Diane Lee ’25, Motion Design, defies categorization. She dreams big—and small—and everything in between. Her decision to study art came after a series of wildly different childhood career goals.
“I was always an active kid, at one point dreaming of becoming a forensic scientist, military surgeon, or even a firefighter,” she said. “I never imagined a future in art; I craved adrenaline and loved sports.”
But as she grew, she said, the realities of the world began to sink in. “Suddenly, the arts felt like a luxury.”
Even her chosen course of study represents an expansion of her goals, rather than a limited focus. “My goals kept shifting as I discovered new corners of motion design,” she said. “That adaptability helped me build a diverse portfolio and opened doors to incredible opportunities.”
For her senior thesis, Lee modelled a 3D fantasy world of idyllic landscapes, which were thrown into chaos by a foreign invader before then rising anew from the rubble. “As scary as it is, I hoped to convey the beauty that is found in destruction,” she said. “Although it may seem awful, nature has a way of finding balance.”
While the piece is meant to evoke respect for nature, Lee added, “It’s also incredibly over-dramatic—because I love blasting Hans Zimmer soundtracks while I work and needed something worthy of that energy.”
Now that she’s graduated, Lee is heading back to New York to be a Junior Motion Designer at Hornet. (She previously worked in an internship at the creative firm Adolescent.) With her first post-graduation job locked down, Lee still maintains a far-reaching collection of (mainly) energetic ambitions. Her website’s “Career Wishlist” includes “epic video game trailer,” “vfx for an action movie,” “K-drama title sequence,” and “learn how to crochet.”
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