BA (Hons) Production Arts for Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Ruimeng Gu
BA Production Arts for Screen graduate Ruimeng Gu shares her atmospheric concept designs
- Written byTyrone Huggins
- Published date 27 July 2022
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BA (Hons) Production Arts for Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Ruimeng Gu
Aspiring game designer and recent graduate of BA Production Arts for Screen, Ruimeng Gu tells us about her 2022 Graduate Showcase submission, entitled Sci-Fi Odyssey: Island of Siren.
The submission is inspired by the Antikythera Mechanism, the ancient device used to calculate astronomical phenomena, as well as the similarly circular Ancient Greek architectural feature, the tholos. The influences combine to create a design that might be seen in science fiction.
Tell us about your graduate showcase project?
My project is a concept design to be used in the production of an interactive film or video game. It includes spatial designs of both the interior and exterior of the Island of Sirens, character designs and untextured digital models of divers and monsters, a storyboard and an animatic.
BA (Hons) Production Arts for Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Ruimeng Gu
BA (Hons) Production Arts for Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Ruimeng Gu
What was the inspiration behind your project?
The idea comes from the story of Siren’s Island in the Greek epic Odyssey. In my story adaptation, a group of divers dive into the deep sea searching for a mysterious ruin - the Island of Sirens.
I got the overall concept of the story from the Antikythera Mechanism. This was ancient Greek mechanical device dated 100BC, that was found in a sunken trading ship near the island of Antikythera in the Mediterranean Sea. The mechanism was used to calculate and display information about astronomical phenomena.
The structure and function of this ancient mechanism inspired me to combine the form of the Ancient Greek tholos with science-fiction inspired structures in my set design. I decided to set the island in the deep sea, as the mechanism was discovered in the sea.
BA (Hons) Production Arts for Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Ruimeng Gu
BA (Hons) Production Arts for Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Ruimeng Gu
Please share your research process, development and what materials you used.
For the structure, interior and textures used, I referenced the concept design found in the film Prometheus, and H.R. Giger’s art style. Through my research, I found a lot of commonalities between the mysterious atmosphere in space and the deep-sea.
Most design elements in this project came from deep sea creatures. For example, the design of the spider-like sci-fi monster called Scylla combines structures found in sea spiders and hermit crabs.
BA (Hons) Production Arts for Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Ruimeng Gu
BA (Hons) Production Arts for Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Ruimeng Gu
What’s next for you?
I’m really focused on developing my skills and trying to find a job within the game industry.
- See more of Ruimeng’s work on her website
- See more work by BA Production Arts for Screen graduates on the UAL Graduate Showcase
- Find out more about BA Production Arts for Screen