Meet Nikki Behjat | Animator, Director, and Screenwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nikki Behjat and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nikki, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
When I was growing up, I was only allowed to watch cartoons, so I watched shows like Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, The Powerpuff Girls, Scooby-Doo, and basically any cartoon on Boomerang. The exposure I had to this style of storytelling sparked a love for animation in me at an early age.

As a child, I would also use my dad’s computer to draw and make videos using Windows Movie Maker and MS Paint. Eventually, in high school, I was taking art and film classes, where my film teacher saw my love for animation and gave me the awesome opportunity to make an animated short film when I was a junior.

After making that film, I knew I definitely wanted to pursue a career in animation, and I eventually studied 2D Animation at the School of Visual Arts. From there, I learned so much about animation and met so many incredible people!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As the daughter of Iranian immigrants from a religious background, I never really saw myself represented in media when I was growing up. So, I made it a mission to include my cultural identity in the art and films that I create. It’s been very motivating to have family and friends say that they feel represented in my work. Over the years, I have also connected with many Iranian artists and other artists with a similar religious background to me, and it’s been incredibly inspiring!

While working on my films, I learned a lot about how important it is to take breaks and that it’s always a good thing to ask for help, whether it’s feedback or with other artistic aspects of my films. A big thing I also learned in the last year and started incorporating into my life is to learn to trust the timing of things. Whenever something unexpected or unplanned happens, I’ve learned to have an open mind and know that things are always working out for the best.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family is one of my biggest inspirations, and I owe so much to them. My parents, my sister Roxy, and my incredible extended family have been my biggest supporters and have done so much for me and my artistic journey, and I am so incredibly grateful for them!

Website: https://nikibehjat.wixsite.com/website

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkibehjat/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-behjat-983817229/

Twitter: https://x.com/nikbehjat