[FRAMED] Compositor/ Matte Painter, Chun Yao Chang, NY

5 min readOct 9, 2025

If you could travel back in time, which film, TV series, advert, or immersive project would you love to have worked on?

How to Train Your Dragon directed by Dean DeBlois

It has all the elements I like, large-scale environment scenes with mountains, trees, water, architecture, and dragons. A stunning story based on middle age viking culture that sculpts a fantasy world but also echoes with things that happen in real life.

Which Framestore character do you feel you’re most like?

Geico

I am someone who might look inconspicuous in the beginning, but trustworthy once we get close.

What fictional world or place would you like to visit?

Pandora, would like to live in a beautiful forest filled with various kinds of glowing plants.

Your career highlight to date:

I worked on a Gucci commercial and saw my shot being streamed on a giant monitor at Times Square.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in VFX?

I have liked movies and films with cool visual effects since I was a child. The Fifth Element and The Terminator 2 had such a great impact on me that I told myself I wanted to do something similar one day.

The DREAM project would entail:

A high-end film or TV show that has beautiful, large-scale environment design.

Play a role within a great, talented team.

How do you explain what you do to someone who doesn’t work in VFX?

Make something dangerous, costly or impossible. Ideas happen under a controllable budget.

Describe your career journey into the exciting world of VFX.

I was a graphic designer, 3D modeler, and stereo artist in Taiwan years ago.

Then I went to School of Visual Art(SVA) to start my VFX journey in 2017. I learned 3D and 2D skills at the same time and it turns out that I like to do compositing a lot since artists in the post-production field are able to work on some cool live action projects at a faster pace.

What does a day in the life of a compositor/matte painter look like?

For days I work from home, I get up, spend some time preparing a nice breakfast and look into my schedule that day. For days I go to the office, I pick up something quick and go on the NYC subway at rush hours. My task can sometimes be cleanup, CG comp or recreate an environment for scenes. Every day, I make sure I attend daily meetings on time, submit shots by the deadline. I like to take a short break in the afternoon and get some snacks. It’s the highlight of my day that I can continue doing shots with full energy.

Framestore is, to you, in three words:

Professional. Collaborative. Long-term career.

Best thing about your work environment?

Being surrounded by extremely talented artists and learning from each other.

Framestore is great at:

Shuffle clients and talents in the same channel. Build teams and make the impossible possible.

Favourite art form?

Sculpture

Favourite image?

Impression, Sunrise by Monet

What’s your favourite movie/ series/ advert/ immersive experience and why?

Logan 2017 directed by James Mangold

Wolverine is one of my favourite superheroes. The movie is about an elderly and weary Logan who leads a quiet life. But when Laura, a mutant child pursued by scientists, comes to him for a mission.

At his age. He struggles with his own life. With responsibility on his shoulders, he is not healthy and unbeatable anymore, unable to overcome everything. Still, Logan does his best to protect young mutants until he gives everything in. The environment design, fighting scenes and love between father and daughter really touch me.

What is the last piece of art (e.g. music, film, TV, writing etc.) that inspired you?

The Last of Us (season 2). I like the environment design in the original game. The TV episode looks great as well.

How do you unlock your creativity?

Learn from beautiful artworks and films I love, and start working on my project.

From where do you seek inspiration?

I like to watch movies and take photos in my free time.

I also like to travel to see other perspectives of the world which makes me think or just sit down and enjoy the moment. I like to capture beautiful lights, colors, and stuff which fulfill my life.

Who in the industry do you admire most and why?

James Cameron, even though being a director might not be my thing.

I admire his vision, creativity, and great passion for what he likes and ability to visualize his ideas on big screens.