Drawing power
YON HUI LEE CREATES ANIMATION WITH GLOBAL APPEAL
YON Hui Lee, or Yon Lee as he prefers to be called, cannot exactly remember when he started drawing, but he can certainly recall why he chose to do so.
The Malaysian animator and California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) graduate who is currently based in Connecticut, says: “I remember the huge stacks of recycled paper my dad would bring home for me to draw on when I was very young. They were held together by giant-sized paper clips and resembled sketchbooks. Those were the very first sketchbooks I owned in my life.”
A virtual trawl through Yon Lee’s impressive portfolio reveals internship stints at Sony Pictures Animation and Pixar Animation Studios that culminated in an internationally recognised graduation short film called Dodoba in 2015. His style of work, meanwhile, reflects enigmatic influences drawn from Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 period movie Rashomon, as well as the works of Hayao Miyazaki and Tsui Hark, all with a surprising dash of Hitchcock.
Asked on the source of his passion, Yon Lee remarks: “I don’t recall ever that one movie, or an event that set me off on the animation path. It was very much a combination of my love for drawing and movies that evolved over time.”
The 29-year-old even considered venturing into live action at one point, before realising his true calling in animation. “Alas, I never had the grit to pick up a camera, write my own screenplay and shoot my own films. The more time I spend doing animation work, the more I realise it is the storytelling craft I’m in love with.
“Animation is just a medium for me to explore that aspect of storytelling.”
EARLY DAYS
Every artist starts small and humble; Yon Lee’s story is no different. His venture into the visual arts began during his formative years in Subang Jaya. He spent most of his primary school days drawing comic strips to entertain not just himself, but also his closest friends.
But it was only during his early years in secondary school that he began to realise a potent sense of professionalism about his hobby. “My dad brought me to an animation convention held by The One Academy. All I knew at the time was that I wanted to draw for a living, so I had my heart set on going to that college,” he says.
Having nurtured the spark he gained from
his participation in the convention, Yon Lee decided to enrol at the same institution after secondary school.
Upon graduation from The One Academy, he immediately took up employment at the Malaysian branch of Rhythm & Hues Studios. “However, I realised that I wasn’t drawing as much as I wanted to, and that I was drifting farther away from my main passion, which is storytelling.”
The epiphany prompted him to enrol at the prestigious CalArts, where his individual style of work burgeoned. Here, his list of artistic influences expanded to include the likes of Otomo Katsuhiro, Art Spiegelman, Mizuki Shigeru, Konstantin Bronzit, and Beatrix Potter, to name a few.
Being a CalArts alumnus has taught him the meaning of hard work; there are no shortcuts to being a master at what he does. “There will be bumps and hiccups along the way but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Just work really hard and have a group of people whose opinions you trust because they will help you get through the tough times.”
By the time graduation rolled around the corner in 2015, Yon Lee decided to end his
“Animation is just a medium for me to explore that aspect of storytelling.”
Yon Lee
academic journey with a bang. “Dodoba is a combination of everything I love. Looking at it now, there are many things about it I wish I could go back in time and fix.”
Flawed as he may perceive it to be, the short film — which revolves around his passion for Japanese culture — received a nomination at the 43rd annual Annie Awards presented by ASIFA-Hollywood.
What did Yon Lee learn from this beautiful transit?
“The good thing is, I finished the production, learnt from it, and now know how to take something from scratch to completion. The value of teamwork in making this is something I will never forget. Even though it was just a student film, the help I received from so many people made all the difference to me,” he says.
NEXT ON THE LIST
These days, it’s all about hard work for Yon Lee. Presently, he works as a storyboard artist at Blue Sky Animation Studios, the production company responsible for the famed
Ice Age franchise, Robots, Rio and the more recent The Peanuts Movie.
Top of the multiple projects he is currently working on is a Patrick Osborne-directed film called Nimona, based on a comic of the same name by Noelle Stevenson, that will be released in 2020. With a lot on his plate, what are his days like?
“As a storyboard artist, I’m usually given a script to work on. Most days of the week, I just get to the studio and work on my storyboards.”
The creative process doesn’t end there. “When I’m ready to show my work, I’ll get my story supervisor’s opinion to see if it’s ready to be pitched to the director. If the notes take less than an hour to address, then I’m usually good to pitch on the same day. If not, the next day.
“I try not to take more than three or four days to show my progress even if it’s a big scene; showing my progress to either my director or supervisor as frequently as possible keeps me on track.”
Yon Lee also cultivates a habit of flexing his creative prowess at home. Working on his personal project these days has been more challenging, but it’s what makes the difference in his craft. “I usually divide my time at home between reading and drawing for myself. If I find myself too tired to draw from a long day at work, I usually either watch a movie or read. I try to avoid not doing anything at all.”
Undoubtedly, the trajectory of Yon Lee’s creative life has been interesting and aweinspiring. What advice would he give to Malaysian youths looking to embark on a career in digital animation?
“Learn the basics of anatomy. Do a lot of gesture drawings and cafe sketches. Observe the way people talk, sit, stand and interact with each other. Really paying attention to the little things will bring richness to your character’s performance.
“Study your favourite artists and their masters. Study your favourite movie, with and without sound. Understand the basics of film language and visual communication. Don’t restrict yourself to all things animation. Add to your knowledge with a multitude of subject matters outside of animation.
“Read a lot, and pay attention to things that are happening around the world: Politics, history, music, dance, martial arts, anthropology, natural science, just anything you find interesting. These will bring richness to your stories.”
Practising love all the way is crucial too. “Be kind to the people around you. Kindness goes a long way in the small animation community. Work hard, put in all the necessary hours practising drawing. Nothing will help you get better in drawing as much as all the mileage you put down,” say Yon Lee
“Whenever you feel the cards are stacked against you, know that it is perfectly normal, and that you can trudge through your obstacles if you keep a steady pace,” he says
“And last but not least, keep the fire going. Keep doing what you love. You will find ways of getting there if you truly believe,” he concludes.
For more of Yon Lee, head to his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/YonHui; his Instagram page at @yonhuilee, and his portfolio at www.yonleestory.blogspot.my.