The Ningyo—LA Screening and gallery opening
Join Gnomon on Saturday, May 13th at 7:30 pm for a unique opportunity to view a special screening of The Ningyo at the Gnomon Stage. Watch the character-driven 1909 period short film and hear direct from Miguel Ortega (Director) and Tran Ma (Producer) about the making of their fantastical vision.
Following the Screening and Q&A, The Art of The Ningyo will open at the Gnomon Gallery. Delve deep behind the scenes of the short film and explore the creature concepts, environment designs, 3D sculpts, costumes, and more that contributed to the VFX masterpiece. The gallery show opens at 8:30 PM offering an opportunity to meet the artists, network with peers, and enjoy complimentary refreshments. Signed posters will be available on a first-come-first-served basis, and a campus tour will be available at 9:00 pm. The Gallery Show will remain open to the public during business hours until June 21st.
RSVP to attend for free; seating is on a first-come-first-served basis, so be sure to arrive in good time to secure your place in line. The event will not be Livestreamed.
About The Ningyo
The Ningyo is a 1909 period film pilot about cryptozoology. The story centers around the search for mythological or unproven creatures; it’s a Faustian tale about losing yourself in the process of achieving your goals.
Schedule
7:30 pm – 8:00 pm: The Ningyo – LA Screening
8:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Q&A with Miguel Ortega (Director) and Tran Ma (Producer)
8:30 pm – 11:00 pm: The Art of The Ningyo Gallery Opening (at Gnomon Gallery)
Looking to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Production? Gnomon is excited to announce the approval and launch of its first accredited baccalaureate degree program. Learn more about the full-time, four-year program.
Guest Speakers
Miguel Ortega—Director & Creature VFX Artist
Miguel is a character artist, creature designer, director, and cinematographer with over 15 years of experience working in some of the industry’s top studios. Miguel specializes in concept design, organic modeling, and texture painting, and has brought to life characters and creatures in many Hollywood blockbusters, including Jack the Giant Slayer, Avatar, Thor, Harry Potter, A Night at the Museum, Superman Returns, and Fantastic Four: the Rise of the Silver Surfer. Signed by Spy Films in 2012, Miguel is a thorough, hands-on practitioner of filmmaking who thrives by immersing himself in the creation of storyboards, concept designs, miniature sets, practical effects, and cinematography.
Tran Ma—Producer & Character/Environment Artist
For the past decade, Tran has worked as a designer, character artist, and environment artist on acclaimed films such as Transformers: Dark of The Moon, Alice in Wonderland, and Krampus. She has developed extensive skills in organic sculpting, hard surface modeling, texturing, look development, matte painting, and lighting. Tran and Miguel have been described by Scott Begs, film writer for Vanity Fair, as being at the forefront of independent CGI with their “wondrous short film spectacle” The Green Ruby Pumpkin, and the soon-to-be-released Faustian tale of exploration, mythical creature hunting, and moral conundrums, The Ningyo.
