Life & Work with Divyesh Sangani of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Divyesh Sangani.

Hi Divyesh, 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?
As a kid I have always been into creative stuff. I was obsessed with drawing, making paintings, creating things out of nothing. To be honest, it gave me a different kind of high when I was appreciated for my work. I kind of always knew I wanted to get into the creative industry.

When I was in middle school, I had computer lab sessions once a week on Microsoft Office. I was staring at a blank slide on my presentation and started playing around with it. I opened up MS Paint and drew a stick man figure. I imported this pose into PowerPoint and placed it on the leftmost side of the page. I made a few more drawings and imported them on the subsequent slides moving the stick figure slightly towards the right on each slide. When I played through the slides, I got the stick man running from one end of the page to the other. Believe me that it was the worst walk cycle for the animator in me today but that was my eureka moment, that’s when I knew I wanted to be in Animation.

I did my undergrad in Computer Engineering and graduated in 2020, but was always an animator at heart. did a few internships while in college and found myself working as a full time animator at Bakarmax after my graduation. I learned everything from my co-workers and mentors and clients. Loved every second of it and wanted to make more. I wanted to make my own films and decided to do an MFA in Animation. Getting into UCLA has been an amazing change. I have been watching films everyday, talking to people who are as passionate as me and want to tell their own stories.

I finished my very first film Sherwani here. Sherwani is a political satire based in a jungle. The process of making my own film was exhilarating and exhausting. I worked long hours animating and re animating my shots. but the end result of watching my film on the big screen making people laugh was all worth it.

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?
I’d say it’s been a fairly smooth road. with its fair share of bumps and craters along the way. I truly couldn’t have done any of it without the unwavering support of my loved ones.

One of the biggest struggles has been burnout, getting caught in a cycle of working, working, working, and not giving myself enough time to rest or recover. Imposter syndrome has also been a challenge. Being surrounded by incredibly talented people is both inspiring and intimidating. It pushes me to grow, but it’s also made me question my own worth at times.

Deciding to pursue a master’s degree in a completely new country, far away from everyone I love in India. Just to follow my dream of becoming a filmmaker and animator who makes people laugh, has been one of the most difficult and rewarding choices of my life. The journey has been challenging, but it’s also been amazing, made possible by the constant support of my friends and family.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an animator and storyteller originally from India, currently pursuing my MFA in Animation at UCLA. My work often blends humor with heart, and I’m drawn to telling stories that are satirical and absurd. I specialize in 2D animation and character driven stories.

Over the years, I’ve worked on everything from animated advertisements to short films and comics. One project I’m particularly proud of is Sherwani, my most recent animated short, which I completed as a student film here at UCLA. It is a satire based in a Jungle and it represents the kind of storytelling I want to keep pursuing.

I love crafting flawed, funny characters who are trying to make sense of the world around them, often failing in ridiculous ways but growing nonetheless. Whether I’m making comics, animations, or short videos, I aim to make people laugh, reflect, and feel a little less alone.

I’m most proud of how far I’ve come in chasing this dream across continents and still have a long road ahead of me.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I like to think of myself as a risk taker. My parents have always encouraged me into going into situations and I think that has been engrained into my personality now and taking risks don’t feel like I am taking risks because things always seem to work out in the end. Be it appearing on Shark Tank India’s season 1 along with my ex-Boss Bakarmax CEO Sumit Kumar to changing my home address to another country just to chase behind my dream of becoming an animation filmmaker.

But I also do tend to get comfortable and in a box sometimes but I have people around me reminding me of getting out of my comfort zone and keep growing. I am grateful to have these people around me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.divsang.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divsang
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/divsang/
• Twitter: https://x.com/divsang_
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@divsang