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Art directors
Jobs in the art
By Alice Leung
The work of art directors is an integral part of movie production. Art directors deal with visual effects, including composition, colors, lighting, settings, props, costumes and make-up.
"It is another way to show a story's content besides the actors' performance. Art directors help film directors to create the style and atmosphere they want," said Bill Lui, an art director for more than 50 movies, including Hu-du men, Twin dragon, Green Snake and Forever and Ever.
Since art directors have to follow film directors' instructions, Mr. Lui said that the title "art director" is misleading.
"We have no power to direct anything. The film director is the final decision maker," he said.
Art directors' salaries range from $20,000 to $250,000 per month, depending on their experience and abilities.
Mr. Lui said that there are 118 art directors registered in the Hong Kong Film Arts Association, but only about 20 are active in the field.
Due to the downturn in the movie industry, the number of art directing jobs available is four-fifths less than it was during peak periods.
To maintain a good income, most art directors seek other jobs, like Christmas illuminations or fun fair designing.
"We are involved in different types of art directing jobs. Besides movie and television program productions, we also work in advertising, concerts, indoor or outdoor exhibitions, and more," said Mr. Lui.
He said different jobs require particular techniques. It is impossible to cover all of them in a three- or four-year curriculum.
The most effective way to learn them is by working.
In a television company, the job nature of an art director is slightly different.
At Hong Kong Cable Television Limited, Stevie Wong Pui Man, deputy art director, is the head of the company's art department.
Said Ms. Wong: "My daily job is not designing, but mainly distributing jobs to different designers.
"After a design has been made, I amend it with an effort to retain my designers' creativity."
In television series production, the art directing job is similar to that of movie production. However, different skills are required.
Mr. Lui explained, "Every image is magnified on the screen in a cinema.
"Therefore, the composition of every shot needs to be fully filled up in order not to make the audience feel bored.
"Every defect is magnified, too. So, each part of the image should be finely made."
In contrast, the visual effects in a television program are simpler than those in a movie. This reduces the expense of the mass production of programs.
Unlike freelance movie art directors, television program art directors work full-time for their companies.
Ms. Wong said job opportunities for a television program art director will increase because the market for television broadcasting is opening.
Television commercial advertising art directing requires both creativity and marketing knowledge.
Bunny Ng is a group executive creative director of BCS and Partners (China) Limited.
He said, "While a movie or television program art director is doing research on a story's background, I am reading and analyzing lots of survey results about consumer behaviors, my target audience's thoughts and my clients' competitors marketing strategies."
A lack of money is the main difficulty art directors in the three fields encounter. The problem affects advertising worst.
Marco Ho Kan Hung is an art director of a self-established design house called Plugin Design.
Said Mr. Ho: "It is difficult for art directors to stay in the field nowadays because of the economic downturn. Most clients are tightening their budgets and the market is not as dynamic as before."
Mr. Ng
agreed. "Clients advertise their goods frequently just because
they want to increase the public's familiarity with their brands
and boost their sales."