Story & Lesson Highlights with Bea Qian

Bea Qian shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Bea, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
On the work days, I wake up at 6am and get a cup of coffee – if I have time, I’d do some milk foam as well. But if I’m in a hurry I would just do 2 splashes of half & half into my coffee and that’s it. I’ll cook 2 boiled egg using my egg cooker while I turn on my machines and prepare to start my work day. I open my blinds and enjoy the sunlight (if any) for a bit, then I will check on my work log before I officially start my workday.
I work remotely as a producer, so throughout the day I’d be just working on production stuffs, talking to people and get the production going. I’d cook noodles for lunch or maybe head out for a quick taco takeout.
After work, I’ll start working on my side project – a 2D animation music video that I’m currently directing. I would do storyboards or reviewing the current production for this project. I will take a break for a 30 mins gym workout, or just listening to musics while wondering about nothing and everything.
Sometimes I’ll spend 30 mins to an hour for a quick sketch session on my sketchbook with mechanical pencils.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Bea. By day, I’m a producer, storyboard artist and cinematic artist for video game’s media & in-game contents. I worked at the Forza franchise for Forza Motorsport, Forza Horizon 5 and the upcoming 6 in various big trailers. And I’m currently producing social media contents for Epic Games’ titles such as Fortnite. By night and my free time, I’m a director for animated short films, live-action short films as well as an indie game maker.
In 2024, my first CG animated short film Tall Wall was premiered in various festivals and platforms. It has received 2M worldwide views in different platforms, and ironically got banned in some because of the sensitive topic it discussed – spoiler alert, something related to the pandemic. It’s a 2.5D animated short film with an unique artstyle that we experimented with Unreal Engine 5, and an unusual storytelling way through webcams and CCTVs. It’s a collaborative effort of over 60 people.
Right now, I’m directing an anime style music video for the an original song coming to the rhythm game Phigros. We are still expanding our team and taking everything to the production, and target to release it in March-April 2026.
I’m also making an indie game “Project Spanish Sahara”, a Narrative puzzle adventure and cinematic platformer that should be mindblowingly romantic (don’t take my word, I might be too delusional). I’m solo-deving it, so more on that in the future.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
It was definitely my mom and dad. When I was young, I loved to tell stories that I heard of, or watched from movies. My mom still have the footages of me holding a car model like a microphone and retelling the Don Quixote story that I heard from an audiobook CD. That was when I was still in kindergarden. I start recording videos using my grandpa’s small Motorola with an interesting shot choice – starting from an environment establishing shot surrounds my bedroom, and after turning the camera for a round, I pointed it to me and start introducing myself. All of these I couldn’t really remember, but my mom tells the story to me nowadays when she told me about how they noticed my talents as a storyteller and cinematic artist when I was a kid. I’m very grateful that they supported me to this career.

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
This might not be a failing hard situation, because even though I suffered a lot emotionally, I was still lucky considering the situation I was in. I think growth is a constant effort as you stop having fictional hope and aspiration to things that you imagined to be your destination.
I started my career strongly after graduating college, I was lucky enough to work in an AAA game studio as almost everyone would dream to be when they graduate from my major, since our school just has been making this the most important goal for the students there (they don’t say it, obviously, but that’s what they thought and they were trying to advertise). I had a career to look forward to, in a big place. And I was of course, dreaming of climbing in this industry to a good point where I can have wealth, status, respect, and a partial creative freedom to create things I want to create. As I was trying my best at work, I started to doubt on will I ever get these things I wanted, and even if I’m able to get them, will I ever like being in that situation? I’ve always been an artist who wants to do my own thing, but a “traditional” career being an employee in this industry will never lead you to that kind of creative freedom. You need to take a leap of faith.
As I was confused and still figuring out, we had a huge layoff in the studio. I wasn’t laid off, but I’m too little to comment or provide any information about it. It was nothing to do with how hardworking I am or how good I am. But regardless, it felt like it’s fate reminding on what I dreamed of isn’t something for me in the future. The industry has changed as well, the journeys of all the veterans that I compared myself with, are not something for me in this time period, and my generation. And all of these has left me to a conclusion on how I would never dream about a career like others I’ve seen, but making my own.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Let’s say the belief, because I hop projects by projects.
I believe in being kind and especially true-hearted to people. I think I value this at most from others as well. I don’t like hypocrisy, and I would not want to deal with anyone who’s hypocritical. I know being true to people would often bring you harm, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a bad person in order to survive in this world. You need to learn how to avoid these people, and if they are not avoidable, put out your minimum of being true, stay respectful and bring less trouble to your life. Don’t go true-hearted to the people who don’t deserve them.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m still trying to do what I was born to do, but I’m trying to make it full-time for me. It’s rare for people to get to do things they were born to do when they are early in career and trying to pay the bills. It requires luck the most, then the gifts. But I believe life isn’t something black and white when you can only do one thing at the time, as well as how changes can happen within a snap of the fingers. So in short answer, I’m still trying my best to get to that position.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://beaqian.art
• Instagram: beaqian_art
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chen-q-a061511a7/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTBXCZrUJyxpnKbAxLDfozg
• Other: Watch Tall Wall (My Animated Short Film)
  https://youtu.be/Sb4Swymy5FU?si=l1KoN-9t6xOLUBnR

Image Credits
Producer: Tracy Li
Art Director: Linka Guo
Associate Art Director: Doma Wang
Animation Lead: Fred Zeng
Production Assistant: Gerile Yang
RnD Lead: Shiyu Liu