Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Po-En Wang. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Po-En thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

When I was a kid, I was really shy, I didn’t like to go out because I had a hard time making friends. When my parents got me a Blockbuster membership, I found my paradise in the cinema. I always enjoyed watching films and diving into the worlds talented filmmakers made. I felt like it was a language I understood and knew how to speak. Ever since then, I knew I wanted to become an artist. I managed to finish high school even though I wasn’t good at it. When it was time to choose a college. I wanted to enroll in an art program. However, my parents didn’t want me to become an artist; they wanted me to become an engineer, so I had to go behind their backs to do art. When they discovered I changed my major from architecture to animation, I had already been making art for half a year. We had such a huge fight. Ultimately, I stayed on my art path; they were mad at me for a while.

I continued to study animation and finished my thesis. When my parents finally saw my thesis work, they were convinced. They agreed that I have potential and supported me ever since. That’s how I eventually enrolled in School of Visual Arts in New York.

Po-En, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a 3D Generalist with a specialty in animation. I do 3d Modeling, 3D Shading, Texturing, Rigging, and Animation. For animation, I do both Character Animation and Product Showcase Animation.

I love making characters come to life. My proudest work is my personal short film, “Hawaiian Pizza’s Revenge.” I produce every aspect of it except music. I think my whimsical and comedic style makes me different from others.

I like to design characters that look a bit dumb and funny. After designing and finishing the 3D models, I HAVE TO make them move, because who wouldn’t want to see funny things actually come to life?

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Before coming to the US. I thought the only thing I needed to do was work on my portfolio. Yes, good work is very important, but being able to promote my work is also important. I’m also really grateful that Voyage gave me the opportunity to talk about my work.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to stop myself from paying too much attention to details in the beginning stage of animation. When I was first learning animation. I was told that details matter (It still does.) Paying attention to details allowed me to stand out from my classmates. However, paying too much attention to the details stopped me from looking at the bigger picture. For example, I was paying too much attention to polishing the arcs instead of getting the timing and space right. This mindset made my animation a bit floaty.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thebrandonwang.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebrandonwang
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/thebrandonwang

Image Credits
Po-En Wang