Today we’d like to introduce you to Stan Yang Tsao
Hi Stan Yang, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Since I was a kid, I have been interested in all kinds of objects, including making things with my hands. Later, I became obsessed with urban exploration photography, which exposed me to various regions, cultures, and scenes from different periods. This also fostered a deep passion for recreating and restoring certain scenes. During my high school years, I began working as a production designer and prop master for some short film projects, which is why it has become my current profession.
Later, I moved from China to Los Angeles and enrolled in film school, which gave me a deeper understanding of how the Hollywood system operates. After seeing the filmmakers here pursue cultural diversity, I knew it was time to start my own business here. So, in my junior year, I created my studio and began taking on more and more projects around me, creating props and serving as a production designer.
As I continued to discover and take on more projects beyond student films, creativity became increasingly important. Film art/prop is not limited to buying or renting items, so I began learning modeling and industrial techniques to using 3D printing technology and industrial stereolithography. This allows more ideas to be easily transformed into physical objects. During this time, I also encountered the demand for special effects props, which heavily rely on material science. As a result, I spent a significant amount of time researching various special materials to ensure that the props could achieve the best effect while maintaining safety, such as breakable glass and bricks.
To this day, my team and I are capable of producing a wide variety of things to meet different creative needs. However, I still need to keep learning continuously to adapt to new demands and changes.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I believe that not many things go smoothly, especially with projects like mine, where I try to start everything on my own. I’ve encountered many difficulties.
In the beginning, my projects were mostly small productions or student films with low budgets and relatively simple requirements, making it easy to complete tasks. However, it was difficult for me to access new technologies, and because the income was limited, I didn’t have enough funds to use special equipment or try new materials.
As my financial situation improved and my client base grew, more technical problems arose. For example, I often failed when using resin to create props with complex structures, so I had to constantly adjust the resin mixing ratios. There were also times when I couldn’t buy tools that met my needs, so I had to create them myself. Allergies and illnesses due to chemical exposure were also common experiences.
But I have never given up on any aspect of this business, and in the end, all problems were resolved, even if it was difficult. In fact, I still face challenges today, such as the rise of vertical short dramas, which significantly lower the standards of art production. Most productions can meet visual requirements with props that are readily available for purchase or rental. This has led to a loss of high-end market orders for the studio, so I need to find ways to adapt to this reality.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I produce props and special effects props for film production, also design and construct various film sets.I am an art director, production designer, prop master.
My studio is different from the traditional ones. We like to use new technologies and creative approaches to make props, while also focusing on environmental protection. We extensively use non-traditional, eco-friendly, and renewable materials in our production.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
It must have been when I was around ten years old, making all kinds of toys and even building a raft with my friends, which was a key moment for developing my hands-on skills. At that time, I loved creating things with my friends, such as air cannons and building dams. We even made a raft using discarded wooden pallets and foam blocks, then paddled around the neighborhood river while fishing from the raft. That was a time without pressure, filled only with fun, everything was simple.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stc_production_studio_service/profilecard/?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Image Credits
Stan Yang Tsao
