Animation

UnderGrows VR

Hongyu Zhang, Soren Lewis, Edelyne Audrey Winoto, Jean Zheng

ECU Award Nominated

The President’s Media Awards for Excellence | Best in Media Installation

Trailer

Artist Statement

UnderGrows is an immersive virtual reality experience that invites viewers into a
beautiful, hidden microscopic world, following the journey of an ant-sized boy as he searches for a cure to save his brother’s life. Set within the dense undergrowth, the world is inspired by the rich plant life of British Columbia, where moss, fungi, and fallen leaves form a living, layered ecosystem at a miniature scale. Within this
world, the viewer becomes an active guiding presence, helping to navigate a fragile and perilous environment.

Project Stills

Installation

Core Team

Hongyu Zhang

Hongyu Zhang is an emerging visual development artist with a background in concept design and traditional art. He is passionate about world-building and immersive storytelling through visual development and 3D creation. He majored in 3D Computer Animation at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. His practice brings together concept design, traditional art, and digital tools to develop environments and characters. Working across VR and 3D animation, Hongyu enjoys translating research and creative ideas into fully realized worlds that invite exploration and presence

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Email: harryzhangbp25@gmail.com

Soren Lewis

Hi! I’m Soren, a 3D artist dedicated to exploring new approaches to storytelling and immersive experiences. With a background in world design and game development, I’ve spent my time at Emily Carr University of Art + Design honing my skills in rigging, pipeline integration, and VR interaction. Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to work on the ambitious VR project, Undergrows. Collaborating with an amazing team of talented artists and friends, I provided technical support for character rigs, environment planning, and the overall interactive experience. Curating and implementing our assets into Unreal Engine was a crucial part of the production, and it established a technical foundation that will propel my future work. Moving forward, I want to continue pushing the boundaries of virtual reality to create animated worlds that leave a lasting impact.

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Email: sorenlewis@me.com

Edelyne Winoto

Hi! I’m Edelyne, a Vancouver-based 3D Character & Environment aArtist (Modeling & Texturing), pursuing a career in game and film production. With a Bachelor of Media Arts from Emily Carr University of Art + Design, I’ve built a strong foundation in asset creation, working across both games and film pipelines, adapting my workflow while maintaining visual consistency across different types of projects. During this time, I had the opportunity to collaborate on a VR narrative project, “UnderGrows”, where I was responsible for modeling and texturing all assets, including both characters and environments. Working closely with the team helped me grow both technically and creatively. Through my work, I’m drawn to crafting characters with distinctive traits and personality, focusing on forms and details that feel organic and alive. I enjoy creating detailed, stylized assets that emphasize narrative while still feeling intentional and expressive. I’m especially interested in how subtle choices in shape, texture, and design can bring a character or environment to life, and I like being part of projects that are meaningful.

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Email: edelyneaudrey@gmail.com

Jean Zheng

Hi! I’m Jean, a Vancouver-based VFX artist pursuing a career in game development. With roots in art and animation and a Bachelor of Media Arts from Emily Carr University of Art + Design, I discovered my passion in visual effects—where movement, timing, and shape breathe life into interactive worlds. Along the way, I created an independent short film, collaborated on a group production, and helped develop the VR experience Undergrows, where I worked with a lovely team and learned a lot from the process. Through these experiences, I’ve refined both my technical foundation and my collaborative approach. I see effects as expressive, abstract forces inspired by nature and traditional art, and I strive to craft immersive experiences that resonate with players.

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Email: zheng_jean@outlook.com