We were lucky to catch up with YIFAN SUN recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, YIFAN thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

“Judgement” this animated short film I made is particularly meaningful to me for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, the story of the film is about the issue of cyberbullying, something I’ve noticed in news stories and on social media. It’s disturbing how cyberbullying can lead to depression and even tragic outcomes. Even though it might seem distant from my life, I believe it’s a problem that can affect anyone, anywhere. This motivated me to create an animated film to raise awareness and get people thinking about this issue. So, this project means a lot to me on a personal level.

From a creative and technical perspective, as the director of this film, I was involved in everything from storyboarding to designing characters and scenes, as well as creating the animations in 2D and 3D. This project was also my first attempt at combining different animation techniques, like cell animation and 2D/3D animation. I even tried things like 3D modeling and character rigging. Most of the scenes in the animation were created in 3D and later composited with After Effects to achieve a stylized 2D aesthetic. I also had a great chance to work with other talented artists: 3D modeler Jingyu Li and sound designer Shiwen Zhu.

As for the project’s impact and recognition, even though “Judgement” was my final project at the Savannah College of Art and Design, it reached beyond the academic world. It received awards like the Promax Spark Awards and got nominated for others like SCAD Comotion and Motion Awards. It was also featured in respected international film festivals, including the New York Animation Festival and the Monstra Animation Festival, etc.

YIFAN, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For a long time before becoming an artist, I was quite lost about my career and future. I tried different majors and worked in various industries, but none of them gave me the sense of belonging I was looking for. Art had been a lifelong passion for me, but due to various practical reasons, I didn’t initially pursue a career as an artist. It wasn’t until after many attempts that I eventually chose to start anew and become a motion designer. After graduating from SCAD, I have been working as a designer/animator at a motion design studio.

In the early stages of my career, I primarily focused on 2D animation and design work. Most of my projects were commercial, involving tasks such as creating advertising animation videos, music videos, branding designs, and occasionally title sequences for films. My clients include Meta, Red Bull, Pocari, Steve Aoki, and Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Lately, I’ve also had the opportunity to work on some unique and exciting projects. One of them is called “WANDER,” which is a game designed for teenagers practicing meditation. I was fortunate to be part of the project’s art direction, which included designing key visuals, branding, and UI. Additionally, I also worked as the 2D lead animator, responsible for creating many activity animations in the game. Right now, the game is officially published in App stores and also used in many educational organizations, so I am really proud to be part of this great project.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

What I find most fulfilling about being an artist is the power that gives me to turn my inner thoughts, emotions, and ideas into something real and meaningful. Creativity allows me to bring my imagination to life. I’m naturally more introverted and not great at expressing myself verbally or in writing. That’s where art is the most effective tool for conveying emotions. And it’s not just limited to animation, it also includes illustration, music, and even photography. These are all ways for me to express and document my life. As a motion designer, my work involves a wide range of projects and clients, which exposes me to entirely different challenges and perspectives. While this diversity can be quite demanding, it’s precisely these challenges that keep my job from becoming monotonous and instead, make it consistently exciting and refreshing.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

From my experience as an artist, social media platforms like Instagram, Behance, and LinkedIn are essential for expanding my network. It involves showcasing your best work, sharing behind-the-scenes processes, actively engaging with the artistic community through likes, comments, and shares, using relevant hashtags for visibility, joining artist communities for feedback and connections, and collaborating with fellow artists to learn and reach wider audiences while broadening your artistic horizons.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yifansun.com/work
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yifsun_animation/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yifan-sun-8016a8171/