Today we’d like to introduce you to Aerin Wu
Hi Aerin, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always loved drawing, reading stories, and watching films since I was a kid. I kind of watched everything when I was a kid, like SpongeBob, CatDog, Crayon Shinchan-type shows, and I also had a few years when I was obsessed with horror films and novels. There was a summer I remember when I almost watched one horror film every day with my cousin.
I first really thought about pursuing animation when I was in high school in Canada, where I took my first animation class. That’s when I started watching lots of indie animations on Vimeo. The more I watched, the more I became obsessed with it. Later in that class, I made a short experimental animation, which I was really proud of at the time.
I want to thank my high school animation teacher, Mr. Zimmerman, because he always complimented my work and was really supportive. He even submitted my short to a local youth film festival and took me to the festival, which was my first ever film festival. I still remember winning a Best Sound Design award and an honorable mention, which meant a lot to me at the time. I think that’s when I decided to pursue animation and moved to LA to study animation at USC.
LA is very fun, and I got to meet some very talented people here, which helped with my art and personal growth. This year I graduated and have been working as a storyboard and 2D animation freelancer while directing my next short film as an apprentice director at the National Film Board of Canada.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This year, I finished my thesis film, Nono. It took me one and a half years, and the process made me realize that creating an indie animation, especially when you’re doing most of it yourself, is such a long and lonely journey. It requires the director to be patient, consistent, and to have faith in what they are doing. For me, having faith in the film was the hardest part. I think artists are never sure how their art will turn out in the end, so to keep working, we have to believe it will be good. Yet it’s funny because only by believing in it did I feel motivated to work hard and make it actually good in the end.
So while making the film, I kept convincing myself it would be good in the end, even though I had looked at it hundreds of times. I found myself losing the excitement I had at the beginning and constantly thinking about changing things or spending more time to make it better. Then I had to keep telling myself to reach the finish line, stop being overly picky, and call it done at some point. Because this is just my first narrative short, I also reminded myself that it’s important to learn from it.
Anyway, despite everything, I think being a filmmaker or artist is already a privilege. All the complaints are insignificant compared to the opportunity to create and have an audience.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I make animation and enjoy every part of the animation pipeline. I like to write, storyboard, design, and animate, and sometimes I also create illustrations.
I’m the type of picky audience who gets bored easily, so when I create, I always ask myself if it’s interesting enough and worth watching. I try to make my work special, I guess with my own voice, and ensure they’re something I’d want to see myself.
I’ve always been a sensitive and introspective person, and growing up, it bothered me. However, I realized that this might be the special thing in my work. I studied philosophy in high school and college, which, combined with my personality, allows me to find new meanings and absurdities in small things and make connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. My film Nono reflects this, and I’m excited to keep exploring this more in the future.
I’ve included some stills from Nono here. The film will also be going on a festival run soon.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aerin2000/
