As my graduate studies deepened, the question of “what’s next?” became increasingly real. My future seemed to be heading in two distinct yet equally compelling directions: Working in Animation industry and becoming an animation director or character designer, or pursuing a doctoral degree and engaging in academic research and becoming a lecturer. These two options aligned with different aspects of my personality and my understanding of creativity, and deciding between them had become a significant process of reflection.
On the one hand, the idea of becoming an animation director thrilled me. Through my studies and various projects—from film festival trailers to dark comedy shorts—I realized how much I enjoyed shaping stories, guiding visual rhythm, and collaborating with teams to bring imaginations to life. Directing allowed me to express my ideas directly and authentically. I loved the fusion of problem-solving, experimentation, and intuition in directing, and I enjoy watching ideas come to life on screen. My past experiences, such as working on LIAF trailers or international collaborative projects, demonstrated that I could thrive in creative chaos. Attending the Playgrounds In Motion Festival and listening to an interview with Jared Bush who is the director of Zootopia 2, gave me a more intuitive understanding of the responsibilities, workflow, and teamwork of animation directors in commercial animation studios. It envoked my desire to work as a director or character designer at a commercial animation studio like The Walt Disney Studios, combining creativity with professional practice.
On the other hand, pursuing PhD degree is more appealing to my intellectual side. I’ve always been curious about the theories behind design—how narrative, emotion, culture and audience perception intertwine. Research allows me time to slow down, think deeply, and explore questions that aren’t always part of the production process. A doctorate also allows me to combine practice with theory and potentially contribute to society through animation as an art form. Furthermore, PhD offers more stability. I want to return to my city as a lecturer; teaching or continuing research provides a stable framework, a stark contrast to the unpredictability of the creative industries. In many ways, pursuing a doctorate feels like investing in a long-term foundation, not just a career.
In fact, both paths are incredibly meaningful to me. I crave creation, but I also crave understanding. I’m ambitious, sometimes even a bit of a perfectionist, and I often aspire to be a jack-of-all-trades—this is both my strength and my challenge. Frankly, upon reflection, I think my ideal future might lie in balance: perhaps working as a director while maintaining my research interests; or perhaps pursuing a doctoral degree and achieving a fusion of artistic creation and academic research.
Ultimately, I’m still exploring. But I’ve begun to accept that my path doesn’t have to be linear. Whether I ultimately become an animation director, a researcher, or both, what matters is continuously creating work that truly belongs to me, while combining creativity and professional practice in a future commercial animation studio.