The London International Animation Festival (LIAF) is a premier event celebrating the art of animation, showcasing a diverse range of short films, features, and experimental works from global talents through screenings, workshops, and panel discussions. In the LIAF programme, I successfully pitched for the position of director for the sting of Playing with Emotion programme. And led my team to successfully deliver the client’s needs within the limited project timeframe. This project has given me some inspiration and reflection on the position of animation director. This project has given me some inspiration and reflection on the position of animation director.
Enhancement of my personal competence during project practice
This project marked the first formal and well-developed endeavour in my academic journey, making it a significant and meaningful practical experience for me. I had to pitch my ideas to the client, and after being selected, I let my team from the initial concept through to the final production. During the preparation phase, I continuously refined and rehearsed my presentation to enrich the story and ensure the client could clearly understand my vision. This process not only strengthened my communication skills but also made me realize that I excel in this area.
During the production process, this project challenged me in multiple areas and pushed me to continuously improve. Among all the skills I developed, I believe the most valuable were my communication and leadership abilities.
In collaborating with my three teammates, I needed to work closely with each of them, understand their individual strengths, and assign tasks accordingly while establishing a clear production workflow. To ensure everyone could fully grasp the project’s objectives and our desired visual effects, I used clear and straightforward communication to convey our vision effectively.
Time management also played a crucial role in the success of the project. I created a detailed schedule and task allocation plan, which not only helped each team member understand their responsibilities but also ensured the smooth and timely progress of each stage. This experience significantly enhanced my ability to plan meticulously and execute efficiently.
Inspiration and Reflection on Human Relationships
Our composer is a friend of one of our team members and a previous collaborator. This close relationship has significantly enhanced our team’s communication efficiency, allowing us to start considering music production early in the project. This experience has made me realize that, beyond creativity and technical expertise, expanding one’s network is equally crucial. Building connections with professionals from diverse industries is often a key factor in ensuring a project’s success.