memory lane
a heartwarming student short shedding light on families with loved ones suffering from dementia.
2024
selections
as of September 2025
ADC BRONZE CUBE WINNER
about
For our senior thesis, Seogene Lee, Doris Huang, and I devoted 2 years to producing our 3D animated short film, Memory Lane. The story is inspired by Seogene's grandmother, who suffered from a traumatic brain injury resulting in chronic dementia. Serving as a dedication piece, the film metaphorically touches on the strength of familial bonds despite the aftermath of memory loss.
The project became even more personal when, during production, I lost both of my grandparents. Working on it helped me process that grief and reflect on the few memories I had with them. I was able to honor their memory and cherish a sense of connection to them despite the circumstances that kept us apart for the past 17 years.
Through this film, we aim to shed light on the resilience rooted in cherished memories, even in the face of trauma and loss.
my roles
Producer, Production/Pipeline Manager, Camera Layout, Previs, Lead Animator, Lighting TD, Compositor, Editor, and Graphic Designer.
camera layout & animation
establishing
shot development
inspiration
Since the film begins with Grandma suddenly dropping into the fantastical inner clock world, it felt essential to include an establishing shot. I took inspiration from the establishing shot in Scrooge: A Christmas Carol. To achieve this, I attached my camera rig to a motion path and carefully adjusted the keyframes to create a smooth, seamless movement, eliminating any jarring shifts. As the camera slowed down at the end of the shot, it gave the perfect opportunity to display the title card naturally!
climax
shot development
inspiration
For the climax, abrupt and quick cuts felt most appropriate to convey the intensity and danger of the situation. One sequence that greatly influenced this decision was the plane crash scene in The Incredibles, where the rapid editing heightens the sense of urgency and tension. Achieving the right pacing took a lot of back-and-forth adjustments to the timing and animation to ensure that the sequence still felt continuous despite the quick cuts.
flashbacks
shot development
inspiration
For our flashback scenes, I knew from the start that I wanted to draw inspiration from Ratatouille. The iconic 'dolly zoom' in and out of Anton Ego's memory vividly conveys a profound emotional shift. This transition felt like the perfect fit for our grandma, who has dementia and is abruptly swept away by a wave of memories.
lighting breakdown
fantastical inner clock world
warm toned character light with cool tone environment light
reference board
Figuring out the lighting for the inner clock world was the most challenging, as it was my first time tackling a fantastical look. We wanted to create a mysterious atmosphere for this imaginary space, which represents the state Grandma enters when she has no recollection of her memories. This world is also tied to the grandfather clock in her hospice, further connecting it to a sense of unfamiliar nostalgia. To evoke these conflicting emotions, we chose to combine both cool and warm tones cohesively. One reference that immediately came to mind was the Luca vs. Ercole fight scene in Luca. In that scene, the streetlight serves as the source of warm tones. However, since our world is magical, we had more creative freedom, and this approach fits perfectly with our vision!
kitchen
warm toned interior light with window light source
reference board
Our intention with the rooms in Grandma's house was to create a warm and inviting atmosphere and to contrast that of the inner clock world. We wanted the audience to immediately sense Grandma's love and care for Katy, as she was her primary caregiver. For the kitchen environment featured in the first flashback scene, we chose to backlight Grandma with a blown-out light streaming through the window and a darker foreground. This contrast not only emphasized the idea of a memory but also set the nostalgic tone. The primary inspiration for the lighting in this scene was the kitchen sequence in Ratatouille. As with all our references, we carefully incorporated rim lighting to frame the characters and ensure they stood out against the environment.
school
afternoon outdoor light
reference board
The school environment was my first time lighting an outdoor scene. While gathering references, I aimed to create lighting that would reflect the playful, joyful mood of the setting, with the carefree spirit of children filling the school’s playground. My main reference for this shot was the sequences in Luca where Luca and Alberto stroll through Portorosso. Inspired by that, I focused on maintaining a saturated yet hazy look to enhance the bright, energetic atmosphere, while still preserving the nostalgic, dreamlike quality of Grandma’s flashbacks.
hospice
warm toned interior light with window light source
reference board
Much like the kitchen, the hospice environment radiates the warmth of Grandma's house. However, it represents reality, pulling us out of Grandma’s headspace. When envisioning the hospice, the scene of Mama Coco’s room in Coco immediately came to mind. Since this is the most emotional part of the film, the use of warm lighting perfectly complemented the narrative. In this sequence, we focused on using rim lights to highlight the important details that bridged reality and imagination, while also framing Grandma and Katy during their tender moment together.
logo
While brainstorming ideas, I wanted to incorporate elements of our film into the title, "Memory Lane," without giving away too much or too little about its contents; that ended up being the clock hands and the gears (as our film is majorly set inside of a clock), and the faded/rustic edges (dementia).
The font is also hand drawn. Below you can find a still of the film where the logo is first introduced alongside some of the original ideas!
concept art
below are initial designs I made for our background character!
