Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddie Wu.
Hi Maddie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I did a lot of fun animation projects as a teenager, but when I graduated high school, I suddenly decided that everything I had ever done in my life was cringe. So when I went to college, I tried really hard to not embarrass myself anymore. But I guess the universe doesn’t really work that way.
I went to USC School of Cinematic Arts and studied animation and screenwriting. While I was there, I interned at Fox Animation and then Dreamworks, doing Development/Current Series at both. Then I graduated in Spring 2023, and completely unrelated to any of that, I actually ended up getting my first job because I embarrassed myself on a skateboard.
A lot of victims suffered when I learned how to skateboard because I hit so many people (if you are reading this and were hit by a short Asian girl circa 2019 on the USC campus, I am so sorry.) But finally, I hit a wonderful person named Vivian, and we talked and traded Instagrams. Then four years later (in 2023), she connected me to a company that builds theme parks/multimedia entertainment in China. I now write, develop, and storyboard stories for characters they want to create, for their theme parks, for Chinese Tiktok, etc.
During college, I blindly worked hard at things and got frustrated when I wasn’t as good as I wanted to be. But my new motto is: “Do first, cringe later.” Because I realized that if you keep cringing at everything you do before you do it, you will never get anything done. It’s like some kind of mental peace you gotta reach or something, cause honestly I cringe at myself every day, but it’s like a daily vitamin for me or something. That stuff keeps going.
Not… saying that you should be hitting people on skateboards, though. More like next steps in life are kind of like freshmen on skateboards. You never see them coming.
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?
I already mentioned “do first, cringe later,” but during the first three years of college (which included the pandemic), I struggled with this to an insane degree. I had never cared about being cringe before college, but suddenly I was so worried.
For example, I tried to start a small sticker business and a Tiktok account to promote it during Covid. But when I made the promotional Tiktoks, I got so embarrassed that I had to delete the account off the face of planet Earth. The same thing happened when I tried to make a music account during the pandemic. I threw that account into the depths of hell, where it will never be found. I finally got over it when I went back to school and realized I wasn’t ever going to get anything done at that rate. I think it all chalked up to imposter syndrome and increased anxiety during lockdown.
The issue of “cringe” is not a very deep struggle, but I think that’s kind of the point because it’s also universal. If you’re reading this, I want you to know that, yes, you are cringe, but the right people also love you for it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I really like writing and creating my own content above anything else. One of my favorites, and the most involved, was a video game called “Narcolepsy” that I made in high school. It took me two years to make, and not many people played it since I didn’t know how to promote it at the time. It’s a roughly 30-40 minute story game about dreams and memory loss (with some cool boss battles). You should check it out!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ3Sg93NDHI
More recently, my senior thesis film, “Tango is Conscious!”, is about a purple cat who randomly gains consciousness one day and is forced to get a job/find a purpose in life. It will be playing at AFI Fest this October.
I also recently made an account where I post silly animations. The main character is a squishy seal named Cece. The account is @maddiedanceparty on Instagram.
Any big plans?
I have no idea! I’m looking forward to finding out though. Hopefully, no one will have to get hit by skateboards going forward (I’ll have to restrategize.)
Contact Info:
- Website: maddiewu.myportfolio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddiedanceparty/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddie-w-b5744a133/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@maddiemelon6297
Image Credits
Benjamin Ragasa, Jenny Hernandez
