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Year


2021

Client


Pop-Up Magazine Productions

Focus


Animation
Art direction



Credits


Creative director: Leo Jung
Illustrator: Maddy Price
Art director and animator: Jeremy Leung
Event photography: Erin Brethauer and Jenna Garrett

Background


Pop-Up Magazine Productions is a one-of-a-kind live multimedia storytelling event that brings together diverse voices from journalism, the arts, and media. Performed in front of tens of thousands at historic venues across North America, it blends music, illustration, photography, spoken word, and other art forms to create an immersive experience that pushes the boundaries of storytelling. Each show features a rotating roster of emerging and established storytellers who captivate open-minded audiences, encouraging creativity and social engagement in a dynamic format that can’t be replicated digitally.


Implementation


I was brought on as the Art Director and Animator for Pop-Up Magazine’s Fall 2021 edition, collaborating closely with writer Jon Mooallem, a seasoned journalist from The New York Times Magazine. His piece, “So I Built A Fence,” was a heartfelt yet humorous reflection on his personal journey to build a wooden fence around his home in Seattle, WA. To visually match the tone of Jon’s story, I selected illustrator Maddy Price for her ability to blend whimsy with emotional depth.

In addition to directing the illustration process, I was responsible for animating all of Maddy’s assets. With a runtime of nearly nine minutes, I structured the visuals into a cohesive video, perfectly timed to sync with the live on-stage orchestra. My goal was to ensure that every illustrated moment reinforced the storytelling, creating a seamless and immersive experience for the audience. The final animated file was prepped for the production team, ready to cue during the live performance.


Results


The production was a resounding success, serving as the emotional finale among the seven stories performed on stage. This piece, which brought Jon Mooallem’s story to life with whimsy and depth, captivated audiences across six major U.S. cities. As the anchor story, it underscored the event’s theme of personal reflection, ending each show on a heartfelt note that resonated deeply with the crowds.