Meet Daya Lee | 2D Animator and Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Daya Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Daya, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
I learnt a lot when collaborating with others, and all these lessons taught me to become a better team member. Being committed to the project, having a dedicated work ethic, the ability to collaborate effectively, and great people skills are essential, and I feel like this can make or break a production. Whenever I’m part of a team, I strive to be the best version of myself so that the project is successful. My motto to ensure that is “Managing Expectations”.

The best thing you can do for the team is to prioritise the project’s creative vision and put its best interests first. To do that is to know one’s limits. So I ask myself, how much work can I handle? How engaged and dedicated am I? I don’t want to drag the production behind if I can’t shoulder the responsibilities I signed up for. It’s good to be ambitious because you need to push yourself in order to grow, but it’s also so important to communicate to your team when there’s a task that you need help on because then the team can come up with a solution to help before it’s too late. I’ve learnt that managing the expectations of your supervisors and your peers makes you much more reliable, because you communicate your capabilities and deliver what you promise. From there you foster respect and trust as a team member. At the end of the day, it’s all about showing up for the people who rely on you.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Growing up, I had the opportunity to live in a lot of countries which ultimately shaped my perspective of the world. I love immersing myself in different cultures and exploring local customs, art, and traditions. I want to share all of these things with a wider audience creatively, and through a medium that I love, too, which is animation. I chose to pursue 2D animation because it’s always intrigued me from the moment I watched my first animated film, and also because it’s an amalgamation of all my interests in the arts; motion, character design, world-building, writing, fashion, and so much more. Animation begins with a blank slate, offering endless possibilities for creativity. If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.

I recently had the opportunity to direct my senior film, Nainai’s Recipe, which follows the story of a young boy who steps up to save the family’s dumpling shop after a turbulent day at the restaurant leaves his grandmother in tears. Given how personal animation is to me, my greatest challenge when developing this film was accurately portraying a multicultural environment while conveying what’s in my heart in a way that resonates with others. Though sometimes it’s a struggle, these challenges help me grow as a storyteller and an animator. It’s all about trusting the process and continuously persevering. Each experience and project makes me want to push my artistic limits and see how far the boundaries of 2D animation can really go, especially in today’s day and age. I’ve been experimenting with motion graphics and 3D elements lately, so I’m also excited to see where that will take me, too.

Being new to the industry, I wouldn’t say that I’ve fully developed my brand or image just yet, but I see myself as an artist exploring the intersection where culture and tradition meets youth and modernity. I aim to evoke a sense of wonder, nostalgia, and comfort, so viewers can feel a personal connection with my art. I want to share these experiences with a diverse audience through meaningful storytelling and impactful visuals.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d take my friends walking around all of Savannah because it’s such a charming city and it’s rare to find such a walkable city (plus I’ll take any opportunity to go for a walk). Every street and square is a sight in itself and there’s always something to discover. You won’t be able to find this unique blend of history, architecture, and nature anywhere else.

For cafes, Foxy Loxy is one of my favourite spots to hang-out or study. They have great matcha and on Matcha Monday’s, one cup is only two dollars! If you’re looking for Italian, Frali’s is a family-owned restaurant close to downtown and they have one of the best pesto pastas I’ve ever had. Definitely worth checking out. For authentic Chinese food, there’s a restaurant called E-Tang that’s tucked away in a plaza on Price Street and Oglethorpe Avenue. I love their string beans, spicy crispy chicken, and wontons in spicy oil. They also recently opened another branch that offers dimsum!

I’d also reserve Monday night for Free Pool and Silent Disco Mondays at Totally Awesome Bar, or Tabs for short. It’s an underground dive bar popular amongst students and locals alike. You might have to wait for a table to free up but if you’re into playing pool, listening to good music, and have some time to spare on the first night of the week, that’s the place to go.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost I’d like to thank my parents. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to express my gratitude for all their love and support. They’re my biggest cheerleaders and have always encouraged me from the start. If it wasn’t for them, I definitely won’t be where I am today. They provided me with the resources to pursue my passion in the arts. I’m sure any parent feel the slightest bit of anxiety when their child says that they want to go into the creative industry when they’re older, and mine did at first, but they put their faith in me. Never once did they doubt my decisions, and so I strive everyday to make them proud.

I’d also like to thank my animation professor who guided me through my journey in 2D animation. Not only did he teach me the foundations of animation and helped me grow as an artist, but he has also taught me profound lessons in life that I will carry with me moving forward. He loves what he does and genuinely cares about his students, which is what makes him such an inspirational mentor.

And finally I’d like to thank all my friends. They motivate, encourage, and inspire me to be a better version of myself everyday, and I’m truly so grateful to have them in my life. They’ve been there for me through thick and thin; lifted me up during my darkest days and celebrated alongside me when I was at my best. I hope to keep them around for a long long time, and I can’t wait to see where our individual journeys will take us.

Website: https://dayalee.wixsite.com/portfolio

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ddayalee/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gdayalee/