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I accomplished bouncing ball animation with a tail 😆 I'm so happy to see the outcome of my first practice!

In my opinion….the reason why toon boom is useful and prevalent due to it includes significant amount of functions that can make complicated animations. In other words, it’s a quite challenging software to learn, but it's worth it!

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I learned toon boom harmony from my roomate who works as senior animator in Malaysia animation studio.

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17.01.2025 First course in toon boom harmony

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17.01.2025 First course in toon boom harmony

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I can't believe that I have to learn toon boom cause I study in Europe as well as I want to find a job at here in the future so I need to do my best to getting used to this software. It's challenging but quite interesting!

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Character Walking Cycle practice in toon boom!

I draw each frame by myself and next time I want to rig my other character and make walking cycle animation!!

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I found this animation and I love it so much!

And I want to make similar dynamic style in my scene one ( The clown walking and pulling the big circus camp) But I still thinking about its Key pose.

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It's remind me that if I want to work asap,I need to handle these skills and practice hard.

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An impressive stop-motion animation in Animex Festival

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"Life isn't about looking backwards,Gracie.
It's about living forwards."

Memoir of a snail makes me laugh,cry as well as motivate my heart. The team took over 130000 photos in the animation and made 7000 puppets. It's incredible!! I can feel their passion of animation, and I have more energy to make my final film!

In addition, When we watching the film, the sounds in not loud enough, so I had to listen really carefully, act like taking IELTS english listening test...

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I'm getting used to toonboom harmony,

Today I only spent four hours to accomplish Cookie's walking cycle!

The only challenge is that I can't use peg, curve bone smoothly...

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I found a reference of trampoline animation!

Cause I thought my original storyboard of this clip is too normal.

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15 seconds · Clipped by Someone _ · Original video “60-MINUTE SPECIAL #10 | Cirque du Soleil | LA NOUBA, VAREKAI, QUIDAM” by Cirque du Soleil

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SC05_Juggling ball_REF / Mask stage Art style_Ref

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SC05_Juggling ball_REF / Mask stage Art style_Ref

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Yozakura Quartet: Hoshi no Umi (2010)

I changed the angle of the scene because I think this angle could train my skill of drawing perspective, furthermore, it could improve the visual tension.

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MrSakuga on Instagram: "Anime:Yozakura Quartet: Hoshi no Umi (2010)

KeyAnimator:Shingo Yamashita
Studio:Tatsunoko Production, Purple Cow Studio Japan
Ep:2 (BD) 

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣#yozakuraquartet #ova #sakuga #animation #art #fyp #bluray #fighting #夜桜四重奏 #animation #animeart #manga #action #anime"

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51K likes, 270 comments - mrsakuga on January 21, 2025: "Anime:Yozakura Quartet: Hoshi no Umi (2010)

KeyAnimator:Shingo Yamashita
Studio:Tatsunoko Production, Purple Cow Studio Japan
Ep:2 (BD) 

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣#yozakuraquartet #ova #sakuga #animation #art #fyp #bluray #fighting #夜桜四重奏 #animation #animeart #manga #action #anime". 

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MrSakuga (@mrsakuga)

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I have a background which has a low perspective,and I use blender to add a image texture and apply it in a sphere.

However the light I adjust always not fit to my concept art enough. So I finally render a right perspective image and redraw it in procreate.

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I add a perspective cut to make the scene more lively

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I ask my friend who works as an 2D animator, she told me if I want to keep the quality of my film, I need to learn how to make puppet in toon boom.

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The first thing I learned is that how to know Which part I need to saperate. Head... neck ... eyes... knees... shoulder... arms ....etc

It's complicated and tiring but I think if my puppet works, I can save a lot of time to make animation

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When I drew the key pose in turn-around animation, a weird line appeared on the frame 6. And I couldn't remove it at all.

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The steps I figure out the solution:

1. I tried clear alignment guides but not work.

2. I checked the Guide and symmetry but there is empty, means this weird blue line isn't guide line.

3. Then I asked Nick, he said maybe the problem is due to the node view. So I delete some pegs... finally when I removed " head_peg" , the line was disappeared!! Although we don't know why... but the problem has solved... It took me almost two hours...

------

I told to Nick that I'm worried because if I always met this kind of issue and spent a long time to figure out the problem , I couldn't finish my final film on time and keep the quality...

But Nick said that means I learn new thing in the software, cause he doesn't know why this issue happened in my animation. So I'm the only one know what is that blue line! I really love his positive thinking ^^ Thank you Nick!

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I finished my schedule and organize my one drive files.

it's a complicated mood. In this project, time will be my enemy if I didn't organize my time in right way.

Therefore, I counted my SFX , BG and Layout in very detail.For example, my BG in the final film includes 18 pieces. SFX has 33 in total...

Then, I plan to draw 6 BG each month, and go through to making flim process in May.

Hope I could finish it successfully!

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I used to make animation in TV paint, and I depend on "exposure" function. However I didn't know where is this function in toon boom and I didn't know its english.

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When I asked Nick, he told me what I need is "exposure" and he taught me where can I find the function. I'm so happy because he said it's a common industrial word, and I knew it today.

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I finished SC3-BG , I really focus on creating the warm, bright, and fantasy vibe. I'm looking forward to the Final film.

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I took a long time to consider its art style, I really want to try the clean look like Lo-Fi style, so I tried and the result is amazing! I will add some VFX like color ribbons in this scene 

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I rig the character in toon boom harmony, and made run cycle animation.

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It took me four day to finish this shot, but I'm glad I tried to use new software, new function as well as practice hard!

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I rig the main characters and make a turnaround animation in toon boom harmony. It's quite fun!

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SC11_trampoline and wheel run _ working process

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SC11_trampoline and wheel run _ working process

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character animation in toon boom harmony.

Some are hand-painted and some are framed.

Texture, shadow and wheel running are done in AE Finally, edited and composition were completed in AE.

Total production time is ten days

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I drew three of background of my friend's short film.

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2025 Student short film- Semangat Kita - Background Artist

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2025 Student short film- Semangat Kita - Background Artist

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My friend is currently studying BA program, and this is her senior project, she really need someone who can be her background artist, and she asked me... I think it's a really good chance which I could write on my CV

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I completed 10 of animation background in only 11 days. How challenging task is it !

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2025 Student short film- Semangat Kita - Background Artist

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2025 Student short film- Semangat Kita - Background Artist

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I learn a lot from this experience. Including improving my photoshop skill, sharing insight thought with other student( my friend), exchanging skill to each other... She taught me toom boom harmony and I assist her short film. It's a quite nice experience!

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Animation loop _ wave cycle/ Sad news from Taiwan

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Animation loop _ wave cycle/ Sad news from Taiwan

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"Hope every children can grow up in a peaceful world."

----

Actually I drew other wave cycle animation on the last week, but I redraw it today.

The inspiration is from a news in Taiwan, a celebrity was guilty of purchasing sexual exploitation films of underage teenagers, and he preserve 2259 of films, it's a really horrible amount!

I read the verdict, the youngest victims only 11 years old.

I can't stand this issue is not only he is a celebrity,he is just one of a customer in this criminal market. But there are thousands of potential customers.

Each "customer" supports a violent, exploitative system that ruins countless young lives. And every viewer, downloader, or purchaser is a link in that chain.

If we don’t break the demand, children will continue to be hurt.

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I drew the arc at first, and the character of each frame also has its own arc line. Besides, after finish the character's pose, I make the follow through detail of its hat.

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_Because the character walk lively, so I want to know how about its arc of the arms.

Then I took the ref myself.

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Because I want to animate the deformation of a spring, so I ask my friend if he has spring or not, then he called me by vedio, and show me the dynamic of the spring, thanks to him!

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I use my previous character to make this animation

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Since the characters of my final film are all robots, they don't have facial express function, so I used previous character to practice " facial expression".

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Since the timing is too fast to see the character clearly, I fixed it in PR

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The sad thing is that I couldn't fix timing in toon boom harmony directly, beacuse I rigged the character so if I want to change the exposure, it can't make it.

That's why I need to make sure everything is fine then proceed to next step! HAHA!

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Today we help each other to record our sound effects 

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We made the sounds of running, grunting, slapping , water rushing as well as dialogues, it’s quite fun and enjoyable :)

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My friend is good at acting! She help me to record the dialogue. It's quite fun, we record this conversation for four times because it's English hahaha!

I have successfully recorded all dialogue!

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24.03.2025 - SFX- Record dialogue/ blooper

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24.03.2025 - SFX- Record dialogue/ blooper

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We took 30 minutes in recording dialogue, and this is one of the blooper !

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Walking cycle which made by rigged puppet

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Because I'm not good at music, so I found a music studio which named " Heidi Studio"

I browse their official website and noticed that they have handled multiple student projects. Therefore I contacted the composer, we discussed a lot and finally cooperate with him.

This is our first time meeting, he found the music references from French movie "Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain" , what a coincidence!! I also refer to many French animation but I never tell him!!

He said that because when he saw my animatic, art boook... he imagine French music...!

At that moment, I think I found a really professional sound artist!

https://www.jeffdeng.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIlWLNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHdPD5c_BwtIYgJnQaLffvHe_LMKBHBcs9mLbq_m7IETsTdoe7FA5Uj-Gtw_aem_vKTQdBnNOhzrH2SLhp3Y_g

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I finally finished the background of Sc02...

This scene is really challenging, because I need to convey the nostalgic and steady atmosphere.

I spent a lot of time balancing colors and lighting to create that warm, slightly surreal circus vibe.

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I learn how to reduce color aberration in procreate

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I learn how to reduce color aberration in procreate

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Everytime when I uploaded the background which drew in procreate, the color always changed in the laptop.

Therefore, I searched on the internet, and I found that some illustrators said I need to change the color display which from Display P3 to sRGB IEC61966-2.1, then the laptop could read the accurate color.

After I tried , it works perfectly！

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I adjusted the brightness and blur the stage to make a contrast of main character and background.

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At the fist version, I felt it not fit to my animation because the background always steals the spotlight from the main character.

Therefore, I want to draw a new one, but I knew I don't have time to do the pre-production, and my friend told me that I could adjust the brightness and blur the BG.

And the outcome is quite nice! I'm grateful to her!!

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In this scene, I used After effect to make the visual of underwater. And I searched the tutorial film on the youtube!

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I used " Factor noise " " turbulence displace" as well as expressions to make the water effect.

In addition, the background is " Gradient Ramp" , I tried light green plus dark green, but it not fit to the vibe of the scene, so I changed to blue tone, and it is what I want!

After effect is really helpful and I save a lot of time...!!! I will depend on this software during making the final film!

The tutorial film： https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM_ZyO-BRkY&t=918s

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I've done all the pre-production of the final film!

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I'm glad that I completed all the Layout of the Final film.

Layout is an important part of pre-production, because it gives me time to organize the frame, dynamics, camera movement, and more.

By planning carefully at this stage, I can reduce the amount of changes needed later in the actual production of the film.

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I added the scene images to the schedule 

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My friend recommended me to add the scene images to the scene list and I can easily know what story is the scene.

I think it’ sounds good so I did that, and I also think it’s might be useful to my composer, so I also send the scene list to him.

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Mark taught us how to operate the camera!

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02.04.2025_ Filming Billie _staff teaching part

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02.04.2025_ Filming Billie _staff teaching part

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Today we practiced how to direct the short script, it's quite fun, there were full of laughing and we gave some interesting ideas to each other, then, make a lively film.

Ting Hua and Jia Run are my actress, they're really excellent!! I also act to evil voice in Ting Hua's film !

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02.04.2025_ Me direct the short script of Billie _ behind scene

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02.04.2025_ Me direct the short script of Billie _ behind scene

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This is my first time recording a short video with this expensive, superior technology...how professional is this camera...

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Maddy : TING HUA WANG ; Billie : JIA RUN LEE

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URL: https://youtu.be/CyKBQ9WPcUo

I want to make the voice as an devil, so I borrow the jacket and covered on Ting Hua, let her act as a horrible devil without face.

It's interesting and they're really excellent.

In addition, because Billie has a long lines, but I wish she can speak fluently, so I said "you can speak yourself no need to read each word on the script. Let the emotion out but it must be consistent with the original meaning of the lines"

And she did it ! Anyway, They're brilliant!

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SC12 _ Final Stage _ Background_Done with the all pre-production!!!

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SC12 _ Final Stage _ Background_Done with the all pre-production!!!

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I finally finished all the pre-production stuff... I'm so excited to proceed to the making film process!

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I made character animation in toon boom harmony and composited the animation and LOGO in AE.

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I completed the rough animation in toon boom harmony, but I need to know if the timing is correct or not. So I export the clip and composited them in AE, it's really efficient!

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Software: Adobe illustrator, After effect

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LOGO _ ROBOT LUCY | Adobe illustrator ft. After Effect

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LOGO _ ROBOT LUCY | Adobe illustrator ft. After Effect

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I want to make a lively,energetic... the visual should fit to Circus show.

But when I drew in adobe illustrator, the LOGO is always very rigid and mechanical.

But it's an animation of lively vibe.

Therefore, I use turbulent displace to made the LOGO more curves and smoothness. And adjust the scale to convey squash and stretch effects.

This is my first time to use AE to assist me to make a LOGO. AE is a quite useful software!

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I learned how to fix the resolution in After effect

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SC01_ Clown walking animation _ working process

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SC01_ Clown walking animation _ working process

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Software: Toon boom harmony, After effect

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I forgot to open the scene to 1920*1080.

But I want to export the flle from 4K video, so I use " sharp " , "unsharp mask " to fix the resolution in After effect.

It's really helpful.

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I found an efficient painting tool in harmony

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I found an efficient painting tool in harmony

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If I open " close gaps" tool, I can fill the color of the character easily, and no need to fix the line art.

Therefore, even I have 12 second animation, It only took 1 hour in painting !!!

This tool give me confidence to complete the final film before deadline.

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Done with all the pre-production and towards to making film process.

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Done with all the pre-production and towards to making film process.

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I'm glad that I still on the track...

Hope everything goes smoothly with me.

I really want to complete the final film on time, so I will do my best to stick to the schedule!!

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I used rigging tool to make ball animation, it’s really efficient because if I moved the position of the ball and try to make a more beautiful arc, harmony could changed the in between automatically!!

How clever software is it !!!

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2025 Student short film- Semangat Kita - The last Background Art

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2025 Student short film- Semangat Kita - The last Background Art

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This is the last background, I managed the schedule and complete the freelance work and still stick to the schedule of my final film work.

Actually I didn't want to freelance the short film work before, because I want to focus on my own project.

But I think the work experience is really important, and I can learn how to manage my time and make a perfect balance through this work.

In conclusion, it's tough and challenging but I learn a lot!

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pegs have a parent-child relationship !!!!!!

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A Little Trap I learned When Using Pegs in Toon Boom

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A Little Trap I learned When Using Pegs in Toon Boom

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Today, when I was working on the final film, I used two pegs:

．One for position

．One for scale

At first, I thought separating the functions would give me better control.

But I noticed that if I move the pivot point of the scale peg, the motion path (arc) of the animation will be messed up!

I didn’t understand why, so I spent some time figuring it out.

Then I found that...it always happens based on the scale pivot point, and when that pivot moves, it shifts the whole object's position, which ruins the arc and makes the motion look unnatural.

After surfing online, I learned that pegs have a parent-child relationship.

If I put the scale peg as a parents (outer peg) and move its pivot, the inner position peg will be affected.

The solution:

1.Put the Position peg on the outside

2.Put the Scale peg on the inside, and don’t move its pivot

Then, the animation arc stays clean and smooth !!!

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I completed the ball animation, it's a really beautiful scene and I'm looking forward to the outcome !

Hope I can finish the lively character dynamic, I'll do my best! This is my favorite scene!

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Software: Toon boom harmony, After effect

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SC05_juggling ball_BG animation_ Learning CC light sweep

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SC05_juggling ball_BG animation_ Learning CC light sweep

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I want to make the background more lively but do not stole the spotlight from the characters.

So I used " turbulent displace" at first.

However, if the animation of turbulence too much, I can't keep the focus on the characters, so I need the other VFX to enhance the livliness.

And using light instead of motion to add life is such a smart move, especially when I want the BG to feel more magical and breathing.

So I choose CC light sweep which I learn from youtube

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I used Toon Boom Harmony to animate the character movements, and After Effects for the background animation.

Finally, I composited everything together in After Effects.

Through this scene, I learned a lot of techniques, such as using the Close Gap Tool, CC Light Sweep, rigging animation, and adjusting timing and pacing.

I now understand that to efficiently complete a short film, the key is to use the tools more wisely.

Besides, I'm glad that I took a lot of time to design the key pose during making animatic on the first semester. So I can make animation more directly instead of tinking key pose.

In conclusion, I'm still learning and improving!

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I learn how to reset the brush in TV PAINT

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I learn how to reset the brush in TV PAINT

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I have a freelance work recently and we use TV PAINT to make 2D animation.

However, I accidentally delete a brush tool, but I don't know how to reset, the most important is that the brush I deleted is our " clean-up brush"

So I have to find it back!!!!

Then, I searched the solution on TV paint community, and I found out that I just need to open the start up Panel.

SOP:

edit- preference- start - Open the Start-Up Panel

So I can reset the brush which was missed.

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A fantastic clean-up tool in harmony I learned !

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A fantastic clean-up tool in harmony I learned !

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If I want to fill the color to the character,

I can open the tool of "close the gap" , then, I don't need to open this tool in each frame,

I can click " apply to all drawings ", in that case , I can painting directly !!

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The files cannot be shared due to a confidentiality agreement.

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Freelance work_ Project manager_TV show of Taiwan

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Freelance work_ Project manager_TV show of Taiwan

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I'm currently working on a title sequence animation work which from a TV show of Taiwan (Public Television Service).

And we have five members in the animation team, I serve as PM , and I made a weekly process, scene list , file management and tracking the progress.

This is my first time work in a professional team! I'm really excited !

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The files cannot be shared due to a confidentiality agreement

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Freelance work_ Challenging second key frame and dynamic design

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Freelance work_ Challenging second key frame and dynamic design

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I’m second key animator in this scene, but I need to design the dynamic. Because the key animator is too busy so she only gave me a rough key frame(equal to animatic ) without any reference.

And I noticed that …. “ This ‘key frame’ was from an ending pose photo! “

So I can’t draw the dancing pose!!!’

In that case, I focused on pom dancing … especially the follow through, stretching and squashing, as well as timing and pacing… made this clip more lively and fit for the key pose:)

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The files cannot be shared due to a confidentiality agreement

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As a freelance PM, I have to make a scene list and allocate the work for each member.

In this project, we apply the flexible work exchange strategy. For example, if I completed my task, then I can help other member's work or proceed to the next scene. We didn't allocate the task and stick to the list, because all of us are freelancers and we have our own job in the life!

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Meet with my composer_Demo1, Demo2, as well as the note of making process

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Meet with my composer_Demo1, Demo2, as well as the note of making process

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My composer made demo 1 and demo 2 for me, and also used google document to make notes on the design process, telling me which instruments he used and the melody style he created from second to second.

I feel very happy because I attach great importance to this final film. Seeing such a dedicated composer makes me more confident that this animation will be very exciting!

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The files cannot be shared due to a confidentiality agreement.

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Freelance work_Emergency ! Learn how to deal with emergencies

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Freelance work_Emergency ! Learn how to deal with emergencies

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Today, we were told that the director has been hospitalized in Japan due to illness and may not return for a month.

But in order to ensure that the progress of the program production would not be delayed, I had a temporary meeting with the client and then contacted the assistant director. We decided that the assistant director would take over the directing work.

Then, we met with other members to adjust the post-production work mode and production schedule.

I think this is a very challenging working experience. In addition, I hope the director recovers soon.

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The files cannot be shared due to a confidentiality agreement

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Freelance work_inbetween and  clean-up work today

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Freelance work_inbetween and  clean-up work today

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I'm working on clean-up which for two different shot and my arm got sore...it's only 7 second in total ,still a large workloads though.

Btw, sometimes it get really messy when use two software, because I clicked the shortcut from toon boom harmony in TV paint this morning.

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I made a new trailer and I added the music with it,

music is made from my composer. I love this clip so much!

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This scene requires drawing the dynamics of the character sinking into the water. Since I can't shoot it myself, I searched for a similar reference on YouTube.

I downloaded the video and imported it into TV paint, did a simple motion analysis one by one, and drew the key frame in Harmony.

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When I started working on this scene, I originally wanted to animate the moment of entering the water. However, I’m not very skilled at effects animation and couldn’t find suitable references. So in the end, I decided to leave out the water effects and focus on the character’s buoyancy and movement in the water instead.

I think as long as the character’s movement feels natural and conveys the underwater atmosphere, the scene won’t feel unbalanced.

I plan to improve the water effects later when I have more free time—such as hand-drawn water flow or bubbles. But for now, I need to prioritize finishing the whole animation before the deadline, so I can’t spend too much time on just one scene.

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01. I finally asked myself, “What do I really want?”

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01. I finally asked myself, “What do I really want?”

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📍May 1, 2025

After studying in the UK for seven months, I’ve not only focused on my academic work—but for the first time in a long while, I’ve had space to slow down and listen to myself.

Back in Taiwan, I was always outputting, but rarely inputting. I was constantly chasing what a 26-year-old “should” be doing—without ever asking myself, what do I actually enjoy? What truly suits me?

Coming to the UK was a turning point. While studying animation and working on my final project, I finally had time to explore what I really wanted—not just as a student or professional, but as a person.

I read, I reflected, I asked hard questions.
And slowly, I found clarity. I love animation. But I don’t love concept development.

I enjoy the process of executing animation—working on second keyframes, doing clean-up. I find real joy in that flow.
But I don’t feel excited about storyboarding or character design. Those parts feel more like a burden than a passion.

Recently, I worked on a freelance animation project where I served as both an animator and the project’s production manager.

During that experience, I paid close attention to how each role made me feel. And I realized something important:
Production management gave me a deeper sense of fulfillment.

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02. I finally asked myself, “What do I really want?”

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02. I finally asked myself, “What do I really want?”

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📍May 1, 2025

I loved organizing the timeline, collaborating with teammates, solving problems, and ensuring the project stayed on track. It wasn't just about finishing a task—it was about helping everyone move forward together.

That meant more to me than designing characters or writing scripts ever did. If I choose to pursue animation purely as a technical artist, I know I may hit a ceiling—I might become a senior second key animator, but not more. I simply don’t have the drive to push into creative leadership, because that’s not where my passion lies.

But as a production manager, I see more possibilities—within the animation industry and beyond. Whether it’s animated films, television programs, or other creative projects, I’ve realized that I’m at my best when I’m helping a team turn ideas into finished work.

I’m someone who loves the craft of animation—but even more, I love seeing projects go from vision to reality.

I thrive in roles where I can bring structure, support collaboration, and push the team toward completion.

Realizing this has been the most important growth I've experienced since coming to the UK. I'm no longer trying to become what I should be. I'm finally becoming who I'm meant to be.

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I assist my friend to organize her schedule of the final film

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I assist my friend to organize her schedule of the final film

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We discuss how to organize the workload in four month, and it's really helpful.

This is personal project, it's still need some help though, especially in some part which we're not very skilled at.

For example, I'm not good at storyboard, and she usually give me some suggestions. She's not get used to organize schedule, so I assist her to arrange her working days.

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I did a quick research of ribbon show, even I have the image in my mind, still necessary to check the dynamic is correct.

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In the SC04 Ribbon path, I have to paint the ribbon with 3 gradient, so I found the tutorial on youtube ! It's pretty helpful!

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Lesson 7: Learn to Animate in Toon Boom Harmony, Painting with Gradients

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I completed the half animation of SC04, and this is the reference I took myself. Thanks to my housemate act as my photographer!

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I finished the animation of version1, and I will adjust the movement tomorrow.

I noticed that the movement is quite stiff…

So it’s necessary to make some joint offsets and arc.

By the way, I am so exhausted these days…. but in order to complete the final film, I have to stick to the schedule. Therefore, I’m trying to reduce my other works and keep more spare time to recharge myself…

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01.  Freelance work_A reflection from today’s meeting

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01.  Freelance work_A reflection from today’s meeting

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Today, I encountered a small issue in the animation project which I’m currently working on as both a project manager and animator.

One of our team members—an undergraduate student who’s responsible for post-production—wasn’t able to meet the expected quality.

His understanding of animation is still developing, and his technical execution lacked polish. As the director put it, “it still looks more like a student exercise.”

After discussing it in a meeting with the director, assistant director, and myself, we gathered specific points that needed to be revised.

During the team call, the director gave rather direct feedback to the student.

To soften the atmosphere, the assistant director and I shared stories about how harsh and straightforward the director used to be with us, hoping to reassure the student that it’s not personal—just part of the learning process.

From my point of view, a second-year student still has a lot of room to grow, and this situation doesn’t mean he’s bad—it just means he’s still learning.

That said, his current pace of growth might not be fast enough to meet client demands within the limited timeline.

I really hope this project doesn’t discourage him too much. Instead, I hope it becomes an experience he can eventually absorb and grow from.

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02. Freelance work_ A reflection from today’s meeting

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02. Freelance work_ A reflection from today’s meeting

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However, one moment from the meeting stayed with me.

After we shared our own “tough training stories,” the assistant director casually said to the student,
“So you guys are lucky now!”
(implying that the director today is much gentler than before).

While I know it was meant as a joke, I personally believe that stress and difficulty shouldn't be compared.

Saying “you’re lucky” in this context can unintentionally dismiss someone’s current struggle—

as if to say, “It’s not that bad, we had it worse.”

If it were me, I’d rephrase it to something more supportive, like:

“The director is much more gentle now, so don’t stress too much. If anything’s unclear or you feel stuck, feel free to ask in the group chat—we’ve got your back!”

This kind of message still acknowledges the past, but more importantly, it respects how someone feels now—and encourages them to speak up without fear.

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03. Freelance work_ A reflection from today’s meeting

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03. Freelance work_ A reflection from today’s meeting

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Another moment that stood out: the assistant director said of one scene that needed to be cut,
“This part kind of looks like it was done by a beginner.”

It’s true—the student is a beginner, and I’m sure after being asked to revise several times, he already knows that.
But I feel it’s better to focus our feedback on the work, rather than the person’s level.

If it were me, I’d say:

“The motion and timing here still need refinement. As it stands, we can’t deliver this version to the client just yet.”

That way, the comment becomes about what needs to change—not about who’s not good enough.

It’s a subtle but important difference that can protect a teammate’s confidence while still holding creative standards.

This is just a small reflection I had today in my role as a producer.

I’m still learning how to balance the need for quality with the need to help team members grow.

I want to create a working space where people can grow through pressure—not be hurt by it.

If we can offer even a little more kindness in our words, and set clearer, more human boundaries in our communication,
then maybe we can help each other grow at our own pace—one project at a time.

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Even though this scene is just a run cycle, there are actually many small details to pay attention to.

For example, the small robot Cookie has a very boxy shape. When I was making his run cycle, I ran into some challenges. I had checked every frame carefully, but the movement still felt stiff. In the end, I decided to add an arc to his eyes, and that made the whole motion look much more natural.

Also, to make the two robots feel more like friends, I added a little detail—Lucy, the big robot, looks at Cookie and smiles. It makes the scene feel much warmer.

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I learn how to render Layers to Multiple Folders

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I learn how to render Layers to Multiple Folders

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I have 6 layers in Sc04 ribbon path, in order to save time, I search how to render the layer in multiple folders in one time.

And I know that I have to add different "write node" and connect to each layer, after I click " render write nodes" I can receive all layers in the folders!

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I want to add a texture loop in SC04 ribbon path, after I completed the texture drawing in procreate, I import the image to AE.

Then, I open a new composition which named "texture" and make a on 3 loop in the new comp.

Next, I click the " enable time remapping" and add a new key, then wrote the loop out express. Finally, the texture loop animation accomplish!!!!!

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Textures in After Effects | Looping backgrounds and overlays tutorial

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Software: toon boom harmony | After effect

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This is my favorite shot of the project, besides, this is the first time I tried to make texture loop animation in AE.

I can't describe too much detail cause I already written a lot in the previous posts!

But the only thing I want to say is that personal project is quite stressed, even I felt exhausted, I still need to stick to the schedule.

In that case, I started leaning " Stress Adaptation " myself.

I think it's an important thing that Masters student need to learn, especially international student !! ( just kidding :)

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Today, I also made some VFX in the both scenes, I really love this imaginary world!

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In this scene, I tried to composite the characters with the background.

I experimented with several methods to blend the characters into the environment. First, I used Color Balance to adjust the characters’ color temperature and saturation.

Then, I added a rim light to create a soft blue edge light on them. It’s subtle because the scene is mainly lit by natural light, without strong light sources.

Since Color Balance alone wasn’t enough to create smooth color transitions, I also used the Curves effect to fine-tune the tones.

For the background, I duplicated the original layer and applied a Gaussian Blur, then set the duplicate to Screen mode on top of everything. This helped soften the overall image and unify the characters and background.

Although this shot doesn’t have much character movement, I used a "line boil" technique to prevent the scene from feeling static.

To keep the background alive, I also added a Noise effect, making the whole scene feel more organic and dynamic.

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In SC09 Gas station,the scene take place at night. Therefore, I want to make the characters look natural under the moon light, and I found the tutorial vedio.

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How to make Rim Light in After Effects | Workshop

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This shot focuses on creating a quiet, calm nighttime atmosphere, where the characters naturally blend into the background.

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Although there's no dialogue or movement, I wanted the scene to keep "breathing" — feeling soft, steady, and full of subtle life.

To achieve this atmosphere, I applied several detailed post-production techniques:

Color Matching: I used Color Balance and Curves in After Effects to adjust the characters’ color temperature and contrast to match the cool-toned background. I also changed the line art color in Toon Boom to a dark blue-gray, helping the characters blend more naturally into the scene.

Rim Light: A soft blue rim light was added around the characters to simulate ambient night lighting and give the scene more depth.

Texture Consistency: I tested different Noise values (from 5 to 20) and finally set the character layer to 3 and the background to 20, ensuring visual consistency without overwhelming the image.

Layer Mode Testing: I compared Overlay, Screen, and a mix of both. In the end, I chose Screen for its gentle color blending.

Vignette Adjustment: I initially tried using a vignette to draw focus, but it created too much contrast and broke the calm mood—so I removed it.

In total, I exported 10 versions and carefully compared versions 7, 8, and 10.
I selected Version 10 (Final) because it best reflects the storytelling goal: a soft, restrained visual that doesn't disrupt the quiet emotion of the moment.

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I made a new showreel today, and I asked my friend, she helped me to select some meaningful clip and arranged their sequence.

So...I hope I could find a job before graduate!

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I’ve started building my LinkedIn profile.

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I’ve started building my LinkedIn profile.

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Since I started using Padlet to record my creative journey, I thought I should update Linkedin at the same time to increase my experience and connect with more professionals.

Although I haven't started sending out resumes, I think managing LinkedIn well will be helpful for my future career development.

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750 million+ members | Manage your professional identity. Build and engage with your professional network. Access knowledge, insights and opportunities.

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08.05.2025_Freelance work_In the workplace, people don’t need your guilt_ As a freelance project manager

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08.05.2025_Freelance work_In the workplace, people don’t need your guilt_ As a freelance project manager

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Today, I almost felt very guilty.

This week is my final exam week. I was very busy, so for two days, I didn’t reply in the group chat or check the team’s progress like I usually do.

When I woke up, it was already evening in Taiwan. The director had asked the animator about the progress in the morning. She didn’t mention me, but I felt nervous. I thought, “Does she think I’m not responsible? Did I make her do my job? Did I let the team down?”

I was worried and feeling bad, because this is my first time working as a PM. I really want to do a good job. But now the director did something that I was supposed to do.

While I was still feeling anxious, I realized something:

"Instead of feeling guilty, I should just solve the problem."

So I checked the progress, thanked the director for helping, then I took over the task. I organized the files, reminded the animator about the format, checked the delivery time, and told the team I will upload the file tomorrow.

During this process, I suddenly understood something important:

"In the workplace, people don’t need your guilt."

They need your support.

I was not failing my job. I didn’t delay the schedule or disappear. I just stepped away for a short time, then came back at the right moment, finished the work, and helped the team stay on track.

In a team, saying sorry is not as important as taking action.

If you can return and take responsibility, that’s what really matters.

I still care if others feel disappointed in me.
But now I know—
" Instead of feeling anxious to show I’m here.”
it is better to stay calm and “support the team when needed.”

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08.05.2025_UK Study Abroad — Second Semester Reflection

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08.05.2025_UK Study Abroad — Second Semester Reflection

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In this semester, I started to record my creative journey. It’s not only about my final film, but also about my learning and experiences in the animation field.

I worked with a BA student on her short film. I helped her as a background artist and supported her in the pre-production process. We also exchanged skills — she taught me how to use Toon Boom Harmony, and I helped her design scenes and colours.

At the same time, I joined a freelance project from PTS Taiwan. I worked as a project manager for the opening animation of a new TV show. This was my first time working as a PM.

Besides planning the schedule and talking with the team, I also did some second key animation, inbetweening, clean-up and painting. I learned a lot and tried my best to grow my soft skills. The best part was making two new animator friends from the industry.

I feel I learned so much this semester. Not only did I improve my skills in After Effects and Toon Boom Harmony, I also grew as a person.

Most importantly, I had a lot of self-growth. I started to understand what I really want to do, what I am good at, and what my potential is. I finally gave myself time to rest and grow, not only to work hard and give everything out.

This is the best gift I could give to my 26-year-old self.

In short, I feel that I have ended this semester with a very beautiful period.

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Third semester_SC09_Gas station_ Working process

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Third semester_SC09_Gas station_ Working process

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Scene Nature
SC09 is a dialogue-driven static scene with no major character movements. To avoid a monotonous look, I used limited animation techniques, focusing on subtle changes in facial expressions and small body movements to clearly convey emotional shifts and enhance the feeling of anger.

Technical Process
Since the scene has limited motion, post-production plays a key role. I used Adobe After Effects to adjust the visuals and create the right atmosphere, including:

Color Adjustment: Adjusted color temperature and brightness to reflect the characters’ emotional states.

Atmosphere Building: Added subtle lighting changes and soft focus effects to give more depth and prevent the static scene from feeling flat.

To make the transition smoother and keep the emotional flow, the scene ends with a fade-out effect, allowing the emotions to naturally ease into the next scene.

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In SC10, I used texture loop animation and applied a simple fade-out transition to smoothly connect with SC09.

The production took a total of five days, because I had already planned the key frames during the Production Design class in the first semester.

Also, I used techniques I had studied last semester, such as texture loop animation and the gradient coloring tool in Toon Boom Harmony, which helped speed up the production process.

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SC06_ Mask Stage_ Ref: struggling emotions

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SC06_ Mask Stage_ Ref: struggling emotions

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In terms about struggling clip, I refer to zombie series and

explore the human who suffer from pain, fears and panic.

Then I thought about ‘ If I were those characters, how would I react about in that moment? ‘

Finally, I acted it out myself, filmed the performance, and then used it as reference to draw the key frames.

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I create camera movement in my short film

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I create camera movement in my short film