Presenting the kick ass class of Young Guns 22
It’s a kick-ass class. Young Guns 22 is topping the charts in creativity. But are you even surprised? Of course, not. If you’re new here, let me catch you up. Young Guns is a community of incredibly talented individuals – think amazing cinematographers, animators, illustrators, photographers, designers, and directors – and a new class of winners is chosen by an expert jury every year. This year we have 33 winners and among them, we have some very new, very exciting titles to unveil – an Architectural Designer, Composer, Stage & Show Designer, and Colorist.
We interviewed the winners so we could share their prowess with you. And if you’re a NYC local you can snag a ticket to the official YG22 Party at Sony Hall on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, where you will have the chance to meet and greet them.
Young Guns continue to dominate the creative industry, so we’re happily presenting you with the kick-ass class of Young Guns 22.
Helena Dong
Experiential Art Director & Creative Technologist, BUCK
Based:
New York, NY
Hometown:
Melbourne, Australia
What were your original impressions of the Young Guns competition, award, and community?
I first heard about Young Guns two years ago from my mentor at BUCK, Michelle Higa Fox (YG7). As someone who works across disciplines, I was thrilled to learn YG celebrates creative work without imposing boundaries on specialization. Evaluating a collection of work, rather than a one-off project, feels like a truer reflection of an individual. I thought it resonated strongly with the multidimensional nature of creative practices.
How did you end up in the creative field?
Growing up in a home that valued creativity, I learned early on that our creative tendencies are inseparable from life itself. I saw this firsthand through my mother, who undertook multiple careers — some creative, some not — yet always encouraged me to explore through organic acts of drawing, crafting, and arranging. She taught me that creativity touches all aspects of life, with every facet lending itself onto another.
At university, I pursued fashion design and developed an affinity for garments that shapeshift. After graduation, I moved to New York to work in fashion, but soon realized the industry pipeline leaves little room to explore clothing in an experiential capacity. The pandemic changed that when brands began seeking new ways to engage with consumers online. It was around the same time, following weeks of introspection, that I decided to shift my focus to immersive technology, starting with Augmented Reality as the basis for rapid prototyping and dissemination of pocket-sized experiences. Overtime, this evolved into the work I do today, which is always slightly amorphous yet inherently experiential.
Congrats on the YG win! Why did you decide to enter this year?
Thank you! This isn’t my first time entering, and I was initially hesitant to enter again because the work in my portfolio I can publicize is largely the same as last year’s, aside from one new project. But I rewrote many of the project descriptions with fresh eyes. I’m still learning to become better at framing my work, especially in discussing the ‘why,’ not just the ‘what.’
You only get to submit six projects that embody you and your talent. So, how did you decide which pieces were good enough to make the cut?
I wanted to show my AR work in a range of contexts beyond the familiar facial overlays, to exemplify the various cultural surfaces this technology has the potential to amplify, such as retail and event spaces. People are generally accustomed to AR as ‘face filters,’ but there are myriad ways to engage with the world through this medium.
What was your reaction when you discovered that you won?
The news came through about five minutes before a client presentation! My mind was racing, but I had to keep it together for the next hour. Afterwards, I reread the email multiple times just to be sure. It felt surreal to have work that often falls outside traditional categories acknowledged by the Young Guns award. It’s a tremendous honor that coincides with the closing of a chapter, as the software that instigated my journey in AR (Meta Spark) is being sunsetted in January 2025, and most of the work in my entry was built with it. Knowing that my work will inevitably evolve, I’m very grateful to have received this formal recognition.
How does your current home inspire your creativity as an artist?
Energetically, New York feels like it’s graced by a never-ending current. This current moves at different velocities at times, and many of us step into it without knowing where it’ll take us, but isn’t that amazing? It’s this sensation of being carried by the current and simultaneously using it as fuel, all in perpetual motion.
Now that you’re a part of the Young Guns community, are there any past winners you look up to and admire?
Absolutely. Since joining BUCK, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside remarkable people from the Young Guns community. Michelle Higa Fox (YG7), Phil Sierzega (YG11), Jenn Whitney (YG15), and Joyce N Ho (YG17). Their creative sensibilities (and how they nerd out about their craft) have set such an admirable standard. I feel incredibly fortunate to be in their orbit.
Will we see you at the YG22 party in NYC in November?
Yes!
Come party with us and celebrate the class of Young Guns 22 on Wednesday, November 13, 6:30 PM, at Sony Hall in NYC!
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