Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jiamin Kino Wu. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jiamin Kino, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I don’t think I have completely overcome imposter syndrome yet, but it has improved over time. It’s important to understand that everyone starts from somewhere and no one expects you to know everything immediately. It takes time to get accustomed to a new environment and workflow. To help combat imposter syndrome, try to surround yourself with supportive individuals and practice self-compassion. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer to a friend.
Even after several years in the industry, I still sometimes feel as though I am not good enough or not working fast enough. However, I believe that a bit of imposter syndrome can help keep you humble and motivated to continue learning new skills. Rather than being a negative thing, I would prefer to have imposter syndrome than be an egomaniac.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
As a previs/postvis artist, I specialize in working on live-action films. I have played a role in the making of Fast & Furious 9, Avatar: The Way of Water, and the highly-anticipated Indiana Jones 5. My primary responsibility is to create character and camera animations through animation techniques, based on shot descriptions provided. This process is similar to storyboarding, but it’s executed in 3D software. My team and I collaborate closely with directors and visual effects supervisors to determine the camera movements and rough character animations, ensuring that the production can plan out the sequences efficiently before filming starts.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
In my opinion, the first step to improving as an artist is to continually train your eye to understand what appeals to you and why. Everyone has unique tastes, which is what makes their art style one-of-a-kind. To broaden my visual knowledge, I try to view a variety of genres. With more inspiration, I am able to determine what I want to create. The second aspect is self-teaching software skills as the film industry is constantly evolving and AI is increasingly being utilized in productions. I primarily use Maya and Unreal at work, but I am also learning Blender in my free time. Finally, having good people skills is important, not just being friendly, but also safeguarding yourself in the workplace. There may be coworkers with whom you have difficulty getting along, and I used to think it was my fault, but it’s often not. Don’t feel discouraged and keep moving forward, don’t let their comments get to you, and don’t be afraid to take necessary measures.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Last year, I watched Everything Everywhere All At Once and really enjoyed it. When I watched the behind-the-scenes footage, it was fascinating to see how directors and artists came up with innovative ways to make the visual effects come to life. The productions I typically work on are massive and involve hundreds or thousands of artists. I look forward to connecting with talented artists and teams, and to the opportunity to work on stylized films, which would give me the chance to explore different methods for achieving the desired visual effects.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinoooooowu/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/kinoooooowu/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiamin-wu-24a605113/
Image Credits:
the Tomorrow War poster: Amazon Avatar: the way of water poster: Disney Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny poster: Lucasfilm screenshot1: Proof Inc. screenshot2: Proof Inc.
