Meet Simon Gao | Production designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Simon Gao and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Simon, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I grew up surrounded by art. It was really my parents who created this environment for me to build this interest at an early age. I didn’t really have a habit of taking a camera with me and instead, I would draw anything that fascinated me, and usually from memory. In this case I wasn’t just capturing a specific moment but building a world in my head. That’s maybe how I interpreted the concept of design, which later led to me choosing a career as a film production designer. I found it incredibly rewarding to make an idea or a sketch come to real life in the physical form. I started from drawing, to building art installation, and finally I now design and build film sets. What’s common among these experiences is that everything starts from an idea, and I’m here to visualize it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Each of us designers may have a style/genre that we are the most excited about. I’m most proud of some of my period pieces because they were the ones that I put in the most effort in researching, sourcing and decorating. One film is set in Czechoslovakia in the 1970s and it was such a challenge to create the eastern bloc interior sets, another one is a WW2 drama sets in Germany 1945 and there was a lot of research that contributed to the historical accuracy of the piece. We are sometimes given good locations, sometimes bad, sometime no existing locations at all, and it’s our job to create the set no matter what. That process from start to finish, either a total change of look, or building a set from scratch, is what keeps me going. I started the American Film Institute production design program with no actual film experience. And AFI does make you learn things by doing them. So it was pretty much like being thrown into an arena and I’d just learn other people’s moves. One word I would use to describe these few years is heavy. I picked up the skills like drafting, modelling, illustrating, doing budgets, managing crews, shopping props and so much more all while i was learning to drive in LA. So I guess it was probably not easy. Things rarely go smoothly as planned so the best way to handle the challeges is to keep the head cool. As the production designer, the core team member would ask you for solution there’s problem with art, and the art department crew would turn to you for guidence. So I’d think before every move, even when the clock’s ticking it’s even more important to stay clam and take time to go through the options.
We always learn the lessons the hard way. Most important thing I learnt is how to appreciate the team effort. I have a backgound in art so it was all about individual’s work, and it was incredibly hard to apply the same method to the role of a production designer. Film world is different, a production designer cannot go far without a good art department. You have to trust the crew to handle things for you because each of us in the art department has a specific role and we do our best to honor the title we are given.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My personal favorite is driving along the PCH so I may take them on a trip to visit some beaches. Also driving on the canyon roads might be a suitable change of view from the crowded cities. West Hollywood area is more slow-paced and I’d like to spend the afternoon just walking and stop by some shops and cafes. If they would like I’d take them to visit the Hollywood area where I lived for 4 years.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Of course my parents. They are the reason why I’m here doing what I love. The amount of support they provided me over the years is beyond imagination. It is hard for anyone to study and work abroad, to adapt the environment and to handle challenges, but I’m grateful that I’m never alone on this journey. The fact is none of it would have been possible without my family.

Website: simongaodesign.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simongao0630/

Image Credits
Yukun Chan