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Daily Inspiration: Meet Ricky Baba

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ricky Baba.

Ricky Baba

Hi Ricky, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today. 
From a very early age, my parents and teachers noticed that I had an affinity for the visual arts. From early watercolor paintings to detailed colored pencil drawings. During high school, I gravitated towards the visual arts again while also maintaining a focus on math and sciences. My art teacher gave me some advice: perhaps I should pursue the arts in college. Specifically, Sheridan College. That college is situated close enough to where I was living. I was born in Toronto, Canada, but raised in an eastern suburb called Scarborough. 

After working in an animation studio in Toronto for a few years, I packed my bags for a job in the US at DreamWorks Animation in LA as a 3D artist. After 5 years of making animated films (Shrek & Kung Fu Panda franchises), I switched to the gaming industry. After 5 years of making games, I decided to try my hand at the emerging AR/VR industry, working for Yahoo in Playa Vista. AR was nascent at the time but quickly evolved into a space where I felt I could innovate and learn the most. As a hobby, I started creating Instagram filters in my spare time. I focused on pushing the boundaries of their platform to create high-quality AR experiences. 

Eventually, I landed a role at Instagram as an Art Director. 

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?
Definitely not smooth! Since I’m Canadian, I’ve had to face the headwind of immigration. Every new opportunity required a new temporary work visa, which can be revoked during border crossings. I’ve had many incidents of being pulled into the secondary screening areas of airports for questioning. I’ve even been denied entry several times in a row and essentially lost my job because I was unable to return to the US. 

Improving skills and staying relevant is another struggle. For those that know me well, I never stop learning. I’m disciplined in my craft, and that takes time and focus. New tools and methods of creating art are being invented constantly, keeping up with them can be exhausting. It’s difficult to keep up, but I carve out time to learn about new tools so that I don’t fall behind. With new ways of working, competition for attention and work has increased. I stay up late working on personal projects to stay sharp. On my Instagram account, you’ll see my latest personal work, which focuses on reimagining iconic characters from my childhood. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m currently an Art Director for Meta’s Reality Labs with a focus on VR products. I specialize in the creative direction and visual qualities of certain aspects of Avatars in the Metaverse. Before that, I was a Managing Art Director at Instagram for the AR team. My career started in animated film as a traditional Sculptor, Animator, Concept Artist, and most notably as a 3D Artist at DreamWorks Animation in Glendale. I also used to teach at the Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Hollywood. 

I’m known for keeping up with trends and my ability to solve a broad range of artistic challenges. I’m most proud of having the courage to dive headfirst into new industries and figuring it out along the way. I’ve successfully worked in the film, game and now AR/VR industries. I’m also proud of my ability to tackle ambiguous creative problems while delivering a vision that’s exciting. One thing that sets me apart from others is that I’m always willing to roll up my sleeves and do the work with others on the team. I’ve found that this builds camaraderie and is an opportunity to keep my skills sharp and learn new ways of thinking. 

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I would say that it starts with being excellent at your craft. That’s what gets people’s attention. You gotta cut through the noise to give yourself a chance to show people what you can do. Some characteristics that have given me an edge in the pursuit of sustained success are Persistence and an unwavering focus on improvement, attention to detail, reliability, ease of work with, speed of execution, quick decision-making, presentation/sales skills, being open to new ideas and innovative ways of working. 

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