We are RAN, an impact storytelling studio driven by a love of nature.
We are creatives and producers with over two decades of combined experience crafting films, animations, games, and digital campaigns for world-leading brands. We now put those skills to work for people and the planet’s future.
The biodiversity and climate crises are the most urgent challenges humanity has ever faced as a species, yet how they're being communicated, whether via abstract science facts or doom narratives, is causing many people to disengage. We believe the missing ingredient is better storytelling. Story makes people engage, care, and act.
As David Attenborough puts it: "Saving our planet is now a communications challenge."
RAN exists to answer that call.
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I’ve been making animation for TV series, commercials, and feature films for more than 15 years, working with start-ups, large studios, world leading brands, and everything in between.
After graduating in Character Animation from Central St Martins (University of the Arts London), in 2011, I moved to Shanghai, where I played my part in the explosive growth of the Chinese animation industry, worked with DreamWorks, ran a production company, and won an array of industry awards for craft and creativity along the way.
I’m passionate about supporting young people in their creative development by giving them access to educational opportunities that I’d have loved to have growing up. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed passing on knowledge to thousands of students at dozens of art schools, universities, training companies and high schools, in China and Europe. My mission is to guide young and less young people towards telling stories that make a difference for people and planet.
CHRIS COLMAN
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I was born in Germany to Malaysian and Vietnamese-Chinese immigrant parents, and grew up with a deep appreciation for resilience, adaptability, and the power of storytelling, shaped by the histories and traditions my family carried with them.
I went on to amass over a decade of experience as an executive and creative producer in advertising and digital communication, leading multimedia campaigns for brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Airbnb, and Adidas, spanning animation, digital, and experiential media.
After many years helping brands tell their stories, I began to question how my work could create positive impact for people and the planet. That journey led me through ventures in sustainability and creative fundraising, and ultimately to founding RAN Collectives, Asia’s first impact-driven creative collective. I believe creativity and storytelling, with the power to shape how we see, feel, and act, are essential, and too often overlooked, means of driving real world change for good.
YANYIE TRAN
We design masterclasses for learners at all stages of their creative journeys - high schoolers, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and working professionals - collaborating with schools, festivals, and cultural organisations across Asia and Europe.
Our courses encourage exploration, experimentation, and the discovery of individual creative voices. Surprising and entertaining, they are characterised by playfulness, humour, and imagination.
Animated For Impact at Green School Bali
SCHOOLS
Chris has lectured at dozens of educational institutions across China, Southeast Asia, and Europe, teaching at the intersection of storytelling, animation, the creator economy, and personal creative development.
SCHOOLS & International Schools
Dulwich High School Suzhou
Beijing Huijia Private School Beijing
HD Beijing School Beijing
Kang Chiao International School East China Kunshan
RGS Guildford Nanjing
Wycombe Abbey School (WASNJ) Nanjing
Wenzhou Foreign Language School Wenzhou
Tianjin Yinghua Cambridge International School Tianjin
Thomas School Jinan
Shandong Experimental High School Jinan
Jinan Xinhang Experimental Foreign Language School Jinan
Canadian International School Hefei
Kang Chiao International School Hefei
Shanghai United International School Hefei
Hefei No.1 Middle School International Department Hefei
Universities & Higher Education
Central St Martins, University of the Arts London
GOBELINS Paris
Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) Beijing
Beijing Film Academy Beijing
Beijing Technology and Business University Beijing
Shandong University of the Arts Jinan
Soochow University Suzhou
Southwestern University Chengdu
Shanghai Institute of Visual Art (SIVA) Shanghai
Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Nanjing
Northwest University Xi’An
ACG Arts Exhibitions Xi’An, Hefei, Beijing, Nanjing, Suzhou, Shanghai
“Chris’ lecture created a bridge for students to engage with the animation industry. As a seasoned master in the field, he drew on his personal journey and representative works to guide the session, explaining the core challenges of animation creation, introducing fundamental industry knowledge, and skilfully inspiring students to reflect deeply on their own growth. The entire lecture was both educational and enjoyable, and it was widely praised.”
— Zhang Renjie
Deputy Principal, International Division
Wenzhou Foreign Language School
“Chris delivered an insightful lecture on the animation industry, showcasing several high-profile projects he has worked on. His professionalism and inspiring approach left a lasting impression on our students.”
— Shaun Clark
Course Leader, MA Character Animation
Central St Martins, University of the Arts London
“Chris came to CAFA to give a lecture with his ‘ita-bag’ full of sparkling ideas, witty animations, precious experiences and a lot of passion. Our students all enjoyed it and left inspired.”
— Qi
Associate Professor
Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), Beijing
RAN develops bespoke workshops and masterclasses for charities, conferences, and cultural organisations. We have also facilitated workshops for brands we believe in, including Yanyie becoming the first licensed facilitator in China of the now-iconic Climate Fresk workshops.
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RAN is currently collaborating with UK charity and media production studio On the Edge. Working on the ground in Flores, Indonesia with fishing communities over more than a year, we’re training and mentoring a cohort of local young storytellers in storytelling and content creation skills.
Partnering with marine conservation NGO Thresher Shark Indonesia, starting with a comprehensive workshop and continuing with ongoing professional guidance and content co-creation, the project seeks to unleash participants’ creativity and bring their stories to life through film and animation, with the ultimate goal of shining a light on endangered mobula rays, and tackling unsustainable fishing practices by steering fishers to alternative methods and livelihoods.
ON THE EDGE - INDONESIA
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We created and facilitated a professional masterclass in collaboration with VOGUE China for creatives, directors and producers at one of Asia’s leading advertising industry festivals, ADFEST in Thailand. The masterclass introduced participants to the concept of CG metahumans, provided cutting-edge case studies, and supported them as they created their own virtual avatar and metaverse application.
ADFEST - THAILAND
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Through her self-founded climate communication start-up, Yanyie and her partner became the first Climate Fresk representatives in Mainland China, delivering the now-iconic sustainability workshop to leading brands, schools, and institutions nationwide.
Participants included:
> L’Oréal, Shanghai
> AmCham Shanghai (American Chamber of Commerce)
> CCI France Chine (Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie)
> Club Med, Shanghai
> United World College Changshu
> Shenzhen University
> Sino-European School of Technology of Shanghai (UTSEUS)
CLIMATE FRESK - CHINA
Yanyie and Chris have produced world-class content for the world’s biggest brands, collaborating with industry leading directors, agencies and production companies including Unit9, Pixomondo/The Hype, Wieden + Kennedy, Final Frontier, Jam3 and Wonderlabs on projects spanning all kinds of digital media and applications.
Airbnb - Fù
3D Animation
Coca Cola - CNY 2022
Game, Social, Mobile
Adidas - Love Unites
Film
Lego - May the 4th be with you
AR, Mobile
BMW - Bilibili Launch FiIm
Mixed Media Animation
Nike - Sneaker Slam
Interactive
Chris worked with DreamWorks’ China studio, the company responsible for Over the Moon, Abominable, and Kung Fu Panda 3 to build their global network, taking him across Europe and North America to engage with exceptional emerging storytellers and leading schools, and curate outstanding new work.
“I worked closely with Yanyie and Chris on some groundbreaking projects in China that were only able to succeed due to their professional nature and their high level of aptitude for navigating complex commercial and social relationships. Their support has repeatedly played a major part in my personal successes over the years. Not only are they are proficient at any project they do, but they are also lovely people. It’s always an absolute pleasure to work with them.”
— Ray Fu, Creative Producer
Vice / Airbnb / Vogue
CONFERENCES
FESTIVALS
TELEVISION
Chris is an active international speaker across Asia, Europe, and the US, contributing to industry discourse through written publications, television appearances, panel discussions, and keynote talks for governments, institutions and festivals.
