What excites you most about being an APU student? “The fact that I’m part of the first graduating class in the animation program! Because of this, I and my colleagues are the ones who will pave the way in the animation industry for fellow APU animation students. I hope to lead by example for the years to come.”
What has been your favorite APU course so far? Why? “My favorite course has to be Advanced Story Concepts. Here, we learned how to make pitch bibles on TV shows and movies, for when it’s time for us to pitch our big ideas to animation studios! This is my favorite because not many other animation programs have this and it will give me the advantage when I want to project my creative voice to the studios I work for in the future.”
Tell us one of your favorite memories so far at APU. “I’ve had the privilege to volunteer for the Annie Awards as a talent host through APU, which is one of the animation industry’s biggest nights. As talent hosts, my peers and I had the responsibility of making sure the night was going smoothly for our special guests who were either presenting or receiving an award.”
Why did you choose to study your particular major? “Because if I couldn’t find a field that utilized my artistic and creative capabilities, I’d be nothing. My passion has made me have tunnel vision in this major and industry!”
What current projects are you working on, and what tools are you utilizing to accomplish them? “Right now I’m in post-production of my animated short film, “The Kajis,” and I’ve learned so much during this film’s creation! Months upon months of hard work has been put into this project and it represents how much I’ve grown these past 4 years. Every tool and software I am utilizing are the same tools that top animation studios use to make their shows. I’ve become a literal one-man studio in this project!”
What are your plans after graduation? “I plan to make a living telling stories through my drawings and creative knowledge. Whether it’s through Netflix, Cartoon Network, Disney, Nickelodeon, or even self-employment, I want to be part of the magic that appears on the tv screen! Once I have my years of experience, I plan to become a director and producer and create stories that reflect me and people like me.”
If you could give advice to an incoming freshman, or to your younger self, what would it be? “Continue to work as hard as you can, because you’re on the right track. However, please stop and smell the roses whenever you can, and don’t take what APU has to offer you for granted.”
Qamdhyn volunteered for The MIND Institute at UC Davis where he and the organization educated doctors and professors about symptoms and the effects that the professional and learning environment can have on people with disabilities.
