What's Your Story with Jaime & Stan

What’s Your Story, Eileen Zhang? The bold path of a young 3D animator chasing her dream

Episode Summary

From a chance encounter in a Volvo service lounge to a deep dive into one of the most demanding art schools in the world — this episode spotlights the unstoppable drive of Eileen Zhang, a second-year computer animation student at Ringling College of Art & Design. At just 19, Eileen’s already lived away from home, navigated elite pre-college programs, and mastered the art of following a passion even when the world tells you it's “too risky.” She opens up about intense studio life, artistic pressure, AI myths, global career dreams, and why 2D animation still has her heart. Her story is brave, bright, and beautifully unfiltered — just like the art she creates.

Episode Notes

From a chance encounter in a Volvo service lounge to a deep dive into one of the most demanding art schools in the world — this episode spotlights the unstoppable drive of Eileen Zhang, a second-year computer animation student at Ringling College of Art & Design.

At just 19, Eileen’s already lived away from home, navigated elite pre-college programs, and mastered the art of following a passion even when the world tells you it's “too risky.” She opens up about intense studio life, artistic pressure, AI myths, global career dreams, and why 2D animation still has her heart.

Her story is brave, bright, and beautifully unfiltered — just like the art she creates.

KEY TOPICS COVERED

• The random Volvo-service-center meeting that started it all
• Growing up artistic — and parents pushing excellence
• Pre-college programs, early independence, and choosing Ringling
• What computer animation really is: 2D vs. 3D explained
• The pressure cooker of Ringling’s studio classes
• The emotional weight of critiques, deadlines, and “waiting for the email”
• The truth about AI in animation — and why intent still matter
• Dreams of working in studios across the globe
• Life as an out-of-state student building community and resilience
• The future: internships, studios, and refusing to make a Plan B

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “Animation isn’t a genre — it’s a medium.”
• “AI can’t create intention. It can’t understand story.”
• “I loved the school because I knew the alumni were working on every movie I grew up watching.”
• “If I have the energy to draw for fun, I feel like I should be working on an assignment.”

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Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/xCFRDabpOgk
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

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