We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Liang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julie, why did you pursue a creative career?
Because I know exactly this is what I love and also what I’m good at. I started to draw when I learned to use a pencil, and art truly makes me happy. Besides, I love to achieve through arts, to tell a story, show a style, have fun, or make friends.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I like to go deep into the dark sides of characters; I let them keep their secrets, enabling a story to have more depth. I make stories based on my relationships, my dreams, or a glance at someone on the subway. In general, I tell true stories, which means they may not always end happily. I have a 2D animation background. I graduated from the Communication University of China and came to New York as a graduate student to continue my passion for storyboarding and character design. I keep creating stories regularly, but I’m not taking it as a daily practice because I fully understand a good story is sometimes born from a one-second inspiration.
I prefer storyboards with the pacing and tempo of a feature film, slow and deliberate, and character-driven. They include abstraction that can only be achieved through animation, combining the charm and style of live-action movies and animated stories.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m now living in New York and have collected many good restaurants! So for a week-long trip, I would like to take my friends to some of my favorite restaurants, especially Thai, because I’ve never tried before, but I love Thai food now. Besides, I’ll take my friends to a viewing deck in New York at night because that’s gorgeous. Also, I love many vintage stores in Brooklyn, which can be some nice spots to explore.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yes, of course! I’m working on my thesis film, Conversation In the Car, a heavy story. It talks about how “my friend” invites “me” to her trip, but she tells me that she’s going to commit suicide after the journey ends. I made the story based on two of my friends; both of them have something to do with suicide, life, death, depression, and heavy stuff. It shows my feelings about our relationships and my connections with them.

Website: lettertojulie.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliegotthis?igsh=c3U2ZGhoNzVnYmRi&utm_source=qr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-liang-638871259/

Image Credits
images by Julie Liang

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