Spotlight
A Man of Faith for Set Design
Eric Chan
16 December 2013
Co-founder and Project Director of Artech Design and Productions Co Ltd. known for designing and producing sets and mechanical props for theme parks, shopping malls, museums and events in Hong Kong and on the Mainland.
Eric Chan is a man of faith, in himself and the performing arts that he loves. This faith is put to the test at the beginning of his career, at times when work seems to be running out. Instead of staying idle, Eric takes time to acquire skills that are going to take him to the next stage of his career – the basics of mechanical engineering, management skills, IT and 3D computer graphic design; through attending classes of the service providers and reading up books. These came in handy when he diversified from making sets and props for events, shopping malls, and theatre productions to producing interactive, mechanical designs for theme parks and museums – a tribute to the pleasure of the five senses that comes with performing arts. “It has all to do with how the set elicits the sense of anticipation, excitement and enjoyment from the audience – sensations associated with going to the theatre,” said Chan, who believes that theatrics are fundamental to the art of set design. No wonder Chan’s favourite shows are those in Las Vegas with their grand theatrical effects.
Chan is destined to be a set designer. When he was a secondary school student, Chan had taken to what was the beginning of an interest in set design by constructing the backdrop of the school play, without coaching or much supervision. On graduation, he took up a short course in graphic design, winning a calligraphic design competition in Japan, quite a feat considering he has to compete with professional designers in Japan. Then he was admitted to the Academy’s four-year programme, where the small classes and generous resources meant that he and his friends has the place to themselves all day long – including sleeping over on campus sometimes, and where they had a lot of freedom trying out ideas in producing scenic backdrop, props and costumes – on top of attending classes in dance, drama and music for a total experience in performing arts. The inquisitive young man was so eager to learn that one summer, he and some friends worked for free on a movie set, in return for learning how to make movie props with silicon. One of his memorable experiences is to make the bust of former Director Basil Dean as a surprise gift on his retirement – using fibre-glass materials with the finishing that looked like brass.
Chan’s break came when he was commissioned by Disneyland in Hong Kong for a makeover of some floats, followed by the making animated dolls of Small World, then build Halloween floats. Now the commissioning from Disneyland is regular and Chan’s company is also working for their yet-to-open park in Shanghai. His company now has a staff of 35 people in Hong Kong and 35 people in China with another plant in Panyu District in Guangdong Province in the south of the Mainland.
Chan’s day starts early – from 730am and he finishes around 8 pm, though he claims he is slowing down, admitting at the same time that the sense of achievement at having completed a project is what keeps him going.
Nowadays, Chan is faced with his greatest challenge yet – people management; as his company grows, he has to work out a system that helps his company and his colleagues grow.
In his spare time, Chan likes to read books on management, philosophy, design and architecture.
16 December 2013
Co-founder and Project Director of Artech Design and Productions Co Ltd. known for designing and producing sets and mechanical props for theme parks, shopping malls, museums and events in Hong Kong and on the Mainland.
Eric Chan is a man of faith, in himself and the performing arts that he loves. This faith is put to the test at the beginning of his career, at times when work seems to be running out. Instead of staying idle, Eric takes time to acquire skills that are going to take him to the next stage of his career – the basics of mechanical engineering, management skills, IT and 3D computer graphic design; through attending classes of the service providers and reading up books. These came in handy when he diversified from making sets and props for events, shopping malls, and theatre productions to producing interactive, mechanical designs for theme parks and museums – a tribute to the pleasure of the five senses that comes with performing arts. “It has all to do with how the set elicits the sense of anticipation, excitement and enjoyment from the audience – sensations associated with going to the theatre,” said Chan, who believes that theatrics are fundamental to the art of set design. No wonder Chan’s favourite shows are those in Las Vegas with their grand theatrical effects.
Chan is destined to be a set designer. When he was a secondary school student, Chan had taken to what was the beginning of an interest in set design by constructing the backdrop of the school play, without coaching or much supervision. On graduation, he took up a short course in graphic design, winning a calligraphic design competition in Japan, quite a feat considering he has to compete with professional designers in Japan. Then he was admitted to the Academy’s four-year programme, where the small classes and generous resources meant that he and his friends has the place to themselves all day long – including sleeping over on campus sometimes, and where they had a lot of freedom trying out ideas in producing scenic backdrop, props and costumes – on top of attending classes in dance, drama and music for a total experience in performing arts. The inquisitive young man was so eager to learn that one summer, he and some friends worked for free on a movie set, in return for learning how to make movie props with silicon. One of his memorable experiences is to make the bust of former Director Basil Dean as a surprise gift on his retirement – using fibre-glass materials with the finishing that looked like brass.
Chan’s break came when he was commissioned by Disneyland in Hong Kong for a makeover of some floats, followed by the making animated dolls of Small World, then build Halloween floats. Now the commissioning from Disneyland is regular and Chan’s company is also working for their yet-to-open park in Shanghai. His company now has a staff of 35 people in Hong Kong and 35 people in China with another plant in Panyu District in Guangdong Province in the south of the Mainland.
Chan’s day starts early – from 730am and he finishes around 8 pm, though he claims he is slowing down, admitting at the same time that the sense of achievement at having completed a project is what keeps him going.
Nowadays, Chan is faced with his greatest challenge yet – people management; as his company grows, he has to work out a system that helps his company and his colleagues grow.
In his spare time, Chan likes to read books on management, philosophy, design and architecture.
