Meet CHANJUE YU

Source: Canvas Rebel

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful CHANJUE YU a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

CHANJUE, appreciate you joining us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

I was born and raised in Shanghai, China, where I also completed my undergraduate studies. Earning your first dollar from creative work is always exhilarating, marking the beginning of a new chapter. For me, this happened during my senior year of college. At that time in China, motion graphics were not as popular as they are now and were not widely used in branding, advertising, or other fields. As a graphic design student and an After Effects novice, I taught myself out of sheer passion.

My professor, Wang Wei, recognized my budding talent. His creative agency was bidding for a project to create a branding design and visual system for the World Expo Museum. They needed a dynamic logo animation, and he encouraged me to take a shot at it. Despite limited resources and tutorials, I learned as I went, spending countless nights perfecting the animation.

The hard work paid off. The final result was impressive, and my professor’s proposal was accepted. The museum was thrilled with the dynamic logo, stating that it perfectly conveyed the intended emotions and message. This success earned me my first paycheck in the industry and significantly changed my career path. I found a profession that suited me and that I loved—Motion Graphic Design.

After graduation, I worked at a creative agency for a year before applying to the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), renowned for its motion graphic design program. My dedication to this field was further validated when my thesis project, “An Honest Meditation,” won the prestigious Red-dot Best of the Best award, receiving recognition from industry experts. This journey, from earning my first dollar to achieving industry acclaim, was a testament to my dedication and passion for motion graphics, marking my transition from graphic design to motion graphic design.

CHANJUE, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

About Me and My Creative JourneyFrom a young age, my artistic journey was shaped by an intense passion for painting, despite my mother’s hopes for me to become a pianist. This passion, although dormant for many years, was finally ignited during the first half of my senior year in high school. I immersed myself in structured sketching and drawing, and my dedication paid off when I achieved remarkable results in the national art college entrance examination in Shanghai, securing a place among the top candidates nationwide. This achievement allowed me to realize my dream of attending a prestigious university to study graphic design, significantly shaping my future career path.

During my college years, I majored in graphic design. However, it was in my senior year that I discovered a keen interest in motion graphics design. With no prior experience in this field, I embarked on a journey of self-teaching, diving headfirst into this exciting realm. I pursued knowledge through online tutorials, video courses, and reference books, actively engaging in self-learning and gradually mastering the skills of motion graphics design.

After completing my college degree, I joined a prestigious branding design firm in China. It was here that I realized the future of brand identity lay in new media design. Motivated by this realization, I made the bold choice to resign from my position and pursue advanced studies in systematic motion graphics design in the United States. This decision underscores my unwavering commitment to professional development, demonstrating my readiness to put in the hard work and make necessary sacrifices to acquire a deeper understanding and mastery of my craft.

While pursuing my studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design, I rapidly honed my advanced motion graphics design skills, consistently delivering exceptional academic results. My creative talents garnered significant recognition, with some of my works receiving prestigious awards. Notably, I was honored with the Red Dot Winner 2021_Best of the Best award and the YOUNG ONES STUDENT AWARDS, solidifying my confidence and enhancing my professional reputation.

After finishing my graduate studies, I embarked on a journey through different companies, but it was in my current role at Majority that I truly discovered my value as a designer. Here, I developed a deep appreciation for the pivotal role of motion graphics design in information dissemination, particularly in the context of cross-cultural communication. I put my expertise to work by crafting videos and animations that facilitated access to information for individuals from diverse backgrounds, much like myself. In doing so, I ensured that everyone had equal access to cultural and social exchanges. This accomplishment fills me with immense pride, as I see it as a meaningful contribution to both society and the success of the company.

My Role at MajorityIn my current role as a Motion Graphic Designer at Majority, I support the marketing, product, and customer service teams, effectively serving the entire company. My work involves closely aligning with customer needs, a crucial aspect of brand design that is often underemphasized in academic settings. However, my background in graphic design and related work experience enables me to understand and address these needs effectively.

Given our significant Latinx customer base, I ensure that all video content is bilingual. For instance, social media videos must be concise, ideally under 30 seconds. The differing speech rates and text lengths between English and Spanish require me to be flexible and adaptive. Effective communication and agility are essential in my role.

As a mobile banking service, educating users on how to utilize our platform is vital. I developed and implemented the idea of creating interactive tutorial videos. These videos are not only visually engaging but also significantly enhance user participation and learning experience, earning positive feedback from both users and the team.

As our company expands, our user base becomes increasingly diverse. To address this, I leverage AI to create images representing various countries for our website. These images automatically adjust based on the user’s location, changing both language and characters. This human-centered design approach enhances the user experience by ensuring our services feel personalized and accessible to everyone.

Through my work at Majority, I have not only elevated the company’s brand image but also ensured our content is friendly to multilingual and multicultural users. My role allows me to combine my design skills with practical needs, creating work that is both beautiful and functional.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes, there is a distinct mission that drives my creative journey: to bridge cultural gaps and enhance cross-cultural communication through motion graphics design. Having grown up with a deep appreciation for diverse cultures, I have always been passionate about creating work that is inclusive and accessible to people from all backgrounds. My goal is to use my skills to create visually compelling and informative content that not only engages but also educates and empowers users.

In my current role at Majority, I strive to ensure that all our visual content resonates with our diverse user base, particularly focusing on bilingual and culturally relevant design. By doing so, I aim to make financial services more accessible and understandable for immigrants, helping them navigate new environments and build better lives. This mission of inclusivity and support is what fuels my creativity and dedication in every project I undertake.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Absolutely. When I first started, self-learning software was incredibly time-consuming. I often struggled to achieve desired effects and couldn’t find the right tutorials. I bought online courses and sought help on platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn Learning, and Reddit, but encountered issues with course length and accuracy.

Later, I discovered that social media could be more efficient than traditional search engines. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok offer short, easily digestible tutorials that are incredibly useful for quick problem-solving. These short videos prioritize brevity and clarity, providing immediate solutions, which is ideal for designers needing fast answers.

If you have the time, systematic learning is still beneficial, but for quick fixes, social media is invaluable.