We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jennifer Wu a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jennifer, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
When I was in the third grade, my school started an annual tradition of giving all the students agendas. Everyday, we’d have dedicated “Agenda Time”, where the teacher wrote our to-do list on the whiteboard, and we’d copy it into our own little agendas.
Of course, as an eight-year-old, I didn’t care; I wasn’t even fully conscious yet. But after a few years of copying lists and my mom making me review those lists every day after school, something clicked for me. In the sixth grade, I realized that checking things off my agenda gave me instant hits of dopamine. So, my work ethic began with chasing the high of crossing off tasks— It’s still what I do today! I carry my agenda everywhere, and love writing my tasks and crossing them off with a big red pen.
But there is more to it than that, like I said, my mother really instilled this method into me, and I owe most of my strong work ethic to her and the endless hours she’s dedicated to supporting myself and my brother develop our organizational skills throughout my education, and well into my career. I’m lucky to have my family’s support in pursuing a career in the arts, and I’m driven by wanting to make them proud by chasing what I love full-time.
Beyond my upbringing, my work ethic— As I imagine anyone else’s— Has been influenced by my personal experiences and mistakes. Over the years, I’ve noticed when I’m unproductive or slow to start, it’s because of one or two things: I haven’t done enough research, and/or I haven’t fully organized my thoughts.
Oftentimes, when artists solely rely on their imagination to come up with solutions and concepts, they can only come up with so many before they’re empty of ideas. While I think it’s absolutely crucial to get your initial, raw ideas out, you can develop so much more when you do research. When I start a new assignment, I never start by drawing. I always start with researching my subject and finding my targeted references. Like, if I need to learn about a time period I’m unfamiliar with, I’ll watch films from that era— perhaps read some articles, or watch some documentaries on it.
Sometimes, I’ll be asked to design just a simple pencil. I’ll look for different kinds of pencils, what pencils look like at different levels of wear and tear. By doing that research, I can expand my visual library of knowledge, of which I can use on the current assignment at hand, and on many more in the future! Research is a cornerstone in me having a strong start on assignments, and thus a strong work ethic.
As for organizing my thoughts, some clients will have a long ‘wishlist’ of what they want in a design. Instead of jumping right into drawing— Or even researching, I often find that it’s crucial for the sake of my brain, that I organize everything first. I like to write things down in the form of a flow chart. I categorise the client’s wishlist into different iterations of possibilities, key points the client emphasizes, timelines, and any other crucial info that can give me direction.
A few years into my career, I’ve also learned how important it is to start early and keep showing progress to your peers and superiors… I know! I used to be very shy about showing my work, and anxious about the quality– But since then, I’ve learned that as long as what your presenting is clear, it’s worth showing to others; especially when you’ve hit a milestone or feel stuck on something.
I value feedback a lot; the people around you can offer a fresh set of eyes, and more often than not, they point out something I’ve missed or suggest an even better idea than what I had. Feedback is almost like research, in its own way. But that said, there’s definitely moments where it’s important to pull back from feedback and see if a note is actually enhancing the work, or if they’re taking things into a new direction entirely. Not all feedback is equal, and it’s important to listen to your gut instincts with that.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how important rest is, in order to have a good work ethic. I’ve definitely made mistakes in the past of not taking breaks, working overtime for days on end, etc. It always leads to burnout and slows your work down. Nowadays, I don’t hesitate to take long breaks from projects— when I can —so I can return to them with fresh eyes. Like I said before, I’m making my family and myself proud by chasing what I love as a career, and so, I have to remind myself, I love what I do! I draw little pictures for a living, so it should feel fun. So, if there’s a moment where I’m no longer having fun, I step away from it to go enjoy life. After all, what experiences can we draw from, if we have none?
I’ve found it’s best to have a reward system with my work ethic (more than just crossing things off). When I finish a chunk of work, I grab coffee with my friends. Or when I finish a big deadline, I can go out to eat that night. Rewards helped me establish a healthier work-life balance compared to what I had in the past. Now, I can keep looking forward to working, even during the not-so-fun parts. And on the days where none of what I said works to help me start or get productive? I remind myself that it is not the end of the world. It is okay if none of my work gets done today. As long as I try my best and stay healthy, that’s all that matters.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m Jennifer Wu, and I’m a Visual Development Artist working in animation feature films. Easily, the most exciting part about my job is the job: I get to draw for work! Growing up, I dreamed of having this job, but I never knew it even existed. I’m so grateful and lucky to have the job that I do— Getting paid to paint pretty pictures, design funny characters, and build cool worlds with other incredibly talented artists? That’s everything I could have dreamt of and more.
One especially exciting thing about my job though, is that I get to constantly learn new things that I would have never thought about or looked into on my own. Like I said earlier— A huge part of my job in visual development is research. So, if a project requires me to draw the underside of a car, I need to know what that looks like, and how it works. Or, if a project takes place in 1930s Shanghai, I’ll dive into the depths of the internet’s archives for historical photos and newspapers; I’ll even listen to the music from that time period and imagine what life must’ve looked like back then.
In my film, Mission Popo, I designed a world based on the habitat and hunting grounds of macaroni penguins. So, I watched dozens of nature documentaries and learned the roles each creature and plant plays in the ecosystem. This is all to say, from my work and my personal projects, I’ve been able to learn and collect so many random interesting facts. That’s one of the best things about experiencing life on this earth; there’s always something new to learn around every corner.
Another thing I love about my career is seeing what my peers and I worked so hard on, are finally released for the world to see. After working on something for so long, we naturally become so used to the story and visuals; so it’s exciting to see how audiences react to our work with fresh eyes. Will they love it? Hate it? Debate it? What will they laugh at? When will that cry? Which parts were their favorite? It’s surreal to see my work turn into a fully completed movie— And then, on top of that, realize, wow— We made a film that people will watch! And for some, the work I’ve done will be a core memory for them, just like how watching animated films was a core memory for me growing up. It’s mind blowing, humbling, and warms my heart.
In my personal work, I’m always looking to learn more through online classes. I like creating stories and developing entire worlds out of them. But sometimes, I also just like doing silly one-off paintings or sketches— Those are the ones that usually get posted on my social media. While my social media is where most people know me from, I try not to think about it too much, for the sake of my mental health. Numbers and crowds can be intimidating, so I like to keep my social media as an archive of my progress, and not as something to appease masses. I post a painting whenever I finish one, with no schedule in sight. I’m incredibly grateful for all of the support I’ve gotten on my social media, though. It means a lot when people comment and take the time to share they like something I’ve drawn.
The type of art I gravitate towards making is usually story-driven. I feel inspired when I experience something in real life, whether it be a beautiful sunset in the city, or a road trip to Sequoia. There is always a feeling that I’m trying to capture when I paint or design. In addition to painting, I also enjoy making and directing animated films. It’s fun to be a part of making a big movie, but I also find enjoyment in having full creative control over a film. I hope that someday in the near future, I’ll be able to revisit filmmaking and make more short films that explore all kinds of genres and styles.
My plan for the next year is to create another book about one of my personal projects. I’m excited to share the new things I’ve learned and the challenges I faced while exploring this world. I find it super satisfying to create books out of my projects, there’s something about my art being tangible that makes it feel all the more worth it.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1) Taking Feedback. Feedback and communication in both directions is such a key skill you need to have in this line of work. You’re constantly communicating between team members and supervisors. It’s why it’s also important to not get too attached to what you create, because ultimately, it’s not solely your film. While you can advocate for your solutions, don’t get upset if it doesn’t get implemented by your superiors. I used to be very stubborn when it came to feedback; I definitely had too much pride in high school. In hindsight, I’m grateful to my mentors who humbled me in portfolio prep classes. If I hadn’t learned the important lesson of taking feedback without an ego, and knowing how to consider what feedback is worth taking– I would not be as far as I am now. There’s always a chance to learn from anyone, artist or not, no matter their experience level. Speaking from experience, letting your pride get in the way of valuable feedback makes you both hard to work with and hinders you from learning and growing. But, like I said, not all feedback is feedback you need to apply. It’s important to be selective and intentional; some feedback might not suit your vision, or maybe it’s just not helpful. Distinguishing what feedback is worth your time is a skill in itself, and in the same vein, it’s only possible to develop that skill when you let your ego go. No matter what kind of feedback you get though, it’s key to express gratitude to the people who spend time looking over your work, and make an effort to help you grow.
2) Finding Your Own Voice. While I was trying to break into the industry, I was so focused on copying whatever given style was trending at the time. My thought process was “Well, they got hired.”, and thus, I’d mimic them. And to clarify, there’s no problem with trying new styles, admiring other’s works, and wanting to see what you can learn from them; that makes you a versatile artist. But like all things in moderation, when done in excess, it can be unhealthy. You start to lose sight of what makes you unique. Some of my strongest pieces that have caught the attention of directors and job leads, were my personal paintings! The ones I did for myself, without any effort of mimicking. That’s when I learned that projects aren’t looking for copycats— Because, why get a copy when you can get the original? I’m still coming into my own voice as an artist, but my mindset has changed when I approach my pieces now. I want to hone in on what I enjoy, be that a video-game, an anime sequence, a film genre, or fine 1800s artists, I want to embrace what makes me excited about art now— Not what’s trending. So, I encourage my newer peers in animation: Don’t get swept up by trends, make what you want to see. Don’t ask yourself, “What style will get me hired?”, ask, “What style do I want to draw today?” The attention will follow in time.
3) Networking. It’s no secret that when it comes to work, the biggest leads come from connections. Personally, I’ve never received a job from online applications. A lot of artists, including myself, are pretty shy and awkward when it comes to reaching out to people. The best advice I can give is to let connections happen organically. Don’t force yourself into groups. Just be yourself and make friends (I know how cheesy that sounds). I’d really recommend joining a local art Discord group or attending industry conventions in person to meet others who are in your local industry, and often in a similar stage in their career as you. Finding a community where you can grow with your friends is truly the best thing you can do to build your network— And it’s also very rewarding on a personal level! You don’t have to cold call recruiters or send out thousands of applications (unless you feel called to). Even just commenting or engaging with other artists on socials can go a long way (but be respectful!). Additionally, if your finances ever allow it, I found great success in moving to the hub of my industry, Los Angeles, for a couple months. And like I said, it’s far more important to make authentic friends than it is to just meet as many people as you can. I did meet tons of people in LA, but I also enjoyed my time there with the friends I’d made. We’d go cafe sketching, plein air painting, climbing, and life drawing. As you grow with your peers, your network grows with it— So I recommend just focusing on enjoying it!
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
I think to break into the animation industry, it’s more beneficial to go all in on your strengths. While most animation schools will try to teach you to become generalists and know everything, the students who have the most success at finding jobs after graduation are usually the ones who leaned into their strengths or chose to specialize in one area. Not only is it because recruiters and leads can see that it’s something you’re passionate about, but because in a pool of students who have all followed the same curriculum, the ones who specialize will stand out as the strongest in specific areas. For example, if a studio was hiring 2D animators, and they decided to scout at a school graduation show, the people who will stand out the most to them will be the ones who have invested their time into mastering the craft of 2D animation. While their backgrounds and story might be weaker, they will only be hired to do 2D animation, and that’s all the studios will care about. The same analogy applies to the entirety of the industry. A portfolio trying to showcase 5 different disciplines at once might not do as well as one that’s specialized in 1 discipline.
That being said, once you’ve broken in, I definitely recommend investing effort into improving other skillsets that interest you. Even before you break in, if you feel confident that you can specialize while also expanding your skillset, there’s nothing stopping you. While I chose to specialize, the thing that got me hired on a lot of projects was actually my animation short film, Mission Popo. While the film’s main goal was to showcase my painting skills, it was also a great opportunity to storyboard, animate, composite and direct. So on the flip side, having multiple skillsets outside of your main discipline can make you stand out amongst all the other same discipline candidates.
No matter what stage of your career you’re at, or even if you don’t pursue animation as a career, I encourage everyone to keep learning and creating stories. Specializing or not, I think the most important thing is to do what interests you the most. If you just want to focus on honing your skills in one area right now, that’s perfectly fine. And if you want to learn something new, do it! This was my experience with breaking into the industry, everyone’s story is different.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://paluumin.portfoliobox.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paluumin/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paluumin/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKl107VVy6sEkcI5XRDoHCA
- Other: Short Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu6FzTTl-ro
Image Credits
Angelo Manalac (photographer)
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
