Beyond the Frame | AFCT Outstanding Graduate Interview Series 2

In this era of light, motion, and imagination, graduates from the Academy of Film and Creative Technology at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University are stepping boldly onto the global stage.

With creativity and determination, they have secured offers from some of the world’s leading art and media institutions— including University of Cambridge, Columbia University, University of Cambridge, the American Film Institute, Chapman University, Loyola Marymount University, University of the Arts London, Glasgow School of Art, School of Visual Arts, Goldsmiths, Teesside University, the London School of Economics and Political Science, University College London, University of Edinburgh and the University of Manchester, and more—spanning fields such as film production, animation, game design, communication and cultural studies, interaction design, and computer arts.

In the Beyond the Frame interview series, we feature outstanding students from our four key programmes: Digital Media Arts, Filmmaking, TV Production, and Arts, Technology and Entertainment.

How did they find their paths, shape their portfolios, and win global recognition? The stories of their growth and choice are waiting to be discovered.

1. Yifei Sun

Q&A：

• What inspired you to choose this programme in the first place?
• First of all, this is my interest and I am also attracted by the hardware facilities as well as the teachers of the academy. The courses in this programme are also highly integrated with practice and theory, and I believe that these skills can help me in the future.
• In your view, what stands out the most about your programme? Any favourite modules or lecturers?
• This programme allows us to grasp the international cutting-edge concepts of film and TV production, and enriches our knowledge of various types of TV programs through practice, so as to clarify the direction of our future development.

  Mr. Guo's course allowed us to complete different types of projects in groups, which has become one of the most valuable memories of my university life, and Dr. Stephen's guidance allowed me to improve my research ability, which will be an important help for my future study.
• Could you share some tips or reflections on your postgraduate application journey?
• To enrich the CV, you can find internships related to your programme and participate in more activities within the academy or off-campus. It is recommended that you study languages during your junior year and attach the required language scores to your application to increase your competitiveness.
• What are your academic or career plans for the future?
• The plan is to pursue a PhD in a related field after obtaining a master's degree.
• Sum up your four years at XJTLU in three key words – and don’t forget to share a piece of advice for your juniors!
• Creation, Exploration, Trial and Error

  The Academy's fertile soil will provide you with the freedom to be yourself and the courage to dare to be yourself. Hope that you will enjoy your study life to the fullest, grow upward, and find your heart's desire.

2.Yiting Jing

The University of Edinburgh

--MA Film Directing

Goldsmiths University of London

--MA Filmmaking-Pathway 3: Screen Documentary

Queen Mary University of London

--MA FT Film (Documentary Practice)

The University of Sydney

--Master of Film and Screen Arts

Q&A：

• What inspired you to choose this programme in the first place?
• I have been passionate about documentaries since I was a child and enjoy capturing fragments of daily life with my camera. In high school, I learned about the Filmmaking programme of XJTLU. The curriculum at XJTLU is systematic and comprehensive, enabling me to learn various technologies and skills and filling my future with diverse possibilities.
• In your view, what stands out the most about your programme? Any favourite modules or lecturers?
• I think the close combination of theory and practice in this programme is the most distinctive feature. I particularly like and am grateful to teachers Dane Taylor and Yibin Yu for making me fall in love with the production of film sound, and also to the meticulous teachers Tracy and Qian Zhuang for cultivating my thinking and skills on the path of documentary.
• Could you share some tips or reflections on your postgraduate application journey?
• During this postgraduate application process, I independently completed all the application procedures throughout. I began to prepare in my junior year. Improve language proficiency during the summer vacation and actively participate in practical activities to accumulate experience. Extensively search for information on target institutions, carefully write application materials, and highlight my unique advantages and potential. During the application process, it is also important to maintain a good state of mind and not be overly anxious. I think this is the most crucial point.
• What are your academic or career plans for the future?
• My short-term plan is to focus on enhancing academic ability and professional quality, while actively expanding practical experience. During this year's study process, I plan to decide based on my own growth needs whether to directly pursue further academic studies or enter the workplace to accumulate experience before pursuing a doctoral degree.
• Sum up your four years at XJTLU in three key words – and don’t forget to share a piece of advice for your juniors!
• If I were to summarize my four years at Xi 'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University with three key words, I would say "enrichment", "growth" and "accumulation".

  To my younger schoolmates, I want to say: The ability to self-study is very crucial! Seize every opportunity of practical projects, accumulate different experiences and learn various skills in different projects. At the same time, one should also make more attempts. Only in this way can one find the direction you love and make your future life direction clearer.

   

3. Yimei Ma

Q&A：

• What inspired you to choose this programme in the first place?
• I’ve always enjoyed drawing, but as a humanities student, I followed the traditional path and took the national college entrance exam. When it came time to apply for universities, I didn’t want to stay in a regular 211-university studying a subject I had no interest in. I was also considering studying abroad and still wanted to explore creative work. That’s when I learned that XJTLU offered the Digital Media Arts, which allows students to experiment with various forms of creative expression—so I chose this path.
• In your view, what stands out the most about your programme? Any favourite modules or lecturers?
• The programme is highly interdisciplinary, offering a wide range of content and allowing students to explore various forms of creative expression. Through creating works in different formats, everyone gradually discovered their own areas of interest and developed specialized strengths.

  My tutor, Ms. Yang Liu, provided me with great support in both future planning and the development of my personal style.
• Could you share some tips or reflections on your postgraduate application journey?
• The portfolio is the most important part when applying to art schools. I decided to focus on animation in the first semester of my junior year and started preparing my portfolio then. Given the heavy workload and tight schedule in the programme, I highly recommend planning the postgraduate direction early and approaching school assignments as potential portfolio projects.
• What are your academic or career plans for the future?
• I plan to pursue further studies in animation at the School of Visual Arts in New York. While gaining experience through commercial animation projects, I also hope to continue creating personal animated works.
• Sum up your four years at XJTLU in three key words – and don’t forget to share a piece of advice for your juniors!
• My three keywords are exploration, experimentation, and creativity.

  I encourage everyone to make full use of the university’s rich resources to explore different forms of creative expression. Take part in events and competitions, engage actively with teachers and peers, and learn and grow together through mutual support and collaboration.

4. Yiang Fan

Q&A：

• What inspired you to choose this programme in the first place?
• In high school, I was confused about where I wanted to go in the future, however, the release of the “Black Myth: Wukong” trailer in 2020 shattered my otherwise monotonous life, and sparked a keen interest in the world of gaming. From that moment on, I began to think about how I could use technology to create equally compelling visuals and narrative experiences. In my freshman year I started learning how to use Blender on my own for 3D assets and a host of other skills related to game production.

  When our charismatic PD Zhonghao Chen, came to talk about the ATE programme, which included modeling, planning, and a host of other courses I was interested in, I thought to myself, “I want to study in this programme".
• In your view, what stands out the most about your programme? Any favourite modules or lecturers?
• I feel that studying in the ATE is a process of continuous accumulation and breakthrough. At the beginning, I experienced a lot of difficulties in the all-English academic environment, but these challenges pushed me to keep adjusting myself, to develop the ability to think independently, and to improve my problem-solving and teamwork skills in practice. As I gradually adapted to the academic environment, I discovered and strengthened my passion for game design during my studies. In a team project, I successfully developed an RPG game prototype as a team leader. Our design proposal was highly praised by the professor. This experience not only enhanced my self-confidence, but also gave me a deeper understanding and mastery of the whole process of game design.

  I think PD Zhonghao Chen was the most influential teacher in the whole process of my study. Since my sophomore year, PD Zhonghao has brought me to experience the wonderful world of art with his unique teaching style and charisma. I often participated in activities organized by him, such as curating exhibitions at Suzhou HANSHAN Art Museum as an assistant. Now, as the creative director of my senior year graduation exhibition “The Space Between”, I am responsible for leading the team in curating the exhibition and designing the visual materials, etc. During this process, PD Zhonghao taught me a lot of experience to optimize the whole curatorial workflow, which is a great benefit to me.
• Could you share some tips or reflections on your postgraduate application journey?
• For ATE students, I think a good portfolio is a top priority. I used the website carbonmade to create it, it had all sorts of templates integrated to help me get it done quickly and visually appealing, the downside was the membership. Secondly, don't worry about not having enough work, I have a large portion of my portfolio from my art course, pick the ones that you think are the best and I think the whole thing will be fine!
• What are your academic or career plans for the future?
• I am applying for graduate school in the field of game design. During my undergraduate studies, I dabbled in a variety of artistic fields such as exhibition planning, audio design, and performance art. For example, I designed and curated the graduation exhibition in my final year of university. These interdisciplinary learning experiences have provided me with more diverse perspectives and inspirations for my creations. I hope to further integrate technology and art in graduate school, using an interdisciplinary approach to create unique game experiences that combine both cultural depth and disciplinary integration.
• Sum up your four years at XJTLU in three key words – and don’t forget to share a piece of advice for your juniors!
• Cross-border collision, Action Philosophy, Breakthrough Growth

  If you want to explore the world from a different perspective, coming to ATE might be a good choice.

   

Our heartfelt thanks go to all the students who generously shared their journeys in this feature. Your honesty, courage and creativity are truly inspiring—and will surely light the way for many more to come.

As you move forward from XJTLU to the world, may your talents and passions continue to flourish.

Here's to bold dreams, new chapters, and ever-growing brilliance—beyond the frame.

Contributed by Yuqi Liu

Edited by Wenzhen Li