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  Van Thanh Phan

Van Thanh Phan

Lecturer

 

He

Arts Division

Art Department

Lecturer

Faculty

Lecturer

Psychology
Game Design
Acting
Art
Digital Media
Video Games, Game Design, Game Studies

Tuesday/Thursday 4:00 - 5:00 pm Baskin Arts E102

No Mailstop

Van Phan is a facilitator working at the intersection of storytelling, design, emerging technology, psychology, and animation. His passion for learning is deeply shaped by lived experience. A refugee from Vietnam, Van was raised in a disadvantaged environment in Los Angeles and struggled within traditional academic systems due to a learning disability. A pivotal turning point came when his high school Algebra teacher, Ms. Sun, recognized his potential and instilled belief in his abilities. That moment of validation sparked resilience, curiosity, and a sense of agency in his learning—ultimately changing the trajectory of his life and leading to his acceptance at UCLA.

Van graduated with honors from UCLA with degrees in Psychology and Business Economics. He began his professional career at Ernst & Young, where he developed strong foundations in structured systems, analytical thinking, and problem-solving. However, a screening at SIGGRAPH revealed a different calling. Inspired by the emotional and cognitive power of animation and storytelling, Van made a bold pivot. After passing the CPA exam, he pursued an MFA in Film, Video, and Animation at USC on a full scholarship. While at USC, he created award-winning films, including two Student Emmys, laying the foundation for a career that bridges art, technology, and education.

Over the years, Van has built a diverse professional portfolio spanning film, games, and emerging media. He has worked as a director, animator, game developer, technical director, consultant, and educator. His industry credits include collaborations with DreamWorks, Disney, Naughty Dog, Epic Games, 2K, Activision, Sony Imageworks, and Paramount on projects such as Shrek, Fortnite, Ice Age, Uncharted, and How to Train Your Dragon. His directorial work has premiered at Tribeca, SXSW, and SIGGRAPH, where it received Best of Show recognition. More recently, Van has focused on AI, VR, and real-time game engines, including work with Meta’s VR for Good initiative and Upstander, a VR social-impact project now used in behavioral therapy research.

As an educator, Van has taught as an adjunct or guest lecturer at over twenty institutions, including Northeastern University, Santa Clara University, Duke University, USC, multiple University of California campuses, California Community Colleges, and the Academy of Art University. He has also contributed to professional training programs at DreamWorks Animation and Sony Imageworks, and advised the Art Directors Guild on game-engine curriculum development. His teaching spans real-time game development, animation, motion graphics, storytelling, and studio-based courses grounded in industry practice.

Van’s pedagogy is student-centered, equity-driven, and community-focused. He designs learning environments that are structured, supportive, and accessible to all learners, including neurodivergent students. Drawing from cognitive science and evidence-based teaching practices, he emphasizes clear workflows, iteration, collaboration, and reflection. His goal extends beyond skill acquisition to fostering confidence, self-efficacy, and long-term growth.

Through teaching, facilitation, and creative practice, Van connects disciplines in meaningful ways. His mission is to help learners experience their own “aha” moments—insights that build momentum, unlock creativity, and lead to lasting “wow” experiences far beyond the classroom.

 

Summary of Expertise

Van Phan is a hybrid creative force at the intersection of animation, game development, emerging technology, and transformative learning design. With a career spanning feature film animation, AAA game production, VR/XR development, and college-level teaching across top institutions, Van brings a rare blend of artistic mastery, technical fluency, and learner-centered pedagogy.

As an educator, Van is known for designing high-impact, cognitive-science-driven curriculum across animation, Unity/Unreal development, VR production, and creative entrepreneurship. His approach blends storytelling, psychology, systems thinking, and technical training, producing “Aha!” learning moments that help neurodiverse and neurotypical learners alike develop confidence, agency, and mastery.

 

Core Expertise at a Glance

 

  • Character animation (2D/3D), acting, posing, timing, motion analysis

  • Unity/Unreal Engine for games, VR/XR, real-time cinematics

  • Storytelling, layout, visual grammar, camera/lens theory

  • Curriculum design using cognitive science + UDL principles

  • Neurodiversity-aware instruction and motivation frameworks

  • Systems thinking for creative workflows and learning

  • AI tools, automation, no-code agents, and creative pipelines

  • Creator-preneurship, portfolio development, and career coaching

cognitive science, systems thinking, experiential learning, XR, emerging technology and neurodiversity-affirming practices and research. 

 

 

Art

Animation

Game Development

Entreneurship

VR development

 

Awards:

  • Best 360° Film – XR Must Awards (2020)

  • Non-Interactive VR Winner – XR Must Awards

  • Cannes XR VeeR Future Awards (Nominee)

  • Oculus Start Award (2020)

  • Two Student Emmys—and his thesis film Values earned SIGGRAPH’s Best of Show, qualifying it for Academy Award consideration for Best Animated Short.

Exhibitions & Creative Impact

Across his career, Van has produced short films that have screened at over sixty international festivals, including Cannes, Tribeca, SXSW, and SIGGRAPH. His films have garnered dozens of awards—among them two Student Emmys—and his thesis film Values earned SIGGRAPH’s Best of Show, qualifying it for Academy Award consideration for Best Animated Short.

 

Van’s exhibitions reflect his mission: to use story as a catalyst for understanding, to explore the emotional architecture of human experience, and to expand the creative language of immersive media.

Featured Work: Upstander (VR Film)

 

A cinematic VR experience addressing compassion, moral courage, and social responsibility.

Premiered At:

  • Tribeca Film Festival

  • Cannes XR

  • BIFAN

  • Nashville Film Festival

Awards:

  • Best 360° Film – XR Must Awards (2020)

  • Non-Interactive VR Winner – XR Must Awards

  • Cannes XR VeeR Future Awards (Nominee)

  • Oculus Start Award (2020)

🎥 Watch Upstander in VR
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🎥 Watch Values
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Screenings Include:

 

South by Southwest • SIGGRAPH Asia • SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater (Best in Show) • Clermont-Ferrand • Chicago Int’l Children’s Film Festival • Cinequest • Anima Mundi • Palm Springs ShortFest • USC Classic Shorts • Tehran Int’l Film Festival • New Haven Film Festival • Rhode Island Int’l Film Festival • Woodstock Film Festival • Lisbon Film Festival • Potsdam Film Festival • Film Fest New Haven • Newport Beach Film Festival • and dozens more.

🎥 Watch Wild Card

Selected Screenings:

Carolina Film & Video Festival • New York Animation Festival • LA Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival • Bucheon Int’l Animation Festival • Tahoe Int’l Film Festival • Hollywood Short Film Festival • Vancouver Effects & Animation Festival • Seoul Int’l Animation Festival • CineVegas • British Short Film Festival • Toronto Digital Film Festival • Atom Films • Smogdance • West Virginia Film Festival • Brooklyn Film Festival • and many others.

 

 https://www.ahaandwow.com/press

Publication & Press

 

Featured Articles & Industry Spotlights Real-Time Production & VR Innovation

  • Upstander Development Process: Using Real-Time Rendering and Animation to Enhance VR

  • DigiFest Feature on the Making of Upstander

  • Using Animation to Enhance VR: Behind the Upstander Production Pipeline

  • VR for Good: Introducing Our Creators Lab 3.0

  • VR for Good: Four New Projects Now Available on Oculus TV

Festival Recognition & Awards Coverage

  • Best XR 360 Video – XR Must Awards (2020)

  • Cannes XR VeeR Future Award Highlights

  • Tribeca 360 Cinema 2020 Coverage

  • Tribeca Immersive 2020 — Voices of VR Podcast

  • Tribeca Revives its VR Festival: Smaller, Virtual, FREE

  • Upstander at BIFAN Film Festival

  • Two Bay Area Directors Premiere VR Films at Tribeca Film Festival

Animation & Filmmaking Profiles

  • Animators Show Off at SIGGRAPH

  • SIGGRAPH Big Kahuna Award & Student Emmy Feature

  • Animation Wizard Van Phan on His Anti-Bullying VR Film

  • One Animated Standout in the Lineup is Upstander

  • Animated Contenders Include the Buzzworthy Anti-Bullying Piece Upstander

  • Winner of Best Animated Short — A Loving Piece About a Father-Son Relationship

  • Upstander: An Intriguing Animated Experience About Bullying

Interviews & Q&A

  • Tribeca Talks @ Home – Upstander Interview

  • Cinema360 Pure Imagination Interview

  • Q&A with Van Phan, Director of Tribeca VR Premiere Upstander

  • Animation Alumnus Q&A – Premiere at Tribeca 2020

  • Tribeca Immersive – Voices of VR Podcast Guest

Notable Press Quotes

Here are some standout lines often repeated across publications:

  • “Upstander hits us with charm right from the beginning.”

  • “A short, sweet message about sticking up for people.”

  • “It only takes one person—you—to save someone’s life and make it worth living.”

  • “An intriguing animated experience about bullying.”

  • “You are challenged to think, feel, and take action.”

  • “A filmmaker with a unique perspective, blending psychology, animation, and emerging tech for impact.”

Topics Frequently Covered in the Press 1. Anti-Bullying & Social-Impact Storytelling

Your work is consistently recognized for its emotional resonance and its ability to spark empathy and reflection.

2. Real-Time Rendering & Virtual Production

Articles highlight your innovative use of Unity/Unreal, VR-first staging, animation pipelines, and cutting-edge production strategies.

3. VR for Education & Behavioral Change

 

 Director

Games/XR

Animator

 

 

 

https://linktr.ee/vanphananim

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