Her Story
About Stella
Stella Kinoshita serves as an Art Director and Real-Time Designer in the music entertainment industry, where she creates concert visuals, designs camera effects, and manages pre-visualization pipelines for live performances. Based in Los Angeles after moving from Ohio, she began her career in 2023 following her graduation from Miami University of Oxford, Ohio, with a Games and Simulations degree from the ETBD program, now called IMD. Kinoshita attributes her success to self-motivation and the support of high school counselors, teachers, and university staff who encouraged her artistic pursuits despite financial challenges that required her to work hard to fund her education. She is a member of Women in Games and values kindness in high-pressure environments, advising young women entering the field to remain headstrong while balancing confidence with professionalism and seeking mentors. Her work emphasizes work-life balance amid demanding timelines, and she draws on her background in game design and self-taught skills in 3D modeling and real-time software like TouchDesigner and Notch.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Stella
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the support from many people in my life who believed in me even without understanding the field, combined with my own self-motivation. I grew up not financially well off and worked hard to pay for college myself after being told I could only go if it was free. My high school counselors, teachers, and university staff supported me in the arts, and I pushed myself to learn independently when professors left.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice is to do the thing that you want to do and stay self-motivated. Many students get demotivated by the difficulty of breaking into games or creative fields, but pushing yourself even without support is key to succeeding and entering the avenue you want.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be headstrong and upfront but learn the code of conduct in high-pressure environments with big names. Balance confidence so you don't come off arrogant or get taken advantage of. Remember you are valuable and have a reason to be there. Having women mentors to look up to helps navigate difficult situations.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The industry is a pressure cooker with massive opportunities but very short timelines that consume weekends and personal time. The biggest challenge is balancing work-life, health, friends, and social life while doing creative work as an entry-level woman in a demanding field. It's easy to lose yourself without maintaining life outside career.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being a kind person is most important. In a stressed-out industry with constant pressure, it's easy to blame others or be difficult, but kindness prevents isolation, ensures people want to work with you, and can change the trajectory of interactions for the better.
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