Daily Inspiration: Meet Spriha Ghiya

Today we’d like to introduce you to Spriha Ghiya.

Hi Spriha, 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?
If you asked people who knew me growing up to describe Spriha, you would probably hear the same words again and again: introverted, shy, quiet, afraid of the stage, someone who was much more comfortable staying in the background. The version of me who grew up in India would probably be surprised to meet the person I am becoming today.

I come from a middle-class family, and one word I heard a lot growing up was “adjust.” Adjust to what you have, let go of what you don’t need, and understand the value of things. But my parents never made me feel like my dreams or needs didn’t matter. Yes, there were restrictions, but within what they could afford, they always tried to give us the best they could. More than anything, they taught me how to be independent, responsible, and grateful for every opportunity I received.

Coming to the United States for my master’s degree was probably the biggest step I had ever taken. Before moving to Los Angeles, I had never lived outside my city or away from my family. Suddenly, I was moving across the world to a place where I barely knew anyone. It was a huge decision emotionally, but financially too. My family took a loan to make my education here possible, and that made me understand the responsibility that came with this opportunity from day one.

I promised my dad that one day I would repay that loan, build a successful career, and give my parents and siblings the chance to see the world. They have spent years helping me reach where I am today, and I feel that at some point it has to become my turn to do the same for them.

My first month in Los Angeles was difficult. Everything was unfamiliar ,the country, the people, the culture, and especially the feeling of coming home and not having my family there. There were moments when I questioned whether I had made the right decision. But slowly, the things that once felt intimidating started becoming normal.

More importantly, I started changing.

I learned, I failed, I tried again, and sometimes I surprised myself by succeeding. I started talking to more people, building connections, taking opportunities, and putting myself in situations that the old version of me probably would have avoided. I think one of the biggest changes in me is that I no longer wait for someone else to tell me I’m ready. I have started taking chances, reaching out to people, accepting work that scares me a little, and trusting that I will figure things out along the way.

That change also helped me grow creatively. I started working on animation, visual effects, motion graphics, and title design for fellow filmmakers and student productions. One opportunity led to another, and over the past year I’ve worked on more than ten different gigs and film projects. Every project has taught me something, sometimes technically, sometimes through mistakes, and sometimes simply by forcing me to trust my own decisions.

I also had the opportunity to complete an internship, which became another important learning experience for me. It pushed me beyond being someone who only creates behind a screen and helped me grow in communication, teamwork, responsibility, problem-solving, and adapting when things don’t go according to plan.

Today, I’m pursuing my MFA in 3D Animation and Visual Effects at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, and I’ll be graduating soon. Being this close to graduation feels exciting, but also a little surreal, because it reminds me how far I’ve come from the person who first arrived here. I’m continuing to work on film, animation, design, and VFX projects while developing my thesis film, which feels like a combination of everything I’ve learned during this journey.

I don’t think I’m at the point where I can say, “I made it.” There is still so much I want to accomplish, especially as I prepare to step into the next chapter of my career after graduation. But when I compare the person who arrived in Los Angeles to who I am today, I can see how much has changed.

I’m still Spriha. I’m still sometimes quiet, still learning, and still figuring things out. But I’m much less afraid of speaking up, meeting new people, trying something unfamiliar, failing, and starting again.

Success for me is not only about having a good career or reaching a certain position. It is reaching a point where my parents no longer have to think twice before spending on themselves, where I can repay everything they invested in me, and where I can give my family experiences they once had to sacrifice so I could have mine.

My parents brought me this far. What I build from here is for me, but a very big part of it is for them too.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, and I think some of the hardest moments taught me the most.

One of the biggest struggles was trying to get my first internship. I sent out more than 200 applications and barely heard back. Out of all of them, I only got two interviews. One of those interviews was almost two hours away from where I lived, with no easy direct transportation. I traveled there early in the morning with a friend who worked in that area, gave the interview, and then spent the rest of the day waiting at a fast food restaurant until my friend finished work so I could get a ride back home.

The very next day, I was told they were not moving forward with the role because they no longer had the budget for it.

That was one of those moments where it would have been very easy to feel defeated, especially after putting in so much effort just to get there. But I kept applying, and eventually I did get an internship.

Even after getting it, things were not automatically easy. At one point, balancing classes, assignments, commuting, and internship work became overwhelming. There was a moment when my boss told me that if I was not able to manage the time and workload, we might have to end the internship and speak with my professors about it. I remember how stressful that felt because I had worked so hard just to get that opportunity.

I could have given up at that point, but I didn’t. I reorganized everything, pushed myself to communicate better, manage my time differently, and keep up with both school and work. I ended up completing the internship successfully. Most people only saw the final result, but not that moment in the middle where I genuinely thought I might lose the opportunity.

Another difficult experience happened right at the beginning of my second semester. I was riding my electric scooter to college when it suddenly malfunctioned, and I fell badly enough to fracture my right hand. I am right-handed, and it was also the first fracture I had ever had in my life.

As someone studying animation, VFX, and design, suddenly not being able to comfortably use my dominant hand was a major challenge. Classes had just started, so I could not simply pause everything. I had to figure out how to continue working while recovering. My friends helped me, my professors were supportive, and slowly I adjusted again.

Looking back, both of those experiences taught me something similar. There will always be moments when things do not go according to plan, no matter how much effort you put in. Sometimes you get rejected after trying everything. Sometimes you finally get the opportunity and then struggle to keep up with it. Sometimes life throws something at you that you could never have planned for.

What changed for me was learning not to treat those moments as the end of the road. I still get overwhelmed, I still have self-doubt, and I still have setbacks, but I have become much better at finding a way forward instead of immediately giving up.

I think that has been one of the biggest lessons of my journey so far: persistence does not always look dramatic. Sometimes it is simply waking up the next day and trying again.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My main specialization is Visual Effects. That is the field I want to build my career in, starting as a VFX Artist and eventually growing into a Senior VFX Supervisor. I really enjoy the balance between creativity and problem-solving that comes with VFX. Every shot can have a different challenge, and I like figuring out how to make something feel believable while still serving the story.

At the same time, one part of filmmaking I never expected to become known for is title design and animation, along with credits design.

Before coming here, I honestly never paid much attention to how important titles and credits could be to the identity of a film. That changed when I worked on a student thesis film and was asked to design and animate the title. I treated it like a small creative experiment at first, but people really responded to it. After that project, more filmmakers started approaching me specifically for title sequences, title animation, credits, and end crawls.

It became this unexpected creative identity for me. I came here thinking mainly about animation and VFX, but somehow title design became one of the things people started recognizing me for. Now I regularly get approached for both VFX work and title or credits work, which I find really exciting because the two require very different ways of thinking.

With VFX, I’m often focused on making something integrate naturally into a shot, solving technical problems, and making sure the effect supports the scene without distracting from it. With title design, I get to think more about typography, movement, mood, rhythm, and how you can introduce or close a film in a way that feels connected to its world.

I think what sets me apart is that I come from a design background but am now deeply focused on VFX and filmmaking. That combination helps me think about both the technical side of a shot and the visual language behind it. I don’t only ask, “How do I make this effect?” I also think about why it is there, how it should feel, and whether it belongs in the film.

One thing I’m especially proud of is that a lot of this happened organically. I didn’t decide that I wanted to become “the title design person.” I did one project, people liked the work, they recommended me, and more opportunities followed. Seeing people come back to me or refer me for work has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey so far.

Long term, I want to grow within Visual Effects and eventually become a VFX Supervisor who understands not only the technical pipeline but also storytelling, design, cinematography, and how different departments work together. I think the experiences I’m having now whether it is VFX, title design, animation, or working with filmmakers are slowly building toward that goal.

How do you think about happiness?
I find happiness in the small things spending time with the people I love, discovering new places, creating something I’m proud of, and simply enjoying the little moments after a long week.

I also love the idea of treating yourself after working hard. Once I start earning, one thing I really want to do is explore LA through its coffee shops and food spots—dress up on a weekend, try a new place, order something I’ve never had before, and just enjoy the city. It sounds simple, but that kind of independence and being able to treat myself after working hard makes me happy.

Another thing that means a lot to me is seeing my parents happy when they see me doing well and achieving something. My dad once told me, “What I couldn’t do in my life, I’ll make possible for you. I’ll live through your dreams.” I don’t think I’ll ever forget that. Knowing how much my parents have sacrificed to give me opportunities they never had makes every achievement feel bigger because it is not only mine it is theirs too.

But if I had to name one dream that would make me the happiest, it would be seeing my name on the big screen.

I want to sit in a theater one day, watch the credits roll, and see my name there knowing everything that happened before that moment the sacrifices, the rejections, the learning, the failures, the people who supported me, and all the times I chose to keep going.

I value all the small moments of happiness along the way, and I want to enjoy the journey too. But I also know that I won’t stop pushing until I reach that moment. I want to build a strong career in Visual Effects, work on films people remember, and eventually grow into a VFX Supervisor.

For me, happiness is both enjoying the little life I’m building for myself and working toward the bigger dream that keeps me going.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsprihaghiya
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spriha-ghiya