Today we’d like to introduce you to Farnaz Esnaashari.
Farnaz, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My whole life, the only thing that ever inspired me was to create. It didn’t matter what drawings, paintings, sculptures, whatever it was creating made me my happiest. So naturally, when it was time to decide what I wanted to do with my life, like many other creative folks, I decided to go to school for Art. I moved to LA and got hired as an intern at Nickelodeon. From there, I worked hard for 17 years at the company, rising from an intern to the Creator and Executive Producer of Nickelodeon’s multibillion-dollar franchise, Shimmer and Shine.
Motivated by my own experience of trials and tribulations of making my way to my dream, I founded what is now the new chapter of my story – The Pitch Docs.
The Pitch Docs is a platform designed to give back to the creative community. Its purpose is to connect talented creatives, nurture collaboration, and support the next generation of storytellers and artists. Through this initiative, myself and other professionals will continue to contribute to and bolster the industry that we all love so much.
My years of industry experience, from intern to showrunner to the executive ranks (as SVP and now President of Content and Development at Platinum Films), have provided me with a unique and profound understanding of the difficulties faced by artists and designers seeking to find their way and place in a creative field. From animation, toy design, game development, and concept art, I understand the importance of perfecting portfolios, networking, and perhaps most importantly, turning dreams and hard work into reality.
Still in its infancy stage, The Pitch Docs is already involved in marketing activities to build awareness, such as speaking engagements, pitches to members of the creative media, programs with companies and schools, and more. In an industry that is ever-changing, The Pitch Docs offers a consistent space where creatives can unite, have fun, and tell stories. Here, first-time filmmakers and artists can gain access to the creative minds behind so many beloved shows, games, movies, and more. Shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Shake it up, Kung Fu Panda, Monster High, Paw Patrol, Game of Thrones, Dora, and many more! By working together, we are working towards breaking down some of the barriers and roadblocks that so many of us face on our journeys of creativity.
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?
No, no road or path worth taking will ever be smooth. It was a majority of heartbreak, setbacks, and start overs. This industry is not for the faint of heart; in fact, you will hear NO more often than you will ever hear yes. But all it takes is that 1 yes. That one yes can change your life and your journey forever.
When my show finally got picked up, I had a CEO ask me, “Don’t you wish you had gotten it 25 tries ago?” To which I responded “No, I needed to fail in order to succeed. Every time I got it wrong, I learned something that helped get me one step closer to where I am now.” That was 12 years ago, and I still believe that statement to this day. You aren’t doing anything worth doing if you aren’t pushing yourself through all of the discomfort, obstacles, struggles on a daily.
When I started on my journey, I didn’t know what I didn’t know, and I didn’t know the folks who could help me on my journey well enough yet. Trying to navigate all of this alone led to a feeling of hopelessness at times, knowing that feeling was one of the motivating factors behind founding The Pitch Docs.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At this point in my career, I’m known as the Creator of Shimmer and Shine. But since then, I’ve also written two children’s books with Simon and Schuster, and made the transition from show creator to studio executive as the President of Content and Development at Platinum Films. In this role I have the opportunity to help find new ideas, creative partners, and talent. During this time I also founded and am actively working on The Pitch Docs as well.
Having had the chance to accomplish my dream, my goal is to help others accomplish theirs so that maybe they won’t have to go through as many struggles as I did alone. Most folks in our industry are very competitive, but having come through the ranks the way that I did, I find that my empathy sets me apart from others. It’s that empathy and understanding that helped set the stage for The Pitch Docs.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I absolutely love the food, the weather, and the hiking trails. Makes Southern California one of the best places to live, in my opinion.
What I dislike the most is the aggressive entitled driving, let’s just be patient please.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thepitchdocs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepitchdocs?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552093954451
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-pitch-docs/?viewAsMember=true
