“Does she have power tools in there?!?” — Emily’s sister, circa 2007
Cut to: Emily Müller, age 12, sanding away at a wooden chopstick using a miniature battery-powered fan (that was also a pen, probably won as a prize from one of those elementary school wrapping-paper-sales fundraisers. It was the early aughts, after all). She was turning a pair of takeout chopsticks into something else and couldn’t be bothered to sand by hand, so she cut the vinyl blades off the fan and hot glued a tiny square of sandpaper to the middle of the propeller.
She sat at her parents’ old drafting table, where she’d once built a miniature car with a working roll-down convertible top out of green craft foam and scraps of pinstripe fabric. It surprised *no one* that Emily eventually found her way out of small town Colorado and onto Hollywood sound stages designing film sets and building props.
As a multifaceted artist & designer who thrives on creative challenges, Emily views each project of hers as a puzzle. She can easily adapt to any style or genre and loves detail work. She’s held a strong interest in storytelling and spatial design throughout her life, always fascinated by how our surroundings affect the way we live, work, play, and interact with each other.
Emily now spends her time between film production, creative freelance projects, fine art & ceramics, and designing commercial & residential interiors around Los Angeles.
Oh, and she has real power tools now.
The quick facts, while you’re still here:
Previous clients include:
Disney · Toyota · FIGS Scrubs · Drizly · Chimes Gourmet · MGA Entertainment · PodcastOne · MTV · Comedy Central · Turner Classic Movies · E! Network · World of Wonder · Friday Beers/Almost Friday Media · Neiman Marcus Group · DASH Boutique · Kaiser Permanente · Simple Practice · Betterhelp · TEDxACCD · Fitz & The Tantrums · Hola Mexico Film Festival
Education:
BFA in Film from ArtCenter College of Design, including classes in ArtCenter’s Environmental Design and Product Design departments to expand skillsets in spatial design & fabrication.
AA in Digital Media from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising – the degree is not fashion related; Emily does not do costumes for film.
Summary of fabrication skills:
Miniatures, model making, basic wood working & MIG welding, painting, aging/distressing, sculpting, simple mold making, soldering, paper crafts, ceramics, miniatures, & always learning more.
Summary of general skills:
Strong team leadership, critical thinking & creative problem solving skills; excellent craftsmanship; keen eye for detail, layout, & texture; in-depth knowledge of color theory; collaborative with a great sense of humor, i.e. she is an absolute delight to work with (or so she’s told).
Project wishlist, in addition to Emily’s usual work, in no particular order:
– popup events & brand activations
– art installations
– whodunnits & heist films
– escape rooms
– luxury window displays
– bars/cafes/restaurants
– more miniatures (film, installation, architectural models, album covers? print ads??)
– theatre sets
– the occasional boutique hotel?
Fine art & interior design work: www.ellesesse.com
emily müller 