
Chen Lei teaches at the Department of Information Art and Design, Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University. His classes not only impart animation techniques but also delve into life and existence. His animated short films have been selected for prestigious international animation festivals such as Annecy, Stuttgart, and Montreal, as well as major exhibitions including the Digital Art China Exhibition and the National Exhibition of Fine Arts, China Exhibition. In 2022, Chen Lei's 3D animated short film "The end of war" won the Jury's Choice Award, one of the three major awards in the Electronic Theater at the SIGGRAPH conference.

●The essence of animation is to endow with life.
"Knowing not just the how, but also the why."
The Animation major at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, was established in 2005 as a key major within the Department of Information Art and Design. Professor Chen Lei's courses are mainly divided into foundational and creative tracks. The foundational courses, which include original animation techniques and principles of motion, are introduced to students in their second year upon entering the major. These courses not only teach the basic skills of animation but also emphasize cultivating students' passion and interest in the field.

● Beyond Technique, Emphasizing Content
Professor Chen Lei firmly believes that the essence of animation lies in giving life. He cites the term "animation," which not only represents the medium but also means "to give life." He argues that one can truly breathe life into animation only by grasping the laws of life. Therefore, in his teaching, he places greater emphasis on cultivating students' understanding of the fundamental laws and underlying logic of things. This requires students to not only master drawing skills but also to observe and comprehend life deeply. "When we create animation, we are giving life to something," he says. "You need to understand what life is and how it works."
Professor Chen Lei hopes that his students will not merely parrot textbooks but will delve into the essence of things, from the minute motion laws of a joint to the grand mechanisms underlying social phenomena. They should know not only the surface appearances but also the underlying principles, so that they can innovate and express themselves in the language of animation. In the era of rapid AI development, Professor Chen believes that AI can never have the personal emotional experiences that humans have when running under the sun, which is a key distinguishing factor between human creation and AI-generated art. The core of animation creation lies in the perfect fusion of technique and art. Professor Chen encourages his students to focus on content creation and life experiences while learning animation techniques, using animation to convey their profound understanding and strong emotions about the world.

● A Sincere Heart Ignites the Flame of Creation
"I want to make my classes more engaging."
Mr. Chen Lei is undoubtedly a diligent creator, whose diligence is founded on passion. He harbors a desire: to stimulate students' enthusiasm for learning through more vivid and interesting classes, thereby fostering in them the intrinsic motivation to work tirelessly day and night, as well as the patience to meticulously craft their work.

● "The end of war" by Chen Lei
Mr. Chen Lei emphasizes that in animation creation, one must insist on innovation while staying true to one's original aspiration and design ethics. Abandoning selfish thoughts and distractions, a sincere heart can ignite the flame of creation.

● "The end of war" by Chen Lei

● Animation is a major that demands the utmost patience.
Use animation to convey your passion to everyone.
Mr. Chen Lei's animation teaching spans a wide range of subjects, from humanities to natural sciences. He guides students to integrate interdisciplinary knowledge into their animation creations, adding depth and substance to their works. Mr. Chen Lei says that animation is more like a language. In the animation major, students can learn directing and editing skills, but these alone are not enough to write a good script or produce a great film; content is essential.
He encourages students to pursue a second major or at least have a hobby they are extremely passionate about and know very well, and then use animation to convey this passion to everyone. Chen Lei believes that this is an excellent source of content for animation.

● Understand Life, Observe Life
Mr. Chen Lei emphasizes that animation production is a complex and slow-moving industry. With experience in multiple fields, he highlights that animation demands the utmost patience. Crafting a film alone could span a century, a daunting prospect for many. He doesn't readily suggest studying animation, as it requires not just patience but an intense love, a madness for the craft. Chen Lei states, "If you take up animation on my advice, you might leave the industry on someone else's. But if I don't recommend it and you still go for it, your success is assured."