Name: Amber Montoya
Title: Production Designer
Years Worked at VT: Joined in 2024
Favorite Project: My favorite project is our ongoing collaboration with Give Kids the World. We had the opportunity to tour the village last year and I fell in love with the passion and commitment to providing the best possible experience for every child and their family that stayed in the village. I am proud to work in a company that supports important community serving projects such as Give Kids the World.
Tell us your funniest or most memorable memory at Visual Terrain: My most memorable moment at Visual Terrain was our virtual company holiday party where we all decorated gingerbread houses and enjoyed the festive winter spirit together one last time before we all parted ways for the holidays. I love seeing the creativity from my colleagues and we all got to showcase our unique gingerbread decorating skills.
Favorite Aspect of Lighting Design: Every project is incredibly unique so there is no “one size fits most” design for the projects we do. My favorite aspect of lighting design with Visual Terrain is that we get to have a hand in different types of projects. As a production designer, I support the design team and can have a hand in multiple projects in one week. One day I may be working on an office building and the next day I might be working on a themed attraction. Every day is an adventure.
What or Who Inspires You: Living in San Diego, I can’t help but feel inspired by the cotton candy sunset skies. I am enamored by the beauty of nature, the colors, and how so many people take a moment to stop what they’re doing to take in the view. Sunsets inspire me to find beauty in everyday life and to take a minute to breathe.
Fun Fact About Yourself that No One Knows: I love making things and I constantly find myself inspired to start new projects or explore new hobbies. From cake decorating to sewing a pair of overalls, to embroidering clothes, if there is a way for me to make something from scratch, I welcome the challenge and the opportunity. The latest of my creative outlets has been pottery, specifically throwing pottery on the wheel. My goal is to eventually make full sets of dinnerware for my home as well as sets for family and friends.
What is your favorite part about being a production designer? As a production designer, I find the cleaning up and packaging of a drawing submission to be incredibly satisfying. It is both thrilling and terrifying to know that the paperwork that I have a hand in drafting will be THE information that the onsite teams use and rely on to execute the vision. With this in mind, I am constantly reminded that accuracy and clarity are crucial in the drafting process.