Motion design and animation

Mountain Runner

Samuel Sun

West Hartford, CT

Advisor: Anna Lindemann

Artist Bio

Samuel Sun is a senior at the University of Connecticut pursuing his BFA in Digital Media and Design, with a concentration in Motion Design and Animation. His passion for creative digital arts began in middle school through the “Be the Media” club, where he created short videos for West Hartford Community TV. While taking a graphic design & photography class in high school, he realized his passion for creative digital arts and decided to devote his career to it. Samuel also holds an associate’s degree in graphic design in addition to his BFA candidacy. His recent scientific poetic animation, Sea of Worms, was featured at UConn’s Spring 2025 Biodiversity Bonanza, and he interned with Degy Entertainment’s marketing team in Fall 2025. Samuel is looking forward to a transformative career in professional motion graphics and animation for the broadcast television setting.

Artist Statement

Mountain Runner is a 2D animated short that tells the story of a young, struggling museum archeologist tasked with finding a mysterious treasure believed to be hidden in the caves of Metacomet Peak. What he doesn’t know is that the climb itself is full of hidden dangers that will eventually have him rediscover why he chose his dream career and what he enjoys about it. Mountain Runner’s visuals are inspired by my personal experience hiking and visiting different trails and mountains with my family. But the overall story is about overcoming life’s obstacles and challenges to achieve success, appreciating the joy of exploration, and acquiring new skills. The mountain and the treasure in this story are parallel to my own experiences of overcoming obstacles and personal challenges, both in my personal and academic life. No matter how big the problems seem, there is always a solution to them and a big reward ahead.