| CGX
: |
How
long have you been involved in CG animation?
|
| Chong
: |
I’ve
been involved in CG animation for about two to three years.
Even when I was a little boy, I’ve always had an interest
in art so naturally I took up a graphics design course later
on. About three years back I was introduced to LightWave 3D
and that was how I started getting into CG animation.
|
| |
| CGX : |
Was LightWave
the first 3D application you used? |
| Chong
: |
No, I was using Infinity
D for printed art, before I started LightWave. |
| CGX : |
So when did you
start using LightWave? Who introduced you to this software?
|
| Chong
: |
I started using
it in Dasein Academy. That was the first company and I was lecturing
there. I was introduced to LightWave by Desmond Yuet from Sundance
Videopost. He was a part-time lecturer there. |
| |
| CGX : |
Talk about the first project
that you produced on LightWave 3D. |
| Chong
: |
Well, that was a
short 3 minutes 3D trailer that a team of us at Dasein put together
to introduce the new 3D animation course in Dasein. The trailer
had a very futuristic and sci-fi kind of projection where it
depicted a little robot leaving its mother ship to begin a journey
through space to reach earth. The video shows the robot zipping
past futuristic buildings before the camera zooms out and focuses
on the logo of Dasein Academy. The conceptualisation, character
design and storyboard was done by me. Although LightWave was
the main application, we also used Adobe Photoshop, After Effects
and Illustrator. |
| |
 |
| CGX : |
So how long did it take to
complete that project? |
| Chong
: |
Well, about six months as we
also had other tasks to do. |
| CGX : |
Every CG artist has his own
style. What would you say yours is? |
| Chong
: |
I like Sci-fi so most of my
work contains futuristic elements. |
| CGX : |
Why Sci-fi? |
| Chong
: |
Why Sci-fi? Uhm … I guess
it’s because I like to imagine things and technology that
have not been created yet, things that we don’t have now,
you know, like space ships. Sci-fi is imagining and putting
that imagination into visuals that can portray something of
the future. In a way, it’s a fascination for elements that
are not seen in the present. |
| CGX : |
You gain inspiration and
motivation from … |
| Chong
: |
Watching films or playing computer
games. |
| CGX : |
And what kind of films do
you watch? Of course I’m sure Sci-fi is definitely on the
list. |
| Chong
: |
Yes, I do prefer Sci-fi but
I also watch other type of movies as well. |
| CGX : |
So what do you like to do
when you’re not at work? |
| Chong
: |
I like to dream (smiles). Actually,
I like to paint or draw, catch a movie or two, read … these
are the normal stuff I engage in off work. |
|
| CGX : |
Observance is a trait that
is very much reflected in many good CG artists. What is your
opinion on this? |
| Chong
: |
Observation will produce a good
CG artist who is able to pay attention to the fine details in
his work. |
| CGX : |
Has your observation influenced
your work in any way? |
| Chong
: |
I would say it influences my
work all the way. Helps me pay more attention to finer details.
|
| CGX : |
Do you agree that it is easier
for someone with a background in art to produce better 3D animation?
Why? |
| Chong
: |
Oh yes, definitely. A person
with a background in art will find it easier as he would be
more sensitive to elements of art, such as colour, lighting,
perspective or mood, compared to a person who doesn’t have
the basic knowledge of all these. Someone without a background
in art may still have the ability to produce something in 3D
but his work may lack a certain level of artistic or creative
element although the technical skills are mastered. |
| CGX : |
Hmm … that’s a
rather interesting opinion. So tell me, have productions by
Digital Domain, Foundation Imaging or any other well-known production
houses influenced your work in any way? |
| Chong
: |
Oh yes, especially the Sci-fi
ones. I find the ideas very captivating and in a way, I also
apply similar ideas into my work as well. |
 |
| CGX : |
Describe LightWave in one
word … |
| Chong
: |
Cool |
|
Click Grafix Sdn Bhd thanks Lee Wee Chong for his time and
effort in this interview. For more information please email:chong@clickgrafix.com.
Chong is currently a 3D animator in Click Grafix Sdn Bhd.
|
