By: Sherry Lee
The short film Bloom, released in 2019, impressed the critics with its content-driven storyline and impressive scenes. Set in a future where drought and air pollution seem to show no signs of improvement and destruction is inevitable, a botanist finds herself in a quandary to vote in favor of the lesser evil. The film unfolds if she can make a difference or if the world will succumb to all the evildoings. The film received appreciation for its compelling visual language with the costumes making a notable impression for their realistic definition of the story. The film was honored with the Best Costume Design Award at the 2020 New York Cinematography Awards.
The unwavering determination of Selena Xin Jin the woman behind this approach only two weeks prior to the shoot day which posed a challenge. She undertook this formidable challenge in which she had to swiftly collaborate closely with the entire cast and crew quickly to comprehend the requirements of the scene and the overall visual aesthetic and design the costumes. Speaking of how she managed to pull it off so incredibly, Selena shared that the fundamental aspect of costume designs was achieved with the basics of colors. Viewers can effortlessly distinguish three worlds in the film as the colors blend in with the theme of projection.
For the first world, which can be seen decaying with receding energy and impoverished people, viewers can observe the use of a glum palette: colors that evoke shades of rotten and worn-out auras through grayish undertones, making every scene gloomy. To contrast the opposing worlds, Selena used white and black to showcase the mafia world and portray the future’s coldness and inhumanity. She selected vibrant, bright colors for the flashbacks of the world that the botanist aspires to restore. When the film came out, her skills were noticed by the film critics, who applauded her work to set a standard and promote how talent and skills outweigh everything else. The distinction proved to be a meaningful breakthrough in her career. As a quietly working behind-the-scenes costume designer, Selena’s work now had a name to refer to.
Selena is always seeking and excited for opportunities that challenge her professionally. Working on this Sci-Fi film gave her confidence and experience, specializing in costume design for unique genres. She believes that good design comes from life itself, her design for Bloom explained it well. This film was shot before COVID-19. The designer is firmly convinced that the creativity involved in the extensive process of giving life to costumes requires a lot of attention to detail and observations from everyday life in general. The design concept in the film emphasizes characters improvising to protect themselves, incorporating everyday objects that double as protective gear. The film’s scenes show the protagonist using ski goggles to protect herself from the polluted environment, an idea that was pitched by the designer to convey the increasingly evaded problem of the world today: depleting resources. A similar preventive approach was adopted in real-life situations during the pandemic, when people used swimming and ski goggles to protect themselves against the spread of disease amid skyrocketing face mask prices and market shortages.
‘I’ve been working for a long time. I never let a work opportunity pass by, in fact, I don’t mind knocking on all the doors to see where I can get in. With Bloom, all my hard work, dedication, and resilience came to fruition. I have to be honest here; the people behind the camera are seldom noticed, and I knew it when I chose this as a career for myself because I always wanted my work to speak for me and believed that when the time was right, I would have my due appreciation.’
Selena Xin Jin — Award Winning Costume Designer
Looking back at Bloom’s production days, Selena reminisced about the days on set. Shooting in the summer season with the sun right on top in a desert for two days, the designer recalled it as the most difficult phase of the project, but also the part that made the film close to what they’d been trying to achieve. The experience of pushing her limits regarding endurance and mental and physical strength allowed her to learn to adapt quickly. The support, positive attitude, and energy the entire cast and crew brought to the set were huge motivating factors for the designer.
The internationally renowned costume designer considers Bloom a project close to her heart but has been part of the industry long before and has already received many awards. Apart from feature films and short films, she has had the opportunity to work on commercials, music videos, and she has also served as a celebrity stylist among her notable projects are the latest feature film, Swallowtail & Dragonfly and Intruders, from 2019. Her short film, The Collector, was also recognized for her work.
Selena calls herself the citizen of hearts, as she frequently travels across the continents. With an exciting lineup of projects to come, she is set to bring more breakthroughs via experimenting to costume designing. Selena’s impressive journey is a testament to the fact that there are and will always be no shortcuts to success.
To read more about Selena Xin Jin’s professional career, please visit https://selenaxinjin.com.
To learn more about the short film Bloom, visit https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10573260 or https://selenaxinjin.com/costume-design/bloom.
Follow Selena on Instagram to stay updated about her upcoming projects and insights about her life.
IMDb at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9616112
Fame Media
Writer Sherry Lee,
Hollywood Legends Editor in Chief
Media Contact:
Name: Selena Xin Jin
Email: selenaxinjin@gmail.com
Website: https://selenaxinjin.com/
Address: Los Angeles, CA
Published by: Martin De Juan
