YIFENG LENG (VAX)
M.F.A in Animation, SCAD, 2023
3D Animator | Modeler | Rigger
Demo Reel (2026)
Project Breakdown of my workflow
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Awarded Best Use of Theme at SCAD Game Jam 2026
Animation Works - Full Videos
What it is
A character facial performance study using an anthropomorphized vehicle to explore subtle emotion and personality.
My role
Created the facial rig and animated all expressions, maintaining full control over performance, timing, and deformation quality.
Problem solved
Balanced expressive range with rig stability, ensuring clean deformations under extreme facial poses while keeping the animation workflow intuitive.
Panamera Facial Animation
Collab Project - Global Game Jam 2026 - My Animation Part
What it is
The task was to compile the character’s gameplay animation work into a clear and professional demo reel segment. The goal was to present the animations in a way that effectively demonstrated performance quality, readability, and real-time gameplay relevance to industry reviewers.
My role
This stage involved selecting the strongest animation clips from the project — including idle, locomotion, and interaction actions — and editing them into a concise reel format. The presentation was structured to highlight clarity of motion, personality, and functional gameplay design rather than raw quantity.
Shot order, timing, and pacing were carefully arranged to maintain viewer engagement while ensuring each animation could be read quickly and clearly. Intro and outro title cards were added to establish authorship and role contribution.
Problem solved
Raw gameplay animation footage can appear unclear or underwhelming without proper framing and editing. By isolating key actions and presenting them with clean timing and visual focus, the reel improved readability and emphasized performance intent.
Effective editing also ensured that the character’s animation strengths — weight, posing clarity, and gameplay responsiveness — were immediately visible to recruiters, preventing important details from being lost in unedited footage.
The Target Comes After the Shot
What it is
A motion capture–driven character animation showcasing performance fidelity and technical workflow integration.
My role
Processed motion capture data and refined the animation through cleanup, timing adjustment, and pose control to achieve a clear and readable performance.
Problem solved
Preserved performance intent while integrating motion capture data into an animation pipeline, balancing realism with animator-driven control.
What it is
A character action animation featuring an airborne turn and katana attack, balancing physical motion with emotional contrast between characters.
My role
Animated the full action sequence, focusing on pose continuity before, during, and after the mid-air turn, as well as character interaction timing.
Problem solved
Maintained motion clarity and flow through complex action transitions while preserving readable emotional performance, particularly fear and reaction in the opposing character.
Reze's Kiss
What it is
A collaborative character animation shot featuring dialogue-driven performance and grounded body motion.
My role
Responsible for character animation and lip-sync for the 3D Circus ringmaster in the first half of the movie, focusing on natural body mechanics, timing, and spoken performance.
Collaborative Project - The Cardboard Circus
Problem solved
Delivered a clear and readable character performance under production constraints, maintaining consistent lip-sync, physicality, and pacing within a shared pipeline.
What it is
An anthropomorphized skateboard animation exploring emotion and personality through motion alone, without facial features or dialogue.
My role
Animated the skateboard as the sole character, using timing, posing, and physical interaction to convey distinct emotional states.
Problem solved
Communicated clear emotional intent using only body motion and physics, ensuring each state remained readable despite the absence of facial expression or dialogue.
Anthropomorphic Skateboard Animation
The Troll Porter
What it is
A character animation study focused on lifting and carrying a heavy object, emphasizing weight, effort, and physical resistance.
My role
Animated the full body performance, concentrating on weight transfer, center of gravity shifts, and interaction between the character and the box.
Problem solved
Communicated convincing weight and physical strain by carefully layering subtle secondary motion into the hands and feet, preventing floaty motion while maintaining control.
What it is
A facial animation performance recreated from live-action sitcom reference, focusing on comedic timing and expressive dialogue delivery.
My role
Animated the full facial performance and lip-sync, translating live-action reference into clear, readable animation.
Problem solved
Captured comedic rhythm and emotional beats through precise mouth shapes, timing, and facial acting, while maintaining clarity and appeal.
Two INFJs
A Badass Robot
What it is
A character animation study of a robot transitioning into a seated pose, focusing on motion clarity and physical logic without facial expression.
My role
Animated the full body performance, carefully shaping arc-based motion in the limbs and controlling timing to support a clear, intentional movement.
Problem solved
Established a distinct character personality through body mechanics alone, using arcs and controlled ease-in/ease-out to create readable intent despite the absence of facial animation.
What it is
A high-energy cartoon chase animation inspired by classic slapstick, emphasizing exaggerated motion, graphic posing, and rapid transitions.
My role
Animated the full sequence, designing extreme poses, fast transitions, and fluid motion to maintain clarity and momentum throughout the chase.
Problem solved
Preserved readability and impact at high speed by balancing extreme held poses, smears, and squash-and-stretch, preventing visual noise while sustaining comedic timing.
A Classic Tom and Jerry Scene Recreation