Creating an animated series demands not only creativity but also resilience and willingness to keep learning.
For Wan Heidi Sofia Wan Norarjuna, moving from concept artist to director pushed her to understand every stage of the animation production process.
“As a concept artist, my focus was solely on creating visuals.
“But as a director, I have to lead a team and oversee the entire production process, from script development to the final output,” she told Bernama after a screening of animated series Build-It Blocks in Cyberjaya.
It is an animated series for children aged three to five that introduces a wide range of professions through three main characters: Amir the architect, Bena the builder and Camil the construction engineer.
Wan Heidi Sofia said artificial intelligence (AI) had been used throughout the production process using an integrated production pipeline to streamline workflows and improve the quality of the final product without altering the fundamentals of animation production.
However, she cautioned young talents against becoming overly dependent on AI at the expense of mastering animation principles, storytelling and visual design.
“AI is not a replacement for human talent. It is a tool that enhances efficiency and productivity,” said Wan Heidi Sofia.
“Users must still have a solid foundation in animation to produce quality work.”
A Columbia College graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animation from the private art college in Chicago, Wan Heidi Sofia began her career as a concept artist for the animated series Omar & Hana and Mina Mila before making her directorial debut with the Islamic-themed musical animation series, Showtime.
Her current project Build-It Blocks series premiered on the Durioo+ platform.
Development of the series began in May and involved about 20 local talents, in collaboration with Piapi Animation Studio in Padang, Indonesia.
Wan Heidi Sofia expressed confidence that Malaysia’s animation sector could offer sustainable long-term careers as local studios continue to mature and produce content for international markets.
