production at EST Media, I created and oversaw the company’s full slate of documentary, commercial, and editorial work — managing budgets, schedules, and teams from development through delivery. EST Media is a global creative studio and media company known for telling visually striking, culturally resonant stories across film, branded content, and digital platforms. In this role I streamlined production pipelines, built crews, and kept ambitious projects on time and on budget while protecting creative vision.
Scaled a startup platform amplifying Asian youth voices, producing 300+ short docs, explainers, and news reports across 26 countries on pop culture, tech, social issues, and politics.
Built and managed a 50+ person global contributor network of writers, filmmakers, and influencers; oversaw multi-platform publishing across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X.
Shaped the platform’s editorial voice, visual style, and video strategy while balancing speed and quality.
Directing
From Dreams to Dust
The dark side of green technology comes into focus as an Indonesian worker risks his life to feed his family by mining nickel needed for electric car batteries. Pola, is a nickel miner and family man from Indonesia. Every day, he risks his life to feed his family, abandoning his dreams for the sake of his children's future.
Premiered in DOCNYC, won Best International Short Documentary at Cinequest Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, Florida Film Festival, ShowMe Shorts, DMZ Film, Hot Springs Film Festival and 10+ worldwide
Featured interviews at Al Jazeera and Yale Environment 360
Trouble Finds You
Bronx native Kraig Lewis was set to graduate with a Master's and get his son out of the rough streets of New York. His plans are interrupted when he gets caught up in the city's largest gang bust. Now, he has to find a new path forward.
Made in collaboration with The Intercept.
Shortlisted by the BAFTA Best Student Documentary. The article and work won the John Jay/Guggenheim Prize for Criminal Justice Reporting. Screened at numerous film festivals across America.
Commercial Work
Volvo: The Generational Drive: The Ultimate Approval featuring Chef Kevin Lee and Comedian Andrea Jin
Featuring Micheln Chef Kevin Lee and comedian Andrea Jin. The AAPI-focused commercial celebrates the importance of family approval in Asian culture and features Volvo’s remarkable cutting-edge green technology, safety, and comfort.
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Director - Joy Jihyun Jeong
Producer / 1st AD - Stephanie Tangkilisan
Director of Photography - Jonathan Wang
Edited by - Uppercut
ViceTV
Emmy-nominated actor Michael K. Williams ("The Wire," "Boardwalk Empire") takes a look at underground economies in America and beyond. He meets people who are willing to break the law and risk everything they have just to get by. While digging into the topics, Williams discusses his own issues with addiction, crime and poverty.
Fanatics: The Deep End with Alice Hines
Worked in story development and field production for a six-episode, 30-minute documentary series exploring America’s extreme subcultures, achieving millions of YouTube views per episode.
• Cultivated a diverse network of sources, from QAnon followers to experts in evolutionary biomechanics, to secure unique stories.
Client
Hulu
More about me.
I’m Stephanie Tangkilisan, a Jakarta-born journalist turned documentary filmmaker, director and creative producer based in New York. I started in newsrooms, studied politics and philosophy, and eventually found my home in visual storytelling.
I’ve led productions end-to-end — most recently producing a large-scale global audio project for Apple.
I continue to balance documentary, branded, and editorial work.
Awards and Works Featured in
Oscar and/or BAFTA qualifying festivals
