Studio Simulation Week 1: From Concept to Kick-off

Hello everyone! I’m excited to take you behind the lens for a weekly recap of my latest project. This quarter, we are stepping into a studio simulation mentored by industry heavyweights from Harbor Pictures, Electric Theater Collective, and Calling All Talent. The premise is simple but demanding: operate like a real-world VFX and production house. We pitch, we execute, and we deliver—all while navigating the rigorous feedback loops of "client" and artist reviews.

Meet the Team: Synergy from the Start

Our crew—Robyn, Bua, Danci, and Sheng—hit the ground running this week. We spent our first session diving into the "human" side of production: identifying our individual strengths, our creative passions, and the specific technical areas where we want to grow.

There’s a palpable sense of excitement in the room, especially since we’ll be shooting on the XR stage. This opportunity fueled a high-energy brainstorming session where we landed on our concept: GENTLE MONSTER x GEMINI. The perfect blend of Korean avant-garde streetwear aesthetic and revolutionary smart-glass tech. Gorgeous yet edgy frames which will feature integrated neural-link displays and adaptive photochromic lenses to bridge the gap between high-fashion rebellion and peak digital performance. What an ambitious way to showcase our team’s talent and sharpen the tools we’ll need for a real-deal studio career! So the work begins...

Defining the Vision

To keep our momentum, we jumped straight into the pre-production trenches:

• Mood & Theme: Through an intensive in-person brainstorm, we quickly locked in a visual direction rooted in reality (a core requirement of our mentors).

• The Roadmap: While the team gathered preliminary style guide photos and mood board references, I began drafting the project’s master roadmap to ensure we meet our weekly delivery milestones.

• The Vibe: The energy is infectious. There were gasps, exclamations, and smiles as ideas morphed and evolved. I'm prepared to be exhausted, but fueled by such a talented and dedicated team!

Tools of the Trade

Our digital ecosystem is already buzzing. We’ve established a streamlined workflow to handle the graceful chaos of pre-production:

• Communication & Docs: Slack and Google Docs for real-time coordination.

• Asset Management: Dropbox for our growing library of assets and the Unreal Engine file.

• Visual Planning: Figma has become our central hub for vision boards, storyboard, references, roadmap, and slide decks.

My Role: Coordinating the Creative Chaos

In week 1, I’ve stepped into the role of Production Coordinator with a some Creative Director duties. My focus is keeping the gears turning while ensuring team members stay on the same page, plan ahead, and meet deadlines, all while maintaining our aesthetic. A large part of my role here has been reaching out to book the XR stage, run test shoots, book talent and crew, and budget (things like assets, costumes, hair and MU). And lastly, I’ve been assisting with style frames and working closely with Bua to merge her hand-drawn storyboards with Gemini.

Hybrid Intelligence: Merging Human Craft with AI

One of the highlights of Week 1 was our collaborative workflow for the pitch deck. Robyn is using a number of tools like Midjourney and Gemini for the shot guide video. Danci is scouring the internet for real-life references to build out the mood boards for environment, color palette, camera angles, and talent; but using tools like Gemini to find niche references. Sheng is working to build the asset list based off Bua's story board. We are making a conscious effort to involve AI in every step of our research and conceptualization phase to see how it can enhance, not replace, our creative output.

Looking Ahead: The Pitch

We walked out of Class 2 with a clear understanding of our roles, communication expectations, and a solid schedule for our upcoming in-person work sessions. The mentors have set the bar high, and we are ready to clear it.

Next week, we face our first major milestone: The Pitch. We’ll be presenting our vision to the mentors and faculty, proving that our "high-tech" concept is production-ready.

Wish us luck!!