Karin Fong

Karin Fong is an American Emmy Award-winning director and designer[1] based in Los Angeles, California. She is a co-founder of Imaginary Forces,[2] a design studio and creative agency best known for its portfolio of work in main title design for television series and motion pictures.[3] Fong was awarded the 2018 AIGA Medal, the highest distinction in the field of graphic design in the U.S., in recognition of her achievements as a visual storyteller, motion graphics designer, and director.[4][5]

Early life

Fong was born in 1971 in Canoga Park in Los Angeles, California.[4] She was a kid who liked to draw and create stop-motion films.[6] She credited Sesame Street as an early influence sparking her interest in creating animations that combined live action, sound, and pictures.[6]

Fong graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor's degree in art.[7][8] During college, she made a project that led her to start her career in WGBH Public Television.[6] Her first job at WGBH was as animator for the PBS show "Where is the World Is Carmen Sandiego?"[9][10]

Career

In 1990s Fong moved back to LA and got a job at the West Coast branch of the advertising agency R/Greenberg Associates (RGA/LA), a studio known for designing opening title sequences for films like Seven,[11] Die Hard, Alien, and Ghostbusters.[6] In 1996, RGA/LA changed its name to Imaginary Forces (stylized as IF) with Fong becoming the founding member of the new studio.[6][10][11][12] Working at Imaginary Forces, Fong met Joseph McGinty Nichol as her client.

Joseph McGinty Nichol suggested her a job as creative officer at his American production company, Wonderland Sound and Vision in 2001 and started to work more with him.[6]

Fong is a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI).[13]

Contributions

Karin Fong has contributed to various title designs for film and television.[7]

Awards and nominations

Television Academy awards

Year[1] Nominated work Category Result
2001 Masterpiece Theatre American Collection Outstanding Main Title Design Won
2008 Chuck Outstanding Main Title Design Nominated
2010 Human Target Outstanding Main Title Design Nominated
2011 Rubicon Outstanding Main Title Design Nominated
2011 Boardwalk Empire Outstanding Main Title Design Nominated
2014 Black Sails Outstanding Main Title Design Nominated
2018 Counterpart Outstanding Main Title Design Won
2022 Lisey's Story Outstanding Main Title Design Nominated
2022 Cowboy Bebop Outstanding Main Title Design Nominated

SXSW film festival awards

Year[14] Nominated work Category Result
2016 Hickey Excellence in Title Design Nominated
2018 Counterpart Excellence in Title Design Won
2020 Tell Me a Story Excellence in Title Design Nominated
2020 See Excellence in Title Design Won

References

  1. ^ a b "Karin Fong". Television Academy. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  2. ^ "Karin Fong, Creative Director at Imaginary Forces". Imaginary Forces. Retrieved 2022-10-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Imaginary Forces". www.artofthetitle.com. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  4. ^ a b Millman, Debbie. "2018 AIGA Medalist: Karin Fong | AIGA". www.aiga.org. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  5. ^ Smith, Lilly (2018-04-11). "Chain Letters: Karin Fong". DesignObserver. Retrieved 2025-07-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ a b c d e f "SPOTLIGHT August 2020: Karin Fong, Master Title Sequence Designer – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS". Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  7. ^ a b "Karin Fong". www.artofthetitle.com. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
  8. ^ School of Motion (2024-03-20). Karin Fong on Art Direction, Mentorship, and Legendary Title Design. Retrieved 2025-07-27 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ "Karin Fong of Imaginary Forces on Main Titles and the Power of Less Literal Marketing". Muse by Clio. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  10. ^ a b Morley, Madeleine (2018-04-19). "Dark Comedy and Delicate Timing in Karin Fong's Early Title Treatments". Eye on Design. Archived from the original on 2025-06-11. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  11. ^ a b "An Industry Spotlight on Legendary Imaginary Forces". Motion Array. 2019-05-09. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  12. ^ "Imaginary Forces". Watch the Titles. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  13. ^ "Karin Fong – Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) – 512 creative professionals from 46 countries". Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI). Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  14. ^ "Karin Fong - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
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