Meet Yuehan Tan | Storyboard Artist and Animator

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

Hi Yuehan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I was facing two paths when I prepared to enter college: the one to study law, for which I could clearly see the direction, and the other to study art, which was completely opaque to me. And I chose the winding and unknown path. If we consider law as maintaining a sense of order in the world, then art is the moment that occasionally overrides the order. These moments, like fleeting fireworks, are not meant to last, but the emotional value they bring will remain in our memories for a long time.

Currently, I work as a storyboard artist for animation. While doing storyboards and animating, I’m actually looking for these emotions: sadness, doubt, happiness, anger, etc. They are what truly make up my world and my life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’s definitely not a relaxing journey. As a Chinese student, I have lots of obstacles to overcome when I first arrived the United States. Most of them are about my life outside of the classroom. The language barrier, cultural differences, and feeling of isolation all present challenges to me. I am still struggling with them today. In these processes, I’ve learned how to transform these experiences into inspiration for my art. All the afflictions will be worth it in the end.

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.
If they’re first time visitors, I’ll take them to Universal and Griffith Park. Then we’re going to K-town for some BBQ and boba tea. Enjoy the simplest happiness from entertainment and food. For the rest of the week, I would like to take a road trip to the Joshua tree to see the starry night.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people and artworks who have helped me get here.

Miyazaki Hayao is the first person who comes to my mind. His films are suitable for audiences ranging from 3 to 99 years old, which is a feat that only few directors in the world achieve. His work has given me enormous power. If he dies one day, I will cry my heart out.

Christine Panushka, my thesis film mentor, is another one whom I would like to thank. Christine has provided me with great support and insight during the filmmaking process. She’s such a wise teacher that I’m glad to be her last student.

Website: yuehantan.com

Instagram: @yuehanta

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuehan-tan/