We recently had the chance to connect with Raha Dabiri and have shared our conversation below.
Raha, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. Who are you learning from right now?
I’m currently learning a great deal from my mentor and very dear friend, Dan Holland. Dan is a Character Designer in Animation, and an incredible draftsman, both in Figure Drawing and Character Design. He has been a great inspiration for me since I started in production in animation about 7 years ago. Recently, I’ve been going through a transitional state in my artistic journey, and been feeling quite unstable in my skillsets, but Dan has been a great beacon of hope and guidance for me. He’s been reigniting my drive, rewiring my study perspective, and realigning my confidence when I’ve been feeling low or lost. Dan’s drawings also provide me a burst of joy and inspiration. Dan has encouraged me to study some artists and illustrators like: J.C. Leyendecker, Otto Schmidt, Jay Scott Campbell, David Colman, Rad Sechrist, and many others. I’ve been studying these artists and this has been a great help to chiseling my skillset. I have consistently and currently been learning from director Hayao Miyazaki; both from his visual development work, but primarily learning his storyboards from his films.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Raha, and I’m an Iranian Storyboard Artist from Laguna Niguel, California, currently residing in Los Angeles, California. I attended California State University, Fullerton where I studied Entertainment Arts and Animation. I love consistently learning about cinema, film, storyboarding and art everyday, and being able to draw and create awesome work for a project I’m passionate about. I’ve been in the animation industry for about seven years now, and what a wonderful time it’s been! There’s nothing better than being in an environment where my colleagues are so skilled and talented. I recently worked on The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder at Disney TVA as a Storyboard Revisionist. I previously worked on Iwájú at Disney Feature Animation and Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts at DreamWorks TVA. I’m looking forward to growing and becoming a better storyboard artist and hopefully a director one day! I love street tacos, dogs & cats, anime and café sketching! I like to pride myself in my optimism, great energy, and passion for living! I’ve also been on a big chess kick recently. Let’s play chess together!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Some of the main moments of how I see the world started from animation. I always found myself waking up early for morning cartoons, watching an animated movie at family parties, and playing hand held gaming console games based on animated TV shows and movies. A few moments that come to mind are when I first saw “Finding Nemo,” I was so moved by the story, that I memorized every scene and line in the film. I brought the VHS to every family gathering to rewatch over and over. I loved Finding Nemo’s style, emotional impact, narrative and the undeniable excitement I had in every viewing experience. However, “Ratatouille” was the film that primarily shaped my drive and determination to become an animation artist. The moment I saw the movie in theaters, I was sure I wanted to be a part of animation and in the animation industry. Remy, a rat aspiring to be a chef in a world against his nature, made me realize that if I wanted to become an artist in this world, I definitely could! The film’s quote, “Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere!” truly ignited my passion for art and to pursue my animation career. Moments like watching my favorite animated movies or watching an animated film for the first time, have shaped me into the person I am today, and how I see our world! I want everyone to feel the joy and care that goes into these films, from my stories, and from myself as an individual.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
The time I almost gave up was before I decided my career in high school. The level of doubt from friends and family when I initially brought up I wanted to be an artist for a living, really struck fear into my decision. I questioned myself nonstop and felt immense guilt. My parents escaped from their home country, to come to America for a better life for themselves and for my sister and I, yet here I was, trying to pursue a career in art, that could lead to instability and the stereotypical career as the ‘starving artist’. I attempted the thought of other occupations and career paths, but my gut kept finding it’s way back to animation and story telling. I felt a voltage envisioning my life and career in animation. I knew I could make a difference one way or another. I knew if I were to give up on my dream, I would not only live in immense regret, but be incredibly unhappy in my life. I shared my passion and excitement with my parents and told them it was the only way I knew how to be, was to pursue my career in animation and stay passionate about my artistic journey. I knew giving up was not an option, so I moved forward and chose my area of study in college as Entertainment Arts/Animation. While attending college for my passion, I checked in with my parents regularly and shared my excitement and growth in art. Little by little, my parents grew in support as I shared my growth in my skills, my consistency, my proactivity and determination. I’m incredibly thankful for my parents, trusting my gut, and pursuing my career in animation and storytelling. My success is inevitable!
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I genuinely admire my baba (dad) for his genuine, authentic and kind hearted character. I understand he has the power as my parent, but I’ve always admired his kind heart, his infectious ‘can-do’ attitude and his inspiring “everything will always work out” perspective. While being a powerful beacon in my life, he’s always kept me aligned to share my stories, stay confident in my voice and always be hungry for growth. I admire that my baba left his home country, learned a completely new language, and was able to make a successful career for himself and provide for his family, all while staying true to himself being a kind, honest, and respectful human being. I admire who he is to his core, all that he’s taught me, knowledge he shared, and how he inspires others. His energy and light is what I aspire to also have and share in my personal self, work, and stories. I love you too much Baba!
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When people think of me, I hope they remember me as a fun and joyful person who inspires others in the world of animation, storytelling, film, and draftsmanship. I dream of leaving a legacy of genuine and authentic characters and becoming an award-winning and successful show runner or film director in the animation/film industry. Sharing the knowledge, visual beauty, and passion of Iranian culture would be an incredible dream come true. I also hope to encourage others to create with their heart and soul, feeling supported in achieving anything they set their minds to. And as for my outlook on life, I believe in maintaining a positive perspective, which can change everything. It would be amazing if my storyboards and artwork were featured in an “Art Of” book that people would remember and talk about. Lastly, I want to be a source of hope for anyone in the industry or trying to break in. Stay positive, everything will work out, you’ve got this, and YOUR success is inevitable!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rahadabiri.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drawhaa/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raha-dabiri-7334b292/
- Twitter: https://x.com/drawhaa?lang=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drawhaa
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@drawhaa
Image Credits
All drawings done by Raha Dabiri
