Do you remember the time you spent in the school canteen? It’s a place filled with sounds of laughter and conversation. Friends are busy catching up with each other and chatting about what they want to eat. The smell of freshly cooked food wafts through the air, creating an inviting and comforting atmosphere. It is such a place the Kentin Creative wants to create, where everyone can comfortably browse through their tastes and freely express their creativity.
Kentin Creative is a Web3 video production studio that encourages creative collaboration and exploration. A word Kentin is originally from the word canteen or cafeteria where people gather and pick what they want or like to eat. Inspired by its vibrant energy, Kentin Creative strives to create a friendly atmosphere where ideas can be shared, discussed, and brought to life.
As a major partner of UNOPND, Kentin is responsible for all the creative production of UNOPND and its partner projects. With a team of passionate and experienced professionals, Kentin Creative takes pride in delivering innovative and engaging video content for each project.
We sat down with the Kentin Creative team, Sanghoon Cha, Head Director and Jimin Jeung, Lead Producer. They shared stories about Kentin, its vision and ultimate goal, and what makes Kentin Creative so special.
How Kentin Creative Started
Q. Please introduce yourself.
Sanghoon: Hello, I’m Sanghoon Cha, Head Director of Kentin Creative. I’m in charge of leading the team and to oversee all aspects of the video production. I work closely with the team to ensure all projects are completed according to the highest standards.
Jimin: I’m Jimin, the Lead Producer at Kentin Creative. I manage every project in our team, to make sure all of our plans go smoothly from a to z. I’m really grateful and proud of each one of our professional teammates and they are all showing great performance already.
Q. What was your career path up until this point?
Sanghoon: I started my career as a CG artist, because I was fascinated by the technology. As I gained more experience and became more professional, I went on to create game trailers, cinematic videos, music videos, advertisements, and other game cinematics.
I’ve also directed award-winning short independent films such as Wonderful World (2016), Exit (2013), Looking at the Sky (2012).
Several of the projects I was involved in are available on Youtube and have received many views and likes.
Jimin: I’m a 9-year Lead Producer and I still have a long way to go. I worked in various fields such as post-production, web agencies and advertising agencies, mainly creating product advertisements and key visuals for unpack events, and I mostly worked with overseas clients such as Netflix and Huawei.
I also built a video production company with my friends and operated it for two years. We made a lot of money too. Haha. When I first started working in this field, I was a 3D artist, but I found that I enjoyed coming up with ideas, communicating with people, and doing the planning more, so I changed my career to become a producer.
Thanks to my work experience as 3D and 2D artist, I find it easier to communicate with other artists.
Q. How Kentin Creative Started?
Sanghoon: At first, we didn’t start as Kentin Creative. UNOPND had looked for a video production team, because many Web3 projects need videos and cinematics. So, I joined the company, but as I learned more about Web3 and blockchain technology, I wanted to create a solid team where great artists can freely express their creativity.
Also, in the traditional system, companies usually outsource video productions, creating uneven relationships between the video production team and the clients. So, UNOPND and my team shared the need to create an in-house video production — Kentin Creative.
Jimin: In this case, we can share the upsides of the projects we work on and so gain more ownership over our work. It’s not just making a few videos and delivering them to a company, but we also contribute to the project to succeed.
Making a video is not a simple task. Most importantly, to make a good video, the production team needs to understand what, why, and how of great visual storytelling for specific projects.
With such thoughts in mind, we created Kentin Creative and invited professional artists to join the team.
Video Industry in Need for Change
Q. What motivated you to create or join Kentin Creative?
Sanghoon: I love challenges. I always look for something different and do not hesitate to start something new. For me, Web 3 was another field of opportunity and possibilities. Yet, that was not the only reason I decided to create a team.
I saw a need for a video production company that was focused on creative collaboration and exploration.
I had been working in the Web2 video industry for many years, and I wanted to create a company that was dedicated to creating innovative and engaging video content.
Furthermore, I saw the potential of partnering with UNOPND and other projects to create a wider audience for our work. I also wanted to create an environment where my team could actively raise their voices and share their ideas freely. I was excited by the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize the creative industry and provide new opportunities.
Jimin: I joined Kentin Creative because of curiosity. I wasn’t sure of this idea at first, but wanted to see how it goes with so many great plans. It was possible because I had faith in Sanghoon since we’ve worked together in the previous company. I was also excited by the potential of Web3 technology to revolutionize the video production industry, and the idea of being able to earn money based on our participation in projects was very appealing.
Many video production companies focus on outsourced projects, so producers sometimes have to work on totally new projects of different companies within a few months. Outsourcing can create a lack of accountability, as it is difficult to track who is responsible for what. Furthermore, it can be difficult to ensure that all contributors are properly credited, and it can be difficult to enforce payment for work done.
I saw that blockchain technology can help to solve these problems by providing greater transparency and trust.
Q. Why do you think the current video production industry needs to change?
Jimin: As we are facing a flood of video content with growth of video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, video marketing has become an essential tool for businesses to reach and engage with potential customers. Video content allows companies to showcase their products, services, and value in a visual and interactive way. Also, it is a powerful tool for creating brand image and increasing its awareness.
However, many companies don’t have the capacity or need to have in-house video production teams, so many projects are being outsourced. I understand it can be time-saving and efficient, but as a video producer and creator myself it is not the best way to create a video.
We often have limited time to work, so we have to work with limited knowledge of the client company and their projects. We are usually required to follow the client’s specifications, so we cannot put more of our own input to the project. Additionally, the project is owned by the client, so we cannot fully own our work, which can lead to a lack of motivation.
Q. Will Kentin Creative solve those issues?
Sanghoon: At Kentin Creative, we are actively exploring the potential of blockchain technology. Creators can more easily collaborate with one another, ensuring that all contributors are properly credited; blockchain can provide greater transparency in terms of ownership, ensuring that creators can track the ownership of creative works. We hope creators receive proper acknowledgement and compensation for their work.
What Makes Kentin Studio so Special
Q. Please introduce your team!
Sanghoon: When I first decided to create Kentin Creative, I put a lot of effort into assembling the best artists into our team. I believe trust is the most essential element in working together. I wanted to bring people on board who were willing to take on a new challenge with me, so it was important for me to find individuals I could trust — and they have all exceeded my expectations.
Jimin: Our team has a high bar for entry. It’s true that having more people on board could help us work faster on projects, but we wanted teammates who we could work with for the long term. So, we took the time to carefully screen potential candidates to find the best fit for our team. As a result, we were able to assemble an excellent team of artists and we are working very efficiently.
Q. Can you briefly explain the professions of your team members?
Jimin: Our team comprises members from various fields, including games, movies, animation, and advertising. They have produced cinematic videos and advertisements in named companies like Alfred Imageworks, Mofac, Npixel, Locus, Macro Graph, Gulliver Studios and Pearlabyss.
Below is list of our team members and their roles in our team:
Hyunkwon Kim / Supervisor
Ethan / Lead Animator
Morgan Kim / Environment Artist
Song / Concept Artist
Jake Lee / FX Artist
Saerom Kook / Motion Grapher
Kihoon Kim / Character Artist
Chaeah Kim / Project Manager
JK / Generalist
Suhyun Yun / Animator
Lexi / FX Artist
Q. What is the strength of your team?
Sanghoon: Because everyone on our team is highly skilled in their respective fields, we can efficiently carry out tasks without the need for unnecessary explanations. Communication runs smoothly, and once a job is assigned, we always get the best results. This allows us to focus on each project without distraction. We also trust each other, so we can quickly resolve any differences of opinion and focus on creating high-quality videos.
Jimin: I can confidently say that our production environment is at least the best in Korea. We have enough time to focus on projects as there are no tight schedules or urgent requests. Moreover, since it’s a system where everyone receives payment in accordance with the amount of work they do, everyone takes ownership of their tasks. Since projects are already determined, everyone has a high level of understanding and commitment to their work. Everyone puts in their all, full of passion and enthusiasm for their projects, creating a great atmosphere.
Q. What is the vision and future of Kentin Creative?
Sanghoon: My ultimate goal for Kentin Creative is to become a renowned studio in both Korea and the global market, going beyond the traditional in-house video studio. I also wish to have a positive influence on other companies, spreading our new culture.
Before that, I hope that our team will be known for creating high-quality video for great Web 3 projects. We are currently working on AAA projects of UNOPND, and we plan to produce multiple videos. I hope to hear that Kentin Creative can be trusted for any project that we collaborate on.
Right now, we are focusing on producing a trailer for the game, Derby Stars. We strive to create a trailer that conveys the excitement and thrill of the racing game, providing viewers with a quality experience they have never seen before.
Please look forward to the results!
