Alumni in Conversation
The rational animator
理智與感性打造動畫夢
動畫家故事：由城大躍身荷里活舞台
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Harsh Agrawal
BSc (Hons) Creative Media 創意媒體榮譽理學士 Character Texturing and Shading Artist, Industrial Light & Magic, Singapore 新加坡光影魔幻工業特效公司動畫角色材質及光影師 
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Pixar Animation Studios' 2018 Oscar-winning film, Coco, was critically acclaimed globally. Among those on the credits was Harsh Agrawal, an alumnus of CityU's School of Creative Media who contributed to the film's character texture and shading.
Harsh is 24 and originally from India. At school, he studied mathematics and physics but was also fascinated by the arts, in particular painting. What he dreamt of doing was blending the rationality of science with the sensitivity of the creative arts. The world of animation has proved to offer exactly this scenario, allowing him to fully utilise his talents.
Going solo to study creative media in Hong Kong
It was Harsh's dream even as a child to work at an international animation studio. Determined to realise this goal, he decided to apply for CityU's BSc Creative Media programme, even though it meant leaving his family and coming to Hong Kong alone. The University's course and opportunities lived up to expectations, teaching him skills and concepts for new media content creation as well as equipping him with further science and computer programming know-how. After graduation, Harsh was soon noticed and recruited by Pixar.
Recalling his years as a CityU undergraduate, he said: “CityU is a young university that demonstrates all the vibrancy of a first-rate academic institution. For example, the day-to-day interaction with teachers and classmates was inspirational. And inspiration is of paramount importance to people in the arts industry. Our teachers always encouraged us to explore and innovate while reminding us to pay attention to society, culture, and new trends to bring both originality and a human touch to our works.”
Harsh received the CityU Top Scholarship for International Students twice and a HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund Reaching Out Award, enabling him to concentrate on his studies. He was also impressed that the School of Creative Media was fully equipped with advanced teaching facilities and equipment. “All these factors helped me to complete my assignments to my satisfaction and keep sharpening my animation skills.”
Colourful encounters in Vietnam… and Mong Kok
Important milestones along the way to becoming an animator included an interdisciplinary CityU trip to the Tu Lan cave system in Vietnam in 2015. While the expedition's main aim was to collect environmental data on the underground cavern, it also motivated Harsh to produce some stunning artworks. “I was bowled over by the fresh perspectives the trip gave me on light and shading in relation to people and objects, and this revelation greatly assisted in making my dream of joining Pixar come true,” he said.Living amid the energetic buzz of Mong Kok was another memorable aspect of Harsh's time in Hong Kong. “Mong Kok gave me a chance to feel the hustle and bustle of urban life, and see the people, street views, and shops. Such dynamism definitely spurred my imagination. My time on campus and life in Hong Kong really injected vitality into my subsequent work,” he said.
In 2015, Harsh Agrawal (second from left) went on a CityU expedition to the Tu Lan cave system in Vietnam, where he created artworks based on the underground formations in the jungle caves.
2015年Harsh Agrawal（左二）參加城大的極地探索之旅到越南圖蘭洞穴群，以叢林地下洞穴為靈感創作藝術品。
Never forget why you started
Last year, Harsh flew back to Hong Kong specially to give a talk to creative media students at CityU. He recently completed production work for Toy Story 4, due for release in June, and is now working at Lucasfilm's Industrial Light & Magic in Singapore.To those keen to join the animation industry, Harsh suggested that no matter how difficult the challenges encountered to always remember why they started out on their artistic journey in the first place. “On the path to creation, it is inevitable to sometimes be at a low ebb,” he said. “At such moments, just remind yourself of the commitment you made, take steps to relieve the pressure in a sensible way, and you will soon find yourself recharged and ready to face the future.”
彼思動畫製作室（彼思）（Pixar Animation Studio）的動畫作品《玩轉極樂園》（Coco）在世界各地深受歡迎，更贏得2018年奧斯卡「最佳動畫片獎」殊榮。來自城大創意媒體學院的優秀畢業生Harsh Agrawal正是負責設計該動畫片角色的光影及質感技術的團隊成員。
今年24歲，來自印度的Harsh，中學時期選修數學及物理，惟同時醉心於美術和繪畫。他一直希望能夠將理性的數理邏輯和感性的創意藝術完美結合，動畫創作正好讓他「用盡左右腦」，將理性與感性的技能，以及他的天賦充份發揮。
隻身赴港修讀創意媒體
Harsh對藝術創作有濃厚興趣，少年時夢想到國際級的動畫製作團隊工作。入讀城大的創意媒體理學士課程，不單讓他有機會接觸新媒體的創作技巧和理念，更令他有機會學習科學、電腦程式等知識，為媒體創作打穩根基。Harsh在城大畢業後，即獲得彼思動畫製作室的賞識，獲聘加入團隊擔任設計動畫角色的光影及質感技術總監，實現他的創作夢。他十分感激母校，並說：「城大是一間年輕的大學，在各方面都展現了頂尖學府應有的活力，例如平日與老師和同學的交流，就經常激發我們創作的火花，對於從事藝術工作行業尤其重要。老師在課堂上鼓勵學生具有探索和創新的精神，需留意社會文化和新興潮流，為作品注入人性和真實感。此外，創意媒體學院亦提供先進和完善的教學設施，例如最先進與專業的攝影器材和其他設備，協助我在學習的過程中，完成一個又一個自己滿意的作品，並從中不斷提升動畫創作的技巧。」
Harsh的傑出表現，讓他兩度榮獲城大國際學生最高金額獎學金，並且榮獲香港特別行政區政府獎學基金外展體驗獎，讓他能全心全意專注學業。
在香港期間，Harsh表示最懷念的是住在旺角的日子。他說︰「住在這裡讓我有機會在鬧市繁囂之中，透過流動的人物街景及熱鬧的商舖擷取靈感。而愉快的校園生活，以及在居港期間的點滴生活印記，都為我日後的創作注入生命力。」
越南實地考察獲啟發
談到他在創作路上的重要里程，Harsh特別提到他在2015年參加由城大組織的跨學科團隊，到越南鄉間的圖蘭洞穴群進行探索的旅程。團隊在當地搜集地下洞穴地貌環境數據，讓他創作出精彩的藝術作品。他說：「這次旅程令我在處理動畫人物和物件的光影明暗技巧方面得到極大的啟發，對我後來加入彼思實現夢想有很大的幫助。」
毋忘初心
Harsh早前特意回港出席母校講座，向讀創意媒體的學弟妹分享工作經驗，並寄語有志投身動畫專業的學弟妹，無論遇到任何艱巨挑戰，必須「毋忘初心」。他說：「在從事創作的路途上，難免經歷低潮和感到疲累；不過，只要回想當初立志入行的決心，並以正確的方法紓解壓力，自然能夠為自己重新充電，整裝出發迎接新挑戰！」Harsh在美國加州完成於六月上映的動畫新作《反斗奇兵4》（Toy Story 4）製作後，現已轉到新加坡盧卡斯影業（Lucasfilm）旗下的光影魔幻工業公司（Industrial Light & Magic）擔任動畫角色材質及光影師（Character Texturing and Shading Artist），邁向他個人事業發展的新里程。
