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

Sarah , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

In all honesty, my happiness as an artist comes in waves, but I am overall happy with my career journey. I knew that I would pursue art as a career when I was young. Creativity is something that I always love to do, and it is usually through drawing, painting, doodling, and crafts.

As soon as I graduated from art college, reality hit. It was a challenge to get my first step in the art or animation industry and get my first job. Fortunately, I am grateful to be employed full-time as an animator in a small studio. Surely there are ups and downs working as an artist, and during my downs are when I would wonder what it would be like to work in a different industry or an office job. Nonetheless, I still go back to saying that I want to stick with being an artist because it is what I enjoy doing. I would always remind myself that the ups and downs in life are just a part of living. They are crucial and inevitable phases of growth in life.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a 23-year-old living in Los Angeles. Born in Australia and raised in Indonesia. I have been in the United States for about seven years, pursuing my career. During my free time, I like to go out and explore things to do in Los Angeles. I love getting involved with the weightlifting culture, reading books, and cafe-hopping as well.

A year ago, I graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design with my animated short thesis film (“Summer Blood”) which helped me get my first industry job at a small studio called AMGI Studios. I work as a 3D animator developing short animated films and video gameplay animations. In the span of a year working at AMGI Studios, I have animated on three successful short films.

Being an artist is subjectively about expressing oneself and one’s unique nature. For instance, I have a quirky sense of humor that makes me stand out to certain people. I like to use that as an advantage in my animations to make it entertaining.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is looking at my finished artwork or animation and saying, “Wow. I did that.” Most artists like me are perfectionists and very critical to our own work, so every so often we are not satisfied with what we’re working on. In my case, it usually takes a few weeks to work on animated shots, and I would get a little burnt out because I forget to simply ‘step back and see the bigger picture.’ In other words, I would get so overwhelmed with the process. However, seeing the animations finished (lit and rendered) is when I feel satisfied and rewarded. We often forget how crucial our progress is when we’re working on something because that’s how we can get to the finish line and see the bigger picture.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Yes, definitely. During high school and community college, I remember being the only art kid in my year. Though I am grateful to have supportive parents who helped push me into being an artist, I was doing it all alone. My non-art friends would ask me what I would do for a living or how much will I make as an artist.

It wasn’t until I transferred to an art college where I could finally be surrounded by creatives like me. Being in an artist community helped me learn how huge the art or animation industry is and what it can offer. From time to time, I would reconnect with my old friends and show them my animation work. They would be amazed and educated about how the animation industry works, such as learning the steps to create an animated film. The same goes for me when I asked them about their jobs outside of the entertainment and creative industry. Sometimes we need to keep in mind that everyone has different talents or skills that make us ambitious in our own career paths. Moreover, whichever industry we end up in, we’re always going to contribute to the world. Just like how movies are made for people who enjoy watching as entertainment. In short, I think that it is understandable and acceptable if non-creatives struggle to understand my artistic journey, as long as they are respectful and open-minded about it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sarahdjuandy.wixsite.com/portfolio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sdjuandy/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-djuandy-48059213b/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D20rlv7OPG0&t=6s

Image Credits
Shot Images from My Pet Hooligan Official Cinematic Trailer – Game https://youtu.be/6NLnFhgX9kQ?si=WE9GnNodr1AMcwRk