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Dive deeper into the creative process of filmmaking. Explore the inspirations and challenges faced during production, and gain a richer understanding of some of the films selected for this year's festival.
These candid conversations not only shed light on the artistry and technical expertise that go into filmmaking but also provide a glimpse into the personal stories and motivations that drive these talented creators.
While this Have I Swallowed Your Dreams is technically writer/director Clara Chan’s second film, it’s one that she started working on long before her first short but the scope of the story required more time - and a team - to bring to life.
In this discussion, Clara shares the inspiration for her new short as well as the process of bringing it to life, from finding artists and animators through Instagram and her network of friends and colleagues, to the encouragement and support she received from fellow creatives through a Women in Animation group.
Image Credit: Have I Swallowed Your Dreams © 2024 Flying Dumpling Films. All Rights Reserved.
SPEAKER
Clara Chan
Director // Flying Dumpling Films
(Have I Swallowed Your Dreams, Embrace)
Clara Chan has been in the animation/VFX industry for over two decades. She works as a VFX Supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks by day, and as an independent filmmaker by night. She made her first independent short film, Embrace, in 2021 which has been screened at different film festivals in Canada and the US. She started Flying Dumpling Films in 2022 because she is passionate about telling unique and authentic stories that connect with people.
Clara has lived in mainland China, Hong Kong, California, New York and Texas, and currently resides in Vancouver, Canada. She has a B.S. in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an M.S. in Visualization Sciences from Texas A&M University. She has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (Short Films and Feature Animation Branch) since 2021.
MODERATOR
Marina Antunes
President // Spark CG Society
Marina has been writing and discussing film for over 15 years, first on a personal blog, followed by a decade-long tenure on the now retired Row Three. In 2008, she joined the writing staff at Quiet Earth, becoming Editor-In-Chief in 2014, a role she still holds. Over the years, she has also produced and hosted a number of podcasts including Before the Dawn, a long-running podcast on the Twilight franchise, Girls on Pop, a podcast on film and popular entertainment from women’s perspective and After the Credits, bi-monthly film podcast with nearly 300 episodes.
Marina is a member of ACM and ACM SIGGRAPH, the Online Film Critics Society, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and the Visual Effects Society. She is the President of Spark CG Society and the Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH chapter. She has also served on juries for several film festivals including DOXA, St. Louis International Film Festival, and the Whistler Film Festival. She joined the Spark CG Society in 2014.
Dive deeper into the creative process of filmmaking. Explore the inspirations and challenges faced during production, and gain a richer understanding of some of the films selected for this year's festival.
These candid conversations not only shed light on the artistry and technical expertise that go into filmmaking but also provide a glimpse into the personal stories and motivations that drive these talented creators.
While this Have I Swallowed Your Dreams is technically writer/director Clara Chan’s second film, it’s one that she started working on long before her first short but the scope of the story required more time - and a team - to bring to life.
In this discussion, Clara shares the inspiration for her new short as well as the process of bringing it to life, from finding artists and animators through Instagram and her network of friends and colleagues, to the encouragement and support she received from fellow creatives through a Women in Animation group.
Image Credit: Have I Swallowed Your Dreams © 2024 Flying Dumpling Films. All Rights Reserved.
SPEAKER
Clara Chan
Director // Flying Dumpling Films
(Have I Swallowed Your Dreams, Embrace)
Clara Chan has been in the animation/VFX industry for over two decades. She works as a VFX Supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks by day, and as an independent filmmaker by night. She made her first independent short film, Embrace, in 2021 which has been screened at different film festivals in Canada and the US. She started Flying Dumpling Films in 2022 because she is passionate about telling unique and authentic stories that connect with people.
Clara has lived in mainland China, Hong Kong, California, New York and Texas, and currently resides in Vancouver, Canada. She has a B.S. in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an M.S. in Visualization Sciences from Texas A&M University. She has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (Short Films and Feature Animation Branch) since 2021.
MODERATOR
Marina Antunes
President // Spark CG Society
Marina has been writing and discussing film for over 15 years, first on a personal blog, followed by a decade-long tenure on the now retired Row Three. In 2008, she joined the writing staff at Quiet Earth, becoming Editor-In-Chief in 2014, a role she still holds. Over the years, she has also produced and hosted a number of podcasts including Before the Dawn, a long-running podcast on the Twilight franchise, Girls on Pop, a podcast on film and popular entertainment from women’s perspective and After the Credits, bi-monthly film podcast with nearly 300 episodes.
Marina is a member of ACM and ACM SIGGRAPH, the Online Film Critics Society, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and the Visual Effects Society. She is the President of Spark CG Society and the Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH chapter. She has also served on juries for several film festivals including DOXA, St. Louis International Film Festival, and the Whistler Film Festival. She joined the Spark CG Society in 2014.
