Interview with Jongho Kim

Hello, my name is Jongho Kim, and I am a graduate of the Motion Graphics Program at SF Film School.

After choosing Multimedia as my major, I decided that I wanted to learn and work in the field of video production. This led me to become very interested in motion graphics, which are often used in commercials and as intro or outro sequences in films. Around that time, I learned about Heebok Lee, a Korean artist who had participated in Hollywood film productions. After looking through his work, I became even more interested in the field.

I spent more than a year researching and visiting different academies, and eventually found SF Film School because I felt that the students' portfolios were the most impressive. When I first came to the school, I didn't even know that a program called Maya existed, and I had no knowledge of compositing, lighting, or other aspects of 3D production. Everything was completely new to me. However, I found modeling in Maya itself very enjoyable.

At the same time, balancing part-time work with attending the academy was challenging. I didn't have much time to review what I had learned, and I was often physically exhausted, which made it difficult to keep up with the classes.

After completing the regular course, I joined the portfolio class, but at first, I had no idea what to start with or how I should approach the project. I asked a fellow student and an older classmate for help many times, and with guidance from my instructor, I began by creating a storyboard and then moved on to modeling.

The entire production process was difficult because I felt like I was learning something new at every stage. Nevertheless, I worked hard and was able to enjoy the process, especially because I had the support of my classmates. Working together with a friend and an older classmate gave me a lot of motivation and helped me overcome many difficulties.

During production, I made some changes to the original storyboard, which eventually led to filming live-action footage and completing the compositing process. Through this experience, I realized how important it is to understand the entire production process before starting a project. If you have a clear idea from the storyboard stage about what work needs to be done and what techniques will be required, and plan accordingly, it can be much easier to estimate the production period and manage the project efficiently.

From modeling to compositing, I feel that I learned 3D video production all over again after joining the portfolio class. I believe it is important not to simply finish with what you hear and take notes during class, but to review the material thoroughly and understand how the entire production process works.

I also think that it is helpful to consider where the skills you are currently learning fit into the production process and how they could be applied to your own project. Having this kind of understanding can help improve the quality of your portfolio while also reducing the amount of time needed for production.

I would like to sincerely thank Instructor Sujin Lim, who taught me Maya from the very beginning and always made the classes approachable and enjoyable. I would also like to thank Instructor Sungjun Kim for teaching me After Effects and Nuke compositing.

I am especially grateful to Instructor Sangjae Choi, who guided me throughout the portfolio process. After completing the regular course and entering the portfolio class, I found almost every part of the production process unfamiliar and difficult. He patiently taught me each step without ever making me feel pressured and guided me all the way until I completed my portfolio.

I would also like to thank my friends and classmates who studied and worked on their portfolios alongside me and helped me throughout the process.

There is a phrase I remember seeing in the restroom at the school: “Once an SF Film School student, always an SF Film School student.”

I believe that, someday and somewhere, we will all meet again.

I hope everyone continues to work hard until they achieve their dreams and find the place where they truly want to be. I wish you all the very best and hope you achieve great results.