The Cinematic Architect: Building Worlds from Dreams and Discipline
Ms Jasper Tsang Ka-pik
Jasper has worked as an Art Director for many years, with a portfolio that includes works such as First of May (Figure 4) and One More Chance (Figure 5).
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Creative Media
- Film Art Director
In the realm of cinema, even the smallest prop or the most intricate set design can serve as the "finishing touch" that brings a story to life. Jasper, initially a student from a prestigious traditional school, chose to pursue her lifelong passion for art and film instead of following a conventional business path. She enrolled in the newly established School of Creative Media (SCM) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), embarking on a lifelong journey into film aesthetics. This year, her visionary work on the fantasy-drama Measure in Love earned her a nomination for Best Art Direction at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
Reflecting on her journey, Jasper acknowledges that she once aspired to earn a BBA degree to meet her family's expectations. However, her teenage love for Britpop, art, and cinema ultimately led her to forge a different path. During her matriculation years, she discovered SCM just as the CG-heavy blockbuster The Storm Riders was revolutionising the industry. Inspired by the fantastical styles of directors like Todd Haynes and Tim Burton, she took a leap of faith as one of the school’s pioneering students.
Her time at CityUHK was marked by what she describes as "intellectual shock." "In traditional schools, we were taught to seek standard answers. At CityUHK, professors rarely dismissed our ideas; instead, they encouraged us to take risks. For the first time, I realized that beauty is not singular, and art has no universal standard."
She recalls a pivotal lesson from Dr Linda Lai Chiu-han, who taught her that creativity is not about "borderless freedom," but about establishing a framework and then breaking through it. "Technology may become obsolete," Jasper notes, "but a way of thinking endures for a lifetime." Jasper’s career path has not been linear. After working in the journalism and advertising industries, an unexpected opportunity to handle art direction for a commercial reignited her passion. She eventually joined international film crews shooting in Hong Kong, starting from the ground up as a set assistant. This "hands-on" experience—sourcing materials and crafting props—enabled her to support the core creative team in constructing the "stages for dreams" that bridge the gap between a script and its realisation on screen.
After pursuing a Master’s degree in Germany, Jasper has worked on both international and local Hong Kong productions. She observes that while international sets are highly specialised, Hong Kong sets require a "one-man-band" efficiency. "It's tough," she admits, "but this multitasking mode has given me greater agency and deeper involvement in the overall visual presentation."
In land-scarce Hong Kong, finding the perfect location is a constant challenge. For her nominated work on Measure in Love, Jasper collaborated with Art Director Man Lim-chung. To create a fictional world where time accelerates, her team meticulously dismantled old watches to redesign custom faces, which were later enhanced by CG. "An Art Director is like a magician," she explains. "The audience witnesses a visual miracle, but behind it lies countless rehearsals and exhaustive preparation."
Addressing the rise of AI, Jasper views it as a valuable tool for expediting graphic drafts, but insists that the final decisions regarding physical set construction remain a human craft. As an executive committee member of the Hong Kong Film Arts Association, she is dedicated to promoting the integration of AI with traditional craftsmanship. Her advice to the next generation? "Don’t wait for opportunities. Use technology to create your own short films or animations, share them on social media, and showcase your talents to the world."
（Published at 30 April 2026）