“My name is Dara Insixiengmay. I was born in the United States, raised on the east coast, and now living in Los Angeles!”
“I have a passion for animation. My childhood was filled with inspiring animated stories through my favorite video games, cartoons, and films.”
“It wasn’t until my later teen years when I discovered animation as a viable career path. Learning that I could be a part of making things like that opened doors for me.”
“Most of my growth in skill can be highly attributed to my peers, professors, and the artist community in general. Working with such inspiring and talented individuals has fueled much of the motivational drive to improve.”
“The collaborative process of creating film through fun narratives and stylistic visuals with other talented individuals fills me with much joy as well as the desire to entertain. To be an artist was natural to me, but to find a practical job out of it was entirely different.”
“I made a risky decision to pursue higher education for a career that doesn’t necessarily require a degree.”
“However, my pursuit made sense to me because I had lacked formal industry training and needed the environment to grow”
“It also meant three things: that education wouldn’t bring guaranteed success, that it was expensive, and that I had to uproot my life to a completely unfamiliar area far from home, which was all daunting. But I was fiercely determined to make everything work to accomplish my goals, so I don’t regret it.”
“Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned over the past years are to allow myself the time for experimentation and to be forgiving of the results if it doesn’t come out as expected.”
“There is so much you can learn and grow from experimenting in the beginning of any project. Don’t box yourself and rush in with your initial ideas.”
“I realized that I can bring the best out of my projects if I give myself enough time to explore different methods, materials, perspectives, and inspirations. And of course, not every idea or method will work out. It is easy to call efforts that were not successful “a failure” and to believe it is a waste of time, but every single bit of the journey is part of your development as an artist because you explored.”
“You were able to learn and that in itself is valuable.”
“These lessons aren't just for creative endeavors, it’s applicable to anything! Experimentation in general has helped me explore who I am as a person, my career, and my values on top of my own projects.”
“As I work towards the future, I plan to continue growing as an artist. I want to expand beyond my current career in game development and explore paths in feature and/or television animation. I’m always torn between wanting to jump onto exciting mainstream projects versus experimenting with indie projects.”
“It’s always been a dream of mine to have my name in the credits of a feature animated film. There aren’t a lot of Lao names in the credits of mainstream western media in general. I want to be part of the change I want to see and to be able to show that Lao people have a place in Hollywood. So over the next decade, I strive to be there.”
“Honestly, my journey and growth as a 3D artist has really impressed me. Four years back, I had absolutely zero knowledge in 3D art programs.”
“Yet, I chose to study one of the most difficult specializations in the animation field: rigging. To attest to its complex and tedious nature, most artists actually hate doing my job! I take it with stride that I was able to learn the skill AND get hired for it immediately after graduation.”
“I truly embrace the close-knit Lao community and the familial feelings of relationships I have with other Lao people irregardless of blood ties. It involves treating all as family and sharing things or experiences that bring us joy.”
“This of course also translates over to friends who are like family to me. I love to get them involved in the aspects of Lao culture. It brings me joy whether it is sharing Lao meals, Pi Mai festivities, tying yarn bracelets on each other's wrists, or inviting them over for family gatherings!”
