Xiaolong Chen is a Los Angeles–based filmmaker and animation artist exploring dreams, the unconscious, and the shifting nature of identity. For him, filmmaking is a way of navigating the unknown—a process of holding a candle in the dark to search for meaning within confusion, fear, and beauty.
Blending live action, 2D animation, and AI-generated imagery, Xiaolong creates hybrid worlds where dimensional boundaries dissolve, and conflicting desires take form as characters. His films often follow figures in search of reconciliation and a more complete sense of self.
Xiaolong holds degrees in Computer Science and Animation from the University of Southern California and is currently pursuing an MFA in Expanded Animation Research and Practice at USC. He aims to create independent animated short films and collaborate as a writer on feature projects.