Hello! I’m Lang, an Indonesian-American (admittedly, more American than Indonesian) and a junior animation major at the School of Visual Arts. Growing up, I was entranced by every animated medium I could find, spending my time scouring through TV shows and playing video games - shaping me into a deeply dedicated artist. That passion transformed into a strong personal drive to design and animate stories. Whether it’s animation, graphic design, or infographic campaigns, I aim to create work that connects people through shared experiences. Design is an incredible tool for communicating these points. Regardless of which form my projects take, I’ve always loved using design to amplify creative and underrepresented voices. It’s infused into my work as an animator, really - and it’s a beautiful tool that lets me create visual language that anyone can understand. What excites me the most are projects rooted in identity, youth, and community impact - packed together in a tight roll of narrative depth. As a current student in the School of Visual Arts’ animation program, I have become skilled with software such as ToonBoom Harmony, Storyboard Pro, Clip Studio Paint, and the Adobe suite. My background in marketing, however, adds a wonderful twist to my skillset. In my previous roles as art director, I had led my peers creatively and courteously, fostering a sense of community as I managed tight deadlines and client needs. My experience with clients such as The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and HBO Pa’lante has given me the ability to navigate a professional space - proven by the sound of my voice over the subway loudspeakers!  Back in 2023, me and a group of students came together to create the first round of the MTA’s “Ride Inside, Stay Alive” campaign. Specifically, we worked on the infographic text-based advertisements and coined slogans. I was responsible for storyboarding and animating characters for advertisements that would play within subway stations. Although none of my concepts made it in, I feel I was brought closer to the community in ways I’ve never felt before - bringing me closer to my city and its people. The campaign itself was a beautiful blend of creativity, youth, and impact - and I loved having a hand in changing how people see the world (and the dangers of subway surfing). People of all identities deserve to partake in the creation, production, and rewards of animation and design. However, getting your foot in the door is… difficult in a place like NYC. Higher education programs around here are limited, inaccessible, and vary vastly in quality. As a result, many are either left on their own, or forced to abandon their dreams. Through research, press conferences, and presentations to youth about our work in the Ride Inside, Stay Alive campaign, I feel as if I’ve taken a step towards helping people towards a better future through design. This scholarship would lift the weight of my financial burdens off of my shoulders, and allow me to pursue mentorship opportunities and extra classes outside of SVA. These opportunities are key, and I hope they’ll help push me further and expand my network in the industry. Digital design tools have opened countless doors for me, and I am so thankful for that - and by exploring tech and software to create projects that reach people worldwide, I plan to take advantage of these tools and carve a better future in design for everyone.  Thank you for reading!

Hello! I’m Lang, an Indonesian-American (who is, admittedly, more American than Indonesian) and a junior animation major at the School of Visual Arts. Growing up, I was entranced by every animated medium I could find, spending my time scouring through TV shows and playing video games - shaping me into a deeply dedicated artist. I hope to use my skills to create stories reflecting the human experience, developing my skills as I go. I attended the High School of Art and Design, one of the few high schools in NYC with an animation major. My time there was deeply influential, giving me a foundation to build on before allowing me to get my foot in the door with internships and work. I have made numerous trips back to give back to the community that, essentially, made me. I genuinely believe that people of all identities deserve to partake in the creation, production, and rewards of animation — and these students are no different. However, getting your foot in the door has always been hard, especially in a place like NYC. Higher education programs around here are limited, inaccessible, and vary vastly in quality. As a result, many are either left on their own or forced to abandon their dreams. My path in animation is enhanced by my unique career background. I come from a low-income family and know financial issues like the back of my hand. These struggles have pushed me to constantly secure work to keep me afloat and grow as an artist. Because of my efforts, I’ve had the pleasure of working with clients such as HBO Pa’lante and the MTA (If you’re ever in NYC and have heard a Lang announcing in the subway… yes, that is me!) I always try to keep myself at the top of my game by doing more — never less. This scholarship would alleviate some of my financial burdens, enabling me to pursue mentorship opportunities and extra classes outside of SVA that may help push me further and expand my network in the industry. This scholarship would not only support me artistically, but also allow me to foster connections that will help other artists who are equally deserving of success. Thank you for reading!

I've always had social anxiety. Not the greatest start to an essay, I know. The thing that's funny about social anxiety is the lengths you go to avoid any interaction that'll make your life easier. What's even funnier is looking back on those memories and trying to make something out of it. That's what I chose to do during my Sophomore year of college, where we were instructed to make a short animated film. I was lost, you know? It's hard to come up with something that you'd be willing to work on for an entire year. I struggled with my storytelling skills and my confidence in coming up with anything new, so instead I chose to look into both myself, and the past. The best stories are those told from within, after all. There was a time in my life when I was far, far too nervous to ask for help. I was a middle schooler who had cravings for nacho cheese, and the only jar in the store was in a restricted area. Though I didn't resort to terrorism (unlike the girl in the film), I was tempted to steal… thus, I crafted an elaborate plan in my head, and my friend had to witness me try it - and fail spectacularly - because my fear of getting caught overrode the fear of talking to other people. In the end, I left cheeseless and humored... but I did not lose. Instead, I was just granted a bounty of material that I used to create "Operation Cheezy Breezy," my sophomore film. My film is about my experiences with social anxiety, tweaked and heightened to an absurd degree. My favorite ways of telling stories is with a bit of a comedic flair, and I had a blast creating this and tapping into my inner child. Not only is it a homage to myself, but it's also a homage to the older, sillier days of YouTube. I wanted to channel nostalgia, and I wanted to go harder than ever before. Fast forward to today. Nowadays, I'm twenty, and a junior in college. I've broken out of my shell and learned how to look people in the eyes, talk with them face-to-face, shake their hands, make friends... and also how to just ask for nacho cheese. "Operation Cheezy Breezy" is a silly reflection of my former self. It's like looking at myself in a mirror - a gateway to simpler, scarier times. Times that I've learned to treasure. It's sweet, you know, looking back at myself seeing them grow up. Throughout the making of this film, I learned so much about creating and producing a solo animated production. I learned how to apply my skills in storytelling in order to convey something so funny, nostalgic, and dear to me. This film is made to show how far some people are willing to go to avoid their fears - and through comedy - show that ultimately, it's okay to reach out. However, social anxiety isn't something you can just overcome in a day. It took me six years, and even then it's not all gone. I've still got it! It’s okay to be nervous, it’s okay to be scared, but it’s also okay to ask for help. And maybe, someday you’ll be powerful enough to get that nacho cheese on your own! (Note: Attached is a PDF with a Drive link to my film. Please note that polish-wise, it is rough animation, but that doesn't stop it from being near and dear to me. I hope you enjoy!)