Pickled (2019-2020)

I am always inspired by food from my hometown in China, especially spicy food. I always see food making as a metaphor for creating arts. For this animation, the main character is a young chili pepper. She dreams of becoming a dish of delicious and dazzling food. But things do not go as planned as the chef decides to throw her into a glass jar to be pickled. It is also a personal story to remind myself to be patient with my progress and consistently practicing my crafts.

Special Thanks

I want to give a big shout out to my amazingly talented composer Austin Gatus (@austingatusmusic), who leveled up this animation with his unique understanding and dedication. I also want to thank my family who has supported me during my self-doubts and financial difficulties. Last but not least, thank you to my cohorts and UCLA Animation Workshop who has introduced me to this wonderful world of animations.

Below are animations from this film (it may take a second to load). Thank you for looking :))

A Fishy Tale

Currently in progress…

A Fishy Tale is a three-minute 2D animated comedy about two fish chefs whose obsessive rivalry becomes a recipe for disaster. Set in a jolly underwater BBQ restaurant where shrimp, blowfish, and other sea creatures are the service staff and the customers, my film explores how competition can blur our judgment and even lead us to overlook the most important details. Despite this cautionary note, I created this story in a light-hearted tone to remind myself and anyone who struggles with competitiveness to slow down and savor the moment we are in.

The Hustling and Bustling.

This film dives into a whimsical fish world-building. I hope you can feel the hustling and bustling of night-time restaurants, clashing personalities from the two chefs, and a slice of life of late night customers. I hope to share humanity in my fish characters that you can connect with. I wish this fishy tale can bring a slice of insight, a shot of laughter, and a generous serving of enjoyment to its viewers.

Below are some concept arts for this film. Thank you for looking :))

The Cactus Family

A video I made to learn Maya (2016)

This is an undergraduate project that I created in order to learn 3D animations. The story comes from a giant cactus that lives in the garden of our home. And then it becomes a story of our family with each member represents a species of cactuses. But regardless which kind of cactus we each represents, we are a tough and warm-hearted family that can survive during hard time and still thrive with love.