Most graduating college students look forward to joining the proverbial “real world,” but often feel clueless about where to start or how to begin. For Meryl Chan, a passionate fresh grad from a prestigious animation school in New York, it’s not just about knowing in her heart that she wants to be a storyteller — it’s about going straight to making a difference.
The 23-year-old from Manila graduated with honors from The School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York with a degree in animation. She has always been drawn to visual arts, specifically its ability to create worlds, as well as its potential to save ours. Her artworks serve as a platform for promoting her advocacies, including raising environmental awareness in the Philippines.
Ms. Chan’s thesis film, in particular, Dive and Trek, highlights the importance of protecting our natural resources. The story follows the relationship between a fisherman father and his young daughter, who are dealing with the harsh realities of life in poverty, forced to choose between nature and family. The project has been selected to be part of an international film festival that will be shown around the world. She hopes the film will mobilize her fellow young people to act collectively, as they stand to benefit the most from taking meaningful steps to care for the environment.
Ms. Chan began exploring her creative side with drawing, before falling head over heels with the art of filmmaking. The likes of Satoshi Kon, Martin Scorsese, and Wong Kar Wai deeply influenced her to want to become a storyteller herself.
“Their ability to breathe life into characters and histories made me realize that I wanted to create that same kind of magic,” she said.
Ms. Chan followed through by taking up animation in New York to study at SVA, one of the most prestigious art and design colleges worldwide. In celebration of her graduation this past May, Ms. Chan mounted an exhibition that honors her past four years in school. The retrospective exhibit opened in late April along 26th St. in New York, featuring 15 artworks.
The showcase captured the full spectrum of Ms. Chan’s artistry. There were urban landscapes from both the Philippines and the United States, including “personal explorations in color.” Also presented were three animation projects: a class film she directed, titled Miss Illusion; a risograph animation prototype; and, of course, her thesis film Dive & Trek. Each of the featured artworks conveys a rich story, while the exhibit as a whole reflects her artistic growth at SVA.
“Vigorous” is how Ms. Chan describes her time in college, saying, “It felt like learning an entirely new language of creation.” She learned the nitty-gritty of animation, from the intricacies of the production pipeline to the importance of clear communication, and the undeniable role of collaboration.
As she prepares to transition to her post-college life, Ms. Chan remains hopeful that the animation industry, which has been hounded by issues like outsourcing and the rise of generative AI over the past several years, will bounce back. She cites the growing appetite among audiences for indie animation, which “feels more creative, personal, and free from large studio constraints.”
In the meantime, Ms. Chan looks forward to building her portfolio. She hopes to fill it with works “that feel meaningful.” The plan is to have her own studio, a “fostering space,” where “creativity and original storytelling can thrive.”
True to her nature as a storyteller, and her practice as an animator, talking about the future feels no different from building her own world.
Know more about Ms. Chan and her work by visiting www.merylstudios.com. Follow her on Instagram at @merylstudios.
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