We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shi Min Yong. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shi Min below.

Shi Min, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I knew I wanted to work in the creative field when I was in middle school. I loved to do cartoon sketches and would draw little comic strips of my friends during class. Arts and Design were the few classes that I was interested and exceled in. I explored other curriculums like photography, but ultimately I leaned towards the creative field of design as I like to problem-solve and user interactions with spaces.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Currently residing in Los Angeles, I work in the Art Department of the film and television industry as a Production Designer and/or Art Director. Before pursuing an MFA in Production Design at the American Film Institute in 2018, I designed commercial spaces in Singapore, including retail, F&B, and lifestyle brands. I have designed and art-directed various music videos, commercials, narrative shorts, and features that have screened at MoMA and film festivals, including the Tribeca Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, and the CAA Moebius Showcase. I joined the Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) in 2024 and have worked in the Art Department on shows such as For All Mankind Season 3, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley, and an upcoming Amazon MGM action film.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of the job is working together with everyone to bring a creative vision to life, using words from the script to craft the visual environment and breathe life into them to tell a story. I particularly enjoy collaborating with department heads (such as the director, cinematographer, and costume designers) and the art department itself, exchanging ideas and solving problems together. Every project presents a unique set of challenges that push us to think outside the box and find creative solutions. Ultimately, I cherish being involved in the creative process during pre-production, as that is where some of the fondest memories are made.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

When I transitioned from interior design to the art department in Film & TV, I had to unlearn the notion of designing permanent spaces. As I was designing short films at AFI, we used a variety of creative tricks and techniques to make spaces appear realistic or practical on camera, even if they are not in reality. This approach helps us achieve the desired effect while staying within budget. We are designing for the camera and the large two-dimensional screen.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yongshimin.com
• Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10907646/

Image Credits
Photos taken by David Rho, Yiming Zhao, Esme Jackson