Self Arrival
Thoughts and Reflections
First, I’d like to give my personal definition of the term “animation,” a term I’ve gradually come to understand through practice and reflection while creating FMP.
Scientifically, animation is an art form and technique that creates the illusion of movement by rapidly displaying a sequence of still images, or frames, in continuous succession. This process leverages the biological principle of “persistence of vision” in the human eye, which blends these discrete images into a fluid sense of motion.
But to me, this technical explanation only scratches the surface. I believe animation, in its essence, is not merely about imparting movement to static objects. It is, more profoundly, the art of drawing motion itself. An animator does not manipulate a pre-existing, static puppet as a puppeteer would; instead, we stand before a blank canvas—digital or physical—to capture, create, and define a fleeting moment of life that has never existed before. Every line and every frame is a deliberate act of giving form to time. In the act of creation, the animator becomes a creator in the truest sense, possessing the power to reset time, reconfigure space, bend mechanics, and rewrite the very laws of physics that govern our reality. From a metaphysical perspective, this elevates animation beyond mere imitation. It is not a replica of reality, but a revelation of its underlying essence. Animation has the unique capacity to bypass superficial appearances and directly depict the intangible—the spirit, the idea, the core truth that often eludes the lens of a live-action camera. This, I am convinced, is the fundamental distinction that separates animation from film as a distinct and sovereign art form.
Secondly, I would like to elaborate on my own views based on the theories of Lacan and Freud.
I’ve already explained Freud and Lacan’s theories in a previous blog post, so I won’t repeat them here. Freud and Lacan share some commonalities in their understanding of humanity, such as their use of structuralist methods, but they also have many differences. First, in terms of perspective, Freud primarily explored this issue from a physiological and biological standpoint, while Lacan approached it from a more macroscopic and philosophical perspective. Second, Lacan recreated the academic concept of “the Real” based on Freud’s work, something not found from a biological perspective.
From my perspective, as an animator or director, I use pragmatism and structuralism as core principles for shot arrangement, determining the frame, and ensuring the rationality of forms in animation. I can use red to represent danger, or blue to represent stability and wisdom. I can use wide shots to depict the entire scene, or close-ups to portray the inner world of a character. This is an important means by which I feel I can concretize Freud’s ideas. I personally believe this is applicable to most modern computer 3D animation production. However, when I tried to visualize Lacan’s ideas, I encountered a problem: I could hardly visualize them because Lacan’s definition of the Real is that it cannot be labeled or described in language. So, although I defined my final scene as the Real, the true Real resides within me; I find it difficult to contemplate because it disappears when I try. It has already manifested in the real world and in my animation. For example, when I want to bring the protagonist from the real world into her dreams and fantasies, I can use different editing techniques and animation methods to depict it. But this is merely a code between me and the audience watching my animation, allowing my thoughts to be conveyed to the audience through techniques like cross-cutting montage. However, I have never been entirely satisfied with the use of this shot because I feel that this transition cannot be achieved with current mature animation techniques; it requires a more abstract approach.
Final, I want to talk about the Final Major Project (FMP) I have created.
At its core, my FMP serves as a deeply personal vessel for exploring my own ego—my identity, my fears, my aspirations—and for envisioning its potential future. The project is an introspective journey, a dialogue with myself mapped onto the screen. Yet, I firmly believe that this process of self-interrogation and forward-looking imagination is a universal experience shared by most ordinary people navigating their lives. Therefore, while the work is personal, it is not solitary. This FMP is also a message I wish to convey to the audience: an invitation for them to see a part of their own reflections, struggles, and hopes within my animated sequences. It is my attempt to create a bridge between my inner world and the collective human experience, using the unique language of animation to communicate what words alone often cannot.