What is your name and your current occupation?
I’m Diana David and I’m currently working as an Artist in a games company.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I worked a couple of times as a supporting actor/extra in a short film by Solveig Nordlund and for a Portuguese tv series. I enjoyed very much to do that because I could see how the filming production works.
What are some of your favourite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I’m only 23, so I don’t have a lot of professional projects to be proud of… I guess ..so far I’m proud of everything!!!  I’m very proud of having worked on the Animated TV Series called Nutri Ventures which having been sold to 19 different countries, so far. But I’m also proud of have been working on the 2 newest Frontier’s games!
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m from Portugal and I always loved to draw. Because my parents always encouraged me and support my passion I was able to study fine arts in one of the most well known universities in my country. I learn a lot about art, on how to have a critical thinking and being original and open minded. In addition, during my free time I was discovering animation and experimenting a lot and I was loving it! So in the last 6 month of this course I did Erasmus which is a programme in Europe that allows students to finish their degree in any other university in Europe for free in a course chosen by them. So I decided to study Animation in UK. There I worked so hard and so intensively as I had never worked before, because I was trying to learn as much I could in just those 6month. All this hard work helped me to improve my portfolio. After that I went back to Portugal where I was lucky enough to find a job in animation, which are very rare in there.
I go to work, check what I need to do and then I try to do my best designing original and animated art work. Then I go home and hope that the directors liked my work, so I won’t need to do a lot of changes eh eh eh. J
I like when is given to me completely freedom to create a piece of art like as a logo, a concept or an animation, for example, but I like it especially when I’m able to animate something.
Sitting down for so long, it makes my back hurt sometimes.
What kind of technology do you work with on a daily basis, how has technology changed in the last few years in your field and how has that impacted you in your job?
I always love computers and technologies, so I always tried to grow artistically along with the technology (at least the one I could afford it), therefore I don’t see any major change that had affect my job. Usually I do my work digitally using 2D softwares such like photoshop, flash, illustrator and 3D softwares such like 3Ds Max or Softimage. Although I always sketch my ideas first on small thumbnails in a piece of paper. Because I just find it faster and easier to express my ideas on a piece of paper and then I use the technology to put them altogether.
What is the most difficult part for you about being in the business?
I think it is when I need to rush my creativity because something needs to be ready in a very strick deadline. To do that successfully is something I always found very difficult to do.
In your travels, have you had any brushes with animation greatness?
After I worked as an animator I moved again to UK this time to do a Master in 3D computer Animation. The university in there have companies/artists to speak with us every week for a for a couple of hours. So I had the opportunity to learn and talk with Dreamworks, Disney, among others. And also, in the studios I worked on I was able to know a lot of incredible artist and learn with them.
Describe a tough situation you had in life.
It’s always hard when I have to move away  from my country (Portugal) to find a better job.
I’m currently developing an animation short during my free time, but because it is so in the beginning I don’t like to talk about it … I don’t want to jinx it. J
Any unusual talents or hobbies like tying a cherry stem with your tongue or metallurgy?
I like to do artistic roller skating, practice different kind of voices (but in secret so nobody can hear me) and watch cartoons to practice and learn about animation.
Is there any advice you can give for an aspiring animation student or artist trying to break into the business? Practice a lot, learn and read a lot. Show your work in online forums not only to your family and friends because sometimes they are too nice for us. But, most importantly, work harder and be social even if you don’t feel like, that’s how people start remembering you.  If you’re not any animation genius there still will be a lot of opportunities for you, you just need to show them that you are a very hard worker and committed to the projects. Always show enthusiasm even for something that you don’t like that much, because that could be your entry ticket to the industry! Think ahead and plan your life. Have small goals to achieve every 6 month or every year. This way you’ll be always exited and never feel lost in your career.
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