Nikita Deshpande

About Nikita Deshpande

I’m an illustrator and animation director currently working as a Social Media Visual Artist for the BBC\'s Visual Journalism South Asia Hub. Working in close collaboration with 10 South Asian language service digital teams, I have delivered a variety of animations, illustrations, graphics, maps and visual design to support news stories - for websites and social media platforms in formats such as article pages, video explainers and interactive experiences. I have applied my skills as an artist, visual storyteller and animation director in not only journalism but also independent film production, music videos, game production as well as brand design and visual identity.

Experience

1. Social Media Visual Artist

   BBC

   Jun 2017 — Present · Central Delhi, IN

   Creating illustrations and animations to support digital news output of BBC\'s 10 South Asian languages (Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, Punjabi as well as Urdu, Sinhala, Nepali and Bangla) both on their websites and social media platforms (Twitter, Youtube, Instagram & Facebook)- Illustrating in a variety of styles ranging from semi-realistic to stylised/cartoony in accordance and being mindful of the various themes such as mental health, politics, science, economics, environment, personal stories and more- Types of work include: animated narrative stories and explainers, motion graphics, infographics, still and animated maps, promotional visual design and templates for social media pages and posts, visual identity and branding with collateral designs for events/presentations and screenings- Creating assets and animations for web based interactive experiences implemented along with a data journalist, UX designer and a developer- Collaborating with journalists to best visualise their reports/ scripts/ data using engaging and appropriate visual treatments bringing out the right tone and message- Creating editable templates bearing in mind any regional type/ font limitations of the various South Asian languages and training journalists in using these templates while ensuring that they adhere to the visual style guides and central brand regulations as much as possible- Effective communication and knowledge exchange with Journalists to improve the understanding of processes, project management and commissioning- Pro-actively troubleshooting issues and coming up with creative solutions, especially when working under tight deadlines.

Education

• Fergusson College, Pune

  HSC (10+2), Science

  2007 — 2009

• Delhi Public School, Pune

  CBSE, High School

  2004 — 2007

• DSK Supinfocom, Pune

  Digital Director, Animation

  2009 — 2013

• International Indian School, Dammam

  Central Board of Secondary Education, Shool

  1995 — 2007