This is the latest in a monthly series in which industry leaders describe the projects and products that give them the most joy and pride. This month, visual designer Feng Zhu, who has worked on everything from Star Wars to Call of Duty, shares his vision for a world where everyone has access to the industry.
Growing up in the mid-80s had a profound influence on my childhood. Like many kids, I fell in love with movies such as Temple of Doom, Return of the Jedi, and The Terminator. My weekends were spent at the cinemas watching blockbusters and going to the arcade afterwards to prolong that entertainment high.
By my mid-teens, this love for everything movies and video games had turned into an obsession. I was fascinated with the inner workings of all the imaginary worlds, characters, and gadgets. While most of my high-school friends were out doing teen stuff, I stayed at home drawing. Being part of the entertainment industry became my sole vision. But the big question at the time for me was: How?
During those analog VHS and non-internet days (gasp!), information was hard to come by. Little was known about the creative process. There were no behind-the-scenes documentaries, books, or anything remotely close to revealing the “magic.” Hearing studios with names such as Industrial Light & Magic (currently making the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie) further enhanced this myth. Needless to say, everything was hidden away behind those big Hollywood doors.
Several years would go by before I found myself on the right path. In 1996, I was accepted to the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. In those classrooms, industry professionals lifted the curtains and revealed the myth behind the entertainment design industry. Those big and scary Hollywood doors were finally opened. Gaining industry knowledge became addictive. I only wished that this type of information was available when I was growing up. I thought: Perhaps I can do something about it.
Fast-forward 18 years. I’ve left Hollywood behind after working on numerous movies and video games. My goal has always been to fulfill that dream of providing high-quality industry knowledge and education to everyone. I wanted to establish an information hub to inspire new ideas and reach the younger kids at home drawing and seeking answers. I decided to tackle this challenge from three fronts.
First, for anyone with internet access, I started a YouTube channel called Design Cinema. As of today, there are 78 free videos covering a wide spectrum of the entertainment design industry. You can learn everything from how to prepare your portfolio to digital set designs. Since the first video aired, we have grown to over 175,000 subscribers. Those are small numbers by YouTube standards, but for a channel dedicated to education, I’m pretty proud of this achievement. Through Design Cinema, we have sparked the imagination of thousands, and perhaps changed the lives of many more.
Second, I founded the FZD School of Design in 2009. Based in Singapore, this school is solely dedicated to teaching the various techniques and trades of the entertainment design industry. During the last five years, hundreds of students from around the world have passed through our doors and made their way into the professional business. Our alumni are out there shaping the games and films of tomorrow. In 2015, we will be expanding to a much bigger and fully equipped campus.
Lastly, my newest endeavor is a free portfolio and social sharing site called DrawCrowd. This web portal is a place for artists in the creative field to present their work and find others who share similar interests. The site is still in beta stage, but the final version will be revealed soon.
The common denominator for all three platforms is sharing. The personal gratification that comes from helping others is unmatched. So what’s the best thing I’ve created? The answer is not with the websites or the schools themselves, but rather, how other people’s lives have changed as a result of them.
For more from Feng, visit him online at www.fengzhudesign.com.
