Student spotlight: Julian Clensy, Comp Design B.S.

Third-year comprehensive design major Julian Clensy recently premiered his animated short film at London's Noli Me Tangere Film Festival. A first-generation college student, Julian began IU as a computer science major out of considerations for financial security. When Julian realized he'd rather be creating digital art than coding, an academic advisor suggested comp design, a major Julian was not familiar with. In his new major, he's explored 3-D animation, architecture, visual storytelling, and UX design. Julian’s journey is one of navigating new challenges, taking creative risks, and finding his place in a broad, ever-evolving field.  Eskenazi School communications and marketing intern Forough Sehat interviewed Julian for this profile.

Forough: Congratulations on the premiere of your short film "Television is Here to Stay" at the Noli Me Tangere Film Festival in London on October 6! Why don't you tell us more about that project? 

Julian: Thank you! This project was originally created for a video art class with [Visiting Assistant Professor of Digital Art] Dominick Rivers last semester. It wasn't traditional film footage but a creative experiment. For our first assignment of the semester, we had a month to complete it. Most of the class used Premiere Pro to compile and transform found footage into unique pieces. 

I decided to take a different route. Over winter break, I had been learning Blender, and I thought, "Why not try to make a 3D animated film?" It ended up taking a lot of time—honestly, I neglected my other classes for a month just to get it done and had to do a lot of catching up afterward. But it was worth it. Having the film shown in London feels really rewarding, even if it's a bit unconventional. I've come to terms with the fact that it's a goofy short film—and I'm okay with that. 

Forough: What was the initial idea, and how did it evolve into what you now describe as a "goofy" film? 

Julian: The original concept revolved around the idea of "brain rot"—a reflection on how we consume content on platforms like TikTok and social media. I know that's a topic many people explore, but I wanted to approach it differently. I was inspired by those absurd TikToks that play things like Family Guy clips alongside Subway Surfers footage—multiple chaotic screens running at the same time. It's overwhelming, and I started imagining what kind of person would consume that kind of content nonstop and what effect it would have on their brain. 

Even from the beginning, I knew it was a silly concept. For Dominick's class, I felt free to experiment because he encourages creative expression, even with projects that have a bit of a parody element. Ultimately, I'm happy with how it turned out. I think the vision I had in my mind came through, even with its playful and goofy nature. 

Forough: Could you tell me more about comprehensive design? It seems like a fantastic opportunity to explore so many different aspects, though I imagine that could also be challenging.

Julian: That's the perfect way to describe it! Comp design is a new major at IU, and it's really broad—you can choose to focus on specific areas. I picked architecture since I've always been interested in buildings. Growing up, I spent a lot of time playing Minecraft and building things, and it turns out that's how a lot of people in the major found their way to architecture, too. It can get overwhelming because the scope is so broad, and there are moments of uncertainty. But at the end of each semester, I always feel proud when I look back at the projects I've completed—those are things I can add to my portfolio. So, even though the day-to-day experience can be chaotic, overall, it's been very enriching.

Forough: How did you decide on comprehensive design as your major?

Julian: Honestly, it was a bit of a journey. In high school, I took a digital design class where we used Photoshop to create compositions, and that's when I realized how much I enjoyed creating digital art. When I first came to IU, I started in computer science. During the midterm, I experienced a moment of panic while coding on paper. I thought, "This is a nightmare. I don't want to do this for the rest of my life." It felt like a quarter-life crisis.

I called my dad and told him I needed to change majors, and he was super supportive. I talked to my academic advisor, and she noticed how much I enjoyed design and working with computers, so she recommended comprehensive design. At that point, I didn't even know what comp design was—I just needed to pick a major! But looking back, I'm really glad I made that decision. If I could do it all over again, I would choose it without hesitation.

Forough: What’s your day-to-day creative process like in comprehensive design?

Julian: We have a studio class and a required lecture class every semester. In the studio class, the focus is on creating work outside of class and receiving feedback during class sessions through critiques. This semester, we're making a booklet of solutions for a small rural town called Elnora. Each student in the class is addressing a specific area for improvement in the town. We will create a book of our ideas to present to the town as a resource for revitalization at the semester's end.

It's a fun process, even though it's a lot of work. But seeing everything come together makes it all worthwhile.

Forough: How did you decide on IU?  

Julian: Several factors affected my decision. I grew up in Bloomington, so I was always around IU's campus, and I thought the buildings were really cool. I loved watching students biking around and walking to classes—it just felt like a community I wanted to be part of. I remember thinking, "I want to be one of those people, biking across campus and going from class to class."

Forough: How does being a first-generation student impact the way you feel about college?

Julian: It's definitely exciting. My family is always so supportive, and they celebrate each semester with me. It makes me appreciate college even more since neither of my parents attended. Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like if my parents were also college graduates, but it feels special knowing I'm doing something new for our family.

Forough: How much did your family influence your decision to attend college?

Julian: They always encouraged it but didn't pressure me directly. They wanted me to go, but it was more a suggestion than a requirement. My parents are more focused on my future career and financial security, which is understandable since they went straight to work after high school. It’s why I initially chose computer science—my dad thought it would be financially secure. But now, I'm in a field I love more, and I’m happier for it.

Forough: In what ways, if any, does being a first-generation student impact how you relate to your peers?

Julian: My classmates in comprehensive design are pretty diverse, so everyone's unique. But I noticed some differences when I was in the dorms in my first year. I felt that students with different backgrounds might approach college with a different mindset—like taking this for granted or spending more time having fun rather than studying. I value the opportunity a lot, and I enjoy being on campus and learning.  

Forough: Is there anyone or anything you draw inspiration from for your projects?

Julian: For the short film I made, the biggest inspiration was a YouTube animator named Zach Hadel. His goofy, off-the-wall humor really aligned with what I was aiming for in my project.

In comprehensive design, I reference a lot of different creators depending on the project. Right now, I'm looking at abstract maps by James Corner, who makes really interesting visual representations. The major encourages us to study precedents—looking at what others have done before and building from that rather than starting from scratch. It's all about learning from others and taking things one step further.

Forough: What challenges have you faced throughout your time at IU and in comprehensive design?

Julian: My biggest challenge was dealing with indecision. I knew computer science wasn't right for me, but I didn't know what I wanted instead. Choosing comp design felt like picking "everything” since it's so broad. Over time, though, my focus started to narrow as I got experience in different areas—like animation, architecture, and even maps. The workload is also intense. Studio classes meet for three hours twice a week, but most of the work happens outside class, and time management has been a struggle. I'm doing my best to stay on top of it all. 

Forough: What are your thoughts on the future? Do you have any plans?

Julian: I’d like to pursue higher education, but I’m still figuring out for what—animation, architecture, maybe UX design. Comp design has allowed me to explore all these fields, so I’m grateful to have options.

Forough: Do you have advice for future students, especially first-gens?

Julian: Find a major you're passionate about. It sounds cliché, but it's true—your happiness and interest in your work matter. Don't let money be the only focus. And if you're interested in comp design, be ready to get critiqued—a lot. Learning from others is important because design is about creating for people, not just yourself.

That might be a broad answer, but it's the truth. You'll do well if you are open to critique and willing to grow from it.