Sho Xia

What is your role and primary responsibilities at ADM?  

I am a 3D Generalist, and I work on anything that needs to be done in the pipeline whether it’s modeling, animating, storyboarding, or editing. It’s a good all-around learning experience.

What is your professional background, and how did it lead you to your current position?

I graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design, and spent some time working as a freelance artist. I learned about ADM from my friends and professors at Ringling, and saw that many ADM employees are also Ringling alumni. I decided to shoot my shot, and now I’m here.

What specific skills or expertise do you bring to your role, and how do they align with ADM’s goals and values?

Before I decided to go to art school, I was studying to be either a doctor or a lawyer; they’re known to be more financially stable fields. However, I ultimately chose to follow my passion and studied Computer Animation, though my interest in anatomy and law still remains. My time studying those fields helped shape my creative identity, and it’s really cool that I get to apply all of my previous knowledge to my work here at ADM.

Are there any milestones or accomplishments you’re particularly proud of?

Even a full year later, I’m very proud of myself for making a whole animated short film with my thesis partner. It’s a short musical about Dungeons and Dragons– specifically a bard who keeps rolling natural 1’s. It was a very ambitious and technical project, and I still can’t believe we pulled it off.

What interests or hobbies do you pursue outside of work?

When I’m not at work, I’m probably reading fantasy novels, making art of my favorite fictional characters, or writing for a Dungeons and Dragons game that I run for my friends.

Do any of your personal passions influence your work or approach to your role?

I love storytelling, and I love putting my previously dormant collection of anatomical fun facts to good use. I want to approach my work in a way that accurately communicates the client’s story to an audience that may not be familiar with it. Storytelling can give people a voice, and it’s important that everyone is heard.

What is your approach to problem-solving or handling challenges in your role?

The unfortunately boring answer is that I google it. There’s a good chance that someone on the internet has run into the same problem before, and there’s almost always a niche YouTube tutorial about the incredibly specific question I have.

How do you collaborate with other team members or departments?

I try my best to help out where I can and make projects run smoothly. If there’s something I can do, I’m always happy to help out.

Can you share a specific instance where your work positively impacted a client or project?

One of the first projects I was assigned was to help with cleaning up models for an asset library. I believe it will be very useful and help streamline people’s workflow in projects moving forward.

Are there any areas or skills you are looking to further develop?

I want to become a stronger and more well-rounded 3D artist. While I’m familiar with most parts of the pipeline, I want to become more confident in my ability to do all of it. I want to become a more efficient worker and develop my technical abilities, particularly in the animation and effects department.

Are there any fun or surprising facts about yourself that you’d like to share?

I once went to a panel with Tom Hiddleston at a comic con, and a friend got really jealous because I “breathed the same air as Tom Hiddleston.” Those were her words, not mine.

RANDOM FACTS:

Where do you work from: My humble bedroom in the discount yeehaw state of Arizona

Favorite Pringles flavor: Whatever the vending machine has at 2am (usually sour cream and onion)

Top Bucket List Item: I want to go to Japan!

Person you’d have lunch with right now: My thesis partner Arin! He’s my best friend from college who unfortunately lives in New York. I enjoy stealing his ideas for DnD.

Share a picture of your favorite project: …It feels like bad taste to put a drawing of a car crash here so probably this one: