Today we’d like to introduce you to Celina Lung
Hi Celina, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Macau, SAR, China. Then my family moved to Hong Kong where I attended high school. I studied Fashion Design in Paris, France, and later graduated with a degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) New York. I moved to Los Angeles in the early 1980s.
I worked for Walt Disney Imagineering as costume designer for 30 years. I often served as storyteller for projects in Disney Parks on attractions like the Great Moment with Mr. Lincoln, Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World, The Hall of Presidents, The Seven Voyages of Sinbad, and Mystic Manor in different parks like Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Seas, and Hong Kong Disneyland. I also designed cast (operational staff) costumes for most of the Disney parks including Shanghai Disneyland.
“Tea Story” is my first film. Creating this 9 minute animated short film has been a long journey. With the desire and curiosity, but not knowing what it took to create a film, I started working with a few animation students in LA. When the pandemic hit, we put everything on hold. With time to consider I decided to reorganize the story, and it evolved into “Tea Story” which incorporates many of my personal experiences growing up between two distinct and different cultures.
For instance I had hands on experience needling patients in an acupuncture clinic in Hong Kong. It was my first summer job in a student clinic under the supervision of licensed acupuncturists. That’s why the acupuncture scene is in Tea Story. I especially enjoy telling stories from the perspective of my own cultural heritage.
Making an animated film is a daunting task. There are so many things to figure out, from storyboarding to animation and everything in between. I started by taking classes online and after many months of hard work, overcoming trials and errors, and a lot of discipline, the film was finally completed by the end of 2023 with limited resources. Lenord Robinson was my animation teacher and mentor for Tea Story.
Tea Story has been accepted by three film festivals so far. I expect there will be more later this year.
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?
Nothing is smooth when you are searching for the unknown. The biggest challenge was to start storyboarding without a script because I was not a writer. I was very focused on the visual elements of the film. I ended up throwing away a lot of drawings because they didn’t work for the story. One of the many lessons I learned the hard way.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I did Costume Design for Walt Disney Imagineering, creating iconic and culturally insightful designs for both cast and characters in many Disney’s parks across the world including California, Florida, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. One of the most fun projects I did for Disney was “It’s A Small World.” I studied the cultures and costumes of many different countries around the world, to help develop my design ideas. From a costume designer to animation filmmaker has been an adventurous but fantastic experience!!!
What’s next?
I am already working on my next animated short film. In contrast to the intimate and personal tale in “Tea Story,” the next film will be a mythical and fantastical journey of a female heroine. The story is based on ancient Chinese philosophy with a twist. The message of the story is the “battle for love and harmony.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://teastoryanimation.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cxxlungso/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celina.lung.7/
