VFS Digital Design is a highly multicultural program. We get students from all over the world. Being Chinese, I’m very interested in the educational experiences of our students from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hongkong. I started meeting with them to capture and share their insights. As part of my ongoing series of interviews, Digital Design alumna, Yuan You, talks about her experience.
温哥华电影学院的数字媒体专业很具跨文化特色。这里汇聚了来自世界各国家、各地区的青年才俊。我很感兴趣 那些来自中国大陆、台湾地区和香港地区的学生们,他们在这里的学习经历是怎样的。与他们逐渐熟识,也更多 分享他们的才智和学习历程。下面是我在数字媒体专业进行的系列采访中的一个人物,游元,她分享了她在数字 媒体专业的学习感受。
Maggie Guo: Welcome Yuan. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
郭春宁: 欢迎你,游元。能先简单介绍一下你自己吗?
Yuan You: Hi Maggie, thank you for chatting with me. After I graduated from Digital Design, I joined Tribal DDB in Vancouver as an Interactive Designer, and now I’m back in China, working in the Chengdu, SiChuang province. I currently do brand development for the Luodai Center for Protection and Development of Folk Art.
游元:春宁,你好!谢谢你来采访我。我从温哥华电影学院的数字媒体专业毕业后,曾经在温哥华的 Tribal DDB互动广告公司担任设计师。现在我回国发展,在四川成都工作,我如今的工作重心目主要是洛带民间艺术保护发 展中心的品牌设计与推广工作。
MG: What was your decision-making process in selecting the Digital Design program?
郭:可否谈谈你选择攻读数字媒体专业(Digital Design)的过程是怎样的?
YY: Before choosing Digital Design, I earned a degree in Graphic Design in Toronto. Afterwards, I was lucky enough to find a job as an Assistant Editor at Vancouver Ming Pao. I was always passionate about film making, and hoped I would one day direct my own film. So I phoned Vancouver Film School because of its reputation.
Speaking with an advisor gave me a general understanding about VFS and all of the programs. I have to admit that trying to write a script or direct a film in English is difficult in a second language. After some serious consideration, I choose the Digital Design program instead of Film Production or Writing for Film and Television because of this, and because I liked the courses and instructors. Actually, studying Digital Design was an opportunity for me to improve my graphic design skills. The Digital Design courses also involved some filming. So it partly fulfilled my dream of studying filming.
游:在选择数字媒体( Digital Design )之前,我刚刚在多伦多完成了平面设计(Graphic Design)的学业。毕 业后我在《温哥华明报》顺利找到了编辑助理的工作。但是从内心里来说,我一直比较有兴趣的是电影方面的东 西,憧憬着拍短片,写剧本这样的事情。所以冲着温哥华电影学院的名字给这个学校打了电话。
在跟课程顾问交谈后对VFS的各专业课程有了大致了解,在众多课程中对数字媒体比较感兴趣,不论是涉及的教 学内容,或是授课老师的专业背景都比较吸引我。当然,不得不提到的是,对于第二语言为英文的学生来说,在没有专业基础的情况下学习写剧本或者拍电影是需要强大意志的。经过再三思考之后,我决定选择数字媒体。事 实上,在数字媒体的学习对我来说更像是对之前平面设计学习的升华和提升。同时,数字媒体专业也覆盖一部分 电影的课程及概念,也算是部分实现了我之前想学习电影的憧憬。
MG: What was your experience like in the program?
郭:你在数字媒体学习的情况如何?
YY: After you gain a familiarity with the skills, you feel you can handle it and enjoy the whole process. I was very happy to have the opportunity to study the After Effects, Flash, HTML coding. And then I realized what I was really interested in was motion and interactive design.
游:当你开始熟悉一件事物,一种技能,在熟练之后你会得心应手,并从中得到乐趣。在VFS的数字媒体学习中 很高兴有学习运用After Effects, Flash, HTML Coding的机会。从而真正了解并选择自己喜欢的东西。后期的学习 中我特别喜欢After Effects和互动设计,这是在之前的平面设计中未涉及到和缺乏的。
MG: If you could sum up the program in one word, what would it be?
郭:如果让你用一个词来概括这个课程,你觉得这个词应该是什么?
YY: Digital Design is a complex program that relates to all kinds of fields. To sum up it in one word is really not easy. My feelings and reactions were different at different stages in my studies. From rethinking my former major of graphic design to absorbing the new knowledge. In a word, studying in the Digital Design program is a whole process of self-growth.
游:数字媒体本来就是一个综合性的课程,包罗万象。要用一个词来形容还真的是不太容易。在不同的阶段,体 会都是不同的。从对之前专业的温习和提升,到后阶段对新知识的吸收与创新,再到最后的自我突破。总的来 说,对我而言这个专业的学习应该就是一个自我提升的过程。
MG: What’s it like living in Vancouver?And what was it like acclimating to a new culture and city?
郭:你在温哥华的生活如何?你是怎样适应并融入到这个新环境中的?
YY: As we know, Vancouver is one of the best cities in Canada according to its comfortable climate and beautiful scenery. I really enjoyed living there. Just like the other international students, the biggest challenges for me were the language barrier and unfamiliar environment. Fortunately, Vancouver is such a multi-cultural city that regardless of where you’re from, you’ll soon embrace this city full of energy.
游:众所周知,温哥华是加拿大气候和自然环境最为优越的一个城市。和所有的留学生一样,初到温哥华时遇到 的最大困难是英语和陌生的环境。但温哥华作为一个多元的国际化城市,无论你来自哪儿,它都会很快让你退去 陌生感,融入到它充满活力的城市生活之中。
MG: What was the thing you found most surprising about the program?
郭:在数字媒体专业学习,最让你惊喜的是什么?
YY: From my point of view, the the connection to a robust professional network is very important. The instructors are the best of best in the industry. They not only impart their professional knowledge but also share their experiences in the industry. They also always keep students up-to-date on the latest advancements in our field. The program helps students cultivate their personal networks and create meaningful connections while their studying. These are very important for students who are embarking on their professional careers.
I was introduced to Amber, the current Digital Design Head of Department and then Managing Director of Tribal DDB at the time, at our graduation ceremony. Through that connection, I scored an interview with Tribal. Though I didn’t get the job at that interview, I met with Amber again at a subsequent event Tribal event and, this time, I got an internship opportunity This eventually led to a full-time role as a Designer with Tribal. So, for me, being successful means holding on to an opportunity when it comes your way. And VFS is a successful cradle cultivating opportunities for each student.
游:在我看来,人际沟通和行业交流是非常重要的。这里的授课老师都是行业之中的佼佼者。老师们在讲授必备 的专业知识同时,更多地授予他们在行业中积累的经验,使学生们随时与这个行业的最新动态保持同步。朱字媒 体专业让学生能够在学校学习期间就开始累积身边的人际关系。这对即将毕业找工作的人来说是无比珍贵的。
而我自 己也是因为在最后的毕业汇演中结识到当时正在Tribal DDB任职的Amber,从而得到面试机会。虽然在面 试阶段并没有顺利进入DDB,最后仍然是通过朋友在Tribal DDB里举行的一次交流会上,有机会再次见到Amber 并最终得以进入Tribal DDB实习。所以对我来说,想要成功,就要懂得如何在机会来到时将其紧紧抓住。而VFS 就是给每个学生孕育机会的大摇篮。
MG: Please tell us about your previous role as a Designer at Tribal DDB Vancouver?
郭:可否介绍一下你在Tribal DDB设计工作的情况?
YY: I was introduced in Tribal DDB as an internship in June, 2009. And after two months of internship I became an contractor. I finally was absorbed as a formal designer and a family member of Tribal DDB in the beginning of November, 2009.
The first project I received in Tribal DDB was brand research for TransLink. After that, I also took part in design projects for BC Hydro, UBC, The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), Tourism of Kelowna, Telus, etc. Every project was full of challenges. Among all the design projects, the majority of my time was focused on design work for the CTC— everything from online ads to their official website to the design of both their Facebook and Twitter sites.
游: 我于2009年6月以实习生的身份进入Tribal DDB。在两个月的实习之后成为签约员工。最后在11月初正式成 为Tribal DDB家族的一员。
我在Tribal DDB的第一个任务就是为TransLink 做一些 品牌策划。接下来不断累积为不同公司和品牌进行设计的 经验,参与的设计包括BC Hydro, UBC, CTC ,Tourism of Kelowna, Telus等等。每个项目都富有挑战性。其中我在CTC (Canadian Tourism Commission) 的设计份额非常重。大部分是在线广告, 还有 CTC的官方网站, Facebook, Tweeter等社交网络平台的模板设计。
MG: What are you up to now that you are back in China?
郭:能介绍一下你回国之后的工作情况吗?
YY: When I was returned to China, I started designing for a real estate company. This involved developing the brand identity for a new business unit. This work was also an opportunity for me to fly in a new direction. In the process of planning for Real Estate, my former experiences in design and ads agencies benefited me tremendously, especially the work of pre-planning and commercial promotion.
Recently, I took a role with the Luodai Center for the Protection and Development of Folk Art. The Center is partnering with UNESCO, private enterprise, non-governmental organizations and governments to safeguard the Intangible Cultural Heritage. And, my job is to be responsible for marketing and public relations.
I’m very exciting about this new career opportunity!
游:我回国后先是参与了一些房地产相关的策划和设计工作。这是一个和互动广告公司有所不同的商业体系。对 我来说也是换一条跑道起飞的机会。在房地产的策划中,原有的设计、广告公司工作经验给我很大帮助。特别有 助于是楼盘的前期策划和推广活动。
近期,我进入了刚成立不久的洛带民间艺术保护发展中心工作。这个机构隶属于联合国教科文民间国际组织,致 力于保护和发展民间工艺美术,文化等项目。我在中心的工作职务是帮助保护中心做好网络、媒体的推广,并促 进国际间艺术活动的交流。
我对这一新项目和新工作充满期待!
Yuan You’s account on Weibo of Sina is 游元.
游元在新浪微博的名字就是游元, 大家可以关注一下她!
