Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Huang.
Hi Rebecca, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am an animation director and story artist currently based in New York City. At the moment, I am running my own animation studio, Studio BER. We are currently producing a short film titled ‘The Human Fossil,’ which tells a story about an alien archaeologist’s mesmerizing encounter with the relics of human civilization.
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?
Before delving into animation, I spent three years as a salesperson at Google, working with small and medium-sized businesses to develop their digital marketing strategies. While this experience did enhance my understanding of business management, it also exposed me to concerning trends in the corporate world, such as the social and environmental impacts of consumerism. Moreover, I also realized how much I wanted to draw, create, and tell stories despite having a very busy day job.
Wanting to see how far I can go with my passion, I began working part-time as a story artist and screenwriter during weekends and after-hours. Notably, I collaborated with the Japanese animation studio Griot Groove to write “Deep Hunter,” a twelve-episode anime series envisioning a future where environmental degradation mandates strict consumer goods rationing, leading humans to hunt mutated bugs for survival. Through such storytelling, I hope to prompt conversations about alternative socio-political structures and the subsequent human experience.
I was fortunate to have received much help and support from animation industry professionals and people who followed my art on social media. With these backing my confidence, I finally decided to pursue an MFA degree in computer arts at the School of Visual Arts while starting my own studio.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I take pride in my varied experiences as a former tech professional and a liberal arts graduate (with a major in sociology). I find myself delving into social, political, and philosophical matters in my work, using art as a means of both self-expression and resistance.
I was also privileged to have studied and worked in Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, and New York. My art is primarily influenced by movies and literature from these countries. These diverse experiences made me realize how certain values and emotions transcend race and nationality and speak for the entire human experience. This is also the kind of value that my team at Studio BER believes in — telling universally resonant stories. Our hope is for “Human Fossil” to be one of those stories.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Although we live in an age of short attention spans and fast-paced sensory stimulation, I realized people still desire weight and meaning. They want to browse content that truly touches them and stories that matter. I hope our generation of creators will not give up on these things and will continue to bring depth into the work we put out.
Contact Info:
- Website: Personal website: https://rebhuang.art The Studio BER: https://thebers.org/
- Instagram: @rebbersome
Image Credits
Main Photo: Michael Dondero
