Award-winning Production Designer Mojo Wen Helps Tell Stories through Many Visual Elements
“When I went to an ADG screening for the 2024 Production Design Oscar-winning movie Poor Things, I could ‘read’ the designer’s information through things like the design of the space, the choices of materials, and the hidden meaning behind the items in the shots. They all helped tell the story. Indeed, I believe production design’s goal is to tell the story through the visual elements, including space, shape, composition, ratios, colors, textures, etc.” — Mojo Wen
Production Designer (PD) Mojo Wen has worked on films that have been selected for over 50 film festivals, including Oscar Qualified Festivals, and her short film SKIN earned the Student Academy Awards 2023 Gold Metal, Alternative Category. And, she’s well aware that Oscar nominated Best Picture movies, like Poor Things, are often also nominated for Best Production Design, as PD plays a vital role in the storytelling of a project.
Mojo, who has a Master of Fine Art in Production Design from the American Film Institute Conservatory, says of the storytelling power of art design: “What makes Poor Things a big deal is that the information the production design delivered does help tell the story, which has rarely been mentioned in the dialogue. Information like those visual elements quietly stays throughout the film; the audience might not notice them immediately, but their subconscious will receive that information, affecting their feelings about the story. I was lucky enough to notice those when I first watched it, and I happen to design my films in this way, too.”
Indeed, Mojo has used these techniques on all of her many projects, especially so on SKIN, Hongfu Hotel (aka Chinatown), and BananaHead, and explains, “One of the keys, for me, is to understand the story and characters, and analyze the world in the story. Also learn from the real world and apply them to the world that we’re creating, that is, the world of the film. Communication and collaboration are also the key to maintaining consistency from the idea to the final result. Also, make sure to know what the director wants to express before you start, and also provide options, if needed.”
“Having witnessed Mojo Wen’s work ethic, diligence, and adaptability first hand, I expect to see her name on screen for years to come. She’s that good. I feel lucky to now have her on my roster for future projects, and I’m sure that if admitted to the program you will feel similarly.”—Director Christopher Greenslate
Highly educated Mojo, who studied Production Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Film from Full Sail University in Florida, has also worked as an art director/production designer on award-winning commercials which have earned Telly Awards.
She talks about what she brings to the table from short films to commercials, and about some of her main projects, which include: SKIN, which was selected for 46 film festivals, including several Oscar and BAFTA qualifying festivals; Hongfu Hotel, the first project Mojo got to use all the art skills she’d accumulated over 10 years, throughout the short film’s making, including pre-visualization, production, and also post production; and, BananaHead, which was selected for HollyShorts (Oscar Qualified) and at the Fargo Fantastic Film Festival.
— What is the role of modern production design?
— Production Design is creating the world for the story, both film and theatre. It is including the visual world from the concept to execution, sometimes including the post visual direction. Such as construction, set dressing, prop making, graphic design, visual effect reference etc. Human eyes automatically receive information of the background-environment-prop style, and even if they don’t look directly into the scene, they can feel it.
— Where does the production designer sit in the technical crew set-up?
— In the technical union system, the PD is the head of the art department and is in control of the “looks” for everything you see in the shot. They’re the key to connecting another department to the inner art department. Below the PD is the art director. They communicate all the sub-departments: Construction, Set Decoration, Prop, and Graphics. However, in small-budget film/vertical projects, PD usually is a combination of PD and Art Director, and they need to be very hands-on.
— What did you contribute as a PD to the award-winning Skin?
— I designed and made the whole set — for example, the cave scene was built by hand. I designed the workflow and the use of multiple creative materials to best fit this work within the tight budget and timeframe. The timely story is about a visualized transaction of a young woman’s inner world transformed from a woman to a man. The room represents her inner world, and the cave is her icy and sealed self-conscious. Her deep self, wakes up and helps her peel off her woman skin, showing that her true self is a man.
— What were you responsible for on BananaHead?
— I used 3d modeling for pre-visualization, created the set design concept, and then coordinated construction and building of the set. I figured out the execution plan for all of the special requested shots, such as building a coffin that could be shot from inside, mirrors that were oversized, and scenes that are not specially described in the script. I also worked on the schedule, budget, cost report, crew management etc.
— What are some “Do’s” you’ve learned along the way?
— Learn whatever you’re interested in other than art, such as cooking, planting, swimming etc. Those will bring more inspiration when you add an art level to it. I keep a sketchbook around, and draw whenever I have the chance. Those can be my resource of future studies. I also suggest separating your digital and analog working area, and try to work at the most comfortable places. It sometimes can be at a park, spa, or beach. Keep communications short and clear. Constantly network with talented people, so you can build a strong team for the big picture in the future.
— What are you goals in the industry?
— I love the creative process. I want to work on fantasy films that allow me to create a world that doesn’t usually exist, like for Avatar. I’d love to work on a film that expresses the metaphor of the human inner world, a film that people with different life experiences will understand differently.
Hongfu Hotel was also selected for the Tribeca Film Festival (Oscar Qualified), Indy Shorts International Film Festival (Oscar Qualified), the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, The Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival, and it was also a Vimeo Staff Pick. Additionally, BananaHead also earned “Honorable Mention” at H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, “Best Suspense” at Nashville Horror Festival, “Midnight Madness Nominee” at Motor City Nightmares, and also “Best Thriller” at Peephole Film Festival.
And, check out Mojo Wen on IMDb, and on Instagram.
