“You just have to live and life will give you pictures.”
“Of course, it's all luck.”
— Henri Cartier-Bresson
“You just have to live and life will give you pictures.”
“Of course, it's all luck.”
— Henri Cartier-Bresson
Samson Chan is a Director of Photography whose projects span documentaries, commercials, branded films, and television and streaming productions in the United States and around the world. He also directs select projects.
His credits include work for NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, ESPN, HBO, Netflix, Hulu, and Peacock. He has received thirteen Emmy Awards and a Clio, and filmed Peabody- and James Beard Award-winning stories.
His sports credits include projects for eleven Olympic Games, three FIFA World Cups, ten Super Bowls, the World Series, four NBA Finals, Wimbledon, the Tour de France, and the Indianapolis 500. Much of this work has focused on the people, history, and culture surrounding major events.
A native of Chicago, Samson studied film at Northwestern University and is based in Los Angeles.
Selected Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Open/Tease | Land of Stories, Paris 2024 Olympics, NBC Olympics |
| 2024 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Technical Team Event | Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, NBC Olympics |
| 2019 | Clio Award | Branded Entertainment & Content | Breaking Barriers, UFC |
| 2018 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Open/Tease | Always Start with the Dreams, PyeongChang 2018 Olympics |
| 2016 | Sportel Awards, Golden Podium Laureate | Best Slow Motion | Neymar, Rio 2016 Olympics, NBC Olympics |
| 2015 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Camerawork | The Triple Crown, NBC Sports |
| 2011 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Art Direction | Sunday Night Football show open, NBC Sports |
| 2011 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Long Feature | The Man Behind the Red Bandanna, ESPN |
| 2010 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Open/Tease | Discovery, Vancouver 2010 Olympics, NBC Olympics |
| 2010 | Emmy Award | Outstanding New Approaches Sports Programming | The Science of Sports, NBC Sports |
| 2008 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Camerawork | The Clock of Their Lives, Beijing 2008 Olympics open, NBC Olympics |
| 2005 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Documentary | Rhythm in the Rope, ESPN |
Selected Credits
| Year | Client | Project | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | NBC Olympics | Lindsey Vonn: Queen of the Mountain | Director Jack Felling |
| 2025 | Broadway Video | History of the Black Quarterback | Director Maria Taylor |
| 2024 | Donna Lawrence Productions | The Greatest Race, 150th Kentucky Derby Museum | Director Donna Lawrence |
| 2023 | NBC Olympics | In the Company of Heroes | Director David Picker |
| 2021 | Billie Jean King Enterprises | BJK Live Appearance Introduction | Director Samson Chan |
| 2019 | NBC Sports | Drive Like Andretti | Director Matthew Allen |
| 2019 | Golf Channel | Chi Chi & Devo | Director Josh Glaser |
| 2019 | UFC | Breaking Barriers | Filmmaker Matt Ogens |
| 2018 | ESPN, SEC Network | Saturdays in the South: A History of SEC Football | Director Fritz Mitchell |
| 2018 | Fox Sports | Cape Cod: Journey to the Bigs | EP Laura Mickelson |
| 2017 | ESPN, ESPYs | Arthur Ashe Courage Award, honoree Eunice Kennedy Shriver | Director Joie Jacoby |
| 2016 | PBS American Experience | The Boys of '36 | Director Margaret Grossi |
| 2015 | NBC Sports | Chasing 43, presented by Smithfield | Director Matthew Allen |
| 2014 | NBC Sports | Notre Dame Reborn, presented by Under Armour | Director Matthew Allen |
| 2014 | NBC Olympics | Jessica Long: Long Way Home | Director Matthew Allen |
| 2014 | NBC Olympics | Nancy & Tonya | Director Margaret Grossi |
| 2014 | Golf Channel | Arnie | Director Israel DeHerrera |
| 2011 | ESPN Films | 30 for 30: The Fab 5 | Director Jason Hehir |
| 2010 | ESPN Fims | 30 for 30: Four Days in October | Director Gary Waksman |
| 2010 | HBO Sports | Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals | Director Ezra Edelman |
| 2010 | Sony, FIFA | Official 2010 World Cup Film in 3D | Director Johnson McKelvy |
| 2007 | HBO Sports | The UCLA Dynasty | Director George Roy |
| 2007 | Harpo Studios | The Oprah Winfrey Oscar Special | Director Annie Price |
| 2005 | Lookalike Productions, First Look Pictures | Emmanuel's Gift | Directors Lisa Lax & Nancy Stern |
| 2005 | ESPN Original Entertainment | Rhythm in the Rope | Director Johnson McKelvy |