Zahra Dowlatabadi
Zahra Dowlatabadi has produced both animation and live-action projects. Currently Dowlatabadi is consulting on animated theatrical features, direct-to-video and television projects. Her client list includes Cartoon Network, Lucasfilm Animation, Disney, Animation Lab, and Oregon Film Group.
Following her passion for human rights, she produced and directed a short film entitled The Healing Club www.thehealingclub.com. Additionally, she produced and directed Grandview, Class of 2004, a documentary based on interviews with pre-school aged children reflecting on their memories, discussing their future career goals, dreams and aspirations.
In 2001, Dowlatabadi co-wrote Producing Animation for Focal Press. A first of its kind animation handbook which spells out all the key steps involved in taking a concept from original idea through production and final delivery. Translated in Korean, Producing Animation is used as a textbook in numerous U.S. colleges.
Prior to her independent work, in 2003 Dowlatabadi worked at DisneyToon Studios as a development producer. Between the years 1999 through 2002, she founded Animation Team, an organization set up to assist studios with creative and administrative talent search. In 1998, she served as associate producer on Warner Bros.' first full length animated film, Quest For Camelot. In this role, Dowlatabadi was responsible for managing a crew of over 450 people from the early stages of production through the film's completion. During her tenure at Warner Bros., she also acted as a satellite production manager on the box office hit Space Jam, which combined both animation and live action footage. Given a chance to contribute to UNICEF, Dowlatabadi produced an animated short on the topic of “children’s safety at work” for Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Before joining Warner Bros., Dowlatabadi functioned first as co-producer and then producer on the first three feature length direct-to-video sequels of Land Before Time at Universal Cartoon Studios. She received an Annie Award in 1996 for her work on Land Before Time IV. At Hanna-Barbera Features she was the production manager on Once Upon A Forest. In this role she oversaw the production of animation both in-house and in five other countries. For Turner, Dowlatabadi worked on Page Master, their second animated/live action film as assistant to director, Joe Johnston.
In 1991, Dowlatabadi was the production manager at Walt Disney Television Animation, on the Goof Troop series. For Fox Children's Network, she worked on the animated television series Peter Pan and the Pirates. Dowlatabadi began her career at the renowned Japanese animation studio, Tokyo Movie Shinsha where she production managed the feature film, Little Nemo.
Dowlatabadi graduated from the University of Southern California with an M.A. in Film Theory and Critical Studies. She also holds a B.A. in English Literature and Film from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Originally from Iran, Dowlatabadi and her family reside in Glendale, California.
Credits
The Healing Club, Producer/Director Grandview, Class of 2004, Producer/Director
Development Producer (Disney Toon Studios)
Quest for Camelot (Warner Bros. Feature) Associate Producer
Space Jam (Warner Bros. Feature) Satellite Prod. Mgr.
Children Have a Right to Safety (Warner Bros./Unicef PSA) Producer
Land Before Time II (Universal Cartoon Studios) Co-Producer
Land Before Time III (Universal Cartoon Studios) Co-Producer
Land Before Time IV (Universal Cartoon Studios) Producer
Page Master (Turner Feature Animation) Director's Assistant
Once Upon A Forest (Hanna-Barbera Features) Production Manager
Every Man... (Degenerate Pictures) Co-Producer
Survivors of Torture (Degenerate Pictures) Director
Goof Troop (Disney TV Animation) Assistant Producer
Peter Pan & The Pirates (Fox Children's Network) Production Manager
Prince: A Musical Portrait (Limelight Prods) Post Production Supervisor
Little Nemo (Tokyo Movie Shinsha) Production Manager
Figure From the Ashes (Degenerate Pictures) Co-Director/ Co-Editor
Visionaries (Tokyo Movie Shinsha) Post Production Coordinator
Bionic Six (Tokyo Movie Shinsha) Artwork Coordinator
email: zahra@producinganimation.com
