“I start every project no differently than if I were lighting a show. It’s important to receive the necessary documents like the resolution of the screens and their respective placement onstage prior to doing any work. There’s not a lot I can do if I don’t have this information, and it can take some time to nail down the final specs, as it usually is in budgeting while I’m trying to begin my work. Once I listen to the music, I usually already have a clear idea of what I want to do. Sometimes I may get direction from the artist or creative in production; which is very helpful. Regardless, I then create rough sketches and breakdown the music into a visual narrative. I may also create renderings as a visual aid for myself, the animators and for discussion purposes. I also look closely at the production design to develop looks that complement the set and the overall feel of the show. I then approach the design team and/or artist with my design intent. If all goes well, I then begin producing the content.”
—Michael Zinman, owner of Zinman Co., as interviewed by Vickie Claiborne for PLSN’s “Video Interview,” May 2011
