If modern technology has contributed one thing to the creative world, it would be the power of movement. Whether through video games, animation, film or otherwise, movement allows artists to bring ideas, characters and worlds to life. Inspired by the huge yet still largely untapped potential of animation and interactivity in art, I aspire to make a splash in the landscape of art.

Raised in a home with two artists, I was often encouraged to create and was quickly attracted to stop-motion animation as I had seen in many animated movies. Using some plasticine and a camera to bring objects to life felt like a superpower at the time, and since then I continue to adore the gratifying experience of watching my own creations move on the screen. Before long, I discovered video games - hooked by the unique interactive experiences they provided, I found endless hours of fun playing Nintendo games. Over time my interest developed beyond entertainment, as I discovered the creative potential of sandbox games such as Minecraft and my love for video games grew into a passion for creating dynamic worlds, stories and experiences.

More recently, the growth of indie games within the industry shifted my creative journey quite significantly. The game Undertale especially showed me how unconventional approaches to design could evoke profound emotions and narratives, challenging my previous notions about game development. The rise of independent animation over the past few years with series such as Murder Drones and Lackadaisy has been exciting to observe as well; innovative, independent, hand-made content is the type of work I long to create.

To gain some first-hand work experience in these industries, I spent a few days during the summer of 2022 at Nexus Studios, an animation and games studio in London. I had the opportunity to look around the studio and talk to people with all sorts of creative backgrounds. Most excitingly, I spent time with their games department working on updating their mobile game Face Pinball, which was my first time working on a large project with other developers. I also spent some time at VineFX, a VFX company in Cambridge, where I got to talk to many more creatives especially from film and animation backgrounds - the advice and insight I gained from seeing these studios in-person and talking to their employees has been invaluable to me, and I am incredibly grateful that I was able to have such an opportunity.

I have been able to explore video game level design and concept art in school through my Extended Project, in which I am creating the world for a Metroidvania game. I have spent six years mastering Unity game engine using online resources and now, I continue to improve my game development skills by participating in game jam competitions - pushing myself to work on projects outside of an educational environment has brought me closer to my ambitions and helped me to become more self-motivated. I have also continued to experiment with animation using a Wacom tablet, often using animation within my own games and experimenting with new styles: my interest in animation has enhanced my understanding of character design and movement within games, allowing me to explore how visual storytelling can bring depth to gameplay.

While I am confident in my programming skills, I am eager to take my creativity further. By exploring a more artistic path beyond school, I hope to develop my artistic voice and bring my imagination to life.