Born 1982 in Shiraz, Iran and currently living in Rochester, NY, award winning director, animator and Student Academy Awards nominee, Meghdad Asadi Lari started his higher education in 2000 by studying Electrical Engineering in Shiraz University and continued to M.Sc. in Communications Engineering.
During his graduate studies, he discovered his passion for graphic design and animation. Familiar with all aspects of aesthetics, his artistic and creative abilities have been recognized by professionals as fast and precise. Not long after completing his technical degrees did he decide to step into the art field as a creative professional.
He started his MFA in 3D Computer Animation in the School of Film and Animation at the Rochester Institute of Technology and directed and produced several animations which played at festivals worldwide and gained several national and international awards.
Meghdad's short animation, Simorgh, not only was recognized in various international film festivals and venues, but also was invited to museums and events as well.
Meghdad is currently assistant professor of Motion Picture Science in the School of Film and Animation, at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is also collaborating on various national and international projects as researcher or freelancer.
EDUCATION
MFA - 3D Computer Animation - Rochester Institute of Technology - 2014
M.Sc. - Electrical and Communications Engineering - Shiraz University - 2008
B.Sc. - Electrical Engineering - Shiraz University - 2005
WORKING EXPERIENCE
August 2020 - Present
Assistant Professor of Motion Picture Science
School of Film and Animation
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY
September 2021 - Present
Animation Director, Lead Animator
Storyline Online – SAG-AFTRA Foundation
6 Episodes
July 2018 - July 2020
Professor of Animation
Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah, GA
July 2016 - June 2018
Visiting Assistant Professor
School of Design
Rochester Institute of Technology
July 2015 - Present
Lead Animator
Northlight Productions, Rochester, NY
January - February 2016
Film Jury
Northwest Animation Festival
2015- 2017
Adjunct Faculty
School of Film and Animation, Rochester Institute of Technology
Animation Production Workshop
2013 - 2015
Adjunct Faculty
School of Design, Rochester Institute of Technology
Character Design and Rigging, MEL Scripting, Compositing, Senior Thesis
July - August 2013
Freelance AfterEffects Artist and Animator
Northlight Productions, Rochester, NY
November - December 2013
Freelance Character Rigger
Hornet Inc., New York City
August - September 2014
Freelance Motion Graphics Artist and Animator
Northlight Productions, Rochester, NY
May - July 2013
Freelance Character Rigger
Hornet Inc., New York City
May - August 2012
3D Generalist Intern
Hornet Inc., New York City
September - November 2012
Graduate Assistant
Rochester Institute of Technology
2001-2010
Freelance Designer and Animator
Shiraz University
SKILLS
Unreal Engine/ Houdini
Autodesk Maya/ Cinema4D
Adobe Aftereffects/ Premiere/ Photoshop/ Illustrator
PubCoder Certified Expert for Trainer
PubCoder Certified Expert for Producer
MEL/ MatLab Programming
Pipeline Management
Qube/ Muster
Tool Development
Character and Prop Modeling/ Texturing/ Rigging
2D and 3D Computer Animation
Motion Graphics/ Particle Effects
AWARDS AND HONORS
Emmy Nomination - Children and Family Category - Storyline Online (2023)
Student Academy Awards (Oscar) Nominee (2013)
Student Academy Awards (Oscar) Semifinalist (2015)
Member of National Society of Leadership and Success
Achieving the Highest Animation Scholarship Provided by RIT (2010, 2011)
Achieving the John Wiley Jones Scholarship at RIT
Achieving the Graduate Research and Creativity Scholarship at RIT (2012)
Graduate Representator for the School of Film & Animation at the RIT Research & Creativity Symposium (2014)
National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents School (1993-2000)
“Simorgh”, Thesis Short Animation, 2014
Personal Work
Walt Disney Family Museum - March 2016 - Presentation and Talk
Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (Hamburg Museum for Art and Design) - Islamic Art Exhibition - 2015-2017
International Day of Peace - 2015 - Tehran Peace Museum
Shiraz University 50th Aniversary
Winner - Director Special Award - Tehran International Animation Festival, Iran
Winner - Faculty Award - School of Film and Animation, RIT
Winner - Best Animation - Iranian Film Festival, San Francisco
Winner - Award of Excellence - Accolade Awards Competition
Semi Finalist - 42nd Student Academy Awards
Nomination - Golden Gate Award for Best Family Film - San Francisco International Film Festival
Nomination - Best Art and Experimental Film Nominee - West Chester Film Festival, Pennsylvania
Nomination - Best Animation - Noor Iranian Film Festival, Los Angeles
Semi Finalist - Adobe Design Achievements Awards, USA
“Beyond the Spheres”, 2012
Personal Work
Student Academy Award National Finalist, Oscars - LA
Student Academy Award Regional Finalist - New York
Winner - Most Innovative Experimental Film - International "Gold Panda" Awards, China
Winner - Best Stent Film - Raw Science Film Festival, USA
Winner - Quiet Earth Prize - Festival du film Merveilleux & Imaginaire, France
Winner - Best Experimental Film - Living Skies Student Film Festival, Canada
Nomination - Grand Prize - International "Gold Panda" Awards, China
Semi Finalist - Adobe Design Achievements Awards, USA
“Bean Caught”, 2012
CoProducer
Winner - Best Animation Award - 5th Finger Lakes Film Festival, USA
Finalist - Uni Shorts Film Festival, New Zealand
Finalist - The Film Skillet, USA
“Resuscitation”, 2011
Personal Work
Winner - 3rd Place - Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival, USA
“Donation”, 2009
Personal Work
Winner - Best Animation - Iranian Organ Donation Festival, Iran
OFFICIAL SCREENINGS AND EXHIBITIONS
CONTACT ME
“Simorgh”, 2014
Semi Finalist - Student academy Awards 2015 - Oscar
Animafest Zagreb - World Festival of Animated Film
Athens Animfest
Big Muddy Film Festival
Blue Plum Animation Festival
Cannes Short Film Festival
Capital City Film Festival
Carrboro Film Festival
Early Birds international Student Film Festival
Eastern Breeze International Film Festival
Fargo Fantastic Film Festival
Festimation - International Animation & New Media Arts Festival
Golden Kuker- International Animation Film Festival
Hamilton Film Festival
London Iranian Film Festival
Maryland Film Festival
Mica Film Festival
Newport Beach Film Festival
Orlando Film Festival
Persian Film Festival - Sydney
Savannah Film Festival
Silk Road Film Festival, Ireland
SouthEastern Film Festival
SPARK Animation Festival
StarLite Film Festival
Sunscreen Film Festival
“Beyond the Spheres”, 2012
40th Student Academy Awards, USA
International "Gold Panda" Awards, China
Festival du film Merveilleux & Imaginaire, France
Living Skies Student Film Festival, Canada
Adobe Design Achievements Awards, USA
Punto y Raya, The Most Experimental Film Festival in the World, Spain
TEDxRochester, USA
Anifest, International Festival of Animated Films, Czech
Croq`Anime Festival Du Film D'Animation De Paris, France
Anima International Animation Festival, Córdoba, Argentina
MashRome Film Fest, Italy
Lima Film Festival, Peru
RIT SoFA Honors Show, USA
First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival, USA
5th Imagine Science Film Awards, USA
7th International Streaming Festival, USA
“Bean Caught”, 2012
5th Finger Lakes Film Festival, USA
Adobe Design Achievement Award, USA
The Film Skillet, USA
RIT SoFA Honors Show, USA
Living Skies Student Film Festival, Canada
Dirt Poor Filmmakers Festival, USA
Croq'Anime Festival, France
Crossroads Film Festival, USA
Festival du Film Merveilleux, France
Uni Shorts Film Festival, New Zealand
International Video Art Festival of Casablanca, Morocco
U.G. Artist Festival
Lima Film Festival, Peru
“Resuscitation”, 2011
Bayou City Inspirational Film Festival, USA
Adobe Design Achievement Award, USA
5th Imagine Science Film Awards, USA
Gallery R Exhibition, USA
Anifest, International Festival of Animated Films, Czech
Seeflick.com, USA
7th International Streaming Festival, USA
“Hypertrol”, 2011
RIT SoFA Honors Show, USA
6th International Streaming Festival, USA
Finger Lakes Film Festival, USA
Gallery R Exhibition, USA
Seeflick.com, USA