We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daun Kim a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

About myself: My name is Daun Kim, and I am a layout artist in the Film/Animation industry, currently working at Sony Pictures Imageworks based in Los Angeles. I am also the creator of a short film, “Don’t Croak,” which has achieved tremendous success, amassing over 50 million views on YouTube, gaining significant recognition at numerous prestigious film festivals, and earning several awards.

Layout artists are responsible for building sequences and creating shots using proprietary tools such as Maya. Layout represents the initial stage where a storyboard evolves into a three-dimensional visualization. This starts with analyzing the storyboard and ensuring a clear understanding of the director’s vision and intentions. Layout artists create shots with sequence-specific elements such as sets, characters, and props, ensuring their accurate placement. It is essential for layout artists to come up with creative ideas regarding compositions, camera movement (particularly in coordination with characters when necessary), lens selection, and more.

Like many other artists, I was the type of kid who enjoyed drawing and participating in arts and crafts activities during my childhood. I’ve always preferred visual storytelling in movies and dramas over reading books (Harry Potter being the only exception). While I was sure about wanting to work in a field related to art, I was uncertain about the specific industry. Meanwhile, I applied to several art schools and was accepted to most of them. I ultimately chose Ringling College of Art and Design for computer animation ( because (though it may sound silly) of my experience watching Frozen. Around the time Frozen was released and became a global hit, I entered the theater without much thought, and it changed my life (as I see it now). I was not only captivated by the film’s visual appeal but also amazed to witness people of various ages, including myself, genuinely enjoying the movie. This experience led me to question the unique power of animation as an art form that transcends generations, ultimately inspiring my decision to pursue a career in the animation industry.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I kicked off my career at The Third Floor as a previs artist, having a blast working on cool live-action projects with big names like Disney, Marvel, and Warner Bros. However, my consistent desire to engage in animation projects has remained strong since the start of my artistic journey, driven by a deep passion for animation. It became apparent to me that this was the right time for a substantial shift in my career. This led me to apply for a Camera & Staging internship at Pixar Animation Studios, which turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences. It significantly enhanced my knowledge of cinematography and deepened it to a level that allowed me to feel confident as a layout artist. It was also a valuable experience that provided me with the capability to work flexibly in both animation and VFX projects today. It was also a valuable experience that provided me with the capability to work flexibly in both animation and VFX projects today.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Before I joined my current workplace, I discovered an opportunity to work as a techviz artist on a virtual production project in my home country, which required me to be on-site everyday. Even though more than three years have passed since remote work became widespread globally, Korea, unlike many other countries, often had people working in person. After coming back to the states, I noticed many studios continuing with remote or hybrid work setups due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, and it applied to me as well (and I like it a lot haha). The time I spent working in Korea was relatively short, around a year or so, but the difference in working styles prompted me to reassess several things, especially in communication style. Communication in remote/hybrid work heavily relies on sending messages, whereas onsite work allows for in-person conversations. I consistently aim for clarity and transparency in my messages to ensure I am on the right track and prevent potential issues. Additionally, I prioritize brevity, as I’ve found that constant messaging can be exhausting.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.daunkim.com/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKJoToM6xcQ

Image Credits
Daun Kim