How I Found My Apartment

 Hey everyone! I'm sorry I haven't been able to post lately. I've been so busy packing my goodies and moving into my new apartment.

Right now, I'm living alone in an apartment in Anaheim around 10-15 minutes from Disneyland and 15-25 minutes from CSULB. 

As a student searching for an apartment for the first time, finding this apartment was very tough with so many uncertainties and hassles. At first, I was hoping to move to an apartment closer to CSULB with a roommate or two. But then, COVID hit and we all went back to our parents' homes. In late April of this year, after consulting with my longtime autism doctor, Dr. Green, we decided it was safe and recommended for me to take the vaccine and head back to campus this Fall. Then, I started to look for apartments near CSULB. 

With the pandemic still lingering on, my parents and I were uncertain about whether I should find a roommate. Then in May, my parents and I saw that we could not afford most of the apartments by ourselves, so they sent me to find a roommate. It's very difficult to find a committed roommate, as many of my friends were either trying to dorm again or wait until the Spring semester. I started posting roommate ads through Discord, Facebook, Instagram, and Roomsurf. Here's my roommate ad I posted:

Unfortunately, only a few interested candidates got back to me, all of them, unfortunately, drink alcohol or do drugs of some kind, so I had to decline them all immediately. Then, in mid-June, a potential candidate who met all of my requirements messaged me on Facebook and asked if we wanted to be roommates. We then met on Zoom less than 2 weeks before my mom and I went down to Long Beach to look at apartments. 

In early July before the 4th, me and my mom met up with the potential roommate to look at several apartments around the campus, many of them almost exceeding his max budget of $700/month including utilities. We both liked the first apartment we saw very close to campus ($1589-$1670/month + utilities), but we did not want to make a decision right away since we had other apartments to check out that day. We then went to tour 2 other apartments in Lakewood (2nd and 3rd apartments, $1325/month and $1575/month respectively) and 2 more in Anaheim (4th and 5th apartments, $1175/month and $1500/month respectively). All of them allow guarantors to be added as an extra name besides the 2 students to help qualify the students rentwise, except the 4th apartment, in which only 2 names can be put on the lease at max, meaning that if I go into the 4th apartment, I will have to live alone. 

After touring all of them, we decided we wanted to try to secure a studio at the first apartment very close to campus. Unfortunately, when we returned to the first apartment, the studio we wanted at $1589/month was already taken. There was another studio at the same complex at $1670/month, so my mom and I tried to convince the potential roommate to commit and sign a roommate agreement so we can secure that apartment. He did not look like he was very committed and was still thinking about whether to room with me. While we were talking about the roommate terms with him, someone came out from the leasing office and told us that someone secured the other studio available, leaving us with no apartments to secure together. We then went our separate ways for the day. I started crying, worrying that I would not secure a place and a roommate in time for the Fall semester. 

The next day, Friday, in case the potential roommate decides not to commit, me and my mom rushed back to the 4th apartment to fill out an application. It was very overwhelming, as we had to rush to both Staples and the post office to print our required documents. Once we filled the application, we found out that we were 2nd in line, leaving even more uncertainties on whether I would get the room or not. Later Friday night, my mom and I decided it was time for the potential roommate and me to go separate ways since we had different requirements for finding an apartment. With only 1 more day left to secure a place before my mom and I drive back up to the Bay Area, I spent the 2nd night crying and almost hopeless that I would secure a place and roommate in time.

Then, on Saturday morning, we finally saw the light starting to shine. Another studio opened up at the first complex for $1639/month, so we hurried up and secured the place. I was finally happy knowing that I now had a place to live in, but due to it being expensive, was faced with even more uncertainties with whether I can find a committed roommate and how long I can stay there. 

After we arrived back in the Bay Area, on the following Tuesday, the light shined even brighter. The landlord from the 4th apartment called back and said that the applicant in front of us did not qualify, so she put our application in. Even more relieving, a day later, she called back again and said that we got the room, giving us 2 options instead of 1 to consider. 

This led my parents to discuss with me our two options. The first apartment in LB was really close to campus that I did not have to drive to every day, but was more expensive and had a late move-in date of mid-August, only a few days before the Fall semester starts. The 4th apartment in Anaheim would require me to commute 15-25 minutes to campus every day, but was a lot more affordable, still very safe, and could move in as early as late July. After weighing out the pros and cons, my parents and I decided to go with the Anaheim apartment since I could stay there alone and also because it had an earlier move-in date.

Just last Thursday on the 22nd, I officially moved into my new Anaheim apartment and I am really enjoying the place! I feel like myself getting the opportunity to live alone comfortably was a true gift from God. Before I moved into my dorm at Parkside for my 1st year, my parents requested for me to live alone because of my allergies and special needs, which did not happen. While living alone comes with its challenges, I feel like there will be so many new experiences to discover and learn from. 

I am very grateful to everyone who helped me and supported me along this journey, especially my mom. This move would not have been possible without all of you. I am very excited about all the wonderful memories I will make and all the wonderful characters and movies I will create here!

Why I Prefer Traditional Hand-Drawn Animation Over CGI and 2D Cutout Animation

 Hey everyone! I hope you guys all had a fabulous February so far! I can't believe it's already March!

Today, I wanted to talk more about my experience with animation and how it has influenced my beliefs about animation and my vision to bring back traditional hand-drawn cartoon animation to the big screen.

I first started animating in 7th grade in Mr. Pomeroy's animation class at my middle school. In middle school and high school, I animated using a combination of hand-drawing and motion tweening because I kind of felt lazy back then and due to my very limited drawing skills, did not want to draw out every single frame. Here's some of my work back from grade school:

 

Just last Spring at CSULB, I was in Tom's Animation 1 class. He was very inspiring and his experience working on shows like The Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry really helped me to push my animation. Taking his class really left me in tears leaving his class every time. Taking his class also persuaded me to really embrace traditional hand-drawn animation and the wonderful role drawing plays in the art of animation. I also realized that it was mostly Disney's traditionally animated films (specifically Fantasia, Pinnochio, Peter Pan, and Winnie the Pooh) and the morals within them that inspired me to pursue animation in the first place. Here are some of my animations I did for Tom's Animation 1 class and some I did just this past year. All of these were animated completely hand-drawn at 24 FPS, either with 12 field animation paper and pencil, or in ToonBoom Harmony.

 

Yes, so that was the moment I really fell in love with traditional frame-by-frame animation. Before Tom's class, I saw myself creating 2D cartoons and 3D CGI films. His class really connected me more with my inner self and my heart and really reminded me of how I fell in love with animation. Now after taking his class, I now envision my studio bringing back traditional animation, paper/pencil and paperless, to the big screen. Tom's class showed me what I can do with traditional animation! All I need is good drawing/draftsman skills, a vivid imagination, and to keep the 12 Principles in mind. With these 3 major things, I can really push my animation, like the character's emotions, squash and stretch, and much more, without having to worry about the technical limitations that 3D animators and 2D puppet animators have to worry about, like rigging and 3D modeling. 

I also really like the very natural and organic movements that come with hand-drawn animation. Rewatching many of my favorite cartoons and animated films, I noticed that the animation in many of the modern cartoons being made, like Gravity Falls and Spongebob, is much more stiff and robotic than the animation made in many of the classic cartoons, like the classic Mickey Mouse cartoons from the 1940s and the classic Tom and Jerry cartoons. I also really miss the art style that came with the many traditionally animated films and classic cartoons that Disney, Warner Bros., and Sullivan Bluth released.

Also, the morals and messages being portrayed in modern films make me miss the traditionally animated films. I also believe from my heart that most of Disney's traditionally animated films from the 1940s-1970s portrayed morals more in line with Walt Disney's original vision, like faith and family, and touched my heart much more than many of Disney's modern CGI films.

CGI animation has its benefits too! I really like the nice backgrounds and the great camera shots the 3D animators do. I also really like the storytelling many of Pixar's films convey. I'm not saying CGI is bad, however, what I am noticing is a decline in the appeal of many of the characters, as well as a drop in authenticity and inspiration from those films.  With 2D puppet animation, I can definitely notice this decline much more. I also notice a big drop in the art style. I can already tell that many of the 2D cartoons I see today have much less time and thought put into them. Take the classic Mickey Mouse cartoons back from the day versus the modern Mickey Mouse cartoons. I like the classic Mickey Mouse cartoons much better for a number of reasons. First, I really like the art style much better. The look of Mickey Mouse and the other characters look much cuter than them in the modern cartoons. The anatomy looks much more believable. The movements also look much more natural and organic, feels more like the animator put his vision and time into the animation. 

That being said, as both 2D puppet/cutout animation and CGI are becoming the "new normal", I am in an area of self-conflict right now. There are 2 different sides of my mind when it comes to me thinking about this:

There's the side of me that tells me to eventually learn CGI and puppet animation, in addition to my favorite technique of hand-drawn animation, so I can land a job in the industry. This will require me eventually to upgrade my ToonBoom animation software from Harmony Advanced (the version I have now) to Harmony Premium (the highest version with the node view). Harmony Premium costs $160/year for students, which is twice as much as Harmony Advanced, which costs $80/year for students. For traditional hand-drawn animators like me, there's not too much of a difference as both have all the tools one needs to create wonderful hand-drawn animation. Harmony Premium would benefit me a little bit more with the node view and some more effects, but those are not required to create amazing professional frame-by-frame animation. However, professional cut-out animation requires Harmony Premium, as the node view is required for creating cutout/puppet animation, as well as many cutout/rigging capabilities that are not found in Harmony Advanced. 

On the opposite side of my mind, there's the other side of me that is telling me to stand up against puppet/CGI animation taking over the industry and use my full energy and time to pursue my dream of bringing hand-drawn animation and films that truly touch the heart back to the big screen. I know for sure my upcoming animated film I am making with my characters will be animated completely hand-drawn, frame-by-frame. 

When I do start my animation studio, the Yip Studios, I will for sure tell you that traditional hand-drawn animation will be coming back! I hope to not just bring paperless animated films in ToonBoom Harmony and pencil/animation paper, but I also really hope to use plastic cels and try inking and painting just how the animators did with Fantasia and Pinocchio back in the 1940s. Most of all, I really hope my films make you guys laugh and inspire all of you to love yourself and to appreciate one another. Many studios have switched to CGI because they think it would be more efficient and better for them financially. Unlike most studios and most animators, the thing is that my studio and I simply cannot be bought. Like any business, while money is important for my future studio to survive, the most important things are that my studio is God-led and that my studio touches the heart of many individuals and brings more happiness and encouragement into their lives. Traditional hand-drawn animation may require more time and much more drawing, but I feel the extra time and effort put in will be much more worth it in the end.

Overall, I would like to know what you guys think about CGI and 2D cutout animation both replacing traditional hand-drawn animation. If you feel comfortable, please feel free to leave a comment down below. I hope you guys all have a wonderful rest of your day! 🙂❤️

Life On My End Lately

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't had time to post lately! Life has been very fun and busy on my end! 

On the busy side, I have been very stressed out, sad, and extremely worried about school. Both of my classes have a lot of reading, something I really struggle with because of my ADHD and my learning disabilities. Writing also stresses me out too. I always feel like I am not writing enough for my school assignments, but somehow, a miracle happens every time that gives me more thoughts and insight to write about. When I am feeling down or getting too homesick, I isolate myself and cry to my favorite heartwarming movie soundtracks.

The online format makes it much harder for me to learn and stay in touch with my friends and professors. As a result, I took only 2 GE classes last semester and am only taking 2 classes this semester because of this, 1 GE class and 1 art history class. Unlike me, many of my peers are taking studio classes online to graduate on time, which means that I will be a year behind most of my peers that I came into CSULB with, assuming I return back to campus this Fall. I started CSULB back in the Fall of 2018 and since the animation program is a 5-year program, I was originally planning to graduate in the Spring of 2023, but because of COVID and things going online, my graduation has been postponed to Spring 2024 at the earliest. 

As graduating on time would be nice, I feel like the most important aspect when it comes to college, in general, is getting all the knowledge and experience needed to succeed in your career, as well as making lifelong friends and connections. For me, the most important goals to reach when I leave CSULB is to have a lot of animation experience (both hand-drawn and 3D), to have a more vivid imagination, and to have lifelong friends and connections with whom I can share this passion and dream with. 

On the bright side, I have been doing so much art lately! I have been doing cleanup work for both a personal scene with my characters, as well as a scene for the animation workshop I am a part of. I also have been drawing so many animals lately! Besides drawing cartoon characters, I love to draw animals, especially rabbits and dogs! 

Rabbits and dogs, especially chihuahuas, have a special place in my heart! I have always been telling my parents that I want to rescue a chihuahua one day. My parents are both very concerned for me since I do have allergies to both cats and dogs. They also worry about whether I will have enough time to care for them. When I do adopt a cute chihuahua, I envision myself cuddling with him/her and giving him/her them all the love I can give, taking them almost everywhere, even on almost every vacation! My biggest worries about adopting a chihuahua are times where I am forced to leave him/her home alone, like when I go to work or when I go to the mall or a store that does not allow dogs. The thing I am looking forward to the most when I bring an amazing chihuahua home is all the love he/she will give to everyone in my future family, as well as the quality time we will all spend together.

Speaking about the future, the future is something I always dream about 24/7. As much as we are in uncertain times right now, there is always the bright side to see and look forward to. For me, I am looking forward to the day where I can drive back home to L.A. and Los Feliz. I am also looking forward to the day where I can see my existing friends again and meet new friends! I can't wait for the day where I meet "the one" to whom I will give all my love and care, as well as whom I will have a wonderful bond with over Disney, animation, dogs, and our shared vision for the future. I'm very excited for the days where I can inspire my wonderful kids to find happiness and pursue their dreams. I can't wait for the day when I release my first film and the day I bring my animation studio to life! These are just some of the many wonderful things I am looking forward to in the future! Like I always say, the future is very exciting, yet unpredictable! 

Since last time, I started a Twitch channel to showcase what I have learned in animation with you guys. Right now, I am really focusing on getting even better at traditional/hand-drawn animation! Every Wednesday at 6:00PM PT and every Friday at 5:00PM PT! My streams are a combination of an animation class and a place to talk and hang out. I talk to my viewers through chat, while showing them animation tips and techniques at the same time! If you are interested in learning animation from me, my streams are a perfect place to start! My Twitch profile is "YipAnimation55"!

Anyway, that is all I have for now. I hope you guys all have a wonderful week filled with fun and laughter! Whichever things you guys decide to pursue or accomplish, the most important thing to me is that you guys are happy and enjoying life. 🙂