Career Decoding: Small Teams, Big Experiments - Exploring the World of Animation — Animation Director Nic Ho

The original article (in Chinese) was published in the 26 May 2025 edition of Ming Pao's Monday Campus Subscription.

"I believe there will always be demand for animation," says Nic Ho, an animation director with 14 years of industry experience, as he reflects on the current state of the industry. Nic notes that while Hong Kong's animation scene used to be dominated by large companies, the rise of small teams like his has opened the door for more experimentation. This shift has also created more opportunities for aspiring animators to gain hands-on experience and chart their own path in the field.

Nic Ho pointed out that in recent years, due to the weak economy, there are very few people willing to invest in animation production. However, he is optimistic that as audiences have become accustomed to watching content on streaming platforms, the market has the potential for recovery or even growth in the long term.

A: Nic Ho, an animation director, graduated from the School of Design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and is one of the founders of the local animation studio Intoxic Studio, dedicated to creating original animations with a strong Hong Kong identity. His original project "Mountains and Seas" won the Silver Award at the DigiCon6 ASIA regional competition and was selected for multiple international animation festivals.

Q: Dr. Angela, Academic Lead at Uni Dream, has over 20 years of experience in university teaching and administration. She has taught at both The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). She is now dedicated to helping students explore their interests, plan their academic paths, and achieve their educational and career goals through education technology.

Q: How did you first get into animation?

A: Art was always my best subject in secondary school, so I decided to pursue a Higher Diploma in Multimedia Design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. For my final project, I created an animated music video for a friend’s band, which impressed my professors. This encouraged me to continue into a degree in Digital Media, where I formally learned animation production. After graduation, I co-founded an animation studio with six friends, and I’ve been working in this field ever since.

Q: What do you find most fascinating about animation production?

A: I tend to be indecisive, but animation suits me perfectly because it combines so many different elements — from drawing, storytelling, and editing to character and scene design, all tied to art. I think it’s the art form that embraces the most diverse media, giving me the chance to experiment with everything.

Also, I believe many people who enjoy drawing are like me — introverts who may not be great at expressing themselves verbally. But animation allows us to communicate through visuals and stories, letting others see and understand who we are. That’s another reason why I find this industry so captivating.

Q: Can you briefly describe the animation production process and your daily work?

A: It all starts with an idea for a story, which is then developed into a storyboard. This step is crucial because the team will refer to the storyboard throughout the production. I then turn the storyboard into an animatic (a rough moving version of the storyboard). Different teams can then start designing the scenes and characters, and the animators begin turning them into animation.

Once everything is drawn, the process moves to compositing — where all the elements are combined, adding lighting and special effects. Finally, there’s post-production, which includes voice-overs and music.

My daily work includes both creating my own projects and producing animation services for clients, such as animated advertisements, music videos, or educational shorts. My own projects are typically short films of around ten minutes, involving teams of over a dozen people, and can take up to a year to complete. Client work is usually for shorter animations, which we typically finish within a month.

Q: What advice do you have for secondary school students who want to pursue a career in animation?

A: Loving animation is essential — otherwise, you’ll quickly find yourself burned out. It’s a good idea to enter the industry while you’re young, set short-term goals, and regularly evaluate your own progress.

I encourage students to try building their social media presence. Not only can you showcase your work to a wider audience and highlight your personal strengths, but it also helps you connect with people in the animation field. In fact, my studio mainly hires staff through social media, and I often review applicants’ work there. Of course, studying relevant subjects can also be a helpful way to break into the industry.

Learn More About Animation Related Programs

Students interested in pursuing a career in animation may consider enrolling in post-secondary programs in design, multimedia, visual arts, animation, and visual effects. For example, the School of Design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University offers a Media Design program that nurtures students’ creative abilities in areas such as animation and game design. City University of Hong Kong’s Bachelor of Science in Creative Media program offers diverse electives in animation, games, and new media. Hong Kong Metropolitan University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Animation and Visual Effects, emphasizing integrated training in animation production and digital effects. Additionally, the Hong Kong Design Institute provides a Higher Diploma in Animation and Visual Effects, with specialization options in character animation, visual effects, and art direction.

The career paths for animators are wide-ranging, including animation production, film and television visual effects, advertising design, digital marketing, education, and the creative industries. Students can get a head start by participating in short film competitions, self-learning animation software, building a personal portfolio, and attending creative workshops.