Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Behjat
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always had a love for cartoons and animation for as long as I can remember, and even from a young age I was always drawing and making short films.
From a young age, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in animation, but my journey wasn’t exactly linear. In my early teens, I explored various creative paths, primarily focusing on post-production and video editing, and even considering a career as a makeup artist. It wasn’t until high school that I fully committed to the idea of pursuing a career in animation.
Since I didn’t have access to animation classes, I took many film and art classes to gain as much knowledge as I could. It was during this time, after completing my first few animated short films, that I truly fell in love with storytelling through animation, and I eventually went on to study 2D animation at the School of Visual Arts.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Just like many people’s journeys, there have definitely been ups and downs along the way. I didn’t come from a family of artists, except for a few extended family members, so I felt like I had to navigate this path on my own. I often felt like I started later than others on my art journey, especially when it came to understanding the fundamentals of anatomy and composition, and that often made me feel behind compared to my peers.
I honestly still struggle with perfectionism and comparing my work to that of many talented artists. However, over time, I’ve come to realize that everyone’s journey is unique. Instead of focusing on where I feel behind, I like to look back and see how far I’ve grown.
I think about how my animation journey started in high school, with no real knowledge of how to animate, and taking the big leap of making my first few films despite that. One of the biggest lessons I still value is to trust the process and take risks. While things don’t always go as planned, you never know who you’ll meet or what doors will open unless you dream big and try.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an illustrator, animator, and filmmaker, and I often incorporate my Iranian heritage and my religious identity in my work!
I’ve been creating animated films since I was a junior in high school, and one project I’m still proud of is “First Dances! What Could Possibly Go Wrong?”, a seven-minute film I made during my senior year of high school. The story tells of a young teenage girl who is excited to go to her first homecoming dance with her crush, but her mom, who comes from a traditional background, opposes the idea. She secretly defies her mother and goes to the dance, but things don’t go the way that she had hoped.
While the animation itself was a bit crude since I was self-taught at the time, the story still resonates with me all these years later, and it’s a project I’d definitely like to revisit in the future!
During my time at SVA, I also had the opportunity to create films that incorporate more of my Iranian identity. My short film, “The Concert”, allowed me to incorporate Farsi into the narrative, while my thesis film, “Zarina”, shed light on the current political situation in Iran. Working on these films and hearing how they resonated with my family, friends, and others who share a similar cultural and religious background continues to motivate me to include representation in my work!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nikibehjat.wixsite.com/website
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkibehjat/
