When I was in middle school, I joined an online animation forum called Maplemation. It was a community of young animators who shared projects, collaborated, and even held friendly competitions. We created 2D sprite animations using artwork from a famous video game known as MapleStory.
We all had YouTube channels and big dreams of becoming famous one day. Now those videos feel more like time capsules. I revisit them once in a while, not for the views, but for the nostalgic memories and a reminder of how it all began.
High School Awards
In high school, my animation teacher noticed my work and encouraged me to start submitting projects to competitions. During my junior and senior years, I ended up winning a handful of awards and even had the chance to do a live TV interview for a local news station in Sacramento. I haven’t been able to find the interview anywhere online — which is probably for the best, because I was incredibly nervous. 😅
Still, it was an amazing experience, and I’m really grateful to my teacher, Mr. Clark, for pushing me to put myself out there and take my work seriously.
The Quest
2014 National Academy of Television: Arts & Sciences
Award of Merit – Animation/Graphics/ Special Effects