Life & Work with Alice Xi Chen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alice Xi Chen.

Hi Alice, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
When I was little, I loved watching animated movies. My favorite films were ‘Kung Fu Panda,’ ‘Up,’ and ‘Finding Nemo.’ I distinctly remember watching Kung Fu Panda and being enthralled by the creatively enriched world Po inhabits. I was so curious about how they brought characters like Po to life. After discovering that these movies were made in the U.S., I moved to the U.S. alone when I was fifteen to pursue my animation dream. Fast forward three years, I graduated from West Ranch High School in Valencia, California, and moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington. 

While in college, there wasn’t a major for animation. However, I discovered a capstone project offering animation classes for a year. Driven by my desire to learn more about the animation pipeline, I applied and was accepted into the animation capstone run by the University of Washington Computer Science Department. There, I gained an understanding of what it’s like to be part of the 3D animation production pipeline and contributed to the development of a short film called ‘Untethered,’ a story aimed at raising awareness for the Pacific Northwest Orcas. This experience confirmed that my passion lies in the animation and entertainment industry and taught me various facets of animation and several other soft skills crucial for my future. During my time in the animation capstone, I also seized the opportunity to learn more about Virtual Reality. Through countless sleepless nights and hard work, my team member and I created an immersive VR orca experience titled “J K L,” allowing people to interact with the orcas in the VR space. This project was exhibited at the Jacob Lawrence Art Gallery in Seattle. 

After graduating from the University of Washington, I was hired as a 3D Animation Trainee at Framestore in London, UK. This experience marked my initiation into real-world production. After working there for half a year in the UK, I made the decision to return to LA, where I took on the role of animator at Rouge Mocap, a local motion capture production house. There, I delved into the intricacies of the motion capture pipeline, focusing on animating motion capture data in the game animation industry. 

Recently, I launched my own YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@Alice.Animation) with the aim of teaching 3D animation, aspiring to share my knowledge with young audiences who have the same dream I did at the age of 15. Throughout my journey in pursuing animation, whether attending conferences, taking classes, or touring various studios, I’ve observed a glaring lack of representation for women in the industry. As an Asian woman, it saddens me to see so few female role models. While I only have a few years of working experience in this industry, I hope that one day, I can be a role model for the next generation aspiring to work in the animation industry. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not been a smooth road at all. I am still amazed by the courage I summoned at fifteen—a young Chinese girl who, at the time, didn’t speak fluent English and lived alone in an unfamiliar country without friends or family. There were countless moments when I faced misunderstanding and discrimination simply because I was a Chinese girl unfamiliar with the U.S. culture. But I am also so grateful for all my friends, professors, and individuals in the animation industry who supported me along this journey. Thank you for being there when I needed it most. 

Since I attended a university without an animation major, I had to forge my own path to learn animation. I seized every opportunity available to me, attending off-campus classes and animation conferences like CTN. Juggling two on-campus jobs, late-night animation production sessions, attending off-campus animation classes, and still having to maintain a 4.0 GPA in my major classes became my routine. Despite facing those challenges and being wrongly judged, I constantly reminded myself that this was the path I chose. I kept telling myself I was capable and committed to overcoming any obstacles, and my excitement for animation remained undiminished. I consider myself privileged to be working in a field I love. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an animator specializing in 3D animation, primarily in feature film animation. Additionally, I also have experience in the VFX and the game industry. You can view my animation demo reel here: https://vimeo.com/486962147. 

I love to analyze animation shots from movies and TV series. To contribute to the learning community, I launched my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@Alice.Animation), which is dedicated to analyzing amazing animation shots for teaching purposes. Additionally, I am open to mentoring individuals aspiring to enter the animation industry and guiding them in refining their animation portfolios to land a job in the animation industry. I have successfully mentored several students, helping them improve their animation skills, and they have now successfully entered the industry. 

I am a funny soul and always have some fun and interesting ideas to put into my work. This lighthearted approach extends beyond animation and into my personal life. Last year, I initiated a project to dance in different National Parks in the U.S. I compiled all these dance moments into one video, and you can check it out with this link: https://youtu.be/klQGT6GxxHM 

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I believe adaptability, resilience, passion for what you do, and a positive mindset were some of the key characteristics that contributed to my success. Additionally, I have been fortunate to meet many people who entered my life at the right time. I am grateful for all the experiences that have shaped me into who I am today. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alicechenanimation.weebly.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alice.photobooth/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicechen26/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Alice.Animation
• Other: https://vimeo.com/486962147