Raman Djafari is an illustrator, animator and filmmaker working in both 2D and 3D, currently living in Berlin, Germany. Through colorful imagery and fragmented narratives they are hoping to reach into a realm of honest emotionality and willful fragility, creating surreal worlds and characters that oscillate between the familiar and the fantastical.
They have directed music videos for artists from across the globe, working with labels such as Universal, Warp Records and Downtown Records, as well as other clients like Adult Swim, Medium and The New Yorker. Currently Raman is represented as a director by the London based animation studio BlinkInk. With a background in illustration and design Raman ventured into animation, filmmaking and music videos, expanding his practice and toolset from project to project. In their work they transition fluently from 2D to 3D animation as well as illustration.
They have directed music videos for artists from across the globe, working with labels such as Universal, Warp Records and Downtown Records, as well as other clients like Adult Swim, Medium and The New Yorker. Currently Raman is represented as a director by the London based animation studio BlinkInk. With a background in illustration and design Raman ventured into animation, filmmaking and music videos, expanding his practice and toolset from project to project. In their work they transition fluently from 2D to 3D animation as well as illustration.
Lectures, Talks, Workshops
2013-2016: multiple workshops about digital illustration at HAW Hamburg
2017-2019: lecturer for animation at HAW Hamburg
2016: Speaker at SketchWizzleCon
2017: Speaker at MalJamJumble
2017: Speaker at The Pixelist
2017: Teacher at educational workshop “Sprungbrett”, BDK-Landesverbände Schleswig‐Holstein/Hamburg
2017: Teacher for Animation atr Wacom Master Class in Berlin
2017: Reading and talk for “transform Magazin”
2018: Speaker at Hamburg Animation Conference
2018: Speaker at MalJamJumble
2018: Reading and talk for “transform Magazin”
2018: Talk at Hochschule Burg Giebichenstein
2018: Panel discussion about responsibility in design at Gudberg Nerger
2019: Workshop concept development and teaching with Rolling Stone Magazine at HAW Hamburg
2019: Speaker at Captcha Festival
2019: Speaker and workshop teacher at HFG Offenbach
2019: Speaker at Fest Anca, Kroatien
2021: Speaker at Quatantin3D Festival
2021: Guest Lecture am Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich
2021: Guest Lecture at Royal College of Arts, London
2021: Guest Lecture at KD Lounge, University Konstanz
2021: Speaker at Pictoplasma Festival, Berlin
2021: Speaker at Mal Jam Jumble, Dresden
2021: Guest Lecture at Arts University Bournemouth
2021: Guest Lecture at CalArts - EAVA
2021: Speaker at LIAF, London International Animation Festival
2022: Lecturer at Adobe Live
2022: Guest at Projektabhängig Podcast
2022: Retrospective at Metropolis Cinema - Hamburg Animation Club
2022: Guest Lecture at Fakultät Gestaltung Würzburg
2022: Speaker/Teacher at Hessen Talents Master Class
2022: Workshop, Lecture and Guest of Honor at Festival of Animation Berlin
2017-2019: lecturer for animation at HAW Hamburg
2016: Speaker at SketchWizzleCon
2017: Speaker at MalJamJumble
2017: Speaker at The Pixelist
2017: Teacher at educational workshop “Sprungbrett”, BDK-Landesverbände Schleswig‐Holstein/Hamburg
2017: Teacher for Animation atr Wacom Master Class in Berlin
2017: Reading and talk for “transform Magazin”
2018: Speaker at Hamburg Animation Conference
2018: Speaker at MalJamJumble
2018: Reading and talk for “transform Magazin”
2018: Talk at Hochschule Burg Giebichenstein
2018: Panel discussion about responsibility in design at Gudberg Nerger
2019: Workshop concept development and teaching with Rolling Stone Magazine at HAW Hamburg
2019: Speaker at Captcha Festival
2019: Speaker and workshop teacher at HFG Offenbach
2019: Speaker at Fest Anca, Kroatien
2021: Speaker at Quatantin3D Festival
2021: Guest Lecture am Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich
2021: Guest Lecture at Royal College of Arts, London
2021: Guest Lecture at KD Lounge, University Konstanz
2021: Speaker at Pictoplasma Festival, Berlin
2021: Speaker at Mal Jam Jumble, Dresden
2021: Guest Lecture at Arts University Bournemouth
2021: Guest Lecture at CalArts - EAVA
2021: Speaker at LIAF, London International Animation Festival
2022: Lecturer at Adobe Live
2022: Guest at Projektabhängig Podcast
2022: Retrospective at Metropolis Cinema - Hamburg Animation Club
2022: Guest Lecture at Fakultät Gestaltung Würzburg
2022: Speaker/Teacher at Hessen Talents Master Class
2022: Workshop, Lecture and Guest of Honor at Festival of Animation Berlin
2022: Artist Talk at La Guarimba, Amantea, Italy
2022: Retrospective at Metropolis Cinema - Hamburg Animation Club
2022: Guest Lecture at Fakultät Gestaltung Würzburg
2022: Speaker/Teacher at Hessen Talents Master Class
2022: Laudatory Kurzfilmpreis Deutschland
2022: Ori Berlin, Exhibiton
2022: Schulkino Wochen, Hamburg, Retrospective and Talk for school kids
2022: Artist Lecture at UE Germany
2022: Workshop, Lecture and Guest of Honor at Festival of Animation Berlin
2022: Retrospective and Lecture at Bit Bang Festival, Buenos Aires
2023: Kunsthochschule Kassel, Animationsklasse, Workshop & Lecture
2023: Busy Hands Festival, Leipzig, Exhibtion
2023: HFG Offenbach, Artist Talk
2023: Werkschau Trier, Artist Talk
2023: Lago Film Fest, Artist Talk, special screening & Jury
2023: BFI film academy, Artist Talk
2023: Gallery Stephanie Kelly, Dresden, Exhibition
2023: IF Illustration Festival, Lyon, Artist Talk, Panel, Key Artist
2024: Design Verein, Nürnberg, Lecture
2024: ANIMA festival, Brussels, Artist Talk
2024: Illustrators Aquainted, Artist Talk & Jury
2024: IF Illustration Festival, Paris, Exhibition & Artist Talk
2024: Sommets Du Animation, Montreal, Retrospective & Artist Talk
2024: Grafill, Oslo, Norway, Artist Talk
2024: Bit Bang Festival, Buenos Aires, Artist Talk
2024: Trickfilmfestival Düsseldorf, Artist Talk
2024: Animating Tomorrow, Halle, Artist Talk
2025: HAW Hamburg, Lecture
2025: Film Akademie Ludwigsburg, Animationsinstitut, Lecture and Workshop
2025: Anima Festival, Brussels, Artist Talk
2025: CalArts, Los Angeles, Lecture and Workshop
2025: ANNECY festival - Retrospective
2025: Beirut Animation Festival - Lecture
2025: See Conference - Speaker
2025: FMX Conference - Speaker
2022: Retrospective at Metropolis Cinema - Hamburg Animation Club
2022: Guest Lecture at Fakultät Gestaltung Würzburg
2022: Speaker/Teacher at Hessen Talents Master Class
2022: Laudatory Kurzfilmpreis Deutschland
2022: Ori Berlin, Exhibiton
2022: Schulkino Wochen, Hamburg, Retrospective and Talk for school kids
2022: Artist Lecture at UE Germany
2022: Workshop, Lecture and Guest of Honor at Festival of Animation Berlin
2022: Retrospective and Lecture at Bit Bang Festival, Buenos Aires
2023: Kunsthochschule Kassel, Animationsklasse, Workshop & Lecture
2023: Busy Hands Festival, Leipzig, Exhibtion
2023: HFG Offenbach, Artist Talk
2023: Werkschau Trier, Artist Talk
2023: Lago Film Fest, Artist Talk, special screening & Jury
2023: BFI film academy, Artist Talk
2023: Gallery Stephanie Kelly, Dresden, Exhibition
2023: IF Illustration Festival, Lyon, Artist Talk, Panel, Key Artist
2024: Design Verein, Nürnberg, Lecture
2024: ANIMA festival, Brussels, Artist Talk
2024: Illustrators Aquainted, Artist Talk & Jury
2024: IF Illustration Festival, Paris, Exhibition & Artist Talk
2024: Sommets Du Animation, Montreal, Retrospective & Artist Talk
2024: Grafill, Oslo, Norway, Artist Talk
2024: Bit Bang Festival, Buenos Aires, Artist Talk
2024: Trickfilmfestival Düsseldorf, Artist Talk
2024: Animating Tomorrow, Halle, Artist Talk
2025: HAW Hamburg, Lecture
2025: Film Akademie Ludwigsburg, Animationsinstitut, Lecture and Workshop
2025: Anima Festival, Brussels, Artist Talk
2025: CalArts, Los Angeles, Lecture and Workshop
2025: ANNECY festival - Retrospective
2025: Beirut Animation Festival - Lecture
2025: See Conference - Speaker
2025: FMX Conference - Speaker
Awards
Karl-Dietze Award 2018
It’sNiceThat: Top 25 Animation 2018
Vimeo Staff Picks:
Januar 2019, Februar 2019, Mai 2019, January 2021, Mai 2021, September 2021
Webby Awards Honoree 2019 in der Kategorie: Social: Art & Culture
Best Music Video, Animattikon 2020
Best Music Video, La Guarimba Festival 2020
Best Music Video, Moscow Shorts February 2020
Cristal Award for best commissioned Film, Annecy 2020
Best Music Video, Tourne-Films Festival Lausanne 2020
Florida Animation Festival, Honorable Mention 2021
Horsetooth Festival, Most Creative Film 2021
Best Animation, Cinematic European Film Festival 2022
Best Animation, Eastern Europe Film Festival 2022
Special Mention, Fest Anca 2022
Special Mention, Supertoon Festival 2022
Best Animated Music Video, Insomnia Festival 2022
Best Animated Music Video, Paris Music Video Underground 2022
Best Animated Music Video, Manchester Animation Festival 2023
Best Comissioned Film, Festival Of Animation Berlin 2023
Best Animated Music Video, London International Animation Festival 2023
Jury Prize & Audience Prize, TFFL 2023
Best Animated Music Video, Manchester Animation Festival 2024
It’sNiceThat: Top 25 Animation 2018
Vimeo Staff Picks:
Januar 2019, Februar 2019, Mai 2019, January 2021, Mai 2021, September 2021
Webby Awards Honoree 2019 in der Kategorie: Social: Art & Culture
Best Music Video, Animattikon 2020
Best Music Video, La Guarimba Festival 2020
Best Music Video, Moscow Shorts February 2020
Cristal Award for best commissioned Film, Annecy 2020
Best Music Video, Tourne-Films Festival Lausanne 2020
Florida Animation Festival, Honorable Mention 2021
Horsetooth Festival, Most Creative Film 2021
Best Animation, Cinematic European Film Festival 2022
Best Animation, Eastern Europe Film Festival 2022
Special Mention, Fest Anca 2022
Special Mention, Supertoon Festival 2022
Best Animated Music Video, Insomnia Festival 2022
Best Animated Music Video, Paris Music Video Underground 2022
Best Animated Music Video, Manchester Animation Festival 2023
Best Comissioned Film, Festival Of Animation Berlin 2023
Best Animated Music Video, London International Animation Festival 2023
Jury Prize & Audience Prize, TFFL 2023
Best Animated Music Video, Manchester Animation Festival 2024
FILMOGRAPHY:
2017: FJAAK - Snow
2018: Vacationer - Magnetism
2018: FJAAK - I COULD NEVER LIVE WITHOUT YOU BY MY SIDE
2019: Lucky Chops - Traveler
2020: Nothing But Thieves - Real Love Song
2020: I Want to Be the Ocean
2021: Squid - Pamphlets
2021: Elton John & Dua Lipa - Cold Heart (PNAU remix)
2022: Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, Season 2, Ep.4
2022: Ace Tee ft. Backroadgee - Shake It Fo Me
2023: Dj Piper - RIP TXL
2023: Ashnikko - Worms
2024: BBC EURO 2024
2024: Coldplay - feelslikeimfallinginlove
2018: Vacationer - Magnetism
2018: FJAAK - I COULD NEVER LIVE WITHOUT YOU BY MY SIDE
2019: Lucky Chops - Traveler
2020: Nothing But Thieves - Real Love Song
2020: I Want to Be the Ocean
2021: Squid - Pamphlets
2021: Elton John & Dua Lipa - Cold Heart (PNAU remix)
2022: Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, Season 2, Ep.4
2022: Ace Tee ft. Backroadgee - Shake It Fo Me
2023: Dj Piper - RIP TXL
2023: Ashnikko - Worms
2024: BBC EURO 2024
2024: Coldplay - feelslikeimfallinginlove
Articles
It's Nice That
"Raman Djafari creates a frenzied dystopia for Ashnikko’s latest music video" (2023)
https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/raman-djafari-ashnikko-worms-project-film-110423
"Raman Djafari creates a frenzied dystopia for Ashnikko’s latest music video" (2023)
https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/raman-djafari-ashnikko-worms-project-film-110423
Inky Godness
"Hamburg based designer & animator Raman Djafari" (2019)
http://inkygoodness.com/features/raman-djafari/
"Hamburg based designer & animator Raman Djafari" (2019)
http://inkygoodness.com/features/raman-djafari/
Collide24
"Raman Djafari and Dominik Keller created a supernatural visual language for DJ Piper’s debut album “A Dream In A Dream"
(2022)
https://www.collide24.org/music/raman-djafari-and-dominik-keller-created-a-supernatural-visual-language-for-dj-pipers-debut-album-a-dream-in-a-dream/
"Raman Djafari and Dominik Keller created a supernatural visual language for DJ Piper’s debut album “A Dream In A Dream"
(2022)
https://www.collide24.org/music/raman-djafari-and-dominik-keller-created-a-supernatural-visual-language-for-dj-pipers-debut-album-a-dream-in-a-dream/
.