About me
Mehrnaz Abdollahinia is the director, storyteller, and scriptwriter of 'The Soloists' short film, a true story of her life. However, Mehrnaz is more than just a storyteller; she is also an artist specializing in giving life to characters using 3D software. She has held multiple roles in the creation of her short film, serving as the Director, Storyteller, Scriptwriter, Editor, Character Animator, and even the Singer in it.
She has also been a Jury member of Dingle Animation Festival of Ireland and a member of the Women in Animation Panel. Additionally, Mehrnaz has conducted storytelling and directing workshops at Gobelins School of Paris. She has come from a music and CG background.
She learned to play piano from age 6 and later with all limitations she was facing as a woman, she started to learn Cello and became a choir singer of City choir groups. She also worked as a piano and solfege teacher during those years.
Born in 1987 , Mehrnaz earned her bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering in 2009.Driven by her passion for digital art, she taught herself to become a 3d artist and a professional 3d animator. Mehrnaz was raised in a place in which there were many limitations and obstacles for women. She adds:
“When I received my graphic diploma, the only relevant major in digital art was computer software! So, I started studying this major while learning 3D by myself. Despite my passion for art, as a young girl, I was forbidden from studying it. However, these limitations didn't stop me from enjoying and learning art.It was challenging, but I always told myself to follow my dreams. Even though becoming an artist and even singing were prohibited for women where I came from, I decided to persist. I found the harmony and rhythm of music in animation, which led me to write my own experience as a story and turn it into animation. I even sang in my own short film.”
For several years, Mehrnaz has worked on different projects, including feature films, short films, music videos, TV series, and games. She has taken on various roles such as directing, previs shot creator, 2D/3D animator, modeler, rigger, and scriptwriter. Some of her credits include "Ghostbusters (Sony)," "Heart of Stone (NETFLIX)," "Kraven the Hunter (MARVEL STUDIOS)," "MEG2 the Trench (WARNER BROS)," "Secret Invasion (Marvel, Disney+)," "Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)," "The Soloists (her short film)," "The Search for Wondla (Skydance Animation Series)," and "The Last Fiction (feature film)."
Mehrnaz obtained her Master's in Animation Filmmaking from Gobelins School in Paris and created "The Soloist" with her four teammates. Her short film has received nominations from over 130 international festivals and academies, winning 26 awards, including the Best Animation Award at the 50th Annie Awards and other festivals and academies in the USA, France, England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada, China, Taiwan, Africa, Austria, etc.
While working as a 3D artist, Mehrnaz is concurrently developing her next project. She aims to bring about change in the animation industry by creating high-quality animations with profound messages, raising awareness about women's issues.
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Education:
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Master of Character animation and animated filmmaking at GOBELINS, l'école de l'image
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2019 - 2021
2005 - 2009
Computer Software, Bachelor(BSc/BA) at Sadjad University of Technology
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WORK EXPERIENCE:
2023 - Current
ICON Creative Studio - Vancouver, BC
3d visualisation artist
2022
Dingle Animation Festival - Ireland
Jury Member
2021 - 2023
The third floor - London, UK
3d visualisation artist
2020 - 2021
Gobelins l'ecole - Paris, France
Director, Animator, Storyteller, Singer of
my shortfilm ""The Soloists""
2020
Multiply Studio - Paris, France
Senior 3D animator
2017 - 2019
Amuse Company - Paris, France
Freelance 3D-Animator in 5 Projects broadcast on YouTube.
2016 - 2019
Millimages Company - Paris, France
Freelance 3D-Animator in 5 Projects broadcast on YouTube.
2015 - 2017
Hoorakhsh Studio - Tehran,Iran
Character and creature supervisor and animator, 3D-Modeler and rigger in a feature film and 3D-animator for making crowds of battle scene.
2013 - 2014
FilmFrame Studio - Tehran,Iran
3D-Animator in a cut out TV-Series in Maya and 3D-Max Software.
2011 - 2013
Ilvarchi Tehran Studio - Tehran,Iran
3D Animator on 15 episodes of a
YouTube TV series
2009 - 2011
Sima Pardazan Shargh - Tehran,Iran
3D-Animator and rigger in a TV-series Project in Maya.
2007 - 2009
Ferdowsi Music institute - Mashhad,Iran
teacher of Solfege and Music
Grants & Awards:
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ANNIE AWARDS Academy Winner of the Best Animation
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the Best Animation Award of 50th ANNIE Awards of 2022 in Los Angeles.
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Winner of the Best Animation Award IGNITE Film Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the Best Animation Award of IGNITE Film Festival of UK in 2022.
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Winner of the Fantastic Award of Stuttgart Film Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the Fantastic Award for the Best Animation of Stuttgart Film Festival of Germany in 2022.
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Winner of the Best Animation Award of Meknes Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the Award for the Best Animation of Meknes Animation Festival of Meknes city in 2022.
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Winner of the Best Animation Award of Beeston Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the Award for the Best Animation of Beeston Animation Festival of Nottingham in 2022.
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Winner of the audience Award of Dresden Film Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the audience Award for the Best Animation of Dresden Film Festival of Germany in 2022.
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Winner of the Best Animation Award of Ismailia Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the Award for the Best Animation of Ismailia Film Festival of Egypt in 2022.
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Winner of the Best Animation Award of Court mais Bon Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the Award for the Best Animation of the city of Puy en Velay in 2022.
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Winner of the Best Animation Award of SCIFF Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the Award for the Best Animation of Santa Clarita Animation Festival of California in 2021.
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Winner of the Best Animation Award of MAFICI Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the Award for the Best Animation of MAFICI Animation Festival of Argentina in 2021.
Winner of the Canal Plus Award at Clermont Ferrand Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was first Selected for competition and has won the Award for the family and kids Awards of Canal+ Clermont Ferrand Festival of France.
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Winner of the Best Animation Award of HiShort Festival
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the Award for the Best Animation of Hishorts Festival of China in 2021.
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Winner of the Audience and Tournus City Award
My graduation film “The Soloists” was first Selected for competition and has won the Award for the Audience and Tournus Awards Festival of France.
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Winner of Spark Animation Festival of Canada
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected and win the Special mention and Social message from the Spark Animation Festival of Canada in 2021
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Winner of International Festival of Beijing Film Academy
My graduation film “The Soloists” was Selected for competition and has won the prize for the Best Sound effects of international student shortfilms in 2021!
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Best ongoing projects at the ANCI festival
Jan 2013, one of my projects that is called “The last fiction”, in 2013, was able to win recognition and be presented as one of the six best ongoing projects at the ANCI festival, the most important annual event in the world of animation.
ANCI goes to Cannes (Marche du filme)
Also, in 2016, this movie was acclaimed as one of the four best animated movies undergoing constriction in the world that was invited by ANCI and Cannes to the event of “Marche du film” to be presented as well. This move is also feature as one of five best animated films in ANCI 2018.
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