Meet Ging Chen Sow | Production Designer & Art Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ging Chen Sow and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ging Chen, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Ever since I was a kid, I knew I couldn’t do a normal 9-5 job. I was restless and full of ideas. Around high school, I got my hands on my first DSLR camera and it opened up a whole new world for me. Years later, I went from this kid who shot photos and videos for the school magazine to a proud alumni of the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.

My time at USC has opened many doors in the creative industry, including pivoting me down the pathway of pursuing Production Designing and Art Directing as a professional career. Without the art department, there is no set to film in. I take much pride in designing and building sets that are visually interesting and serve a purpose in the story of the film.

There is no normal day working on set, and that is extremely true for someone dabbling in the art department. I am afraid of repetition, therefore I would try something different for each new project I’ve worked on. There truly is no other field where you can be as creative and expressive as a field like this.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Throughout the years, I’ve had the honor of designing multiple period pieces spanning multiple countries and decades. From 1970s Greece to the Roaring 20s America, you name it I’ve done it. As a huge history nerd, it feels extremely satisfying to be able to merge my passions together and create something even bigger out of it.

A massive challenge in making period pieces is to create something historically accurate while staying within budget. To accomplish that, I’ve turned to some creative ways of bypassing the budget limit and acquiring pieces of history that fit into the story, both narrative-wise and historically wise. While prop houses such as History for Hire and ISS are great places to acquire such items, the price tag can sometimes be a bit hefty for smaller productions, therefore I have turned to estate sales and thrifting to fulfill the needs of my productions.

But most importantly, a crucial fact that both the production designer and the director need to accept is that a period piece is not a documentary, but rather a reflection of said era. It ain’t easy making a film, and more often than not the budget is needed to fight some other fire. Sometimes it’s best if you accept the fact that nothing is perfect in life, and despite how hard you try sometimes it’s best if we pick another battle to fight.

I am a staunch believer in being flexible and adaptable, as Bruce Lee once said, “be water my friend.” The most important lesson I’ve learned in doing art is that there will always be a curveball every day, either your shipments won’t arrive on time or you’ve lost a location last minute. The ability to pivot and find a solution, no matter how crude it is, will be very helpful not just for the production but also for your mental health.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to thank all the people I’ve met throughout my journey in the world of film, without everyone’s support I wouldn’t be where I am today. But there is someone I would like to express my eternal gratitude to: my Art Directing professor – Mimi Gramatky.

Mimi Gramatky is a person of strong will and sass like no other, which comes as no surprise as she was one of the first female art directors in Hollywood. She introduced me to the world of the art department and put me on a pathway that I had no idea existed before meeting her. From visiting prop houses to figuring out the difference between metric and imperial systems, she was always selfless in parting her experience and knowledge to the next generation.

It is no joke when I say without her I wouldn’t be who I am today. Thank you Mimi, for your support and help throughout the years.

Website: https://www.gingchensow.com

Instagram: @gings_fs

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gingchensow/