Interview with Jihye Jeon

I did not specifically choose a particular department or establish a specific concept for the project. Instead, I focused on developing the story and carrying out the work needed to bring the video to life.

I started with modeling and created the final animation through pre-visualization. After that, I established the textures, fur, lighting, and overall tone of the background. During the production process, I decided to create the entire background in full 3D rather than compositing a spider onto live-action footage. I then composited the rendered elements and finished the project with color grading.

I believe that creating a solid pre-visualization is very important. If you work on the pre-visualization while keeping the overall look and feel of the final video in mind, the later stages of production can become much easier.

Also, since each shot or scene requires different elements for compositing, I recommend preparing each shot as a still image in advance and testing the necessary elements before the final rendering. This can help reduce mistakes during the final compositing stage.

Working on the still images also provides an opportunity to conduct various tests and gives you a better idea of how the final result will look, which is why I highly recommend this approach.

When creating the storyboard, I recommend taking enough time to think carefully about what you want to create and establishing a clear one-line logline before beginning production. If your logline is clearly defined, I believe it will also help you overcome creative slumps more quickly during the production process.

It is also helpful to organize your workflow and production process every day, or at least once a week. Doing so can save a significant amount of time when creating your portfolio.

I once joked with the friends I worked with in the lab, saying, “I joined the portfolio class, but it feels like everything I learned in Maya except modeling has been reset.”

I think it is rare for someone to enter the lab already knowing everything they need. It was an opportunity to remember what I had learned through working on the project and to try new things based on those fundamentals.

Like most people who complete their portfolios, I have a lot of regrets and things I wish I could have done better. Still, the instructors who supported me and the friends I worked with, especially JJO and Kyusang, gave me a great deal of strength and encouragement.

I can no longer play rock-paper-scissors with you, but thank you, Teacher Choi, for carefully reviewing my work every week. And thank you to Teacher Jo and Teacher Kang for always helping me whenever I encountered something I didn't know how to do!