As the latest films and TV series cover a slightly-dramaticized lifestyle of a lawyer (cough, Suits, cough), they also zoom into those at the other end of the law. The real question, however, is: how true is the portrayal of the law?
Ging Chen Sow – a renowned production designer and art director – is here to answer them for us. While in Hollywood building sets and making films come alive, he is a Penangite, who studied film production at the University of Southern California. One of his works in progress as a production designer is “In Summer”, which is a short film about a daughter wanting to overrule her father’s false conviction of a crime he did not commit.
The Lens of a Production Designer: A Conversation With Ging Chen Sow
Through an interview with Ging, he gave us the full in-and-out experience of designing a film, especially one that explores an issue both unjust and heartbreaking. To visualise the emotional and legal challenges of being falsely accused of a crime, he worked particularly on an ‘interrogation room’ scene, where he crafted it to feel sterile, cold, and dark to depict the sense of helplessness towards the uphill battle. One of the places he took inspiration from during his work was Alcatraz Island: a maximum security prison that is now closed.
As a production designer, Ging carries the responsibility of portraying the world accurately while balancing it with the storytelling element of a film. Although he has to take some creative liberties to create drama and urgency, he also attempts to recreate the world faithfully in film. Due to the condensation of complex processes, Ging often uses contrast to showcase the emotional aspect of the problem, appealing audiences to a relatable struggle. For example, with “In Summer”, he uses his resources to create a situation where you can feel the difference between being oppressed in a system and freed outside of it.
Ging has no doubt of the media’s role in shaping public opinion, especially in raising the consciousness of the population about the legal system. “What we need to realise is that the power of the media is strong,” Ging said. A negative portrayal of the law will largely influence the public view of the legal system.
Film itself is storytelling, which humanises things that feel static. Ging follows the philosophy of a quote by Pawo Choyning Dorji (whose work was nominated for an academy award): “Please untie a knot for me.” Filmmaking, to Ging, is not just crucial to spread awareness and understanding of the legalities, but to help people solve underlying issues, to create outlooks to think and discuss with others around you. As viewers walk away from the film, Ging hopes that they will rethink and reconsider the existing legal system that has been abused and hijacked by people. He believes that people need to sit down, rethink why certain rules exist, and fully realise that some legislation is outdated to create a more robust system to help those who need it.
Lastly, some advice from our seasoned filmmaker, in his very own words: research and just do it, put yourself out there, network and build your circle. Ging is now working with Emmy-winning art director, Edward Rubin, and will continue to make a difference in the arts.
“In Summer” will be coming to you at local festivals this year, so stay tuned for the emotional and legal turmoil.
To learn more about Ging’s works, you can find him at: @gings_fs on Instagram and on https://www.gingchensow.com.