Today we’d like to introduce you to Shao Chen.
Hi Shao, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in a small town in China in the 90s. My folks discovered my talent for art, so they kind of nudged me into daily drawing classes. I used to despise it, but soon enough, I saw how it paid off. In 2010, my family and I chased the classic American dream during the second US-China honeymoon (2009 – 2017). While my parents tried working here, they found it tough to adjust at their age, so they headed back home, but I decided to stay. I attended a Catholic high school in Tallahassee, where American classmates, teachers, and nuns taught me English, knowledge, and the real value of loving others. Even in high school, I kept at my art practice. Our school was small, but the faculty did their best to give us an excellent art education, and that’s how I built a solid portfolio for art colleges. This led me to SCAD Atlanta.
Atlanta is stunning in its own way. I’ll never forget the night I arrived, and the taxi driver showed me around downtown. So many skyscrapers and neon lights, reminiscent of Beijing but quieter. I knew this city would be my college home as I gazed up at the iconic Bank of America Plaza. Looks like a giant pencil in the middle of the city.
During college, I discovered my passion for CGI. Truth be told, I wasn’t tech-savvy or a software whiz. Simple tasks that took others 15 minutes took me 30 or more. I struggled with the terms used in traditional animation too. My advantage was my years of fine art practice, for which I owe my parents a huge thanks. The software was tough to adapt to, but I gave it a shot anyway. Trying to switch from brush to Wacom pen still challenges me today. I had to work extra hard to keep up with my classmates, and to make matters worse; I got sidetracked on weekends with amateur motorcycle racing, which came back to bite me later.
Living in the South helped me discover a new version of myself. I love packing up my stuff, loading my motorcycle in the truck, and heading to the mountains for camping on weekends. I adore Georgia’s forests, rivers, mountains, and plains. The scenery in North America is breathtaking, and it makes me understand how people came up with the idea of transcendentalism in the 19th century.
Like many in their early 20s, I craved adrenaline, so I got into motorcycle racing on weekends. Road Atlanta, one of the best tracks in the South, was just an hour away from where I lived in midtown Atlanta. It was awesome to meet others from different cultural backgrounds who shared my passion. Through college and sports, I experienced different cultures, just like I imagined America would be. However, I realized that I can’t excel in both animation and racing simultaneously.
I’m someone who follows my passion, so I might have overestimated my abilities in both fields. As I mentioned earlier, I wasn’t cut out for software-related work, and I wasn’t exactly the star in motorcycle racing either. Despite trying my best in both areas, I didn’t achieve my desired outcomes. My animation portfolio was subpar, and I couldn’t secure my dream job in the industry before graduating. My lap times in racing were lackluster, so I knew full-time professional racing was out of reach after college. I felt utterly defeated, and I craved a job that would make me happy. Then COVID hit in 2020.
Atlanta, my favorite city, faced a total disaster. It was heart-wrenching to see businesses struggling and people, including me, were in desperation. During the lockdown, I had plenty of time for reflection, which made me realize that I needed to focus on one thing to break into the CGI industry. That’s when I decided to apply for grad school.
Going back to college was a bold move, but I had a solid game plan, and I used my free weekends (I quit racing) to take online classes for direct mentorship from pros in the industry. Folks like Ryan Kingslien, who is a master in sculpting and worked on the CG sculpting tool Zbrush, Marcin Klicki, a principal character artist from CD Projekt Red (the studio behind Witcher and cyberpunk games), and Daniel Kho, an amazing character artist from Blur Studio (known for Love, Death, Robot). After two years of crafting my skill seven days a week in front of a computer monitor, my eyesight suffered, and my health took a hit with frequent sickness, leading me to become acquainted with local clinic staff after so many visits. But I knew I had to push my limits to land my ideal job. I was anxious during grad school, worried about whether my hard work would pay off.
Thankfully, opportunity knocked at the right time. While still in college, my professor, Parrish Baker, recommended me for an apprenticeship program with Hasbro, where I learned how 3D sculpting is used for toy manufacturing. That was my first taste of real-world application for my skills. Soon after, my professor Tim Steele referred me to work on Call of Duty Modern Warfare II for Blur Studio. I was excited and terrified at the same time, especially since the job required working on cloth and hair simulation, something I had only briefly studied in grad school. I even considered skipping the interview because I doubted myself. But I shook off those negative thoughts, realizing I had come too far to back down. After two rounds of interviews, I landed a contract job on COD MWII, a franchise I’ve cherished since I was a kid. In the same year, things favored me a bit, and I met representatives from Jamm Visual at a school career fair while I was juggling COD project and grad school review. They offered me a full-time job, willing to wait for my graduation. Despite not being the most talented, I knew my hard work had paid off after two years of grad school. I was ready to put in the hard work to get where I wanted to be in life.
As much as I loved Atlanta, parting is part of life. I spent seven years, my entire early 20s, in Atlanta, and it felt like my second home. But I had to move on quickly after completing my first gig in the CG industry and graduating from grad school. I kept only the essentials, sold everything else, and drove to the West alone.
My first year in the West has been great. Thanks to my current studio, JAMM Visual, I’m working in the film industry for the first time. We’ve worked on films like Werewolf by Night and A Man Called Otto, as well as numerous commercials with CGI. This experience has immersed me in the heartland of the film industry which was something I used to dream about. Every morning, I awaken with a sense of excitement, knowing that I am living my life in pursuit of my passion.
Atlanta’s film industry has also been catching up in recent years, and I know quite a few folks working in that field there. It warms my heart to hear about the growth of the film industry in ATL, my second home, and I’ll always cheer for that city.
It’s been a year since I moved to LA, and I miss ATL every single second. I even flew back to see friends for the new year. With no family in this country, friends are my family. California’s weather is too warm and stable for my taste. I’m not gonna lie, I miss layering up in the freezing cold wind in North GA. When the snow fell on my nose on New Year’s Eve in Atlanta, I felt like a child again. Oh, ATL, I missed you so much.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The most challenging obstacle I face is the language barrier. While everyday spoken English presents no major issues, when it comes to academics and professional work, I need to consistently check my vocabulary and grammar to ensure clear communication. In the past, I used to feel hurt when people made fun of my speaking abilities, but as I entered my late 20s, I learned to embrace my uniqueness and let go of those negative experiences. Being bilingual can be confusing, as most of us think in our first language while communicating in the second, leading the brain to constantly encode and decode information. Expats, however, eventually start thinking in their second language, which may have different sentence structures and grammar compared to their native tongue, making vocabulary memorization challenging, especially as we age.
To maintain a connection with my native language, I make an effort to read both languages daily and stay in touch with my family regularly. Another significant challenge is cultural shock. After living in the South for a substantial part of my life, I believed I had adapted well to the American way of life. Despite the transition from an Eastern collective lifestyle to a Western individualistic one, I managed to maintain my identity while embracing the differences. Although I still see similarities between Eastern and Western societies in terms of sharing and helping others, moving to California revealed profound ideological differences between the regions, making it feel like an entirely different America.
Furthermore, lack of support is a significant concern when living in the States without family. Not having a plan B or a safety net in case things go wrong can be daunting. I faced challenges in taking care of myself, especially when dealing with injuries from motorcycle racing and living alone. Frequent visits to the hospital ER underscored the difficulties I encountered.
Over time, I’ve learned the importance of accepting myself for who I am. Initially, I believed my loneliness and sense of alienation in ATL stemmed from my cultural differences. However, as I grew older, I realized that my personality traits were influenced by my parents, who were also loners in their 20s. Embracing my true self allowed me to understand that my Eastern origin is just one aspect of who I am, and moving back to China wouldn’t drastically change my life. I no longer use cultural differences as an excuse and have come to terms with being a loner for the most part.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a CG generalist for films and commercials. I was trained to work on sculpting, texturing, and lighting in 3D space on the computer. I just finished my first year in the industry. I was fortunate to work on cutscenes for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, movies like Werewolf by Night, and A Man Called Otto. I am very fortunate to work with an incredible team here at Jamm Visual. We’re small, but we’re good at what we do!
Despite my limited knowledge of the software. My biggest advantage as a CG artist is that I’m a history buff specializing in war history, so whenever it comes to historical content. I can assist my team with historical accuracy to always bring the best visual to reenact historical events in CG.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I am deeply grateful for the multitude of wonderful individuals who have supported me throughout my journey. From my parents, high school teachers in the US, college professors, to colleagues in the industry, each person has contributed to my growth and learning, regardless of whether our interactions were positive or challenging. I believe that I have gleaned valuable insights from every single one of them. As the Chinese saying goes, “Take its essence and discard its dross.” Each person I have encountered has imparted a valuable lesson, some more significant than others. To those who know me personally and are reading this article, I extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation. Your influence has played a significant role in shaping my path, and I am grateful for your support and teachings.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://scanimation.net/
