Yip Kam-tim, one of the best-known production designers in the film industry, has won over international audiences with simple, elegant, Asian style. He was the first Chinese person to win an Art Director Oscar, for 2001's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". On today's "The List", Yip Kam-tim shares the stories behind his vision.
Yip Kam-tim said, "I think I was born to be drawing things."
"Photography for me is like a daily ritual."
"For the stage, they're more abstract."
"No matter how far you want to go for the style, you have to make the audience believe this is real."
As art director for Feng Xiaogang's "The Banquet", Yip designed both the set and the costumes, fulfilling a vision he has been crafting for years. "The Banquet" is a historical epic again, showing Yip's fondness for this genre.
Yip Kam-tim said, "I'd like to do some more things about traditional Chinese history. Because I like the traditional kind of classical aesthetics of Chinese. I try different styles, maybe sometimes I try the more avant-guard style, sometimes more traditional."
Dressing superstars like Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Xun in formless Tang Dynasty smocks, Yip had to balance the sharp, slight features of Zhang with the wide-eyed beauty of Zhou Xun.
Yip Kam-tim said, "Zhou Xun is a character that she loves the prince, but the prince loves Zhang Ziyi. I want to make her more pure, not so much detail. But I give a lot of details to Zhang Ziyi."
