김은정
| 2023-05-31 14:58:03
Pixar film-animator
Korean animator of Pixar film 'Elemental' relates to immigrant story
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, May 31 (Yonhap) -- A Korean animator of Pixar's upcoming film "Elemental" said Wednesday she felt empathy for characters in the love and family story inspired by immigrant experiences, as it evoked emotions about her own experience.
Directed by Korean American Peter Sohn, "Elemental" tells a heartwarming story featuring four elements -- fire, water, land and air -- living in a bustling bayside city connected by bridges.
The central characters are the fiery young woman Ember, whose family are immigrants who left their hometown, and the go-with-the-flow Wade from a socially privileged family. While fire and water do not mix well, Ember and Wade find themselves forming an unlikely friendship.
Lee Chae-yeon, who was in charge of the main character, Ember, said the project means a lot to her, as she was connected to the cross-cultural love story and the director's tribute to his immigrant parents.
"As 'Elemental' tells an immigrant story, it is special to me. As a first-generation immigrant, I felt connected to Ember," Lee said in a group media interview in Seoul.
Sohn said in a press conference Wednesday that the film was inspired by his own childhood in New York with parents who had emigrated from South Korea and made sacrifices for their family.
Born and educated in South Korea, Lee left her home country in her 20s and studied animation at Centennial College in Canada. She previously worked on visual effect projects for Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018) and "Doctor Strange in the Metaverse of Madness" (2022), and joined an animation team for Pixar's "Buzz Lightyear" (2022).
The 33-year-old said Pixar was a "symbol of her dream" and working with the second-generation Korean American director was an exciting moment for her.
"There were moments when we shared our emotional wounds as immigrants and I felt connected to the director," she said.
The animation team studied movements of fire from a stove or clouds in the sky frame by frame to create the four elements, but the most challenging part to her was a vivid portrayal of Ember.
In one scene, Ember and Wade walk through the city together and both show off a bit of their abilities to the delight of the other, as she changes colors based upon where she's standing and he floats on top of the water surrounding them.
"To effectively portray Ember's character, I had to change the color of her lights in accordance to her emotions," she said.
Lee said she loves creative and emotional stories of Pixar movies with "realistic and believable" images, picking the 2015 animated film "Inside Out" as her favorite.
"I think Pixar is loved for its story that heals not just children but also tired adults," she said.
Currently working on Pixar's new animated film "Elio," she is looking beyond the next project.
"I think becoming a director is part of self-realization for me. I want to ultimately tell my story, whether it's short or long," she said. "After experiencing culture shock, I discovered different aspects of myself. I have a soul-searching story in mind."
"Elemental" hits local screens on June 14.
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