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 Joshua Kwan shared with us their experience breaking into animation and what they got to learn in their last role as Production Coordinator at Lucasfilm Animation Ltd. Congratulations to Joshua as they transition into their new role as a Coordinator on the Content Advisement team at the Walt Disney Studios with the RISE division (Representation, Inclusion Strategies, & Engagement). First off, can you tell us a bit about your past role at Lucasfilm, Animation, Ltd.?
I was most recently a Production Coordinator at Lucasfilm, Animation, Ltd. (LAL) in a galaxy far, far away. LAL is built to support multiple projects at once: for example, I worked on The Bad Batch series and Tales of the Jedi shorts simultaneously. You can catch both on Disney Plus as of October 2022! While I started as the assets production assistant, I was asked to step into the production coordinator role a year in, where I provided administrative and production support to two executive producers: the Vice President of Animation Production and the Supervising Director. My position was multifaceted and I wore many hats daily. The role allowed me to be involved in all stages of the production pipeline, with tasks like setting up our writer's conferences, helping take notes in script discussions, and supporting the Emmys submission process to name a few. Additionally, I got to shadow and learn in a variety of production meetings like record sessions, music reviews, full colors with our Executive Creative Director, and QC sessions in our review theater. I helped track all milestones and prepared a weekly update to our President in partnership with physical production. This dynamic role taught me how a show is made from a producer's, executive's, and creative's perspective. Can you share with us a little about your journey? In senior year of high school, I took an English course titled "Construction of the Self'' - and one of the units examined the origin of fairytales. I'll never forget reading different versions of Cinderella around the globe, and coming to recognize that the one most folks think of is Disney's 1950 animated classic. As I moved through college analyzing media and the power of storytelling, I realized that I did not want to just be a viewer or consumer- I wanted to be in the room with the folks making these creative decisions on stories that globally impact our culture and society. I graduated from a small liberal arts college (woo SLACs!) with a major in psychology & a minor in educational studies and women's & gender studies. After college, I did the Disney College Program in Anaheim and was assigned the Star Wars gift shop! In some ways it definitely felt like the Force guided me to Lucasfilm… What was your early career starting out in the industry like? It was difficult for me to find my start and pivot into the industry, but I stayed resilient in the journey. That's partly why I wanted to help create AIA, so others could have the community I wish I had at the start of my journey. I am forever grateful to the Universal Animation team who took a chance on me and gave me my first role. I was the sole PA supporting all departments on two Curious George feature films. Even though I knew I was ultimately interested in creative development, I started in production management to learn more about how our favorite animated content is made - I've learned from execs how important it is to understand how creative notes can affect morale and impact the production pipeline. You can have ideas but if you can't get it made, then what's the point? What advice would you give your younger self? #1 - Animation is for everyone! Everyone will have their own unique story and journey - do not compare yourself to others, it is the thief of joy! Your own unique skill set and perspective will set you apart (It was actually a pleasant surprise how many executives valued my psychology background! Producers can be like therapists at times for sure...) There are many niches within the industry that could be the perfect fit for you! #2 - Make friends! (even remotely) I met the 3 other AIA founders, Lexie, Olivia, and Brandon during shelter in place and we became friends remotely! My desire to connect with folks + bring people together helped create this community, organically! People in animation don't bite - and are very down to earth, fun, and helpful - Please pay it forward when you can too! It is so inspiring to see the Rise Up Animation community for example have such a great mentorship program and it was very rewarding for us founders to lead an incredible WIA mentorship circle of 10 mentees on breaking into production management last year <3 #3 - Don’t be shy! Reach out to folks you admire or want to learn from for a 30 min "Meet and Greet" (check out our resources on how to handle these professionally). Some of my personal creative role models are Jenn Lee, Pete Docter, and Domee Shi! I would also love to collaborate with Stefani Germanotta aka Lady Gaga lol on an animated feature musical someday. Manifesting and speaking into existence! Thank you for reading a bit about my journey so far in animation! I'm currently in the Content Advisement team at the Walt Disney Studios with the RISE division (Representation, Inclusion Strategies, & Engagement), where we give creative notes on all studio projects with a focus on telling stories authentically and inclusively. Writers: Jordan (@deadlyswampsofsadness) | Point Person: Gaby, AIA Team  Wei Li is a Chinese Canadian comic artist, filmmaker, and storyboard artist. For his work on Netflix’s Carmen Sandiego, Li received a Daytime Emmy Award for Individual Achievement in Storyboarding. He has also contributed to shows for Dreamworks Animation, PBS, and Netflix. We are so thrilled to have spoken to him regarding his debut film Tehura, which challenges the pervasive orientalist objectification of Tahitian women through the lens of its protagonist, a Tahitian dancer trying to reclaim her body and identity in front of a tourist audience. Your website mentions how the people of Tahiti encouraged you to make this film. Why is it important to have representation in media and how can we further advocate that in the spaces we share?
Tahiti is often reduced to a ‘paradise’ where ‘ beautiful noble savages’ dance for the enjoyment of outsiders. This is the orientalist lens we have imposed upon it globally. Tehura is my attempt at understanding the beauty that Tahitian dancers see in their own dance, rather than the one we’ve imposed. My attempt is only a flawed peak into that beauty. Only through more diverse representation of experiences and perspectives, would we have the privilege of glimpsing into the profound richness of what we humans call ‘beauty’. Before I consider advocating for representation, in any kind of discussion, I try to direct questions that hopefully open the floor to less heard voices. Then I just try to listen. And sometimes I fail at this. I also try to remind myself that to advocate for someone is a gift. An honor bestowed with great trust. A trust that we have to earn first. What kind of message did you want to share by having your titular character share a name with the painting of Paul Gaugin’s adolescent wife? It was my way of turning Gauguin’s orientalist work on its head. The submissive wife now becomes the subversive and powerful dancer, defiant against the centuries of subsequent objectification of Tahiti that followed Gauguin’s wake. How did your perception of the “male gaze” and “invasive tourism” change after having gone to Tahiti and creating this film? In what ways did those themes influence Tehura? Having grown up in very patriarchal societies, I too was ingrained with the male gaze that fantasized and objectified women. Working on this story gifted me with the imperative to interrogate and challenge all of that within myself. It’s not easy and the work is never finished but I think my ‘gaze’ is much healthier today. Prior to creating the film, the thought of going to Tahiti never occurred to me as I was never drawn to the typical ‘invasive’ tourist experiences. However, my experience of Tahiti was anything but typical. It was one of the most enriching experiences in my life. I received the warmest embrace by a culture in which art is embedded in the community, and inspiration flows from a spirit of generosity. I learned from them what it truly means to be in community. Since then, I have taken on community building as an art form in my personal life. Ultimately, these experiences didn’t just influence Tehura, they became the core themes of the film. To someone attempting to create something representing or inspired by another culture, how would you define the line between appreciation and appropriation? Firstly, we must recognize that the line between appreciation and appropriation is most of the time a very blurry one. No matter how well-intended you are, how respectful you think you are, there is always a chance someone thinks you are appropriating. And they might be right. Face this blurriness and accept that any work we create may be flawed. However, flaws can be invaluable if we can humble ourselves enough to engage in the potentially meaningful conversations that the flaws may create. I hope I can do this for the flaws in Tehura. Secondly, approach a project with the willingness to relinquish it if you do not feel like you have the support of the people of the culture. Did any themes from Tehura relate to your journey as an artist? Like many, my passion for art began with the deep drive to express something meaningful. But the path to being an artist is often clouded with the perceived requirements of honing one’s skills or pursuing validation from the industry. On this path, we often lose touch with what ignited our passion in the first place. In this sense, the themes in Tehura of returning to our roots, of reconnecting with our authentic voice to express what truly matters to us, is something I try to remind myself of everyday. Could you explain your filmmaking process? Each project ideally deserves its own process but for me, there are two essential questions that I ask before embarking on any project. The first is “Is this project worth my commitment?” It’s a yes only if the project is overflowing with questions that challenge my understanding of life. The second question is “What does this project need?” I would design the process to answer this question. In the case of Tehura, the filmmaking process did not truly begin until I traveled to Tahiti. At which point, I built my process around what was being shared by the Tahitian dance community. What were some emotional and physical challenges that you faced and how did you overcome them? Is there anything from this process that you will take into future film projects? Animating a whole short film while working full-time can be exhausting, both physically and mentally. At one point, I learned to draw with my non-dominant hand because I developed tendonitis in my dominant hand. Eventually I had a burnout and realized I had to take better care of myself. I began practicing yoga and taking dance classes. I came to realize that having joy in life is paramount to any challenging pursuits. Instead of dedicating every moment to completing my next project, I now allow myself to find joy in my daily life. How do you hope this film will influence the current generation? I don’t have such high hopes to be honest. It’s not because I am pessimistic or humble. It is because I find no use in having hopes for something outside of my control. Besides, what the current generation will create will likely be a lot more surprising and interesting than what we can predictably hope for. Any advice you’d like to give to those who are trying to get into animation? Getting into the industry is all about demonstrating a certain level of proficiency in artistic skills. Achieving that proficiency level simply requires time and persistence. There’s no way around it. It might feel grueling at times, but I’ve seen persistence transform the slowest learners into professionals. If your younger self saw your work now, what do you think he’d say? I often forget to take the time to cherish how far I’ve come, so I very much appreciate the moment this question is asking me to take. He would say, “You did it. You’ve become the artist I want to be.” But of course, the artist I want to become now feels as grand as ever. Writers: Jordan (@deadlyswampsofsadness) | Point Person: Gaby, AIA Team  Looking for feedback on your work and portfolio? Join us for Warrior Art Camp’s Portfolio Review Session! Warrior Art Camp Founders Kayleigh Ma and Angela Sung will lead an intro and Q&A session before we open to portfolio reviews. Get feedback on your work from industry professionals as they share their combined experience! This portfolio review will be focused on BG design/paint as well as VisDev. Saturday, Dec 2th @10:00AM PT RSVP by November 29th at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 to ensure we receive your portfolio! About the Hosts
Everything you need to know about breaking into story and getting in the Writers Room! Join Catherine Chen, a Showrunner's Assistant at Nickelodeon, to discuss the ins and outs of writing for animation, including pitching tips, detailed story structure, addressing notes and feedback, and more! Open to all, and highly recommended for new students or early grads who are interested in pursing a career in writing for animation! Saturday, December 2nd @11AM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the Speaker
Looking to get feedback on your pitching skills? Join us for a pitching-focused workshop where you'll have the chance to practice pitching in front of an audience and receive feedback! Open to everyone of all levels of experience, and highly recommended for those interested in being a Director or Storyboarder! Saturday, December 2nd @6 PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the HostsKaitlin is a Chinese-American 3D animator and the Events Assistant at here at AIA. They graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 3D Animation and Visual Effects and have worked for studios such as Framestore, Hornet, HOPR, PDA.NYC, Jabimation and Free Range VFX.
Josh Alvarez is a self-taught visual development artist from New York currently working on his portfolio and developing his skills as an artist with the hope to breaking in next year! He works with AIA to volunteer with online and offline community events like this year's career summit or even more recently the AIA meet-up in New York City! Join Storyboard Artist Vivian Le and Director Leslie Park to learn how to navigate teamwork in the world of animation. We'll cover topics such as how to give and ask for feedback, how to manage assignment loads and work, how to improve communication with your fellow artists, peers and even superiors, and how to be the best teammate possible! Highly recommended for recent grads and those new to the industry, but everyone is welcome! Sunday, December 3rd @4PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the Speakers
Let's get stuff done, together! Join us for a virtual co-working session to work on whatever you'd like - need to update your portfolio? Want to finish a story outline? Just need some space to plan the rest of your week? Come hang out and we'll work together! Monday, Dec 4th @4 PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the HostSophia is an External Relations Events Assistant with AIA. She helps coordinate AIA's virtual events and is working on breaking into production management!
Let's start our week right, together! This space is a working session to discuss your accomplishments and focus on your goals for the next week - everyone is welcome! Monday, December 4th @6:30PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the HostAmiel is a storyboard artist based out of Los Angeles, CA and serves as one of the Coordinators for the Membership Team at Asians in Animation. He currently works as a photo editor while breaking in to the industry.
 Join us for an exclusive behind the scenes look at the animated short, STARLING, winner of this year's Best Animated Short at the Tribeca Film Festival! Created by Director and Story Artist at Pixar Mitra Shahidi and Production Designer and former Pixar Character Designer Celine You as part of the Pixar Co-Op Film Program, this event will be an in depth look at the making of an indie animated short, followed by a Q&A opportunity. This event is highly recommended for anyone interested in creating their own indie films! Tuesday, December 5th @6PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the Speakers
Join Global Talent Acquisition Coordinator at Sony Pictures Entertainment Laura Bourne for an interactive workshop on recruiting tips and best practices, where you can get your burning questions answered about the application process and anything on your mind! This talk will be geared to current students, recent grads, and those looking to break in, but all are welcome to join. Tuesday, Dec 5th @7PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the Speaker
This is an in depth look at navigating early career roles for animation! Let's define success together and tackle common concerns like how to make a good first impression, how to cultivate professional relationships, and what to prep as you roll off and search for your next production. This will be a great overview on succeeding at a studio! Highly recommended for our early career members and recent grads, but all are welcome to come! Wednesday, December 6th @11 AM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the HostKim Quach is the ever-so-eager helping hand of the Creative Team. With recent experiences at Nickelodeon Animation as an Artist Management Intern and mentorship with Women in Animation, she’s had an exciting look into studio structures and production workflows. She continues to foster community throughout different corners of the industry, and lends support in creating safe spaces for learning and growth.
 Get an insider scoop and Q&A opportunity to ask everything you've ever wanted to know about being a filmmaker and showcasing within film festivals with Director Dan Snaddon! Dan's films have won the International Emmy Kids Award for Best Animation 2020 and been nominated for 3 BAFTA Young People and Children's award nominations. With his latest project for Magic Light Pictures and BBC One, THE SMEDS AND THE SMOOS, Daniel will discuss what it was like working on his most recent film project and what inspired him. Highly recommended for aspiring and current indie filmmakers, although everyone is welcome! Wednesday, December 6th @12PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the Speaker
 Don't miss this in-depth look at the incredible art of NIMONA featuring Production Designer and Character Art Director Aidan Sugano! We'll go behind the scenes to see how the unique techno-medieval world and style of NIMONA was developed and brought to life, followed by an exclusive Q&A opportunity afterwards. Highly recommended for those interested in design, art directing and visual development! Thursday, December 7 @5PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the Speaker
This is an in-depth training course to prepare current and future Production Assistants for the ins and outs of 2D episodic production. Along with Nickelodeon Production Assistant Katie Dizon, we'll go over every step of the production pipeline, take a look at the typical tasks expected of a PA and discuss best practices for production management. Highly recommended for students and recent grads looking to break into Production, and for current PAs looking to switch from 3D episodic or feature to 2D! Thursday, December 7th @6PM PT RSVP @bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the HostKatie Dizon is the External Relations Director at Asians in Animation. An aspiring Producer, Katie currently works as a Production Assistant at Nickelodeon Animation on the upcoming series, TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES. She was previously on ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, the first short to be green-lit for series from Nickelodeon's Intergalactic Shorts Program.
Gobelins Short Film Screening and Networking with AIA India - Featuring Poornima Subramaniam11/30/2023
Together with the AIA India community, come enjoy an exclusive screening of Gobelins’ short film, RIOT DOLL, followed by a Q&A with Director Poornima Subramaniam about her filmmaking process behind the project. Be sure to bring all your questions about first-time filmmaking, and join the other attendees in a post-talk networking session! RIOT DOLL follows a young delivery girl navigating a society engulfed by war-induced hatred in Moscow. Friday, Dec 8th @4:30AM PT 6pm IST (India) 6:30pm BST (Bangladesh) 7:30pm WIB (W. Indonesia) 8:30pm CST (China) 9:30pm JST (Japan, Seoul) RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the GuestPoornima Subramaniam is a story enthusiast, 2D animator and designer based in Paris. She loves to tell stories with a strong point of view but also do silly animations like a grandma being blown away. A recent graduate of Gobelins Paris, she has worked on the festival opener for the Annecy Film Festival 2022 and is ready to promote her Graduation short film, RIOT DOLL, as a director!
Join filmmaker Adnan Hussain and how to best highlight indigenous cultures and collaborate with indigenous artists! Adnan will share stories such as working with Sindhi Jogis on GUL, adapting Sufi poetry and Rajasthani puppetry, and working with Uyghur activists and musicians. This talk is intended for all storytellers seeking innovative approaches to incorporate culture, human rights, and traditional art forms into animation - all are welcome! Saturday, Dec 9th @11AM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the SpeakerAdnan Hussain is a filmmaker working in animation who blends technology, human rights, and culture in his animations. His varied projects range from Sufi poetry inspired puppet films to 8 bit-Bollywood mashups to VFX and animation for Marvel, Disney and Sony. Discover his work at http://www.madguru.com.
Come take some time to work on artwork, spruce up that portfolio and get started on your goals in an open, casual setting with other Asians in Animation members! Open to all who just want some dedicated space to work on a project - we hope to see you there! Saturday, Dec 9th @6PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the HostMaggie Chen is a junior toy/collectibles designer who designs figures of licensed characters. Within AIA, she is the Portfolio and Art Working Session Coordinator and takes great pride in making spaces for people to work on their projects together.
Take some time to reflect on this week's accomplishments and set your goals for the next week in this dedicated space - let's start next week ready to learn, grow and make the most of everything! This space is open to all - we hope to see you there! Sunday, Dec 10th @2PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the HostOriginally from Orlando, Florida, Sara Marigomen grew up watching and loving animated stories. She is currently at Steamroller Animation, and she volunteers as the Director of Communications at Asians in Animation. She loves supporting fellow creatives and exploring new organization and productivity practices. Beyond the world of animated storytelling, she likes to do puzzles and wants to learn how to crochet and to speak a second language.
Calling all the aspiring filmmakers - step into the world of indie filmmaking with storyboard artists Vivian Le and Jingqi Zhang! We'll discuss everything from how the filmmaking pipeline turns an idea into a completed film to how to submit your finished work to festivals. This talk is for open everyone and anyone who wants to make a film of their own! Sunday, Dec 10th @4PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the Speakers
About Legends AnimatedLegends Animated is a 501c3 nonprofit animation company that provides collaborative opportunities to create independent animation that is both engaging and impactful. It does so through fiscally sponsoring independent productions of members within the animation community, partnering with other 501c3 orgs and public institutions for animated co-productions, as well as offering capacity support to animation organizations and events. For more details feel free to visit https://linktr.ee/legendsanimated
Learn more about the East Coast Animation Industry with Kaitlin Yu and Sude Kurban! We'll discuss topics such as what sort of work is available for East Coast Animation Industries, networking, studios, and other resources, events and organizations available to our friends on the east coast! Especially recommended for our East Coast based members or anyone moving to the East Coast! Monday, Dec 11th @5PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the SpeakersA recent grad from Pratt Institute with a degree in 3D Animation, Sude is a Brooklyn-based Production Assistant and Concept Artist from Istanbul, Turkey with experience in indie animation production. As a volunteer at both Asians in Animation and Women in Animation, she is happy to share her knowledge and give advice to students and fellow graduates.
Kaitlin is a Chinese-American 3D animator and the Events Assistant at here at AIA. They graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 3D Animation and Visual Effects and have worked for studios such as Framestore, Hornet, HOPR, PDA.NYC, Jabimation and Free Range VFX. They are happy to share their knowledge and experience to anyone who is looking for work in the East Coast. Community Working Session: Goal Setting Space - Start Your Week Off! (30 Minutes) (SESSION 2)11/30/2023
Let's start our week right! This space is a working session to discuss your accomplishments and focus on your goals for the next week - everyone is welcome! Monday, December 11th @6PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the HostTir Tabandeh is an Iranian storyboard artist and producer who creates magical stories inspired by Southwest Asian culture and folklore. They're also a volunteer within the AIA Writer's Group!
Let's get stuff done, together! Join us for a virtual co-working session to work on whatever you'd like - need to update your portfolio? Want to finish a story outline? Just need some space to plan the rest of your week? Come hang out and we'll work together! Monday, Dec 11th @7 PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the HostShay Santos is a FilAm filmmaker and writer who currently volunteers on the Asians in Animation Creative Team. She likes coffee and cartoons.
Curious about how composers score music for projects? Join Jamie Pangan and Robert Mai for an informative talk on how to make the most of working with composers for animation! We'll discuss the ins and outs on how to best connect with a composer and dive into a project together! This talk is mostly geared towards animators, producers and directors who are curious about how to work with composers, but all are welcome! We will be covering topics such as: • Syncing story and music • Trusting your composer and keeping an open mind • Expressing emotions with music Tuesday, Dec 12th @5PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the SpeakersBased in Nashville, Jamie Pangan is a violinist, music producer and composer for film, TV, and games. Previously, Jamie contributed in the music departments under studios such as Netflix, Hulu and Disney+. Jamie loves to experiment with string sounds and electronic elements to create hybrid ambient textures that blend with cinematic drama. Growing up in Orange County, CA, Robert Mai dreamed of chasing an art career at a very young age. He's had a successful career of more than seven years composing for films, television, podcasts, games, and more. He's worked with companies such as Netflix, Amazon, Ubisoft and Showtime and enjoys mentoring young composers in his free time. About Legends AnimatedLegends Animated is a 501c3 nonprofit animation company that provides collaborative opportunities to create independent animation that is both engaging and impactful. It does so through fiscally sponsoring independent productions of members within the animation community, partnering with other 501c3 orgs and public institutions for animated co-productions, as well as offering capacity support to animation organizations and events. For more details feel free to visit https://linktr.ee/legendsanimated
Join our very Managing Director at AIA Dani Yuan for an engaging discussion on strategically planning personal projects! Discover how to apply leadership lessons from the US Marines to propel your own projects to success. Dani will share tips on how to set clear objectives, assess resources, and maintain flexibility as you work towards your goals! Everyone, especially those working on personal projects, is welcome to join this talk as we work on our goals together! Tuesday, Dec 12th @6PM PT RSVP at bit.ly/AIACareerSummit2023 About the SpeakerDani served in the US Marines after high school, serving with the prestigious 4th Force Reconnaissance company. After getting their degree in Political Science from UC San Diego, they decided to commit towards a career in the animation industry. They currently work as a program coordinator at the BRIC Foundation and support Asians in Animation as a Managing Director, focusing on optimizing workflows for the organization to support long-term success. About Legends AnimatedLegends Animated is a 501c3 nonprofit animation company that provides collaborative opportunities to create independent animation that is both engaging and impactful. It does so through fiscally sponsoring independent productions of members within the animation community, partnering with other 501c3 orgs and public institutions for animated co-productions, as well as offering capacity support to animation organizations and events. For more details feel free to visit https://linktr.ee/legendsanimated
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