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

Tracy, appreciate you joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

Honestly, I’m thrilled to be an animator, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to get to know my current classmates and teachers. When I applied to college, I was fueled by a passion for animation. However, once I stepped into university, the tidal wave of demanding coursework and various social and language challenges hit me very hard. So, whenever I faced tough assignments or felt overwhelmed by the workload, I’d start questioning myself: “How are others students going through their homework? Am I the worst student in the class, leaving no positive impression on my peers?”

You know those TikTok videos where people randomly ask folks in affluent areas about their professions? Answers like lawyer or business owner are common, but you rarely hear someone say they’re an animator. I stumbled upon those videos a lot during that time, and it made me second-guess my choices, sparking a cascade of thoughts and doubts about whether I’d chosen the right path. First off, I noticed many of my high school and middle school classmates opted for comprehensive universities, majoring in finance, media, or statistics. In a class of 20-30 people, only 1-2 would choose an art school. Those who were once classmates and pursued the same career or attended the same university could build social networks and circles faster than I could. Plus, since my major had nothing to do with theirs, we drifted apart after entering university, unable to connect on the same wavelength.

Secondly, coming from a large family with many siblings, I’m the eldest. Despite the pandemic passing, the economy is still in a slump. Whenever I think about being the primary breadwinner, supporting my siblings, giving them advice on choosing majors, or helping them with their coursework, I start questioning whether I should have chosen a more mainstream and lucrative profession instead of following my passions.

I’ve pondered that if given a chance to redo my college application days, I might make different choices. Perhaps I’d choose a comprehensive university and major in something like archaeology, artifact restoration, or forensic science. Life has many temptations, and if I were to chase money, I might abandon my current studies and start anew when I see a profession more lucrative than being a lawyer. But how many four-year cycles does life offer? Who would support the expenses of constantly changing universities? I’m just an ordinary person, and my family isn’t wealthy. Maybe my parents could barely afford to send one child abroad for education, so I need to take up family responsibilities quickly.

People say to find a job you love, and I don’t regret studying animation now. With continuous learning in school and encouragement from teachers, I’ve slowly mastered the once confusing concepts, and creating animations has become more enjoyable. My reactions are a bit slow, often finding it challenging to express my emotions quickly through words and actions. It’s like playing a online video game with a delay; you realize you’ve been killed, but the screen freezes the moment you spot the enemy.

Actually, creating CG animations suits me because it serves as a medium to release emotions that are hard to express in daily life. As for those unfinished dreams, who says life only has one possibility? I don’t believe life offers just one path, and being an animator won’t limit me from developing and learning in other areas. I think I’ll persist in honing my animation skills and, after gaining proficiency, venture into other sidelines.

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

I’m currently a student at ArtCenter majoring in animation, and I’m about to graduate. My journey into the world of animation began in middle school when I first discovered Japanese anime, and my passion for animation grew from there. That’s why I chose to pursue a degree in animation during my college years.

My ultimate career goal is to become a CG character animator in the commercial field. My primary software is Autodesk Maya, but I also have a solid grasp of other 3D tools like ZBrush (3D modeling software) and Unreal (3D creation tool), among others.

One aspect I take pride in is my ability to plan and think ahead for the future. In my fourth semester, I made the decision to focus on a career as a commercial animator. To prepare for this path, I started collaborating on projects with senior students, getting an early taste of group work dynamics. Simultaneously, I took on the role of a teacher assistant for the CG animation class, providing critiques and assisting fellow students with Maya-related challenges. This experience not only solidified my understanding but also allowed me to analyze and improve my own work.

In various student projects, I served as a character animator on works like “Midnight Shift” (a CG animation short film), “AoShu Spell Slinger,” and “Neo Versailles” (game projects). I also contributed to 3D modeling and layout for “Glass,” a 2D animation film with 3D backgrounds. Currently, I’m actively involved in new student projects such as “StarChild,” “King of Nil,” “AfterShock” (a 2D animation short film), and “TallWall” (a 3D animation short film). Through these endeavors, I’ve not only gained valuable experience but also honed a workflow that suits my strengths, significantly enhancing my animation skills. I believe this unique approach sets me apart from others in the field.

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

When I was in school in China, the relationship between teachers and students was very formal, almost void of any concept of friendship. But then, when I got to college, the professors greeted me as if we were long-time buddies. Initially, I was puzzled, thinking it was just a routine thing.

To avoid taking up class time, I’d quickly respond with a “good, good,” even if I didn’t necessarily feel that way. Gradually, I began adapting to American life and culture, becoming more comfortable engaging with my teachers.

Later on, I became a teaching assistant for one of the professors. This expanded our interactions beyond the classroom to more friend-like conversations. The professor would greet me warmly every day, and gradually, I let go of the idea that there should be a strict separation between teacher and student. We started communicating genuinely, just like friends.

We’d chat about daily life, share recipes, and even discuss fun places to hang out. Sometimes, when I was hit with difficulties from life, the professor would offer advice.

In China, once the classes end, the teacher would leave. But in university, the teacher-student relationship was entirely different, and I found this kind of rapport more fitting. Developing a friendship with my teacher helped me adapt to life here and understand the differences between our cultures. It made my experience as an international student in a foreign land less lonely and daunting. This journey added so much vibrancy and enjoyment to my study abroad experience, reinforcing my belief that connections between people can transcend roles and borders.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I worked on an animation project that spanned two semesters. At the beginning of the second semester, my computer underwent an automatic system update, and unfortunately, it ended up corrupting all my files. When I sought help, a computer technician suggested the issue would entail reverting the computer to its original factory and seeking repairs from a factory worker. However, when I contacted the factory, they denied responsibility and recommended sending the computer back to China, where it was manufactured. Dealing with this complicated process, especially with the holiday break coming to an end, left me with very few options. Consequently, I had to buy a new computer and transfer the Solid State Drive (SSD) from the old one.

Unfortunately, the new computer, being a different brand, couldn’t recognize any files, making them invisible. So, I had to exchange that computer for another one that matched the brand of my old one. Despite this effort, the files remained locked, requiring authorization from my old computer.

Feeling surprised and frustrated, I wasn’t sure about the next steps. The idea of giving up on the project crossed my mind because finding new background painters within the limited timeframe was impractical, especially considering the loss of all background files.

Just when things seemed hopeless, our class professor shared the story of the accidental deletion of all files for the film Toy Story 2 just before its release. The professor encouraged us, saying if they could overcome such an obstacle, why couldn’t we? This revelation motivated me greatly. Around the same time, I discovered the grease pencil tool in Blender, capable of creating a 3D-render-in-2D effect. However, the locking of my files resulted in the loss of my cameras and modeling assets. Faced with the choice of meticulously checking my old files or starting anew, I realized both options demanded a similar time investment. Ultimately, I decided to start from scratch and familiarize myself with Blender.

My main focus was on unlocking essential files like modeling assets and layout files containing the cameras. I immersed myself in learning Blender, honing skills in creating 2D shaders, adjusting lighting, and drawing silhouettes atop these layers.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to my teammates who handled the 2D animation aspects of this project. Their understanding and support during this incident were unwavering. Through our collective effort and resilience, we successfully completed the project on schedule. To our astonishment, our animated short garnered two hundred and twenty-two thousand views on YouTube! I was genuinely thrilled by this unexpected outcome.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tracy-li.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-li-1282a7251/
• Other: Glasses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPZOJqKDMuw Midnight Shift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWPS05FVPFU Aoshu SpellSlinger: https://www.artcenterentertainment.com/ao-shu-spellslinger Neo-Versailles: https://www.artcenterentertainment.com/neoversailles

Image Credits
Midnight Shift：directed by Mandy Meader Glasses: Co-directing with Melanie Kwon