Introduction

Profile:
• Award-winning independent Animator, Director and Character Designer
• Graduate of Animation Mentor, certified in Advanced Studies in Character Animation
• Proven Character Designer with a passion for animation and good story telling
• Strong graphic design and art direction background
• Experienced in writing and developing for television and theatrical releases
• Commercially aware, self-motivated, professional and yet imaginative approach
• Proven leadership skills as Design Consultant and Creative Director in PR and Advertising sectors

Rafi is an Award-winning independent Animator, Director and Character Designer based in London, UK. An alumnus of Animation Mentor, he also has a background in commercial Graphic Design and Illustration; having worked professionally as an Art Director and Designer in London since 1997. He has a passion for cartoons, life drawing, animation and story telling.

Work Experience

2002 – current
Freelance Animator, Director & Character Designer, London

2009
"IT Man & Eagle" for Eagle Consulting (COMMERCIAL)
Animator, Director, Writer, Illustrator, Character Designer, Story Artist

"Mowblis in fashion" characters for Carphone Warehouse
Illustrator

"Super Nokia Land" for Nokia (80+ unique character designs)
Character Designer, Art Director

"Follow The Legs" for Osymyso (MUSIC VIDEO)
*2009 Bitfilm Award Winner*
Animator, Director, Designer

2008
"Radio Fish Shop" for BBC Radio Four (COMEDY, IDENT, PROMO)
Animator, Designer

“Faulty Choirs" for Osymyso (MUSIC VIDEO)
*Commended at 2009 Digital Artist Awards*
Animator, Director, Designer

"Dannyfest" for Danny Robins, Edinburgh Festival '08 (COMEDY, IDENTS)
Animator, Designer

"P.R.A.G.M.A." (FEATURE, director: Gerardo Orlando)
Designer, Concept Artist, Sequence Designer

“General Midi” for Thoughtfox Theatre Company (IDENTS, PILOT)
Animator, Story Artist, Story Development

“Red Noses” for Comic Relief
Designer, Art Director

2007
“Spiderman 3”, “Hostel 2”, “Surf's Up” for Sony Pictures UK (PROMOS, IDENTS)
Art Director, Sequence Designer

“The Apple” (SHORT FILM)
Animator, Director

2006
“The Sound Theory” (TV & WEB ANIMATED SERIES)
Story Development, Designer, Sound Theory Pitch Bible

2004 - 2005
“The Plague” (FEATURE FILM, director: Greg Hall)
Sequence Designer

2002
“Still Waters” (SHORT FILM, director: Kourosh Salehi)
Art Director



Previous Employment (while studying Animation and Film):

2001– 2006
Design Consultant, Lexis Public Relations, London
• Client-facing role as the creative lead on all design projects
• Designing across several disciplines including print, web, typography, illustration and visualisation; to service all agency clients in consumer, corporate, sport, health and public sectors
• Providing a consultancy on visuals for PR stories, marketing campaigns, brand and media events as well as implementing designs from concept to completion
• As Art Director, nurture and development of junior designers while consistently delivering strong designs on brand, on time and within budget
• As Creative Director, expanding the role of design with a focus on growth areas such as photography art direction, event & product visualisation and viral animation
Clients include 3 Mobile, Barclays, Barclays Premiership, Guinness, Dove, Diet Coke, Baileys, VW, Sprite Urban Games, Birds Eye, Vie Shot, Disney Store, Southern Comfort, Dominos Pizza

1999– 2001
Senior Designer, KBW Advertising, London
• Responsible for generating multiple design concepts from client briefs and refining treatments to establish the governing aesthetic for ad campaigns and direct mail materials
Clients include HSBC, HSBC Asia, Prudential, Legal & General, Lansing Linde, Faran Sutaria

1997– 2000
Freelance Designer, London-based
• Brand development for clients in music, television and education sectors
Clients include NPG Music Club, Sesame Street, NCR Netherlands, UCL, Benfield Greig


Software:

• Autodesk Maya
• Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, Flash, In-Design
• Corel Painter X
• Plastic Animation Paper

Academic Qualifications

SCHOOLISM (2007)
Diploma in Advanced Studies in Character Design
Mentored by Stephen Silver

ANIMATION MENTOR (2005-2006)
Certified in Advanced Studies in Character Animation.
Learned from traditional principles of animation to advanced acting techniques, staging and storytelling.

PANICO FILMS (2001)
Filmmaking Diploma.
Learned a diverse range of technical, creative and analytical skills across Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Screenwriting, Producing and Sound Production

CAMBERWELL COLLEGE OF ART (1998–2000)
Graphic Design.

SURREY INSTITUTE OF ART & DESIGN (1997–1998)
Foundation in Art