Sun Yip - G10
18:06, 2010, AnimationDirectorSun Sun YipProducerSun Sun YipCrewSound: Jean-Jacques Birge
CountryFranceEdition2010
< overview
Who is Sun Sun Yip?
Visual artist, born in China, moved to Hong Kong in 1973 with family. Works and lives in Paris since 1990.
Your film is about?
It’s about an inside world with its own rules and evolution independent from the outside world.
How did you start with film? And do you have an educational background in art or film?
For me, film (in my case : animation) is a further step for my work with still images. I have a diploma in graphic design from Hong Kong and I also studied and worked in a Parisian Printmaking workshop between 1992 and 1998. About 10 years ago, I started to be interested in computer graphics. Through a self-taught process I have experimented with a lot of different tools and expressions in the digital field.
Could you explain how you work, what themes or concepts you use and what is important to you?
I base my work on the idea of "individual", "isolation" and "observation". Probably because of my growing-up background in Hong Kong, where private or individual space is something so rare. I believe one can understand him/her-self better when being far away from the crowd. It is why in the composition of my works, most of the time a single object is placed in an isolated space. That "isolation" is important for me.
How long do you usually work on one project?
Between 6 and 24 months.
Do you carefully plan the production process or do you work more intuitive?
Yes, I try to plan the process but art is not only good production planning, it’s also accident.
How does the title relate to the work, and how do you find a fitting title?
A title is a snapshot of a work. In this case : G10 uses the first letter of the french word "graine", which means "seed" in english.
How do you finance your projects (by yourself, sponsors or subsidy)?
By my dearest wife and myself.
How important is sound in film, and if you use sounds, do you create your own or use existing?
When I want to use sounds in my work, I consider it as important as visual elements. Usually I produce the sound by myself or with other artists/musicians. For G10 the musician Jean-Jacques Birgé created the soundtrack. He composed this piece of sound with 3 instruments: a Hou-K’in, a violin and a self made electric double bass invented by the musician Bernard Vitet. The result fits perfectly with the images and brings out more feeling of depth in time and space.
How would you describe contemporary videoart?
A big open space.
Did the web changed your view on art, or your career?
I think the web is a new way to display and share things but so far it hasn’t had much effect on my career.
Where would you place your work; cinema or art. And what is the difference between those according to you?
Cinema is art too when it is good. In relation to my films I prefer the word art but it’s only a personal preference. Cinema is one of many ways to tell things like painting, sculpture, installation... Some films have mainly a commercial purpose but for example independent and experimental cinema is focused on creation and not based on economic strategies. On the other hand, nowadays in the art field, many artists work only for commercial aims. So I think it’s better to get the work done than to spend time arguing about words.
How important is the reaction to your film by the audience?
Not that important.
What is your next project about?
It goes in the same direction and I’ll try to make a better work.
< overview
CountryFranceEdition2010
< overview
Interview
Visual artist, born in China, moved to Hong Kong in 1973 with family. Works and lives in Paris since 1990.
Your film is about?
It’s about an inside world with its own rules and evolution independent from the outside world.
How did you start with film? And do you have an educational background in art or film?
For me, film (in my case : animation) is a further step for my work with still images. I have a diploma in graphic design from Hong Kong and I also studied and worked in a Parisian Printmaking workshop between 1992 and 1998. About 10 years ago, I started to be interested in computer graphics. Through a self-taught process I have experimented with a lot of different tools and expressions in the digital field.
Could you explain how you work, what themes or concepts you use and what is important to you?
I base my work on the idea of "individual", "isolation" and "observation". Probably because of my growing-up background in Hong Kong, where private or individual space is something so rare. I believe one can understand him/her-self better when being far away from the crowd. It is why in the composition of my works, most of the time a single object is placed in an isolated space. That "isolation" is important for me.
How long do you usually work on one project?
Between 6 and 24 months.
Do you carefully plan the production process or do you work more intuitive?
Yes, I try to plan the process but art is not only good production planning, it’s also accident.
How does the title relate to the work, and how do you find a fitting title?
A title is a snapshot of a work. In this case : G10 uses the first letter of the french word "graine", which means "seed" in english.
How do you finance your projects (by yourself, sponsors or subsidy)?
By my dearest wife and myself.
How important is sound in film, and if you use sounds, do you create your own or use existing?
When I want to use sounds in my work, I consider it as important as visual elements. Usually I produce the sound by myself or with other artists/musicians. For G10 the musician Jean-Jacques Birgé created the soundtrack. He composed this piece of sound with 3 instruments: a Hou-K’in, a violin and a self made electric double bass invented by the musician Bernard Vitet. The result fits perfectly with the images and brings out more feeling of depth in time and space.
How would you describe contemporary videoart?
A big open space.
Did the web changed your view on art, or your career?
I think the web is a new way to display and share things but so far it hasn’t had much effect on my career.
Where would you place your work; cinema or art. And what is the difference between those according to you?
Cinema is art too when it is good. In relation to my films I prefer the word art but it’s only a personal preference. Cinema is one of many ways to tell things like painting, sculpture, installation... Some films have mainly a commercial purpose but for example independent and experimental cinema is focused on creation and not based on economic strategies. On the other hand, nowadays in the art field, many artists work only for commercial aims. So I think it’s better to get the work done than to spend time arguing about words.
How important is the reaction to your film by the audience?
Not that important.
What is your next project about?
It goes in the same direction and I’ll try to make a better work.
< overview
