Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Misaki.
Hi Ken, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey to land on production design was not too long, yet a lot of different experiences. It all started off with joining the musical in my high school in the year 2017. I was an actor at the beginning and enjoyed being on stage, performing in front of my friends and family. However, senior year, I was chosen to be one of the backstage head crew for the fall play. I did like to lead people and I enjoyed doing arts and crafts, so I was in charge of the props team and the run crew. I really enjoyed that experience and felt like something I wanted to pursue at college. Therefore, I decided to go to an art college! Freshman to Sophomore year, I shifted my interests toward photography and films due to my best friend being a talented and inspirational photographer/videographer. However, because of COVID, I had to go back to Japan and take classes online for a year.
In March of 2021, I decided to go back to college in the States and continue my education towards film. I have enjoyed watching films since I was young due to my mother being a big tv show fan and my father being an action movie fan. I was in a couple of student films throughout the first few quarters as an AD, Script Supervisor, Producer and also directed one film. However, I never felt the passion and excitement that I felt back in high school with stage managing… until I worked on a film with a production designer. It was the summer of 2021, I was on another film as a bts photographer. In that film, there was a “Production Designer” who was basically in charge of props and set dressing. I got to talk to her a lot about Production Design and discovered the beauty of it. The moment I heard all the fun experiences she had being a Production Designer, that was the day I decided to switch and pursue the profession. Since then, I’ve got to work on more student films and Senior Capstones as a Production Designer or as a part of the Art department. Not only was I highly skilled at it, but I enjoyed it so much. “The best moment of being a Production Designer is when the director’s vision comes to life.” Rumors had spread, my name and talent was spread to a lot of different students in the film major, leading to a lot of different opportunities reaching out to me. I’ve got to work on more than 30 films, six music videos, and three commercials. More than a third of them take the role of Production Design, leading the art department.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly, becoming a Production Designer wasn’t difficult. The more sets I’m on, the more I learn and grow. I say the challenges I face on set and production are the tough part. The beauty of being a Production Designer is to be able to solve a lot of problems throughout pre-production and production. Every set I was on had a challenge and problem to solve. Figuring out in that moment with the materials I have is the most challenging yet exciting part. One of the biggest challenges I had on a project was when the art department had half a day to take down a whole set (Sixteen 10ft walls), burn the set with torches to make it look like the set caught on fire, and put them back up. It was the most exhausting project I was on but definitely worth it after looking at the final product. That’s why I always walk around with a tool case full of materials.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have experience in a lot of different roles throughout the art department, but recently I have been working on films as Set Construction and very much enjoying it as much as being a Production Designer. I really enjoy hands-on work, building and crafting set flats, set pieces, and props. I’ve built food stands, a bathtub, a bedroom, a trap door, and a spaceship cockpit. I would say the spaceship cockpit set was one of my proudest set pieces I have built. I spent countless days sorting materials, designing, and communicating with my director, and four weekends to build the cockpit. I had a wonderful talented crew that helped me build the set pieces and I am forever grateful for them.
What were you like growing up?
I was born in Japan but moved to Michigan when I was four months old. Lived in the States for three years and came back to Japan. My parents spoke Japanese and my daycare was English; therefore, I was bilingual since one year old. After moving back to Japan, I attended an international school for fourteen years and continued being around multicultural environments. I enjoyed being around people and working with groups instead of being individual. Probably that is why I love to work on films. Each and every individual’s talent, effort and work is put into one project. One of the things I am good at is leading people, especially the art department. Giving set decoration plans, figuring out props and set dress, and communicating both the director and my vision to the art department is the best part of being a lead in Production Design.
Contact Info:
- Website: kenmisaki.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ken_msaki/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-misaki-102730221/
Image Credits
Kyla Rys, Colleen Ryan, Kody Morris, Louis Dill, Emme Jasnowski
