A Taste of Taiwanese Storytelling: Returning to the Origin of On Happiness Road

April 16, 2026 The lecture “A Taste of Taiwan — Returning to the Origin of On Happiness Road”, part of the Animation 10x10 program, was successfully held on April 16 at the Animation Creators Base in Taipei. The session featured director and screenwriter Singing Chen, representing Happiness Road Film Studio, as the invited speaker.

The event was open free of charge to Animation 10x10 project teams and also welcomed external participants through open registration. It attracted professionals and creators from the animation and audiovisual industries, fostering meaningful exchange between program teams and industry practitioners.

Beyond sharing the creative and screenplay development process of the animated feature On Happiness Road, the lecture placed strong emphasis on the director’s personal creative journey and professional insights. Topics covered included project selection, narrative development, and decision-making processes throughout production. Compared to a purely technical or case-based analysis, the speaker provided a broader perspective on long-term creative practice, offering participants a deeper understanding of how creative judgment evolves over time.

During the session, Director Chen also presented actual project documents from earlier development stages, highlighting the central role of storytelling in audiovisual production. She emphasized that, rather than relying solely on conceptual ideas or scale-oriented pitches, a clear, well-structured, and coherent narrative is essential for project evaluation and advancement. Participants were encouraged to critically re-examine story logic and narrative completeness at the early development stage, strengthening the overall feasibility of their projects.

In addition, the speaker shared experiences from her industry collaborations and production journey, offering insight into the importance of trust-building in creative partnerships. The lecture not only highlighted the thinking behind completed works but also demonstrated how consistent execution and professional judgment contribute to long-term collaboration within the industry. These insights provided valuable reference points for Animation 10x10 creators.